Five

The door swung open and Lily’s breath caught in her throat. Holy hell, he didn’t look like that before did he? The man in front of her, now groomed flashed a broad smile her way before offering his hand into the house to come in.

“You must be Lily”

She nodded, his blond hair hung just above shoulders, and the broad chest she tried desperately to keep her eyes off, and then there were the jeans, Oh god, sweet Mary of all things tight. Stop it! Look him in the eye. In the eyes.

“I am, Jon we meet again” she handed him the bottle of wine still grasped in her hand. The light brush of his fingertips against hers caused her to eyes to snap up at his suddenly. There had been a spark? God no, not now.

Jon took the wine and read the label “Excellent choice” she knew her wines. He studied her again. In the light her blond hair was so much lighter and the pink dress that she wore hung snugly around her figure, he tried desperately not to imagine in a pool on his bedroom floor.

“You friend said that we were having steak and lobster, so that will go nicely with the lobster” she said matter of factly.

He laughed “Indeed it will, come in Lily, please make yourself at home and I’ll pour you a glass of wine” he instructed, her body jolted a little when his hand rested lightly on the small of her back leading her inside. Relax, he’s just being a gentleman.

She moved further into the living area where three other men sat, two of which she recognised from earlier. “Evening gentleman” she smiled.

David stood up “Lily, so glad you decided to come, the place needed something bright around here now you’ve met Richie and Jon, and this is Tico, Tico meet Lily St James” he said. Lily smiled with no impulse to snap at this man, there with a sincere gentleness about him.

“Hi Tico, pleased to meet you and thank you for inviting me over” she settled herself down in the spare chair beside Tico and crossed her legs. Jon soon returned with a glass of wine for her. “Thank you Jon” she lifted the glass to her lips and took a small sip “Perfect” she approved relaxing further into the chair.

Lily was soon reintroduced to all the men and the light chatter started while Jon called the nearby restaurant that did deliveries to make sure there was enough for Lily as well. While on hold with the restaurant he glanced over to where David and Tico were talking easily away to her, she was fitting in so well so far. The way she was holding herself confidently and not phased at all by them all had to mean she was used to this, like David said because she didn’t flinch for a second if she knew who they all were. An bubbly infectious laugh made him look up again to see her head tilting back showing off a slender arch of her neck, one that Jon wouldn’t have minded scraping his teeth down.

He revised the order, hung up the phone and walked back to the gathering. “Well dinner will be thirty minutes away” he said proudly.

Lily raised an eyebrow “Ordering in huh?” she teased. She didn’t expect four middle aged men to know how to cook but miracles did happen once and awhile.

“You expect Rock stars to know how to cook?” Richie asked with a lopsided grin.

“Well I can, but Jon knows this little restaurant here that does the best lobster in town, seriously, the kind of stuff that melts in your mouth” he nodded.

There it was. Rock stars. Why hadn’t it hit her before, it hadn’t been familiar to her but now she could see it, she was sitting in a room with Bon Jovi?! Overwhelmed no, pissed off yes. What was this an orgy or something? Remembering David’s words about cheering their friend up because of his recent divorce, shit so this is how they wanted to? Shit, shit shit. What have you done Lily? Determined not to let it show she sucked in her breath and held herself.

“Well how can I refuse something that melts in my mouth?” she asked before realizing exactly how it came out. She slapped her hand hard against her mouth almost feeling her cheeks burn and the laughter of the men rang through the room.

Richie slung his arm around her shoulder “Now this is my kind of girl” Lily quickly shrugged his arm off her “I assure you I’m not that kind of girl” the message was loud and clear. Jon almost tripped on the wine in his mouth, she was so not that kind of girl, hell no. He couldn’t help manage a small smile because of it.

“So Lily what do you do with yourself when you’re not shooting down Rock stars in flames?” Jon asked with a quirk. He’d tempted her to snap back but she didn’t.

“I work in advertising, it’s my fathers company, St James Advertising” she offered.

“Advertising? That must keep you busy” he commented. The same look in her eyes he recognised. Married to the job, dedication above all else had worn her down. Jon leaned back with the glass of wine from the bottle she’d brought. Exceptional taste, she knew her wines and he didn’t doubt she also knew her way around the business world well.

