Chapter Ninety-Two

To:     The Girls

From: Q

Re:     Queenie’s World Tour - The End

Yes, sadly, the tour is at its end.  We have landed in Portugal and the guys are preparing for the last show of the tour. 

For as much fun as I have had, I can honestly say I won’t miss living out of my suitcase, uncomfortable airplane seats or hotel/restaurant food.  I would kill for a decent home-cooked meal.  I totally get why the guys hate this part of their jobs.  When they say the 3 hours they spend on stage is the best part of all this, they aren’t lying. 

I hope you have enjoyed my notes, anecdotes and pictures.  It’s been fun sharing this experience with all of you, even if it was only virtually. 

We’ll be heading home after the show tomorrow night with a short stop in New York to see my family.  We should be back in LA by the end of the week.  I don’t start my next Habitat project until the beginning of September.  Hopefully I’ll be recovered from the jet lag/travel hangover by then.

Girls, this has been, by far, one of the best experiences of my life.  How many people get an opportunity like this in their lifetime?  I got to travel, to see the world (well, some of it anyway) in a way I never thought I would.  I know we didn’t get to see a lot of any one place, but the snippets I did get to see were amazing.

The guys have been so nice too.  I can’t believe I can actually call Jon, Dave, Tico and Hugh my friends.  But they have become just that. 

And, of course, there’s Richie.  He has been unbelievably wonderful.  I can’t begin to tell you all the things he’s done for (and to) me.  ;)

I used to think Mark was the best man I had ever met.  I think Richie equals him in every way.   We talk, about anything and everything.  He always seems to know what to say to make me feel better or when I need a shoulder to cry on or just an ear to listen.  It’s like he has some sort of weird sixth sense about what’s going on in my head or something.  And, he makes me laugh.  I think that’s the thing I like best about him.  Other than that damn dimple of his. 

 

I am so glad I said yes to Richie when he asked me to come along with him.  I considered (for about half a second) saying no.  I’m glad the yes came out of my mouth first.  J

Girls, I didn’t think I could ever be this happy again.  When I sold the house and left New York, I wasn’t entirely sure I was doing the right thing.  All I knew was I needed to get out, get away and try to deal with all that had happened.  Turns out, it was the best decision I could have made.

Anyway…

Today, we get to play, the show is tomorrow night and then we’re headed back to the US of A.  While I don’t know yet what the rest of the summer will bring, I do know that I will have a few weeks to rest and recuperate. 

I hope you are all well and enjoying your summer.  Miss you all.

Love to all of you.

Q

~

Pushing open the door, Richie wiped his face with the towel he had carried up from the gym.  Stephanie was facing away from him, looking out the window and talking on her phone.  She was wearing that little, silky pink robe that left her tanned, toned legs bare.  He looked her up and down.  It had been a week since they had done more than fool around and he had gotten more than a blow job.  Not that he minded, but as much as he loved her mouth on him, he loved being buried in her warm, wet pussy so much more. 

Damn Mother Nature. 

His eyes traveled her up and down once more.  Hoping all was well in that department he let the door close quietly behind him and he followed the tent in his shorts across the room.

Two more nights before they returned to the States.  Two more nights of sleeping next to her.  Two more days and nights of having her by his side every day before they returned to their real lives.  How was he going to go back to living alone?  He stopped behind her.

How was she?

His thoughts were interrupted by the rising of Stephanie’s voice.

“No, Jane. That wasn’t the deal we made.”

Stephanie shook her head and paced along the length of the windows. “I was supposed to have more than a month’s notice before having to be out of the house.”  She rolled her eyes to the ceiling.  “How could this happen?  This was supposed to be a rent-to-own deal.  And how am I supposed to find somewhere else to live when I’m not even in the damn country?”

She stopped and pushed at the sheer curtains so she could look out the window.  What the hell was she going to do now?  The owners of her house wanted the house back.  Apparently the guy’s new job wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. 

