Chapter Eleven: A Little Of That Human Touch

Here I go again. I said I wouldn't but I am. I have no idea what I've got myself into and who we're about spend the evening with. I want to meet Jon's friends I do, I just don't know how far this can really go.

I must be freaking crazy to keep seeing this man. He's a little like a drug--well his kisses certainly are. Jonathan thinks I'm falling for our resident rock star. He might be right but in all honesty I'm just loving being with someone. I haven't thought about how much I've missed hugging someone and hugging them so hard you never want to let go. And the kissing, how can one little thing in life make you feel like a million bucks?

Jon does. God, I feel like I could fall for him. Even if it’s completely out of the question the reality is I've missed having that someone. Someone you can laugh with, someone you can cry with. I don't even know Jon that well which is the ridiculous thing but I feel like we could talk for hours. If I could actually open up to him but then I doubt he'd want me in his life if he knew the truth.

What if he asks me to go home with him afterwards? Oh God. I won't lie. I want to. I haven't had sex in how long? And god even then it wasn't like this.


Devon had kept a journal since she'd opened the salon. At first she'd used the back sleeve to keep a rough scorecard of how much money she had in her box until one night she started to write her thoughts in it. It was hard coming from another place and what felt like another time without being able to talk to anyone about it. That’s how she started her journal. Back home she used to talk with everyone and shared all she had in her own little world. She still very much loved people and that was how she had become a confident for many of her salon staff when they needed to talk to her.

The reality was that it took the edge off the void in her own life while she adjusted to all this. Now, there was no looking back.

It was almost seven when Jon was scheduled to pick her up so she spent the last few minutes on last minute touches. She turned in the mirror to show off the spaghetti strapped lavender sundress that fell just below her knees. The empire waistline gave her height and length in her legs complimented with mid-heel strappy white sandals. She dabbed on perfume between her breasts and behind her ears. She shook her hair out so it fell loose around her ears and the white and silver bangles jingled on her arm.

She grabbed her keys and purse and headed down to meet Jon. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't excited to be seeing him again so soon as this whole week had been surreal. Jon was waiting standing outside his town car. He had on a well-worn pair of jeans, boots and a tight fitted grey ribbed tee under a leather jacket. He looked casual but delicious.

He wiggled his eyebrows under his aviator sunglasses. "Right on time." He grinned as his gaze ran over her. "You look amazing." He held the car door open for her but cupped her elbow as she was about to duck into the car. "Hey." His hot breath lingered on her skin as the pad of his thumb trailed down her cheek. He leaned in and held her gaze as his lips pressed against hers before he stood back again.

She slid - no more like crumbled into the backseat and was soon joined by him. The spicy scent of him swirled around her as the taste of him still burned on her lips. He picked up her hand in his and rested it on his knee as they drove out of the city.

"So where exactly are we going?" She blew out her breath in an effort to settle her nerves.

"An old neighbour of mine. He's just down the road from my other house, we do this regularly. He took pity on me when I got divorced but they're great people. You're going to love them."

"You have another house?" Okay, he was a rock star and a really rich one but she was surprised he'd needed another one.

"Yeah out in Redbank, I mainly use it when the kids come to stay. It's nice having them out of the city and my studio is on the grounds. I've put so much work into the place I just couldn't bring myself to sell it when we got the divorce and Dot didn't want to stay there."

She nodded. Kids. It was easy to forget with all the razzle and dazzle of Jon that he was also a father of four children who he very much loved. It was a side of him that she couldn't even begin to imagine or let alone maybe even get to see. "Wow, well why don't you just live there instead of Soho?"

He winced and then chuckled. "You think it's pretentious don't you? It's going to sound ridiculous but I don't like being alone there. It's a huge house. It should be filled with people, not just me."

"It's a little pretentious yes, but I understand." She glanced in his direction as she half-grinned.

"I haven't even told you about the custom-made English pub it has."

She snorted. "Of course it does. So, when do I get to see all this?" She was surprised she wanted to but it clearly meant a lot to Jon if he had kept it all this time.

"You will." He said smugly as the rounded the Navesink river tree lined road. She hadn't had a lot of exposure to New Jersey but she knew a lot of towns were older industrial towns but where they were was definitely not. This was high-end Jersey. She smiled as the sun filtered through the leafy canopies onto the road. The riverbanks were flanked with lush rolling grassy banks and it really did remind her of home.

