Chapter 66

Sara sighed and kissed the top of his blond head, the touch making Jon look up at her and smile.

“I’d better go shower and get to work, I suppose. Can’t lie here in bed with you all day.”

“Why not?”

Now she giggled. “You know - I can’t actually think of a good reason - but I do need to go to work. Guess I’d also better see what kind of disaster area you’ve made of my kitchen, too, huh?”

“I was good this morning.”

“I know you were.” Sara gave a lazy, sexy smile, and Jon grinned up at her.

“Not what I meant, but thanks anyway! I meant I only used a few things today. Honest!”

Fighting her inclination to remain in bed, Sara sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed, her back to Jon. He winced as he looked at her back, seeing the string of bruises down her spine again, reaching out to touch her carefully.

“I’m so sorry about your back, baby.” He whispered, and she turned to face him again.

“Jon - it’s fine. I just bruise quite easy - don’t worry about it. I’ve had bruises like that on my back from chairbacks before.”

“Guess you’re just delicate, huh?”

Sara stuck out her tongue at him, then leapt off the bed to avoid his hands as he tried to grab her.

“No! I gotta go shower.” She laughed as she left the room, and Jon lay back on the pillows with a grin.

After a few minutes, he roused himself, standing up and retying the robe before collecting their used breakfast dishes. He decided to really impress - or maybe shock - Sara by washing up, so he took the tray through to the kitchen, laying it down then turning on the hot water. Almost immediately, he heard a shriek from the bathroom, and he bolted through to find out what was wrong.

“Sara! What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

He could hear what sounded like muffled swearing from the shower, then the door opened.

“Did you turn the hot water on?” Sara asked accusingly, wet hair dangling in her face.

“Well, yeah. Why?”

“I thought so. You cut off the hot water to the shower! Although I guess, after earlier, a cold shower isn’t such a bad idea.”

“I’m sorry - I didn’t know that would happen. I’ll turn it off.”

Sara shook her head, flipping water around. “Doesn’t matter - I was just about finished anyway. Hand me a towel?”

As Jon obeyed, he couldn’t help noticing that the icy water had brought Sara’s nipples to hard points, but she wrapped herself in the towel as she caught the direction of his gaze.

“Oh, no. I’m late enough as it is!” She told him sternly, and he grinned.

“Okay, but I’m not sure if I’m sorry any more, now that I see the result!” He ducked out of the bathroom before she could respond, laughing as he headed back to the kitchen.

Jon washed up the dishes and tidied the kitchen, feeling an odd mixture of pleasure at doing something for Sara, mingled with the unfamiliarity of such a normal, domestic role. He didn’t have too long to ponder the strangeness, though, as Sara reappeared, dressed in jeans and t shirt, her hair twisted into braids again and the wet ends still dripping.

“You want to leave, then you hit me with pigtails?” Jon asked as she came into the kitchen.

“What? Oh, right. Sorry baby - it’s the quickest thing to do when my hair’s wet.” She smirked at him as something occurred to her. “Besides - I’m a Coyote again today - what d’you expect?”

Confused, Jon looked at her plain khaki t shirt.

“I don’t see Coyote on there.”

Sara giggled - a teasing sound that made Jon grin automatically as she stepped closer.

“It’s not on my shirt, babe. But I am most definitely a Coyote today.”

“Really? And can you prove that?” Jon moved toward her now. “Or should I find out for myself?”

As he asked, Jon quickly glanced over her outfit. Plain shirt, jeans and bare feet. That meant there was only one place left to look, and the naughty, teasing smile she was directing at him was confirmation enough for Jon.

Looking down, he could see that her jeans sat low on her hips, and he pushed at the waist experimentally, trying to see if she wore panties. A glimpse of a black string, then he discovered that this particular pair of jeans didn’t fit too well, and he was able to encourage them all the way over her hips without even unfastening them.

He looked at her face again, seeing the smile, then dropped his eyes again as he felt the jeans slide free suddenly as he pushed the denim past the widest point of her hips. His gaze lit on a black triangle bearing the glittering silver words ‘Coyote Ugly Las Vegas. Misbehavior encouraged’. Thin black straps were all that held it in place.

“Told you.” Sara whispered, seeing the proof of his interest tenting the front of the robe, and she took his hands gently, lifting them off her jeans and moving back. She hoisted her jeans up again then kissed Jon.

“I gotta go to work.” She told him, and he shook his head.

“Bad, bad, BAD Sara. You’re a real tease, aren’t you?”

“No I’m not.” She protested, then gave him the line which decorated her coffee mug. “I’m just a reminder of what you can’t have. Well, not right now, anyway.” She qualified the statement.

Jon grinned, thinking quickly.

“Let me take you to work.” He suggested, forestalling her argument. “And I’ll pick you up later. We could go to the Seasons, have dinner with Richie.”

“But I need to go now.” Sara argued, but Jon knew exactly how to make her come around to his point of view.

“You can drive. I’ll take a real quick shower, then we’ll take the Chevelle to the studio.”

Now Sara was sorely tempted. The promise of another chance to drive the old Chevy was too much to pass up, and she nodded.

“Okay, then. You hit the shower and I’ll have another coffee.”

She suddenly realised the kitchen was sparkling as she looked for her mug.

“Oh my God! You washed up?” He nodded. “Oh, I HAVE to tell Richie!”

“Don’t bother!” Jon said with a horrified look, heading for the bathroom, then he stopped. “Could you do me a favour, darlin’?”

“What?”

