Chapter Twelve

Callie flinched as the loud laughter and chatter hit her as they entered the Stone Pony, for someone so used to ball-breaking, she felt so well out of her depth. He took her hand and as they squeezed through the sea of people. They may have as well been in a fish bowl the way people stared at them. A loud cheer came from the bar where the guys some of which Callie recognized. The women were like a gaggle of geese as the descended on Jon.

Clearly she was out of her depth.

“Relax,” the voice came in her ear. “You’re as stiff as a lamppost, and look like you’re on guard for an attack,”

Yeah, an attack of the lipstick brigade.

She was drowning in a sea of bright colored patterns and tousled high hair. Each set of eyes that dragged over her may as well as been raking her over hot coals. Callie was used to attention, as a lawyer you just had to be. But this sort of attention was less than desirable.

“Ok,” she loosened her smile as people nodded in their direction. She knew they were all looking at Jon initially but as each gaze found him they shifted onto her.

“Hiya girls.” He smiled and as he held out his hand, a number of them grabbed it.

Feeding time at the Zoo.

Callie’s gaze fell on Doc who was sitting at the bar, watching. She nodded in his direction, but all he did was squint those beady little eyes and take a longer sip of his beer.

“Don’t worry about him, go grab yourself a drink. I’ll have a beer.” He said loosening his grip on her hand and leaving her standing alone as his attentions turned towards the girls to sign autographs and flash his wares.

Well fuck, what was she now, the maid? And was she expected to pay?

She didn’t say anything but walked to the bar trying not to lose her cool.

Doc was looking pretty pleased with himself. “Why, good evening Callie.” He grinned, “Can I get you both a drink?” She wanted to wipe the stupid smirk right off his face but she inhaled the smoky bar air and smiled.

“No, that won’t be necessary, I’ve got this.” She pulled her purse out and paid for two beers.

“Little harder than you think isn’t it?”

She paid the bar man and tucked her purse back into her bag. “What is hard?” she asked coolly not meeting his stare. She hardly knew the guy, and lawyers were never supposed to be that quick to judge a character. But she hated him.

“This – whole thing you and Jonny think you can do.”

“I have no idea what you mean, he’s keeping his fans happy. That’s what you wanted isn’t it?” She looked back over at the gaggle that had trapped him in. Her eyes fell to his ass, where one brunette had decided to use it as a pin cushion. Her bright red nails digging into the outside of his jeans pocket.

Her grip tightened around the beers and she strode off, leaving Doc’s amused chuckle floating behind her.

“Your beer, darling.” Her teeth clicked as she handed it out to him.

“Why thank you Callie…” he turned and without warning grabbed the beer and pressed his lips tight against hers, letting his tongue slide into her mouth before pulling away, the gleam in his eyes sparkling. She bit down her lip...he blatantly did that because he knew he could get away with it.

And she was mad.

Just let it go, now is not the time. The first night was always going to have speed wobbles, just let it go.

She smiled at the girls before she backed away right into someone. “Oh I’m so sorry…” But the young guy in black leather pants and a ripped t-shirt smiled. “Hey, you must be Callie…” he was shorter than the others as was his dark mullet.

“Ah yeah, and you…”

He grabbed her arm and led her to the bar. “I’m Tico, the drummer….I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself… “he stood back and looked her up and down. “My my Jonny has a hot tamale here indeed.”

She wrapped her arms around herself. Callie knew she was pretty, but it still didn’t feel right men like this looking at her, in that way. Like the way those women looked at Jon.

“Relax, I’m not going to bite. I’m not like the rest of them…wanna drink?” he clicked his fingers to the bartender.

Where the hell was her other beer? She looked back at Jon and immediately saw one of the other girls must have taken it out of her hands and was now sucking on the neck with her bright red lipstick as she talked to Jon. Oh brother.

“Yeah that would be good…” she slid onto the bar stool and clasped her hands together. She felt more out of place here than anything she’d done before. She had no idea what to do or how to act. She’d figure it out, she still remembered the first day she had to stand up in court and address the courtroom. If it had been an audition for public speaking, she would have failed. One thing Callie didn’t do was fail twice. The next time she did it, she nailed it. Maybe it would be the same thing here?

She glanced back at her messy haired husband. Maybe not.

“You ok? You seem a little nervy girl.” He handed her a beer and leaned back against the bar.

She took her beer and pressed it against herself. “This is all just so new – and…,” she sighed. She couldn’t even explain it and continued to watch Jon being devoured by the girls and love every minute of it.

“Ah, its not an easy situation you’re in… I don’t know the reasons you are staying married but I’ve got a fair idea… just relax and go with the flow…”

The flow? What the hell was the flow?

