Chapter 66

He glanced at his watch again and frowned. They'd been in Glendale for hours and she still wasn't here. He knew the tickets had arrived at her house, knew she should be on her way, but where was she? He groaned as the lovebirds entered and wanted for a brief instant to ask Bri to go home, but he knew that would go over as well as him not wearing tight jeans. He glanced around a final time, forcing back the growl. Sound check was almost over fuck it all. He didn't want her to miss this concert.

Geena dashed through the airport, dodging people. She knew she was running late, thanks to the damn delay in Chicago. She waved a cab down and climbed in and dialed Jon's phone, hoping he would answer. Glancing at her watch she muttered. "Shit can't call him now, soundcheck time."

She quickly closed her phone and rattled off the address to the cab driver, "Jobing Arena, and please hurry." She ran her hand through her hair rapidly, hoping to make it less mussed. She had to be a mess and with the delay she didn't have time to freshen up.

He growled his way through a couple of songs, earning a brow raise from Richie. Flipping his finger sky high he twisted for a sip of water before turning back to the mic. “Still wanting to do Homebound tonight Loverboy?"

Richie bit back the laugh at his growl. "Yea, Didn't you hear how the crowd loved it the other night grouch ass?" Richie shrugged then added, "Besides, she'll be here to hear it live this time."

His eyes rolled as he leaned against the table set up for drinks, and watched Richie practice. Turning his gaze to Bri he almost snorted his water through his nose. The look on her face at every deep growl or woowoo sound was priceless. If he didn't know better he'd swear she was near orgasm from the sound alone. It had only been a couple of weeks or so, but fuck, every time he actually paid attention to them it looked as if they were falling deeper and deeper into that silly no one else existed type of emotional commitment.

His head twisted to study his watch again. Fuck come on here woman!

The cab pulled into the parking lot of the arena. Slipping from the taxi hurriedly, Geena handed him a twenty. "Keep the change." She stopped for a quick second to slip the laminate over her neck, then sprinted to the door. The Security guard took one look at the laminate and let her in.

"What's the quickest way down to the floor ?"

"Take the escalator down and make a right," he pointed as he answered. "You'll find them down that way."

He grinned as she took off down the hall. Not many women managed to get one of those all access passes these days. That this woman had one spoke of her importance. "Just follow the sounds pretty lady."

"Thanks " Geena said as she ran down the hall, pressing down her flyway hair. I'll look like shit when he sees me. She grumbled internally about late flights as she made her way towards the stage. She stopped dead as she caught first wind of the guys, Jon especially. God He looks damn fine, good enough to eat.

Jon was dressed in tight black jeans , and a blue button down shirt and had his signature shades on, his hair slightly messy, like he just gotten out of bed . She growled. All she wanted to do to him played in her mind. Like rip that shirt right off so she could lick the fur on his chest all the way to taking those jeans off and giving him a proper greeting. But most of all she wanted to kiss him breathless.

The song dried in his throat as an itchy twitchy sensation had him turning. Someone was staring at him. He could feel it between his shoulder blades. As his eyes lit on the one staring at him like he was the steak in a meal made only of steak he started to grin.

Holding his arms out he winked, "Well?"

A smile spread on Geena's face. " I made it finally."

His fingers twitched in the come here gesture, his grin widening as she seemed to glide right into his arms. His head dropped into her hair as he inhaled, the first scent of her pushing away the ache he'd sprouted days before. "Was beginning to wonder if you were gonna ever get here."

"Me too. It was hell. You're lucky you're worth it," Geena teased. Closing her eyes as his musky scent engulfed her, she slipped her arms tightly around him.

He pressed his lips to her cheek and smiled. "Am I now? And here I thought I was a worthless shit head." He winked at Richie as the talk-box started doing all sorts of atrocious woowoo sounds. "Go do that to your own woman you fuck-off."

When Jon's guitar tech stepped up with a question she moved to the side and glanced over to Richie. it was the perfect opportunity to ask him why he didn't tell Bri about calling her. She walked over, "Hey Rich, can I ask you why you didn't give Bri the message?"

He glanced up from his guitar, then to the door leading to his backstage room and shrugged. "We got busy with set up here. Sorry Darlin, I can be a bit forgetful sometimes."

"Yea well I can see you wanting to make sure Jared don't call her, but damn you could at least let us-- Shit!" Geena cursed as her phone went off again. She glanced at the display and groaned. It was Myrtle. "Hold that thought Richard, I ain't done with you."

She lifted the phone to her ear, "Hello Myr."

"Howdy there Geeeeena!"