"This is very similar driving out in rural New Zealand."

"Yeah?" His head rolled back on the seat. "I haven't been able to really look around New Zealand since the eighties. We really don't spend a lot of time there. Maybe one day you'll have to take me there."

Her heart banged in her chest. "Maybe, it's beautiful." She played along. Hell, this was their third date. He's just making small talk Devon.

Around a further bend in the road they pulled up to a modest stone gated home on a decent chunk of land. "It's a farm?"

"They have horses, yes." Jon pushed up his sunglasses and grinned.

"Really? We had horses at home. Gosh, I can't remember the last time I rode one."

"Cowgirl huh?"

She elbowed him as his lopsided grin spread across his face. "You men are all the same huh?"

"Pretty much. We're here." The rolled up the windy driveway to the main house. There were other smaller buildings dotted around the large homestead. Maybe they too had a bar and a studio too? Obviously Jon's friends wouldn't be short of a few bob. She stepped out and immediately the fresh air hit her in the lungs. She'd forgotten what it felt like after spending so much time in the city. God, the smell of the trees and fresh cut grass was divine. Her parents had owned a block of land where she grew up in the little North Canterbury town of Amberley and this is exactly what it reminded her of. Endless summer nights playing outdoors until the sun disappeared and the temperature dropped. Life seemed so simple back then.

"Amazing huh? God, I wonder why I live in the city each time I come back out here." Jon stretched and rested his hand on the small of her back as the town car rolled away again. "I live a couple of miles down the road."

"Wow. It is really beautiful out here." She turned as a figure emerged from the stables. He was tall and lanky with dark hair, dressed in a red and white check shirt tucked into jeans with a huge buckle that glinted in the sun.

"Jonny B! About time!"

"Hey Bruce." The man made his way over to him with a huge grin and they embraced.

Devon's eyes widened as he came into view. It wasn't just any Bruce, it was Bruce Springsteen. Of course he was friends with Bruce Springsteen. Holy crap.

"And you must be Devon, well aren’t you pretty? I'm Bruce and we're very happy to have you. Jonny finally brought home a woman!"

"Gee, thanks Dad."

Her cheeks flushed as she shook his hand and smiled. "I had no idea...I mean, it's lovely to meet you." Okay so it was a little surreal but the welcoming grin and the way the lines softened on his face relaxed her instantly.

"Wow, your accent is cute. Listen come inside, Patti's out on the deck with the grill she's going to be thrilled to have some company." He thumbed in Jon's direction. "Usually this one just shows up alone. We've been pestering him to bring someone for months and well, hell. You're sure a beauty so come on inside we'll get you all cosy."

They followed Bruce into the main homestead and Jon shot a wink at her. "Surprised?"

"Are you kidding me? This guy is a legend. I figured you'd know him but not, well know him."

"They're two of the kindest people I know. You're going to love them. Very down to earth."

She could tell that already. They were shown inside and the smell of grilled beef greeted them as they walked through the house. The inside was gorgeous, polished wood panelling stretched from floor to ceiling and over-sized leather chairs dotted around a huge stone fire place in the centre of the living room. A couple of guitars were mounted to the walls in the hallway along with framed records. Double doors spilled open onto decking which over looked the river where the sun was starting to set. Wow, never in her life had she seen such beauty.

"Well hello there! Jon, so good to see you again." A woman with lush red hair that spilled out around her shoulders came in from the deck. Her jeans were paired with a black loose silky top and a couple of silver chains swung around her neck. "You must be Devon. Welcome to our home, I'm Patti." Jasmine and sweet musk enveloped her as Patti embraced her. "Make yourself at home and just ignore the men. You'll see."

"It's nice to be here Patti."

"Well if that isn't the cutest accent. C'mon we'll go and get some wine and leave these guys to talk business, get it all out of their system and then you can help me grill these burgers."

Devon handed her coat and purse to Jon as Patti was already leading her out to the kitchen.

"You'll be alright?" Jon asked her with a grin.

She laughed. "I'm fine, guess I better go and get that wine."

Jon pressed his lips against the side of her head. "Don't believe anything she tells you."