“This is not my scene Tico, this….” She looked down at herself. “Is just not me.”

He chuckled. “Well you look hot, but if it’s not you why the hell are you wearing it?”

She didn’t even really have an answer, “to blend in I guess – look like his wife.” She shrugged and looked back down at her beer. Then her hand curled around the bottle tight, this was his domain and he was meant to be the one also making this work with her… it was after all his most brilliant idea to announce that the marriage was real.

Her belly bottomed out when she thought about having to go into the office the next morning and face her own life. No doubt everyone knew about her marriage by now but she would go and have to face her music – alone.

She had it harder, there was no doubt and the more she thought about it the tighter her grip around her bottle became.

~

“Jonny…..why did you have to go and get married?” the buxom blond twisted her finger around his chain before running the tip of it across his bottom lip.

His cock was already rock hard, rock hard from when he saw Callie dressed up and now he had women teasing him, women that wanted him. And he couldn’t have them.

His brow rose. Or could he?

He glanced sideways at where Callie had retreated back to the bar talking to Tico, ok so wife was occupied. Turning his attention back to his new “friend” he skimmed his knuckle down the curve of her breast over the black spandex of her top.

“So – how about you and I get better acquainted out the back, say in five minutes….?” He whispered low against her ear. She nodded and giggled giddily and disappeared leaving him in the wake of the sway of her hips. One quick fuck when no one was looking would matter now, would it?

He had to relieve the damn pressure off his cock somehow.

He was about to make himself scarce when Richie tapped him on the shoulder. “Dude, you gonna look after your wife? Before Tico or Alec does?” Jon looked over his shoulder to where Callie was with still with Tico but Alec had moved in.

“Dammit.” He muttered, he couldn’t just leave her out here with them like this… especially Alec. Alec would likely just want her as a notch on his belt if he knew they weren’t actually married, well in love.

He walked over to them and grinned, “hey fellas….. Mind if I borrow my girl for awhile…” he said loudly so that Doc looked up at the table nearby. He hooked his arm through hers and dragged her to a far corner booth.

“Jon, what are you doing?” she asked and before she could say anymore he pushed her back against the leather back seat pressing his body into her so her breast disappeared into his chest.

“What all good husbands do – make out with their wives…” His lips dragged across hers and as she took a breath he dove right in. A sharp pinch in his arms had him pull back.

“Ow, what was that for?”

Her hands gripped his arms tighter. “I’m not your little doll you can just come around and kiss Jon – especially when you’ve been all over the perfume factory rejects like you have… what are you a man slut now?” she hissed.

Her brown wavy bangs were falling around her face so he lifted one back and tucked it behind her ear. “I’ve still got to keep the woman happy you know, its part of what I do…as my wife you’d understand that.”

“You can’t be serious, are you even listening to yourself?”

He chuckled, “You’re jealous of the attention they’re getting…,” that had to be it. It was so obvious.

She went to stand up but he grabbed her and slid her into his lap. “Now, now… people are looking.” His lips found the curve of neck and tasted her skin. Sweet just like he’d imagined.

“Jon, stop it.”

“I told you, you could have it didn’t I. The offer is still open, I could take you home and make you not ever be jealous again.” He could feel her pulse hammer under his mouth as he nipped his way back up to her chin. Her whole body had clammed in his grasp, but he had the safety net of being in public. He wanted her in his bed and he knew she wanted it – but was denying it.

“Don’t flatter yourself rock star, just because every woman in this room may want into your pants. Doesn’t mean I do.”

Jon caught a glimpse of Doc out of his eye looking pretty satisfied.

Fuck, Callie squirming and protesting must look pretty fucking obvious.

“Callie. You gotta relax or-“

“Ladies and Gentlemen, I would like you to welcome Mr and Mrs Bongiovi to the floor…"

Both Callie and Jon whipped their heads around to where the little sound stage was and Doc proudly standing speaking into a microphone.

“What the f-“

“Since they didn’t get a proper wedding, I think its only right we let them have their first dance as man and wife right here so we can all see how happy Jon and Callie are.” Jon clenched his fist, god damn he wanted to wipe that smirk right off his face.

Oh shit.

“Snap out of this fucking now and behave like my wife or we’re in serious trouble.” He looked around at her when he took her hand and she’d said nothing. “Callie?”

But she stood nailed to the ground.

“Callie, you gotta do this – we’ve got to do this.” He could feel the entire bar's eyes burning holes in his back.

“If you’re that fucking pissed off – show all them what you’ve got and they haven’t.” He motioned to the sea of girls waiting expectantly for their next move.