Chapter One Hundred Eight

Stephanie yawned.  Hugely.  God she was tired.  Having her family around for the holiday had been wonderful but exhausting.  They had crammed more into that short visit than she thought could be humanly possible.  After enjoying the traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Thursday, the girls hit black Friday, hard.  Then, she and Richie took everyone to Disneyland on Saturday.  Sunday, they dropped a very tired group off at the airport and now, she was back working on her last habitat project of the year.  Hanging and taping drywall was enough to put anyone to sleep on a good day.  Add in a long overdue visit with her family, a man who believed sex trumped sleep and a holiday to boot?  Color her ready to drop.  And if she wasn’t careful, she’d end up dropping right into a bucket of drywall mud. 

Shaking off her latest case of the tireds, she rolled her shoulders, raised her power screwdriver and embedded the last screw into the corner of the sheet of drywall.  Taking a step back she surveyed her handiwork.  She smiled.  Mark had taught her well.  Setting the screwdriver in her toolbox, she got out the tape and her putty knife. 

Grabbing the metal handle, she grunted and dragged the five gallon bucket of drywall mud over to the corner and started on the dirtier part of the job.  Although, this part wasn’t as bad as the sanding.  That was the worst.  The dust got everywhere if you weren’t careful.  Taking her time, she made her way around the room, taping and mudding all the seams.  Evening out the last bit of mud with her putty knife, she stepped back and stretched, admiring her work.  “Not bad” she murmured.  Now she had to let it dry before she could come back with her sander and smooth it all out.  Then it could be primed and painted.  She cleaned up her area and picked up her toolbox, walking through the other rooms on her way out to her truck.  From the looks of the progress being made, they were on track to hand over the keys to the happy family right before Christmas.

She yawned again and climbed into the driver’s seat.  She really could use a nap.  Just a twenty minute refresher.  Checking the time on the dashboard clock she did a little mental math. If she took a lightning fast shower and didn’t straighten her hair for tonight, she could sneak in 30 minutes of down time before she had to be ready to face the photogs.  They had a benefit to go to tonight for Midnight Mission and next weekend was the Biker Bash and Toys in the Sun Run in Ft. Lauderdale.  She was kind of looking forward to that.  The thought of Richie in leather and possibly riding motorcycle made her tingly all over.  She pressed a little harder on the accelerator.  Maybe Richie would be home and she could make better use of that half hour she had been pining for.

~

Richie was nowhere in sight when she finally made it back to Calabasas.  He had left that morning to work in the studio on some new material.  She had been as surprised as anyone that he didn’t have a studio in his house.  “I like to leave the house and go to work” he had told her when she questioned him about that.  “I’d never get anything done if I stayed here.  Too many distractions” he had said as he waggled his eyebrows at her. 

She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and headed up the stairs, smiling at the thought of that conversation.  She’d have to distract him later, right now, she needed to make herself pretty. 

After peeling off her filthy work clothes, she turned the water on as hot as she could stand it and let the heat and pulsing jets of the showerhead ease her tired muscles.  She scrubbed her skin and shampooed her hair, letting the dust and grime from the construction site slip down the drain along with the foamy soap suds.  After conditioning her hair and a quick but careful touch up of her shaving, she stepped out and dried off with a big, fluffy towel.  She had just slipped her robe over her shoulders when she heard movement coming from the bedroom.  Richie must be back.  She smiled and cracked open the door, “Rich?”

“Hey Sweetheart” he said as he pulled off his shirt.  “You about done in there?”  He dropped the shirt in the hamper even as he worked the button and zipper on his jeans. 

She nodded and rubbed her hair with the towel, “yeah, just need to dry my hair.”

He scanned her up and down as he dumped the rest of his clothes in the hamper, his body taking immediate interest in what she wasn’t wearing.  “Mind if I shower while you do that?”

The tip of her tongue snaked out to wet her bottom lip as he sauntered toward her.  “No, not at all.”

He followed her into the bathroom and caged her in against the counter.  “I don’t know what it is about this little bit of pink silk you call a robe,” one hand left the counter and his fingertips lightly traced a path down the open vee to the knot of her belt.  Her nipples hardened and pressed needfully against the light silk.  “But it makes me nuts.”