Heya Myr, What's Up? " Geena asked the question even though she was pretty damn sure she knew what Myrtle wanted.

"I tried to call your home phone, but didn't get an answer, and considering what Britt and Patty told me.. I just had to try the cell. Are you in Glendale girl? I just bet you are you lucky hussy. Going to the concert? Is there beautiful man in the offing?"

Geena glanced around debating what to actually say. "What makes you think I'm in Glendale, I could be downtown Akron."

"Oh come on!!! Britt told me everything! Patty told me too. Bri's with Richie now, and wherever she is you are. You telling me you ain't goin' after our Jonny boy? I won't believe you. Come see me, you know I live close by. We'll go to the concert together. PROVE you aren't with them!"

Geena bit her lip, glared at Richie, and cursed mentally at his over protectiveness. Now she was in a fucking jam. They just didn't get it, you couldn't lie to these girls. " How do you know Bri is with Richie now? We could be going out to eat or something."

Geena winced as Jon's voice vibrated through her phone.

"Ok then Miss Smartypants. Where are you standing at this exact moment?"

"What do you want me to say M? I'm in Glendale, okay you got me," Geena sighed.

"I KNEW IT! Bri's gotten all hoity toity, won't answer her fuckin' phone. Used to talk to me every damn day! So she's all up in the hotness that is Sambora and has forgotten us all. And you being all Tight lipped? Spells Jovi lovin' to me girlie!"

"Myr chill okay? We are at the show, but that doesn't mean we are banging them," Geena said through gritted teeth.

"I guess what they say is true. Get in that inner circle and you change. Well I guess I wont be seeing YOU in the pits. I bet you'll be standing backstage feeling like a fuckin' queen. Hey maybe I need to find a better Jovi home, one where the girls don't get all spastic over the band."

"OH God Myr, its not like that. What do you want me to say?" Geena raised her voice in frustration. " Give you deets? Is that fair? You know how private -- shit."

Jon glanced up from his discussion about the mic, the tech rolling his eyes. Geena's face was hitting on all shades of red as she talked into her phone, her hands moving wildly as she talked.

Have to find out about that soon.

Bri wandered in from backstage, a large cup of coffee in hand. Moving up to Richie her eyes went wide in shock as she saw Geena rattling into her phone. "G?"

Geena turned around shaking her head in anger. "FUCK it Myr, why you gotta be like this? Tell me just how many know? "

Richie swallowed hard. Shit he forgot to tell her G was coming to Glendale. This wasn't good, not good at all. She was going to be miffed.

"Oh Bets, Gabby, Serena, Jill, Mina, and whoever they told I guess. Hell if I know."

Bri stopped cold and listened to Geena before mouthing, "Who is it?"

Geena held her phone away from her ear and threatened to toss it against the wall and whispered to Bri. "It's Myrtle of all people."

Turning back to her call she continued, "Myr, You are telling me all of them know basically." She fought to keep her anger reigned in .

"Well of course. That kinda news travels fast. I even heard Richie answers Bri's phone, just like a good little boyfriend! Does Jon do that for you? Or did you end up with David or Tico?"

"No one answers my phone but me," Geena replied. At least that was the truth, she hadn't been around enough for Jon to have the chance to answer any phones.

She mouthed to Bri, "We are in some shit here thanks to him."

"But Richie DID answer hers then? See that says more than you realize girlfriend."

Geena turned and punched the wall then shook her hand. Fuck that hurt. " Look Myr, I can't say one way or the other why he answered her phone. I wasn't there."

Bri's brow arched. He was answering her phone? More than that he was answering and not TELLING her? She turned to Richie, pinning him with a gaze. She held her hand out to Geena, indicating she hand the phone off to her.

Geena gladly handed her phone to Bri then rubbed the sore hand.

Richie's grin was sheepish as he shot Bri an I'm sorry look.

Bri settled the phone to her ear. "Myrtle. Listen once, you're getting off the wall info. Yeah Mr. Sambora answered my phone. I had scored backstage passes and dropped it. He answered it hoping to find me. No we aren't involved."

Her brow raised at the questioning as she winced, "Well yeah I'm a fan and a Richie girl, but seriously, why would I wanna sleep with someone whose had every groupie from here to Timbukto and back?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yea yeah, so you say. I'm sure he is. Sorry to burst your bubble there girl. No I don't have extra passes to Glendale. Huh? Yeah, I got it through a friend. Myr? I gotta go. Me and G got shopping to do."

With that she flipped the phone closed, handed it to Geena and walked off to find a chair. Why is he not telling me about my calls?