Seven

Lily woke early after a reasonably undisturbed sleep, the only thing still heavy on her mind was the night before with Jon. She sat up and stretched and padded out to the deck where the beginning of another gorgeous late summer morning was stirring. She briefly glanced down the beach a little to see if there were any signs of life at Jon's house but it appeared to be all still. Just forget it, it’s done. Over.

"Probably all too hung-over from all the nice tits, great ass comments" she cursed out loud. Why couldn't he just been a little different than your average guy? She leaned back against the open French door and sighed. Because I wanted him to be.

The shrill of her cell phone deterred anymore Jon-thoughts, so she went back inside and scooped it up from the table. She rolled her eyes at the caller id.

"Hi Daddy" she said flopping herself down into one of the oversized leather chairs bringing her knees up to her chest.

"Hey precious, how's The Hamptons?" he asked.

She hated when he called her that but it was an endearment that she'd never grown out of. "Good Dad, it's so quiet here" well except for the four noisy rock stars down the way.

"Great, I hope you're relaxing and didn't take your laptop like you promised" he said sternly. Lily chuckled remembering that conversation and how many times she almost did end up bringing it with her.

"No Dad, just me my phone, my music and books...happy?" she asked. Her father worried far too much about her but since her Mom died it just had become second nature to him to always worry about her.

"I am now" he laughed "You just help yourself to anything over there ok, and you can stay as long as you like...even longer than the week if you want" he said. He was pushing it.

"Dad, you know I can't I have to be in London next week to take care of the O'Donnell account and I'm not letting Miranda handle it, not after last time" she said defiantly. Miranda was Second in charge in the London Office and one of the only reasons she still had a job was because she was Lily's mother's best friend. Lily didn't trust her abilities after they nearly lost the Virgin Atlantic account but thanks to Lily who worked her ass off, she saved it.

"Lily I wish you'd take longer, you know I'm worried, besides are there any nice young men around there?" he asked hopefully. Her father was always going on that a girl of her age should be out dating and enjoying life in-between her career. He just didn’t understand the complications of who she was that often drove the outcome.

"No Dad there is not...and I'm fine, I'll stay here till the end of the week and then I'm flying out of JFK to Heathrow as discussed" she said sighing again "I'm fine, trust me" Nice young men? Well ok so she lied but it was too complicated to tell her father all that.

"Ok sugar, I've got to dash but we'll talk later ok. Turn your cell phone off and go have some fun, love you" once she ended the call she did turn off her cell phone and decided she needed to go for a run down the beach, it was a much too nice morning not to and would distract her thoughts from work, and Jon.

Forty minutes later, slick with sweat and revived with the fresh salty air she returned home and made a beeline for the shower. She stripped off her running clothes which peeled right off her and cranked the shower dial on hot. There was a splat and a fizzle until the only thing that came out of the faucet was a no stronger than a trickle.

"Oh just great" she cursed slamming her hand hard against the tiled wall in vain hope that it stirred something. She tried the sink and that didn't work either. Shit. She was going to have to call a plumber, just what she damn needed. Her father luckily kept an address book by the phone of the local services including plumbers.

It was ten minutes later that she just about threw the phone across the room. Tomorrow, tomorrow was the god damn earliest that someone could get here? "It's the busy season" or "there are more urgent jobs" what the hell defined urgent to no plumbing working?

She was hot, sweaty and in desperate need for a shower. She could always go and check in a nearby motel but quite frankly she couldn't be bothered. Shifting her gaze to the ocean she laughed "Maybe I'll just run out into there" she sighed.

You could always go and ask Jon to use his shower. She hated not being clean especially after a twenty minute hardcore run along the beach. No, god knows I can't go back there not after I left like that.

She breathed in and tried to go and sort herself out and what she would wear for the day, she'd just have to use lots of deodorant that was all there was to it. She got changed and then attempted her hair, the messy birds nest it was currently in was just not going to do. Shit. Pride was just less important than a shower right now, he'd have a lock on his bathroom right?

She quickly grabbed what she would need and stuffed it into her leather tote before locking up and heading back down the beach. I'm crazy, freaking crazy again.

She arrived at the door, signs of life appeared to be limited but the large window was open with the sound of the curtain flapping in the breeze. She knocked on the door and waited twisting her hand around the leather strap of the tote tighter. The door swung open moments later with Jon standing there in a navy blue robe just about open to his navel. The scattering of a pretty substantial mat of hair caught her eye and her hand curled into a fist imaging what it would be like to touch.

Holy, eyes on his face..."Ah, hi...um..." what she couldn’t string two words together now?

He smiled relieved to almost see her again, he'd spent the whole night wondering whether he should attempt to go and see her or not "Hey Lily, nice to see you again. Conference call went ok?" he asked his lips threatening a small smirk.

She managed a small smile, he clearly knew that it was just an excuse. "Well when you're being talked about like a piece of meat sometimes you don't really feel all that compelled to stay somewhere" she challenged.

Jon's eyes widened so she had overheard them in the kitchen. "And if you'd bothered to stay longer you would of heard me tell him to shut up, that's Richie Lily he comes off like that but we're all not sleazes like you seem to think we are Ms St James" he grinned.

She opened her mouth and then went to shut it again "I'm sorry it was very rude of me to leave like that" she said biting her lip. She had to swallow her pride, she wanted a shower god damn it.

"Apology accepted now have you come for breakfast?" he asked with a lazy grin "because it's just about ready. David does a mean omelette" he offered.

"Well I've kind of come to ask if I can use your shower, my plumbing is out and they can't get anyone here till tomorrow, and as you can see I've been running and look disgusting" she laughed flicking her hair behind her back.

Jon snorted, she didn't look one bit disgusting, her skin had a soft glow to it and her cheeks were flushed with a shade of pink. Those pouty pink lips were rested and poised ready to...stop it. Those lips would be the death of him. "You look fine, and you're welcome to come in and use the bathroom, I have two so use the one down the end of the hall that way you won't get interrupted by any of the guys." He said showing her in and down the hallway to the far bathroom.

"Thank you Jon, I appreciate this. I really do" she said honestly.

"You're welcome to stay for breakfast afterwards" he offered again hoping she would accept this time.

"Thanks but it won't be necessary, eggs don't sit well with me after running" It was half the truth.

Jon nodded "Well I could come back and see if I can fix the plumbing?" it was too late, it just came out. He knew nothing about it but he was desperate to see her again and being away from all the guys she just might feel more comfortable.

She raised her brow "Really? The Rock star fixes plumbing?" she laughed.

He frowned "Yes I do, Dad always taught me those sort of things" Except I just can't remember them now. Shit.

"It's not necessary but if you didn't mind ..." her eyes travelled down his body. I wonder what he'd look like in a tool belt.

"Consider it done, I'll go get ready and grab my tool belt"

"Tool belt?" she asked quietly, god had he heard her?

Jon laughed "Yeah the thing I will use to fix the plumbing...tools...wrench?" he asked her. She totally just imagined a tool belt on me.

"Right. Well I'll be in here having a shower and you ‘ll be getting your tool belt" she said quickly closing the door behind her and let a deep breath out. Oh my god I so just didn't do that! I'm an idiot!

Jon shook his head with a grin walking back to where all the guys were. "So does anyone know how to fix plumbing?"