Chapter Thirty-Two

Callie crossed her arms as she sank into the couch backstage, it was twenty minutes until Bon Jovi were due on stage. The small makeshift dressing rooms were alive with the whirr of blow-dryers and wild chatter. She felt out of place, not really sure where to put herself. Her skin still warm from sex a little while ago and she wasn’t sure if she felt sexy or like a common slut.

Jon was a whirlwind. She could think logically and clearly when he wasn’t around and well, touching her. When he was, her thoughts were scrambled and her heart didn’t know which way to beat. God she hated that he could do that to her. She was a lawyer for god’s sake, trained to keep calm and collective under pressure so why the heck was he any different?

Because he’s –

She slammed her eyes shut to block out the stupid little voice in the back of her head.

She flattened her palms down her thighs, the popping of beer bottles and laughter rumbled from the rooms. She felt awkward, if her father knew she was sitting with a bunch of guys using makeup and bargain bin accessories to get ready for a concert, he’d have something to say about that.

He had something to say about a lot of things.

The knots in her belly twisted thinking about having to go home and tell her father she was quitting law to study medicine. His little pride and joy had now not only got married to some rock star, she was leaving the family business. She clutched her stomach as reality starting to seep in.

“Callie?”

She looked up and her eyes trailed up the ribbons of pink, silver and blue set against tight pale pink pants that left little to the imagination. The rest of him was bare. Silver and gold chains dripped around his neck, the charms buried in his chest.

Good grief.

“Yea?” She swallowed, hard.

“I need a hand with this damn eyeliner, and what are you doing sitting out here? We don’t’ bite you know.” He winked as he cupped her elbow dragging her up onto her feet. God, he smelled like soap, cigarettes and sin.

Whirlwind.

“O-ok.” She was tugged into the dressing room which lingered with beer and smoke. The guys were all crowded in, teasing, combing and ruffling their hair.

She snorted as she tried not to laugh at the sight and how serious they all looked.

“Hey, no girls in here!” Richie held up the hairspray can in a mock gesture pointed at her.

“Relax asshole, she’s my wife so it’s overruled.” Jon pulled her to the corner chair and plopped himself back down before sliding her onto his knee. The warmth of his chest radiated against her, sending little jolts down to her fingertips. This had to stop, he wasn’t safe. His arm snaked around her waist as if he’d read her mind about making a break for it. Dammit.

“Now pick up the pencil and give your husband a hand,” he waggled his eyebrows and smirked.

Her legs swung over the side of his knees as she plucked the pencil off the small dressing table already scattered with accessories and makeup.

“And then you can come do ours,” Alec winked at her down the line of men.

She felt Jon’s arm constrict, was he being protective of her? Oh god. She popped the lid and carefully turned to his face. “How thick do you want this on?”

“Reasonably,” he confirmed rolling his eyes up as she began to apply it.

Her lips were just inches from his cheek, her eyes flicked down to his lips and then back to his eye. Great, all she could think about was that she wanted to kiss him stupid all over again, this was so not a good idea.

She shuddered when hot breath tickled her neck, when she looked back down his lips curved into a smirk. “That’s not nice.” She changed to the other eye and continued.

“I’m not a nice boy, and your nipples are getting hard,” he whispered.

Her cheeks flushed, as her nipples tightened. “They are not.”

“Are now,” he grinned victoriously as she blushed even more. Dammit.

“What are you two squabbling about over there?” Richie yelled.

“I was just saying that Callie’s-ow!” Callie grinned as he rubbed his ribs as she continued.

“You’ll pay for that, later...” his stupid delicious smirk was back. She finished the eyeliner and set it back down. Done. She was about to wriggle back off his lap, but his fingers dug into her waist.

“Have a drink, you’re much too tense woman.” He reached out for a bottle of beer and thrust it into her hands.

She took a swig, it would take more than a sip of beer to calm her nerves. She wasn’t used to being out on display like this.

“That’s better,” his finger traced the collar of her shirt before he tilted her chin towards his face. He pressed his lips lightly against hers and she felt the air being sucked out of her lungs.

When the broke apart, she watched his lips peel off hers. “Jon,” what were they doing? The fluttering of her heart and the twist of her gut was telling one thing. The sirens in her head, another. They’d been acting like a real couple, but was it real? Or was it just a show if Doc walked in? The hotel was sex, she had to believe it was just sex and nothing else.

She just had to.

“Right boys, ten minutes until...” Doc clapped his hands together and stopped in his tracks as his eyes fell on her. Great, here we go.

“Callie.” Doc folded his arms, and paused.

“There are girls out here Jonny, they’re looking forward to seeing you.”

