Chapter 28

The dining room was quiet, with just one lonely, rather elderly waiter hanging around in case somebody showed up. His eyes lit up when they walked in, and he hurried over to them. After a little persuasion from Sara, he agreed to ask the chef to make some plain pasta with butter and black pepper, although he didn’t notice Jon making a face at the request. Jon asked the waiter to also bring some red wine and coffee, and any kind of chocolate cake they had, then he led Sara to a secluded table.

“There are some perks to being with you.” Sara said as they sat down.

“Like what?”

“Well - if I’d come in here alone, I’d have been told the kitchen was closed. Come in with a rock star, though, and they’ll do anything for you! Pretty cool actually.”

Jon laughed at her, then shook his head.

“Nuh-huh. Nothing to do with me, babe. You had that guy wrapped around your little finger the minute he saw you - you could’ve asked him for anything, and he’d have got it for you.”

Sara snorted, and Jon pretended to be shocked.

“Now, that’s not very ladylike, is it?! I’m shocked, Sara - I thought you were so demure.”

“Mm-hm, yeah, right. I was until I met you! Although you haven’t managed to get me drunk yet.”

“Hey - the night’s young, babe.” Jon told her, and she laughed, this time in a more ladylike manner.

“I nearly forgot.” Sara said with a mock-serious expression. “You’re bad. You were distracting me when I was working earlier.”

“Me? How?” Jon seemed genuinely puzzled, and Sara smiled.

“You were watching me, and every time…” she broke off as the waiter came over with a tray of pasta, drinks and cake, waiting until he’d laid everything down and retreated to his station.

“Every time what?” Jon prompted as Sara picked up her fork.

“Every time I looked at you, all I could think was that you knew what I was - or wasn’t - wearing. Played hell with my concentration.”

Jon laughed with a delighted smile.

“Baby - you didn’t look distracted. The complete professional, I thought. But thanks for reminding me - you weren’t the only one getting distracted - I was sitting there with a hard on just watching you work! You look so damned businesslike in those pants, it turns me on even more to know that’s all you’re wearing. Now eat your pasta - I want you all to myself - soon.”

With a shake of her head, Sara started on her pasta, which was cooked to perfection. Jon watched her for a few minutes, then suddenly spoke.

“Let me try some of that - it does look good.”

Sara speared some with her fork and held it up to Jon’s mouth. He chewed slowly, then gave a grudging nod.

“That’s actually not bad.”

Sara finished the pasta, then Jon pushed over a slice of sacher torte, which they ate with their coffee.

“Oh God, that was delicious.” Sara said as she finished the last bite. “It’s so long since I’ve made one of those, too.”

“You can cook that?”

“Mmm - yeah. I don’t make it very often though - too much hassle for just me, and everybody’s always dieting these days.”

“Well,” Jon indicated Sara’s lip where there was a smear of chocolate, grinning when she flicked it away with her tongue. “You can make that for me any time baby.”

His smile suddenly stretched into a wide grin as Sara idly wiped up some chocolate with her finger, licking it slowly, and Sara looked at him questioningly.

“What?”

“Oh, I was just imagining.” He told her, which didn’t exactly answer the question.

“Imagining what?”

“You. That chocolate frosting….”

“Ganache.”

“Pardon me?”

“It’s not frosting - it’s ganache. Dark chocolate and double cream. Ganache.” Jon looked a little surprised, and Sara laughed softly. “Sorry - I’m a little obsessive about things like that.”

“Okay, then. You. That chocolate ganache. And nothing else.”

“Sorry, sweetie, I’m not following you.” Sara lied, so Jon decided to be a little more explicit with his meaning, leaning across the table so his face was close to Sara.

“You like to make things hard, don’t you?” He said, both of them well aware of his double meaning. “You. Naked. With chocolate ganache in some - let’s say strategic places - for me to lick off.”

Sara was gazing directly into those blue eyes as Jon spoke, and he saw her pupils dilate slightly at his words, then her focus shifted over his shoulder and she cleared her throat warningly.

Jon didn’t move - just stayed leaning across the table to her as he saw, from the corner of his eye, the waiter come up to the table.

“What do you think?” He asked Sara, who kicked him under the table as she answered, trying not to laugh.

“I think it would work. Certainly sounds worth a try. We could arrange it once I get back.”

They were both ignoring the waiter as he cleared the table, their eyes still locked together as Jon responded.

“So you don’t think it could be done here?”

“No. I think it would be much better to wait until there’s no time constraint. No point in rushing into things like this. I’m sure I could squeeze you in next week sometime.”

Sara leaned back in her chair, away from Jon, and glanced up at the waiter who was about to walk away.

“Thank you.” She said sweetly to him, and he smiled politely as he walked away with the tray of dirty plates.

“Oh, you’re so bad!” Sara hissed at Jon, who just grinned at her.

“Hasn’t bothered you so far, babe.”

“What am I going to do with you?” She asked, and that just made him grin even more.

“I can think of a few things, so maybe we should get out of here. Your room or mine?”

“I really don’t mind.” Sara said with a smile that made Jon’s stomach flip as he turned to wave the waiter over.

“I think we’ll just go for whichever’s closest.” He murmured to her, then when the waiter came over, asked him for a bottle of red wine which was quickly brought.

Jon picked up the wine and his glass as he stood, saying to Sara - for the waiter’s benefit.

“Come on - I’ll walk you to your room. Too many drunk guys about tonight. Don’t want you getting any trouble.”

“I’ll be fine - I’m a big girl, you know. I can take care of myself.”

Surprising them both, the waiter chimed in.