“I’ve got a bag out in the car with some clean clothes. Would you mind getting it? Unless you want your neighbours seeing me go out in your bathrobe!”

“Ah….no. I don’t think the neighbours are ready for that just yet! Where are the keys?”

“I think they’re on the hall table, or maybe in my jeans.”

“Okay, I’ll find them. Now go! Shower! Now!”

“Yes, mommy!”

Sara found the keys on the hall table and let herself out of the front door, jogging down to the car barefoot and finding Jon’s bag in the trunk. She took it back up to the house and dropped it on her bed, then lifted it again and put it on the floor. Quickly, she folded up the blankets then stripped the cover and sheets off the bed, shaking her head at the chocolate stains and hoping they’d wash out. She was just re-making the bed when Jon came through wearing the bathrobe, water dripping from his hair.

“Hey - your bag’s there.” She nodded toward it, still tucking the sheet under the mattress.

“Thanks, babe.”

Unzipping the bag, Jon pulled out clean jeans and a shirt, dressing quickly then sitting on the bed to put his boots on. He looked at Sara a little uncertainly as he spoke.

“Listen - I thought, well, if I’m gonna spend the night here sometimes, I could leave a couple of clean shirts, if that’s okay?”

He had a pleasant surprise, though, when Sara didn’t even hesitate.

“Sure. Just leave them on the chair and I’ll find somewhere to put them. Guess you’re tired of wearing the same shirt two days running, huh?”

“Yeah. Well,” he got to his feet, “I’m ready when you are baby.”

Sara pulled on her sandals then they left the house, Jon throwing his bag back into the trunk while Sara eagerly climbed into the driver’s seat. Once Jon was in, she started the engine, grinning at the throaty roar, then drove off down the street, keeping the revs low so the noise didn’t disturb too many neighbours. When she was clear of her own street, though, she slipped the reins on the big car a little more, while Jon was just enjoying watching her, knowing the pleasure of driving the Chevelle, and loving that she loved the car. Dot had always found it a bit too noisy and draughty, since he only put the top up if the weather was really bad. Sara, on the other hand, took a real joy in the old car, and the Chevelle responded well to her touch.

Arriving at the studio, Sara parked but left the engine running as she faced Jon. He stretched across and turned the ignition off, taking the key.

“I’m coming up.” He told her, opening his door. “I told you - I want to meet Paul - put a face to my competition for your time!”

Sara laughed as she got out of the car, stroking the blue and white paint of the hood as she walked around the front. Jon took her hand in his and they walked together into the building. When they reached the foot of the stairs, Jon let go of her hand, pushing her ahead of him.

“After you, ma’am.”

“Jon - the stairs are wide enough for two.” She started to climb anyway, and Jon was a couple of stairs behind her as he replied with a grin she could hear in his voice.

“Yeah, but this way I get to watch your ass wiggling in those jeans!”

Sara laughed, but deliberately accentuated her movement on the stairs, putting just her toes on each step and letting her heels hang down so each hip dropped dramatically as she climbed. Everything above her waist remained still, making the wiggle even more pronounced, and she heard Jon’s low, sexy chuckle behind her. As Sara reached the first small landing, Jon jumped up two steps so he was right behind her, grabbing her waist and spinning her against the wall. Sara opened her mouth to protest, but Jon’s tongue thrust between her lips before she could get a word out, and she couldn’t restrain her fingers from climbing up into his hair as they kissed for a long, breathtaking moment.

“Maybe you should send Paul out for coffee or something. “Jon muttered, his lips still close to hers. “I want you right now, Sara.”

“Or we could wait until tonight,” she whispered back, “when we’ll have all the time we want.”

“The way you’ve got me feelin’, I don’t know I can wait that long.” Jon told her, but he stepped back anyway. “Come on,” he took her hand as they started to climb again, “I’ll walk beside you this time - if I watch your ass any more I’ll end up screwing you right here on the stairs!”

“And if you kiss me like that again, I’ll probably let you.” Sara replied with that naughty grin.

Jon’s hand tightened on hers. “Don’t tempt me, girl.”

“Too late anyway - we’re here.”

Sure enough, they were at the studio door, and Sara began to search for her key, then stopped and tried the door. It opened freely - unlike Sara, Paul hardly ever locked it when he was in alone, and they walked into the studio.

“Paul?”

“Yeah, boss. In the kitchen. Coffee?”

“Of course!” Sara called back, then turned to Jon. “D’you want coffee, babe?”

“I want you.” He said softly, “But I’ll settle for coffee.”

“You can have me too - but later. Go have a seat and I’ll get your coffee.”

Jon wandered toward the couch as Sara went into the kitchen, finding Paul just adding milk to her coffee. He looked surprised when she took another mug off the shelf - obviously he hadn’t heard Jon’s voice, and thought it was only Sara who’d come in.

“I’ve got your coffee here, Sara.”

“I see that. Thanks. This is for Jon.”

“What?! Must be serious if you’re bringing him to work, boss. Can’t keep away from him, huh?” Paul teased.

Jon’s soft voice from the doorway startled them both.

“It’s more that I can’t keep away from her, actually.” He held out his hand. “Hi, I’m Jon. You’re Paul, right? We’ve talked on the phone a couple of times now.”

“Uh, hi. Nice to meet you, Jon.” Paul was slightly wrong-footed by Jon’s casual and friendly approach, having expected a bit more of a rockstar attitude.

They shook hands briefly, then Sara handed Jon a mug of coffee, which he took with a grateful smile.

“Thanks, darlin’.”