Chapter One

Monday 21st October 1985, 1.37am.

Atlantic City, New Jersey.

“I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride!”

He leaned in close, the grin spreading all the way up to his eyes. “Hello there, wifey—“ He giggled as he leaned forward and tilted her chin with his finger as he kissed her, in a way husbands were meant to kiss their wives.

His lips were soft, like she remembered and as he deepened the kiss she melted, his arms curling around her dragging her close.

“Husband indeed,” she chuckled against his cheek and hiccupped. She squealed when he hooked his arms hands under her knees uplifting her into his arms.

“We're off – to consummate” his brows waggled as he strode out the door.

She shrieked with laughter as the colors in the room spun like a kaleidoscope as he carried her out.

~

Monday 21st October 1985, 11.02am.

She cracked her eyes open and stretched; she frowned when the heavy fog on her head didn't lift from a forehead rub. Christ Callie, what did you drink last night? Just one night to let your hair down, sure last time she listened to Jack. But hell he was the Firm director’s son, so it was important to go and play with the big boys. She rolled over to check the time, her arm flying out and connecting with something --- or someone.

A grunt propelled her up dragging the sheets around her. She was naked? Oh god, Oh shit. She didn't!

He rolled over shielded his eyes from the light, “Oh hey.” His sleepy grin was warm, his long honey brown hair scattered across his shoulders.

Yep. She did.

She raked her hair back from her face, “Hey...” Hey? That's all you can say, you're wrapped in a god damned sheet. Please have clothes on...please have clothes on under this. She lifted up the sheet and peeked down.

Damn.

He chuckled and sat up, scratching along his chest. “Don't do this much?”

She shook her head, “Nope – can't say I do.” Callie wiggled across to the side of the bed. He just shook his head and laughed.

“I don't bite, well at least I don't think I do.” he checked over the tanned skin that was visible to him and smirked.

Oh God, and he has to treat it like a big joke. Of course. Typical male. What the hell was with his hair? Was he some sort of rock-star? Her mind flashed back to the night before. Dancing, there was a lot of dancing. Singing – yes there was that too. How on earth did I end up with him?

She was gorgeous, very girl next door with her long way brown hair that scattered over her freckled shoulders. Her soft brown eyes he remembered being one thing that dragged him into the pool of lust last night with her. But she was different, unassuming of herself. Not like the wanna be groupies that had graced his bed in the past. The long line of her neck was distracting for his mouth. If she wasn't so tense and in post-regret mode he would of suggested another tumble in the sheets. One he could remember.

Coming home to New Jersey was always fun, he looked around the room and rubbed his eyes. What hotel was he even in? This wasn't where they were last night?

“I'm going to the bathroom -” Callie dragged the sheet firmly swaddled around her leaving him with nothing.

“Oh it's like that is it?” Jon chuckled. She didn't get a chance to reply as the phone buzzed loudly on the table next to him. He reached over and tucked the receiver under his chin.

“Yeah-”

“Mr Bongiovi – this is the concierge. We're just wondered if everything is up to your standards and whether you will be needed anything in the suite, for yourself or your wife.”

Jon snorted, “Hold up – need anything for me and who?”

“Your wife sir! I’m sorry we just assumed since you asked for the honeymoon suite when you booked into the hotel...” Jon shook his head as he trailed off. Stupid shit, what else have you said when you were drunk? Really got to watch that. Doc would have a fit if he even pretended he was married, with the delicate state the band was still in.

He curled the cord around his fingers. “No we'll be checking out shortly – my...friend... and I.”

“Very well sir. We'll see you shortly.” With a click he was gone. Hotel staff always assumed the most stupid things. He was about to place the phone back in its cradle when a scream from the bathroom shot him up off the bed.

Callie had taken care of her needs and was now working on waking herself up out of the roaring going on inside her head. Damn hangovers, she was studying herself in the mirror when the glint of gold from her finger caught her eye in the mirror. She pulled her gaze down to her hand. There was a gold plain band on her wedding finger! What in the hell? Like a movie on rewind it splashed through her mind the night. As previously established there was dancing and singing – but there was more. Kissing, lots of kissing. Flirting – and drinking.

Oh god, the drinking.