“You should let him walk you, Miss. There aren’t many gentlemen these days, especially when they’re drunk, so I really think you’d be safer if someone goes with you.”

“Oh, okay, fine.” Sara said, raising her hands in surrender. “I’ll let him protect me, if it’ll make you happy.”

The waiter smiled broadly. “Thank you. Sleep well, Miss.” And he walked away.

“Isn’t he sweet!” Sara said as she stood up, and Jon leered at her.

“But who’s going to protect you from me?”

They left the dining room and were partway along the corridor when Jon stopped.

“Dammit! I left my jacket. Here,” he handed her the wine and glass, “hold these and stay here - I’ll be back in a minute.”

Sara waited a few seconds, then started to walk slowly along the corridor, dawdling to let Jon catch her up. As she passed the doors to the ballroom, she could hear the sounds of the revelry inside, but she kept on walking, hearing the noise increase for a moment as the door was opened briefly. Next thing she knew, a hand landed on her ass, and she began to turn, thinking it was Jon, then realising that she could see a dark blue sleeve, and Jon’s shirt was white.

“Hey!” She pulled away from the touch as she turned, seeing a tall, well-built guy grinning drunkenly at her.

“Hey yourself, gorgeous. ‘Zat wine for me?”

“Only if you want to wear it.” Sara hissed, stepping back and raising the bottle, then feeling her back hit a wall and realising she couldn’t get any further back.

The drunk stepped closer to her, putting one hand on the wall beside her, the other on her face and leaning in as though to kiss her. Sara raised her free hand - the one without the wine bottle - and shoved him hard in the chest, but the guy was built like a footballer, and he just laughed at her.

“What? You wanna play?” He slurred, leaning toward her again, even though Sara tried to push him away again.

“Get off me!” She spat, bringing up her other hand with the wine bottle, pushing it against his chest, too, and spilling some of the deep red liquid on his shirt as she struggled.

Jon came around the corner with his jacket in hand, wondering where Sara had gone, then he spotted a large male figure, with someone backed up to the wall in front of him. He was about to walk by when he heard a woman’s voice protesting, and before he consciously thought about it, Jon had grabbed the bigger guy by the shoulder, spinning him away, slightly shocked to find the recipient of the unwelcome attentions was Sara.

Sara was furious with herself for the feeling of helpless panic that washed through her, but she couldn’t help it - she was never good in any situation like this, and it was with a tremendous feeling of relief that she felt his hand pulled away from her face, and she heard Jon’s voice.

“That’s a waste of good wine.” He said, brushing past the drunk who’d straightened up at the interruption, pulling Sara around in front of him.

“Hey! We were talking!” The drunk guy said belligerently, laying a meaty hand on Jon’s shoulder, and Jon spun to face him, keeping himself between Sara and the other guy.

“And now you’re not.” Jon said flatly, staring at the drunk, who was a good four inches taller, his eyes boring into the taller man’s as though he was staring down an unruly dog.

Sara had never heard his voice so cold, and although she couldn’t see his face, she saw the other guy’s expression change, and he backed down immediately, unable to hold Jon’s stare. He turned away almost fearfully, disappearing quickly back into the ballroom, and Jon turned to Sara, the ice fading from his eyes as he looked at her.

“You okay?”

“I’m fine. I just don’t deal with things like that very well - lack of practice I guess. I scare too easily.”

“Come on.” Jon said softly, putting his hand on the small of her back, feeling her trembling slightly, and propelling her along the corridor until they reached the bedroom corridor.

They turned and went to Jon’s room, which was only a couple of doors away, and as soon as they were inside, Jon put down the wine and took her in his arms, hugging her tightly.

“Sure you’re okay?”

“I am now. God, I’m so pathetic with this kind of stuff. Sorry, Jon - you must be getting tired of me being so weak and helpless.”

“Actually, I’m not. I like being needed, although I think you were handling it pretty well.” He told her, and Sara squeezed her arms around him, then looked up at his face.

“I think you scared him, anyway! I’d be scared if you looked at me like that, too. Oh, wait - you did look at me like that!”

“I did? When?”

“When you thought I was taking Dot’s side, remember? You were pretty angry then.”

Jon kissed her forehead then released Sara. She went over to the table and picked up the wine, pouring a glass and bringing it across. Before she gave it to him, though, Sara took a long sip, and Jon looked surprised.

“I thought you didn’t drink?”

“I don’t, not really, but I don’t mind trying things - I’ve just never really found anything I liked the taste of all that much. That wine’s not bad though. Sort of spicy.”

She gave Jon the glass then went to the fridge to find herself a soft drink, returning with a diet coke. As she made to open the can, Jon raised the wine bottle.

“Why don’t you have a little of this? I’m not trying to get you drunk and take advantage of you, I promise!”

“Damn!” Sara said bitterly, her recent fright forgotten. “I was hoping you would take advantage of me!” She laid down the unopened can. “I could just share your glass, couldn’t I? Save using another one.”

Jon nodded, taking a drink as Sara removed her black jacket, dropping it onto a chair. She came over and Jon tilted the glass to her lips so she could take a sip, then he smiled.

“I just remembered. I learned something for you.”

“What? Learned something?”

“Yeah. C’mere.” He sat the glass down on the table, taking her in his arms, waltz-style with his left arm holding her close at the waist and his other hand clasping her right hand as Sara naturally brought her left hand up onto his shoulder. Both their right hands nestled close between them, tucked in against Sara’s shoulder.

He started to dance with her, humming a soft tune that she couldn’t quite place, then he began to sing quietly, close to her ear, the first few words “I could stay awake, just to hear you breathing….” making Sara smile and close her eyes, resting her head on his shoulder as they danced.