"You sing Dev?" Bruce asked

"What? God--no I don't." She stuttered horrified.

Bruce chuckled. "You will. Especially after the whiskey."

"Whiskey? What?" Patti already had Devon's arm and was tugging her into the kitchen.

"Ignore Bruce. Of course you won't be able after they open that whiskey after dinner. So I'll warn you now. You'll be singing."

"Um, I don't know if you want that, I so can't sing and I can't in front--" Dear god she was so not going to sing.

"Of three singers? Relax. We all sound the same after a few, Trust me Darlin'."

Good lord, this was going to be insane but she didn't feel threatened, they were very welcoming people. She had no idea that it would just be the four of them either as she assumed it would be a group of Jon's friends but frankly she was a little relieved it was just them. Whew.

~

Jon shook his head and laughed as Bruce opened the liquor cabinet behind his bar and pulled out a bottle of Johnny Walker. "I thought you didn't drink much anymore?"

"C'mon those girls will be in that kitchen for ages gossiping. You know my wife so you won't see your wine for at least thirty minutes. So, shall I hit you?" Bruce asked lifting the Johnny Walker up.

"Why not." He shrugged off his coat and laid it down with Devon's.

"Besides it's a celebration as Jonny B's finally got a girl." Bruce slid a glass over the counter. "She's sweet."

Jon took a sip of whiskey and let it burn down to his belly as the sound of cheeky females chortled from the kitchen. "She is. She's different."

"Well I'm pleased, you deserved to find someone. And she must be special if you sat through those fancy beauty treatments for her."

Jon laughed and lowered himself into one of Bruce’s over-sized leather chairs. “Yeah-I guess you wouldn’t be caught dead in there huh?”

“Nope. It’s good to see you with someone. I know you don’t think you need anyone since Dorothea but I know you do. Everyone does at some point.”

“Well I never said I didn’t like women. I just got sick of the whole drama that went with dating. It sounds arrogant but it’s not easy dating when you’re us. Not that you have needed to worry about that for a while now. You guys are solid.” You could joke about the rock star lifestyle all you wanted about always getting the girl but the reality was you didn't always get the right one as too many people wanted a piece of the lifestyle and not you.

Bruce sat back and rested his glass on his belly. "You've got a good point. So, is she keeping you warm at a night?"

Jon snorted. "You're such a shit. And as a matter of fact no. I'm taking things slow before I fuck them up again." He took another sip of his whiskey and laughed. He and Bruce went way back and apart from Richie he'd always been a good man to kick back and have a few laughs with. They shared a lot of the same social views so they'd had always had a lot to talk about and Bruce and Patti were so mellow and like him stayed away from the booze and drugs lifestyle of the industry. "Are you getting on board for Obama's stomps?"

Bruce nodded. "Absolutely. This time we're getting the right man in power."

"Amen to that. I hope to be involved in between the writing that the band."

Bruce raised an eyebrow. "That time again huh?" He crossed his arms and smiled smugly. "Knew you wouldn't last that much longer."

"Richie's flying in the day after tomorrow to talk about it but I know he's already to going to bring a notebook full of ideas."

"Well tell Richie to call in, hell bring him here yourself if you get time. We'd love to see him again, it's been awhile."

"I will. He's doing really well and he'd be happy to see you." Jon smiled as Patti's laugh floated in from the kitchen.

"Least you know that they're not talking about you in the sack." Bruce quipped.

Jon rolled his eyes. "Devon wouldn't kiss and tell anyway. She's-" He paused and rested his thumb on his chin. "Classy." He teased.

"You don't know my wife, she could get the pope to spill his secrets. She’s got quite the way."

Jon wondered if Patti would be better at getting Devon to open up about herself. He'd never been as conscious before knowing that Devon knew more about him that he did her. He had to figure she had some trust issues and he didn't have any problems with that as he valued trust and loyalty more than most. But why did he have to know more about her? Christ, he was almost craving it.

Whatever it was, Devon had certainly brought something into his life that he didn't have before in dating and that was mystery. On one hand he liked it but on the other the control freak in him wanted to know everything about her. He could wait. He was enjoying courting her and when he was with her he was always looking for the next excuse to take her out.

"One more?" Bruce asked as Jon rested his glass on the table.

Jon glanced over to the kitchen, smiled and nodded. "Why not."