She tried to steady her hand, as parts of it came back to her. The laughing, how it would be fun to get married for the 'night'. She screamed, slamming her eyes shut as the bile in her throat bubbled. She dove for the toilet, feeling her gut clench. This wasn't going to be pretty. How could you be so stupid?

The door swung open behind her, “hey you alright?”

Her husband, evidently.

She banged her forehead on the rim of the porcelain. “No I'm not.”

She felt his hand on her shoulder but shrugged it away, “Please don't.” Her mind was trying to make sense of how to approach this. What to do? But the logistics of the situation left her wanting.

“Least let me hold your hair, back – you don't want that in the way. Believe me I know.” Jon said sifting his fingers through her silky hair. It was then he saw it. His wedding finger, the same band that was on a finger curled around the edge of the porcelain.

“What the fuck?” he pulled away holding in front of his face. They didn't?

Oh fuck, they did.

Callie recomposed herself and pulled up to look at him, tugging the sheet with her. “You don't remember either?” He was staring at his finger as if three heads had popped out from his hand. Nope, he didn't remember either.

“Well shit, we got married?” he asked, he didn't know what else to do except laugh.

She snapped her head up to his. “We've just made a stupid mistake and all you can do is laugh?” What the hell? Didn't he realize what this meant, they were screwed. Well she was.

“Hey – calm down ---err....” Holy fuck, he didn't even know her name. This was insane, she was now his wife and he didn't know her name. He snorted and held out his hand. “I'm Jon, and you are?”

She gathered up the sheet from the floor and stormed right past him, how the fuck could he possibly think any of this was funny? “I'm pissed,” was all she could say as she marched back into the bedroom.

Jon rolled his eyes and chased after her, “hey, ok ok. I'm sorry. You're obviously annoyed at this but we can fix it, I promise.”

He was thrown off balance when she whirled around and pointed her finger at him. “Fix it how? Wave a magic wand and it all goes away? Tear up the marriage certificate...God only knows where that is. It doesn't just go away Jon.”

“C'mon, I know that. I'm just trying to keep it light. We'll get a lawyer and sort it out.”

She raked her hand through her hair and sighed. “I am a lawyer Jon, and we're screwed. I'm screwed.” She did not need this, Callie Richards had come fresh out of law school and straight into the pit of hell. As a rookie district attorney from a long line of respected and successful lawyers in her family, she did not need this. It was already hard enough being a woman in a male dominant profession as it was.

“You're a lawyer?” He couldn't help not picture her in a tight fitted business suit with her hair pulled back and her mile long legs stretching out under a short skirt.

“Yes, I am. And it's not that easy to fix this.”

“Well do you have contacts that you can ask, you know to sweep this all under the rug?”

She chuckled, who the hell was this guy? Apart from the obvious.

“No Jon, it doesn't work like that.” She dumped herself down on the bed and closed her eyes.

He sat down beside her and put his hand on her sheet covered knee. “I'm sorry – I don't remember why we decided to get married. Believe me it's not in my best interests to be married right now either. My manager is going to have a coronary.”

“Your manager?”

“Um yeah...I front a local rock band. Our first song was a big hit locally....Runaway?” He explained.

She shook her head, unfamiliar with the tune.

Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
All those things he couldn't say
Ooh, she's a little runaway
Daddy's girl learned fast
Now she works the night away.

He sang some of the chorus.

“Hmmm sounds kind of familiar...what the hell...”She looked up at him, meeting his gaze. Was he kidding? Like this could get much worse. She was not only married to a complete stranger, but he was a rock star? Well that explained the hair. It was ridiculously overgrown. She ignored the impish grin on his mouth, and the baby blues he probably pulverized women with all the time.

“Well least that's one thing we agree on – we have to keep this quiet as possible. Least till we figure out what to do.” Her mind derailed at the thought. She had no idea what she was gong to do. Who she could even tell? If word got out that Callie Richards had got married to a wannabe rock star on a whim...her career would be over.

“You got it wife.”

She managed a small smile. She wanted to hate him, god she did. But it seemed she was just as much to blame for their situation as he was. She held her hand out to him.

“Callie. Callie is my name.”

He took it, wrapping his hand around hers and shook it. “Pleased to meet you Callie."