“It does, I run the London office in the summer, and work back in Los Angeles at my father’s office in the winter. It gets busy, but it’s something I’ve always known and loved so in a way it’s not work if that makes sense” she tried to explain. One day she wanted to run her own firm, get away from the family business, her father was an exceptional businessman but he loved control too much. She had a better reign of freedom at the London office which is why she’d considered moving there fulltime more than once.

Jon got her. God did he get her, music was all he’d known his life, and as much as it sucked him dry the best of times, even the politics of it all and the tedious administration, it wasn’t what he considered work, he was damn lucky to have this opportunity and he never complained about it once. Something his ex wife just failed to get.

Offering her a warm smile “I understand more than you know Lily”. Jon relaxed a little as she did, her shoulders relaxing a little. There was certainly more than lurked behind those crystal blue eyes, and Jon intended to find out what.

She curled her hand around the glass tighter, his stare was penetrating her right to her soul, something scared her about that as she’d kept the wall up for so long to exactly guys like this since they were always were only after one thing well two, her father’s attention and sex.

She nodded quietly and took a sip of her wine “So my father had this great idea to ship me off here to his beach house to unwind a little, and here I am” she smiled. So far so good, no uneasy sexual feelings, except for Jon because you’re attracted to him. Shut up, no I’m not.

“I’m doing the same baby” the slip came but he didn’t take it back. He wanted her to be his baby, even if it was just for the night. Damn. His cock completely uncurled when she uncrossed her legs and re-crossed them the other way, letting the pink light material inch slowly up her thighs.

Richie managed a soft chuckle and winked at David, a knowing grin from the Joker, there little plan had worked. Jon was hooked. The light chatter continued and Lily learnt that they were not touring or recording currently, that they’d just come off one. When the dinner arrived she excused herself to the bathroom to freshen up. She washed and dried her hands, fluffed up her hair a bit and leaned back against the door for a second to recompose herself. Every time he looked at her, a slight flush would start to heat in her cheeks and as much as she denied so did a tingle between her legs. What the hell is wrong with me? I haven’t had sex in a long time, that’s all it is. He’s hot, he probably has girls lining up for him all over the place, you don’t need that complication right now Lily.

She recomposed and swung open the door walking out confidently walking straight into him “shit!” she screamed, her heart hammered loudly in her chest and two hands grabbed her arms to brace her to avert falling over.

“Whoa, you ok? Sorry I was just coming to grab a sweater” the infusion of summer and coconuts drifted over him before he let go of her.

She laughed a little more nervously than anything “Its ok, I was on another planet, sorry Jon” the first warm smile slipped from her lips. His eyes held hers before she broke away. “I’ll see you back in there” she said quickly, wanting to not to walk but run away from that moment. Warning bells were going off in her head along with his cologne which was so fresh and spicy.

Three wines later and after a most delectable lobster dinner, she was far more relaxed than she’d hoped but the wine was working its magic. She’d fitted in well with them. Richie was a flirt, she’d established his type, David was hilarious and Tico and sweetheart. Jon was well, Jon. Undecided whether he was hotter than sin and white chocolate wrapped together, or worse if he tasted as good as he smelt.

Tico stood up and picked up the box of Cuban cigars and offered them around, each one of the men taking one but Lily just rolled her eyes when he didn’t offer her one. Men.

Richie snorted “A pretty thing like you wouldn’t want to smoke something like this now would she?” he asked.

No she wouldn’t but she wasn’t about to let them decide what was best for her. That was one thing that didn’t bode well with Lily St James. Men that made decisions for her, because it was best. She got enough of that from her father.

“I would love one Tico” she simply said. The reaction of the three men was almost priceless. Surprised, Tico got back up and offered her the box and then a flame.

Jon watched with a rueful smile she didn’t want to smoke one at all, god they were alike it scared him. His eyes nearly popped out of his head when her lips wrapped tightly around the cigar sucking its smoky pull. He groaned internally, this woman was going to kill him. He wanted those lips, and it wasn’t around that cigar.