Chapter 37

The sound of her laughter eased the tension in his gut. It had been a long day in the studio and nothing they’d put down had been salvageable. In fact he was fairly certain he was going to toss the current song out the window with the ProTools board.

It was funny that her laugh was just what he needed to decompress. “Do I get a clue as to exactly what is so funny?”

Tessa sat back in her chair, the pile started to slide and condoms in a rainbow of colors littered her floor and her lap. “I just don’t think there are any words for what this is. In fact…let me call you back in one second. Kay?”

“Oooookay,” Jon said with a laugh. His phone buzzed in his hand about two minutes later and he flipped it open. He punched the receive button for a message. The picture was grainy, obviously from her phone but as the pixels formed during the download he couldn't stop a snort. His hand dropped to his stomach as he doubled up and the laugh caught hold. The phone buzzed again and he answered it. “You have no idea how much I needed that laugh.”

“That would be courtesy of my best friend, assistant and possibly dead employee.”

“Couldn’t keep your mouth shut, Tessa?” he said with a low voice. “Do I rate?”

“You just be quiet, buddy. I’ve nearly pulled myself together from all the destruction you caused last night. Nic guessed. And yes, I’m that wrecked. Soo…is your ego fluffed yet? Or do you need another few strokes?” she said with a low purr.

The laugh that came out was closer to a gasp. The woman was a constant wonder. He never knew what was going to come out of that mouth of hers. “Well, if you want to fly down here and give it a few strokes I’d be very grateful.” He paused, “I’m very generous when I’m grateful, Tessa.”

The punch of hormones had her crossing her legs. “You just live to make me lose brain cells don’t you? Sweet George, I’m walking a thin line over here between work and sleep deprivation.”

“Why don’t you cross the line over here? I miss you. I want you next to me, I want that mouth on mine and I want you under me. Now.”

Tessa swallowed thickly. “You don’t play fair,” she finally whispered.

Jon sat back in the overstuffed couch that they pushed into the corner of the studio. “Not when I want something.”

She closed her eyes. The wants and the needs were starting to overlap in her head. Wanting Jon was like a drug she’d never experienced in all her thirty-six years. She couldn’t get enough. But at the same time, part of her was so afraid he didn’t feel the same way. That it was just the flash and the passion he wanted and that would fade. “You’ve had me.”

“I’m beginning to think I’ll never have enough.”

Tessa’s eyes popped open and her heart stopped. Absolutely stopped. “What?” her voice was barely a breath.

“You’re under my skin. I can’t even work I want you so bad,” he stopped. Not sure if he wanted to share anymore with her. He was handing a lot of power over to her, but the rightness of her was too important to stop the words. “I’m finding it harder to be without you, Tessa.”

The man knew how to take words to a new level. She’d known this just from the music, but to hear it…the honesty that she wasn’t prepared for nearly shut her system down. “I-“ she began then sucked in a shaky breath. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“Tell me I’m not alone.”

She heard the smile in his voice, but also the underlying tension. She wanted to believe him and foolish or not she took the step, “You’re not alone,” she said quietly. “I can’t stop thinking about you. And the moment I did…I got your flowers,” her voice broke a little with a half laugh. “They were beautiful. I was picking up my phone to call you just when your call came in.”

“I’m glad, because I bugged the shit out of the flower shop near my hotel to get that right. I didn’t want it to be just the same old shit, you know?”

“Well believe me; I don’t think you do anything that has, ‘same old shit’ written all over it.”

He crossed one boot over the other. “So you’ve been thinking about me?”

“Fishing?”

“Hell yeah,” he said and laughed. The day’s struggles eased and his head hummed with ideas. Maybe he’d get something done today after all. He glanced over when he heard the door to see Richie. “But I guess I’ll have to tug on that a little later.”

Tessa closed her eyes. Just the word and she felt her nipples harden. “You are an evil man. In fact, you need one of those Surgeon General’s warnings.”

“I’ll call you later, maybe even tuck you in.”

“Beast!”

“Bye, Babe.” He clicked the phone shut and scowled at Richie’s shit eating grin. “Fuck you.”

“Jonny and Tessa sittin’ in the tree…” Richie said in a singsong voice.

“Suck ass.”

“Not yours old man, I have no idea where it’s been.”

Jon rolled his eyes. He hoped his face wasn’t as hot as it felt. Talking shit to your woman was one thing, having your friends hear it was entirely another. “So you ready to work, fucker?”

“Only if you’ve gotten your head out of your ass,” he replied.

Jon crossed his arms and tucked his phone in his shirt pocket. “Yeah, I think I’ve got a few decent ideas I want to play with.”

Richie made a pucker. “We got a hot kissy face song in our head for the new lovebirds?”

“No, I’ve got something more playful in mind.”