Chapter 24

Richie chuckled as he continued his ministrations. "Good because I would hate to resort to my bag of tricks to convince you."

"Bag of tricks?" She groaned as yet another kink vanished. "Maybe I should start playing hard to get."

"Hmmm, should you?" Richie leaned in to tease the nape of her neck with his lips.

"mmmhmmm I think so."

"Too bad you're sore." His nibbles slid to her jaw-line next, his ever busy fingers dipping lower to tease her hips, then the seam of her legs.

“I'm suddenly getting better." She couldn't help the grin that started. "Those fingers are just as good on skin as on strings."

"Well I treat my babies like my women or vice versa. So you're feeling better now? Are you ready for your surprise? I have yours with me. That’s another reason I came." He snorted and straightened a moment, “Ok its why I dropped by, I am far from havin cum yet.”

She rolled back over, her eyes taking in the half unbuttoned shirt and grinned. God damn that slip of chest showing made her dumb. Shaking her head to clear her sudden naughty thoughts she smiled, "Surprise?"

"Yea, you think we just brought you girls over to have you in our beds ? " His brow flicked up sudden, “You didn’t think that did you?”

She shrugged slightly, "wouldn't have been a surprise, if that were it." Her brows waggled a moment, "So what’s the surprise?"

"How's about you get a bath and dressed? It will be waiting when you get back," Richie teased.

She sighed dramatically, "Ohhh if I have too. Was kinda enjoying the special rub down." She slowly sat and pushed up off the bed. As she started for the bathroom she stopped a moment, her head turning to glance his way. "There’s a lil box on the table there. Found it shopping yesterday and I swear to God it kept screaming I wanna go see Richie. So I got it for ya."

She slipped into the bathroom and leaned against the door a moment. God please like it, it wasn’t all super expensive, but please like it.

Richie's mouth dropped silently in shock. She didn't have to get him anything. "Ok should I be warned before I open it?" He teased with his voice as his heart flipped. Presents just because were always a favorite of his. He walked over to the table, picked up the box and opened it. "Oh shit," he muttered as he pulled out a rosary, a heavy silver cross dangling from its center. With gentle fingers he brushed over each bead, each intricate line in the cross and smiled. It was unbelievable. No one quite got his fascination with rosaries, he’d always had to buy for himself, but this one woman he’d only just met had gifted him one. Lifting it, he slipped his gift over his head and turned to admire how it hung at just the right length. “Amazing, fuckin’ amazing.”

She showered quickly, the heated spray finishing off the last of the twinges she'd woken with. good bye achey little memory. Stepping from the shower stall she wrapped one of the hotels fluffy towels around her body and opened the door, her gaze moving to the man standing there, his fingers gently sliding over the beads around his neck. He put it on?? He likes it!

"I'm back."

"Oh Darlin, words can't describe what I think of this," Richie said swallowing hard as he walked over and hugged her tightly "Thank you."

She smiled and wrapped arms around him, glad she could do a small thing to make him happy. "Glad you like it."

"I love it , now here’s yours." Richie pulled back from her for a moment to pull out an envelope in his back pocket before handing it to her.

She carefully opened the box, her eyes darting from its contents to his face and back again. There nestled on tissue was a laminate on a strong thick cord, with the dates of both show, and all access printed in thick black font. As she lifted the laminate her eyes started to tear up as she recognized a well worn leather cord with a crystal attached. She'd seen it in so many pictures over time. With hand shaking she reached in and pulled it from the box. "You didn't have too....."

She held it up to him and turned, lifting her hair. "But I won't say no, and I WILL treasure it forever."

"Yes I did, because Darlin’, you have earned it . Not just because of what happened between us, but also for devotion and dedication you girls showed us shit guys from Jersey. It’s the least I could do." Richie smiled as he watched her settle the crystal around her neck, his eyes drawn to it’s point. He was right, it hung just between her breasts like a homing beacon.

She leaned against him as his fingers traced over the leather cord. "Hey now, regular guy from Jersey doesn't equal shit guy. Reserve that one for primadonna....." she halted mid sentence and turned, pressing her lips hurriedly against his in thanks. "Just having your time was enough."

Richie smirked at reference to Jon "You got that too baby. You ready to see all that’s backstage? "