“Well, I’ve got a girl for tonight.” Jon’s tone was firm and icy. She stiffened and waited for Doc to fire but he rubbed his thumb against his chin and stared at them both.

“I expect on stage, things to be different.” And then he left.

Callie straightened the scarf around his neck. “You can go and see your adoring public, I don’t mind.” She bit her lip, she wasn’t stupid and knew he had to smooze the girls. He made it perfectly clear he would.

“I don’t feel like it today.” He rested his lips against her forehead. “Now, you need to drink more.”

She giggled, and took the beer back. “Are you saying, I have to be drunk to enjoy your show?” She squealed when she felt a pinch in her ass. She tipped the bottle into her mouth, “I’m just sayin.”

~

Ten minutes later she was alone, on a chair swept off to side stage.

The noise of the crowd buzzed through the wings, as the lights dipped. Buzz turned to fever pitch as the lights blared and the band walked out from the opposite wing. The hairs shot up on the back of her neck, as she waited to see him come out behind them all. But he didn’t come.

She frowned as the band took their places, Richie slung his guitar over his shoulder and strummed out a chord that shook the walls. Tico took his place behind the drums and smashed a cymbal.

He has to make an entrance, of course he did. Did she really expect anything less?

The music swelled louder, the riffs got choppy and then a blanket of darkness fell over the stadium, and the crowd roared. Feet drummed on the ground, and whistles whizzed past her.

She screamed when two hands clamped her hips from behind, and lips crushed against her cheek. “Enjoy the show baby.” Jon hopped out behind her and took a leap onto the stage, light flooded as music started.

She clutched her hand at her heart, Holy Jesus.

He had a scarf wrapped under his hair that swayed in the breeze, along with the ones he’d cinched around his waist. His pendants glittered in the light and his smile lit up the stage. A floor length coat made of mesh barely dusted the floor.

The band blasted into song, and Jon was off. Dragging the mic stand across each side of the stage, he leaned over into the crowd. She couldn’t help but laugh, the scene reminded her of feeding time at the zoo where they’d tease the animals by dangling the meat over side. In this case, Jon was the meat but he was lapping it up as only a guy could.

Broken hearts and silent nights themed some of the songs the band belted out as he took the performance to a whole new level. No one could fault his dedication as he sang word for word, right from his gut. He was in his element. It was more than she ever could imagine. What would it be like being in the middle of a surgery where everyone around you hung on your every move? Depended solely on you? The power rush must of been incredible.

She wasn’t sure if it was the music, but something crawled up her spine and she was excited. Holy crap. If he can do it, so could she. Clasping her hands together in fear of launching herself out of the chair she continued to watch as he seduced the crowd.

A special wink or a little touch to a girl in that audience was might as well have been like gold. They drank him up and fell under his spell to his every move. It was amazing, and she hadn’t given him credit at all.

This was insane.

On the last beat of the song he was singing,, he flung open his coat and hysteria filled her ears. The grin that spread up his face was contagious; Callie shook her head and laughed. He caught her and winked as he dashed off to Richie and whispered something in his ear. The lights dimmed and the low hum of the guitar vibrated across the stage right to her toes.

He flipped his hair back and walked towards the crowd, “I hope you’re all havin’ a good time tonight. I’m going to tone it down for a bit, so I can catch my breath...” He dipped the mic, “I’m all hot and sweaty here.”

The girls shrieked and Callie rolled his eyes, good grief he knew how to play them.

“But seriously, this one... is for a special girl that’s here tonight all the way from Jersey.”

Callie’s eyes widened and the heat crept up her neck, special? Oh god... here comes the belly flips. She stared in horror as he turned to her and beckoned her, no way in hell was she going out there. She looked around but couldn’t move. There was no escape, just some magic glue holding her to her chair.

She shook her head, but he just smiled and his eyes gleamed under the lights. She was in trouble. Big trouble.

“She’s shy folks, so I’ll just bring her out ...”

“Don’t even think about it.” The snarl in her ear from behind was accompanied by a hand gripping her arm.

Jon strode across the stage, “let go of her now.”

“Jon, I can’t—don’t...”

He pushed Doc’s hand away and pulled her to her feet. “Its fine Callie, come on. Let me share with you what this is... trust me.” He took her other hand in his and his eyes shone.

“Jon, what the hell do you think you’re doing? They’ll work out this is your wife...”

“So what? It’s not the end of the fucking world Doc, she’s come all the way out here—”

“Ok,” she interrupted him. She was crazy, and completely deluded.

“Ok,” he nodded and smiled as he tugged her forward towards the light. She took a deep breath and hoped to god she wasn’t about to regret this.