Chapter Fifty

Stretching carefully, Stephanie opened her eyes and rolled to her side.  She wasn’t surprised to find Richie still sleeping.  After leaving the arena they came back here to the hotel and snuck up to his room.  They never made it back down to the bar to join the guys for a post-show drink. They had done their own partying, well into the night.  She ached deliciously all over.

Smiling at the thought, she raised a finger to trace the bruise she had left on his chest.  She had always enjoyed sex before, but it was different now with Richie, more exciting, more intense, more…just more.  She’d had more orgasms last night at his hand-and mouth for that matter-that she lost count somewhere around six.  Or maybe it was seven.  She just didn’t know.

She inched closer to him, brushing her fingers lightly back and forth across his chest.  His skin was still bronze with its southern California tan and he was so warm.  Tugging on the sheet-the blanket was nowhere to be found-she slid even closer to him and sighed contentedly when his arms tightened around her and dragged her in against him.

“Cold, sweetheart?”  He lightly ran his hand up and down her arm, finding goose bumps and chilled skin.

Resting her cheek against his chest she let her fingers wander along his side.  “Yes.  We lost the blanket somewhere last night.”  She tipped her head back so she could see his face.  “I thought you were still asleep.”

He shook his head and fluttered barely there kisses across her forehead.  “I was watching you. What were you thinking about?”  He hoped she was thinking about him, or last night or anything that didn’t have to do with Mark and/or Ben.  He was doing his best to keep those thoughts at bay.  She had enjoyed herself at the show last night, smiling, laughing, singing and dancing.  He didn’t want anything to bring her down, at least for now, while she was here with him.  He just hoped it was working.

“You.”  She pressed her lips to the base of his throat.  “I was thinking about you and how amazing last night was.”

“Yeah?  You thought the show was that good?  I thought it was okay, but I wouldn’t say it was one of our more amazing ones though.”  He kept the laugh to himself, being deliberately obtuse.

Laughing quietly she gave him a playful poke in the belly.  “I wasn’t talking about the show.”

Rolling to his back he reached for the blanket that was on the floor on his side of the bed. Finding it with his fingers, he pulled the blanket up and over them.  ”Come here.”  He maneuvered them so she had her back to him and he curled himself around her, spooning up behind her.  “If it wasn’t the show that was amazing,” he tucked her hair away from her shoulder and traced the freckles there with his tongue.  “I have no idea what you could be talking about.”

She chuckled quietly and dragged her fingers lightly across his forearm.  “You’re not that old that you’re memory should be going.”  She looked over her shoulder with a smirk.  “Yet.”

His hand slid down her side and smacked her lightly on her bottom.  “You’d better be nice or you won’t get your Valentine’s Day present, sweetheart.”

Her eyes widened both at the light smack and at the fact that he had gotten her a gift.   She hadn’t even thought to get him anything.  Even though Valentine’s Day was mostly a Hallmark holiday, she hadn’t even gotten him a card.  She closed her eyes and frowned.  “Rich?”

“Hmmm?”   He continued his course across her shoulder and up along the side of her neck.  “What, sweetheart?” 

She shivered at the caress of his breath across her skin.  “I didn’t get you anything.  It never even crossed my mind.”  She looked over her shoulder at him again.  “I’m sorry.”

Shifting on the bed, Richie eased Stephanie onto her back.  One long finger slid lightly down her cheek and across her jaw.   “You spent your money to come see me.  That’s all the gift I need, sweetheart.”  He leaned in and lightly pressed his lips to hers before she could say anything.  “Now, don’t move.  I’ll be right back.”

Sitting up, she pushed her hair back and clutched the blanket to her all the while watching him move across the room.  Lord, he was a fine looking man.  Strong, muscular back, long lean legs.  And damn, he had a great ass. 

He rifled though his bag and when he found what he was looking for he turned and headed back toward the bed. 

She licked her lips in anticipation.  God his chest, she wanted to curl against it and never leave and, her gaze slid down his body to his groin.  His semi-erect penis bobbed between his legs as he neared the bed.  Her mouth watered and if she had been wearing panties they would have been soaked.

“See something you like, sweetheart?” he snickered as he stopped by the side of the bed. 

She nodded her head blithely as he climbed back into the bed.  She reached for him and he stopped her, putting the flat, square, cream colored box in her hands instead. 

“We’ll get there, but first, open your present.” 

She looked down at the box and fingered the red ribbon that criss-crossed the top of the box.  He had given her a pretty, shiny gift for Christmas.  Her finger found the small rose gold “S” around her neck.  Before that, it had been a long time since someone outside her family had given her a gift.  Her gaze shifted to the ring on the middle finger of her left hand.  That had been the last gift she had ever gotten, sparkly or otherwise, from a man she loved.  She closed her eyes and pushed that thought away.   This was not the time to be thinking about Mark.  He had no place here. 

 Richie watched her intently, wondering what was going on it that pretty head of hers.   “Sweetheart?  You okay?”

She nodded “yeah” and tugged at the ribbon, letting it fall to the blanket. The word Pandora was inscribed in gold across the top of the box.  The hinged lid opened soundlessly and inside she found a slim, black leather braided bracelet with a single charm flanked on either side by a silver spacer bead.  Picking it up, she held it close so she could see it better.  The gold bead had tiny red stones circling it and a silver heart inlaid with tiny pink stones dangling from it.  She turned her gaze to him, “I love it.”  She pressed her lips to his stubbly cheek.  “Thank you.”

She looked entirely too melancholy for the moment.  He needed to get the mood back on track.  Taking the bracelet from her fingers he worked the clasp open and circled her wrist with it.  “Be my Valentine, baby?”

She looked from their hands up to his face and saw the mischievous look in his warm brown eyes.  How could she not smile at the inane question?  “I’d like nothing better today.”

Cupping her face in his hands, his lips found hers in a quiet, passionate kiss.  The box and ribbon forgotten, he drew her in to him, showing her with his mouth, his hands, his body what he couldn’t bring himself to tell her with his words.