Chapter 103

Veronica was waiting for them when they came off the stage. The show had been everything she’d hoped for, the culmination of four months of hard work - and her adrenaline was off the charts. Her joy knew no bounds and she wanted to share it with everyone around her.

Michael met Jon as he came down the steps from the stage with a towel and a warning. “Brace yourself.”

“For what?” Jon wiped the sweat dripping from his face.

“Ronnie’s having a hug fest. If she’s nearly knocking the rest of us over, I can only imagine what she’s going to do to you.”

Only if I’m really lucky and I picked the right song! “Thanks for the warning.”

He barely made it out from under the stage when she flew at him, throwing her arms around his neck, gripping his hips with her thighs – the best she could do in a skirt – and dotting kisses all over his face. “Thank you, thank you, thank you! That was fantastic!” Pressing her lips to his, she took possession of his mouth.

Jon grunted at the impact of their bodies, but immediately wrapped his arms beneath her butt to hold her up. He was sweaty and stinky, but if she wasn’t complaining, he wasn’t going to either. He was just happy to have her in his arms again. All he could do was kiss her back.

Suddenly, Veronica broke the kiss, lifted her head and narrowed her eyes at him in warning. “Don’t think this means that I’ve forgiven you, because I haven’t. I just don’t want to think about that tonight. I’ve worked very hard to make tonight a success and I just want to enjoy it. The rest will keep.”

“Whatever you say sugar.” At this point he’d take whatever he could get!





The after party had been going about an hour before they all had a chance to sit down together and relax for a few minutes. With Veronica’s high spirits and the fact that she wasn’t shooting Jon threatening looks, the guys decided it was safe to ask about the break.

“So how was your break?” Tico directed the question to Jon, but looked back and forth between them. “Anything exciting happen?”

Jon shook his head. “Naw, it was pretty tame.”

Veronica snorted. “Okay, sure, if you don’t count the boys’ death defying stunt, your mother’s oh so pleasant visit, which resulted in your daughter barely speaking to me....then yeah, I guess you could say it was tame. The only bright spot was Boots!”

“Boots? What kind of boots?” David asked.

Jon grimaced. “Boots is a cat.”

The near disgust in his tone earned him a light swat in the shoulder from Veronica. “Hey! Be nice to Boots!”

“Tell her to be nice to me! She treats me like a piece of furniture or a jungle gym! And I have the scratches to prove it!”

“She’s only a baby!” Seeing Rani waving at her, she excused herself.

At his friends urging, Jon filled them in on the events Veronica had mentioned. They all winced at Carol’s behaviour and agreed that Stephanie would come around.

“You have a cat? You?” David couldn’t believe it.

Jon sighed. “If you’d seen the looks on the kids faces – and Ronnie’s – at the sight of that poor little ball of fur, you wouldn’t sound so surprised. I just couldn’t say no.”

“Well, I think Ronnie’s right. You’d better be nice to Boots...cause at the rate you’re going, that may be the only pussy you’ll be getting close to for awhile.” Richie commented.

Jon flipped him off, and would have responded, but got distracted by the sight of Veronica following Rani’s movements as she taught her the steps of a traditional dance. It was a very fluid and graceful dance, which made it perfectly suited to Veronica. As he watched her, her midnight hair swinging from a high ponytail in deference to the heat, amethyst eyes sparkling as she laughed, he was struck again at how beautiful she was. He had to smarten up or he was going to lose her again...and he couldn’t let that happen.

About half an hour later, the party started to break up. Jon was talking to Sayed when he felt someone pushing something into his pocket. He didn’t need to look to know it was Veronica – the scent of lilacs teased his nose.

With a few words to Sayed, she bid them all good night, caught Jon’s eye and tilted her head to murmur in his ear. “Don’t be late.”

Confused, Jon watched her walk down the hallway, then pulled out the item she’d stuck in his pocket. It turned out to be a room key with a note attached. Suite 164, fifteen minutes. A slow grin spreading across his face, he checked his watch, then started making the rounds to say goodnight.

Exactly fifteen minutes after Veronica had left the party, Jon unlocked the door to Suite 164 and walked in. “Nica?” He glanced around the sitting room and whistled in appreciation. “Now this is more like it!” David was right – it was like a palace. The furniture was all gleaming wood and glass and plush cushions. That combined with the potted plants and artwork made the room a lush oasis in the heart of the desert. He’d bet if he checked, the bathroom fixtures would be marble. “Honey? Are you here?”

“Welcome master.”

Jon spun to see her standing in the doorway to the bedroom. His eyes just about bugged right out of his head, and his mouth went dry. She was wearing what he could only describe as a harem outfit. The flesh coloured pants were loose and transparent, the low waistband and ankle cuffs – and the area at the apex of her thighs - embroidered in bright colours – he couldn’t tell what the design was. When she turned it was clear that undergarments were not part of the ensemble. The top was of the same material, with embroidery on the cuffs and over just the tips of her breasts. The slightly tanned skin of her limbs and stomach lured his eyes to follow her barely concealed curves. A thicker red veil was wrapped around her ponytail and draped across her face leaving only her heavily kohled eyes visible. Master? Are we playing tonight then? He had to clear his throat twice before he could speak. Even then his voice was a husky near growl. “Are you my new slave then?”

“That will be for you to decide master....if my talents are acceptable to you or whether you want to sell me to someone else.” Veronica pitched her voice low and sultry.

Jon sat in a thick cushioned chair, made himself comfortable, and gestured to the open space in front of him. “Show me your...talents...then, so I can decide if you’re worthy of joining my household.”

Veronica lifted the remote in her hand and pushed a button and set it down. The room was instantly filled with music, a lilting, sensual melody. Moving to stand in front of him, she began to dance, her body swaying and turning to the beat. The material of her outfit floated around her body, the embroidered areas over her female parts teased and tempted him, almost revealing her, then covering her again. The result was more erotic and arousing than if she’d been naked.

His body hardened.

Next her hands and arms came into play, her movements graceful and flowing, flaunting herself before him. When her hands smoothed over her curves, his eyes followed and his pants shrunk another size. Her hips began to slowly swivel and gyrate in a rhythm he’d felt beneath him many times.

He shifted in his chair to ease the pressure on his now throbbing erection, but didn’t - couldn’t – take his eyes off of her. She was the most beautiful, most sensual woman he’d ever met.

The tempo of the music increased and so did her movements, faster and faster until she was spinning, her hips were a blur and he almost exploded in his pants. His hands clenched against the urge to reach out, drag her close and impale her in his lap. But he had other plans for the night.

The ‘sultan and harem slave’ scenario she’d set into motion would allow him to indulge his dominant, autocratic side – with her blessing - and she would have to obey. The thought sent all sorts of ideas through his head, which only made his current physical condition worse. It had been too long since they’d made love for his control to hold out for what he wanted to do to her. Unless.....

As the music reached its peak and ended, Veronica collapsed onto her knees on the floor and prostrated herself before him, her upper body bent over her curled legs, arms outstretched and waited for his response.

It took several breaths before he could be sure enough of his voice to give it. “Not bad. Get on the bed and we’ll see what else you can do.”

“Yes master.” She smirked under the veil at the strained growl. It sounded like her performance had had the desired effect and her body began to tingle in anticipation of what the result would be.