Her hands slid up his broad shoulders and pulling him close, she kissed him hungrily.  “God Rich” she breathed as she nipped his full lower lip.  “Do we even have time for this?” 

“No, not really” he said between kisses.  “But damn if I’m going to stop now.”  He worked the slippery knot on her belt and the robe slipped open.  He cupped her breasts, thumbs circling the hard tips.

Her head dropped back, “we’ll just have to be quick about it.”

He helped her up onto the counter, he didn’t mind the occasional quickie-really, what guy did-but it seemed like lately that’s all they were getting.  “Quick now, darlin’, but it’s a good thing tomorrow is Saturday.  You’re going to be up late tonight.”  He made a silent promise to take his time with her later.  He stepped between her spread knees and his fingers slid along her lips.  “Fuck you’re so wet already.”

She reached for him, “what can I say, I like you naked.”

He grinned and stepped closer, dragging the head of his cock along her slit.  “That’s what I like to hear, darlin’.”  He pulled her closer to the edge of the counter and rolled his hips, burying himself in her in one long stroke.  The clasp of her muscles, the snugness of her wrapped around him nearly had him coming right then.  Closing his eyes he fought for control, but she felt so damn good around him.  His grip tightened on her hips and he pulled her even closer.  He managed a couple of slow strokes but fuck he was gonna come in a minute.  The light fluttering touch on his cock distracted him enough to open his eyes.  He found her watching as he slid in and out and that light touch was her fingers playing over her and him.  His eyes found hers.  She smiled at him.

“Go ahead, it’s okay.”

He pumped his hips harder, faster, “fuck, darlin’, I’m sorry.”  He groaned and his release rushed up his legs, flowing out of him and into her.

Dropping his head, he rested it on her shoulder and his lips nuzzled into her neck.  “I’ll make up for that later, sweetheart.”

She turned her head and pressed her lips to his.  “Nothing to make up for, darlin’.”  She had come too, it wasn’t as overwhelming as his had been, but it was enough to take the edge off, for now.

He gave her another kiss before slipping away, “one usually isn’t enough for you.” 

She winked at him and pulled her robe closed.  “It is for now.”  She took his offered hand and hopped down from the counter.  “You go shower, we’ve got someplace to be.”

He kissed her again and lightly tweaked her still hard-and-ready nipple.  “Yes ma’am.”

~

She fidgeted in her seat.  She hated this part of his life.  The closer they got to their destination, the more her stomach threatened to revolt.  She took a deep breath in and let it out.  She had done this a bunch of times now, you would think it would get easier with practice, but it never did.  She squeezed his hand when it covered hers and she started to settle.  Just that little bit of contact and her nerves were less frayed.  She turned to look at him, “are you sure I look all right?”  The slinky red top had gold metallic thread running through it and a high neck that hooked at the back of her neck, leaving her shoulders and back bare.  She had paired it with simple black trousers and her new favorite black Louboutin pumps with just a hint of sparkle on the toe and the telltale red soles. 

Richie’s fingers walked up her arm, tracing a light circle on her bare shoulder.  “You look amazing.”  His fingers wandered further, tangling in her hair, “and I’m glad you left your hair wild and free tonight.”

Her body flushed at his touch and she leaned in to him, pressing her mouth to his.  “Can’t we just go back home and pick up where we left off earlier?”

“Sorry, Sweetheart” his fingers slid from her shoulder to her nape, the light scrape of his nails raising goose bumps on her flesh.  “This one is a must do for me.  It’s too important a night to blow off, even though I know the sex would be totally worth it.”

She grinned, “I know.  I’m just being stupid.  I’m sorry.  You know how much I don’t like this part of your life.”  The car slowed to a stop.  "And I don't know why I'm being so cranky about it tonight."  Normally she would put on a smile for him and bear the flashes and inane questions all the way to the door.

Richie didn't particularly like this part of his life either, but it was a necessary evil.  And he knew she'd be fine once they got out of the car.  He dropped his hand from her neck to tangle his fingers with hers.  “You ready?”

She nodded, found a smile for him and gathered her small clutch and her wrap.  “Let’s do this.”