Catching Richie’s reflection behind her, she wrapped up the call.  “Jane, I’ll have to call you back.”  She ended the call and dropped her phone into the pocket of her robe.

Before she could speak, his hands were at her hips, his fingers crushing the silk as he dragged the hem of her robe up in search of her skin.  He moved in close and pressed his front against her back.  His hands slid around to her front, his long fingers working the sash free from its knot.  Her skin was warm and as soft as her robe.  Those long fingers traveled down, slowly skimming over her belly, resting lightly in the tiny bit of hair that covered her mound.  His other hand slid up, cupping her breast, testing its weight in his palm, his thumb circling the rapidly hardening nipple. 

“Rich” she dropped her head back and a soft moan escaped her lips.

He leaned in, snaking his tongue around the shell of her ear.  “Shh…” his fingers slid lower, hovering, barely touching her clit.  “Are we good?”

Stephanie widened her stance and nodded.  “God yes.”

He smiled against her, nipping along her neck even as his fingers moved lower.  She shuddered and pushed back against him when his fingers dipped inside her.  She was already wet and ready for him.   He pressed his fingers deeper.  She was always wet and ready for him.   That thought had him harder and he ground himself against her ass. 

With his fingers still knuckle deep inside her, he nudged her forward, “lean on the window, baby” he whispered.  With the sheer curtains pulled closed, no one on the outside would be able to see them. 

She moved, gripping the curtains in her fists, her forehead resting against the window. 

He raised the hem of her robe up and over her ass, stroking her cheeks lightly.  “You have the prettiest ass, sweetheart.” 

Stephanie closed her eyes, “thanks.”  His fingers slid around her hip and found her clit again, stroking her, pushing her toward the threshold of her control.  She pressed her hips back against him.  “Rich, please, I’m gonna-”

He pulled his hand away, “not yet you’re not.”  He lowered his shorts and was buried balls deep in her in less than a heartbeat.  The relief of finally being inside of her again combined with the pleasure of her tightening like a fist around him had him nearly losing control.  Taking a deep breath he moved, driving into her with an almost reckless abandon.  He reached around to find her clit to keep her with him and his fingers encountered hers.  He drew his hand away, gripping her hip tightly.  “That’s right, darlin’, come on, play with that pretty clit and come with me.” 

As the words left his mouth she cried out, her orgasm erupted, flowing through her, stealing her breath and taking Richie with her.

Panting, Stephanie rolled her head against the window.   Richie was draped over her, one hand still on her hip, the other bracing himself against the window.  “Damn” she whispered.

Sucking in a huge breath, Richie blew it out and eased himself from her.  He drew up his shorts and pulled her hair away from her face.  “Stay right here, Sweetheart.  I’ll be right back.”

Relaxing her grip, the curtains fell back into place and she slowly stood and as she turned she found Richie walking back toward her.  She smiled at him and let her eyes fall closed.  “I think you wrecked me more than a little that time.”

He chuckled and gently cleaned her thighs with the cloth he had brought with him.  “I was aiming for total destruction.  I guess I need to try harder next time.”

She dropped her head forward to rest it on his shoulder.  “Any harder and I won’t be able to walk normal for a week.”

“I’ll push you around in a wheelchair” he replied with a smile as he lifted her from her feet.  “Come on, I need a shower and you need to tell me what’s going on with your house.”

~

They were still arguing about her situation hours later while they were getting ready to go to dinner.  He thought she should just move in with him.  She wasn’t so sure that was the best idea.

“It’s too much of an imposition, Rich.  I just couldn’t do that” she repeated herself for the umpteenth time.  She was finding out that Richie could be as stubborn as a mule about some things.

Richie blew out a breath and instead of going around and around this subject and getting nowhere, again.  He took her hands and led her to the couch.  “Sweetheart, how long have we been seeing each other?”

Her slim shoulder lifted in a shrug.  “Eight months or so.”  She stared at him, wondering just where this conversation was going.

“And in that time, did you see us moving this relationship along to something more-” he paused searching for the right word, “permanent I guess would be the word I want.”

She nibbled her lower lip before frowning slightly.  She could honestly say she hadn’t even considered it.  “No, Rich, I hadn’t.”

He dipped his head to find her eyes with his.  He wanted to know just what she thought about where they were headed.  “Where did you see this going, Sweetheart?”

She sat and stared at him for a long moment before pulling her hands from his and standing.  She paced back and forth.  She hadn’t even thought about where things with them were going.  She had no idea how this was supposed to work.  They had professed their love for each other but did that mean moving in together, maybe getting married at some point?  Was there another happily ever after out there for her?  Was she ready to go down that road again?

From the look on her face he could tell she was having a hard time coming up with an answer for him.  “It is so terrible?” he asked.

Her gaze shot to his.  “What?”

He reached out and took her hand, “is it so terrible, the thought of living with me?”  He pushed ahead before she could answer.  “I mean, we’ve been living in each other’s pocket for the last month.  Would it be so awful to make it a permanent situation?”

Her eyes softened and she squeezed his hand.  “No” she said quietly.  “No it’s not awful, not at all.”  She sat back down next to him.  “I’m just not sure-”

“About what” he interrupted.

She turned to face him, “I’m not sure I’m ready for that type of commitment yet.”

It was his turn to stand and pace away from her.  How could she not be ready yet?  “I don’t see how you can’t be.  You want to be with me, right?”

She nodded.  “Yes.”

“Then what is the issue here?  I already told you you’re not imposing.”  He sat back down next to her.  “I want you there, in my home, in my life, sweetheart.  I don’t know how to make it any clearer.”  His phone rang, a glance at the screen had him frowning.  “Yeah, man, we’ll meet you there.”  He ended the call, never letting his gaze leave her face.

She made to rise from the sofa and he grasped her wrist.  “We’re not done here.”

She swallowed and the tip of her tongue snuck out to wet her lips.  “We need to go” she managed.

“We have a few minutes.”  He wanted an answer from her.

She dropped her gaze, trying to gather her thoughts.  “Do you know how many guys I have dated in my life?”  She didn’t wait for him to answer.  “Three.  One before Mark, Mark and you.  And I was married to Mark for nearly half my life.  I’ve never lived on my own before.  And I’ve never been in a situation like this.  I don’t know what to do.  I want to be with you, I enjoy being with you, but I just don’t know if moving in with you is the right thing to do yet.”  Her eyes started to sting with unshed tears.  Pulling her wrist from his grasp she got up and crossed to the bathroom.

He watched her go, feeling like a bit of a heel.  He blew out a breath.  He shouldn’t have pushed her like that.  Standing, he crossed the room to stand outside the bathroom.  At least she knew what he wanted.  He knocked lightly on the bathroom door.  “Come on out Sweetheart, we have to go.”

She opened the door a crack, “you go, I’m not really in the mood right now.”

Her eyes were red-rimmed and watery.  That made him feel even smaller.  “I didn’t mean to make you cry, Sweetheart.  You don’t have to make a decision now.  I won’t push you on it anymore either.”

She didn’t say anything. 

“You need to eat.” 

“I’m not really hungry right now.  You go, Rich.  I’ll be fine.”  She wanted to be alone for a bit.  Try to figure things out.

He sighed and pushed the door wider.  “You’re okay?”

She nodded.  “I just need to be alone for a bit.”

He tugged her into him, pressing his lips to her forehead.  “I’m sorry.”

Turning her head, she rested her cheek against his chest.  “It’s okay.  I’m fine.  I just need to figure some things out.  You go on to dinner.  I’m not going anywhere.”

With his hands on her shoulders, he pressed her back.  “I’ll be back in a couple of hours.  Call room service if you want anything.”

She leaned up and pressed her lips to his.  “I’ll be fine, Rich.”  She pushed at him, “go.  You’re already late.”

He kissed her lightly and then he was gone.