5 - Fever

Through squinted eyes, Ariana peered at the glowing red numbers on the alarm clock.  It was only ten o’clock?  Seriously?  It felt as if she’d been sleeping for hours. 

Okay, fine.  Just because it was still today didn’t mean she was any better prepared to deal with this new hand life had dealt her. 

Sitting up, she took the last couple swigs from the bottle she’d brought to bed with her before tossing it to the floor.  It would’ve made her feel better to hear at least a tiny crash against tile or hardwood, but the carpet muffled its fall. 

With a sigh, she pulled the covers back over her head and tried to grasp the past 72 hours.

She’d thought life was good.  That she was in a good place – not just physically, although touring through Europe was pretty great.  She was also working with the one of the top-selling bands in the world. 

She’d been happy.  At least she’d thought so until the phone rang telling her that her Grandmother – no, the only the mother she’d ever known – was dead, leaving Ariana alone.   There was no one left to love, except for Jon – but did she really have him? 

Not really.  Being lovers for nineteen years didn’t qualify as “having someone”, even if they’d been friends for longer that that.

As she succumbed to the heaviness of her eyes once again, she let her mind drift back to happier times.  Back to that first night, when she allowed her heart change forever...

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

January 1990

Rio de Janeiro

It was their last night in Rio.  Jon was acting a little strange and once again asked her to watch from the front tonight.  Ariana usually caught glimpses here and there and told him that.  He wasn’t settling for that, and when he asked again, those piercing blue eyes wouldn’t let her say no.  Up front it was.

The crowd was on fire from the opening notes of “Lay Your Hands on Me”, as was the band. The girls in the front row were eating it up, and if Ariana was being truthful, so was she.  There was something captivating about Jon when he was up on stage.

The band was a couple of songs into the routine set list when they started a song that that wasn’t familiar – not for them, anyway.  Alec was plucking out a funky, syncopated rhythm on his bass guitar, and she found herself transfixed with the motion of his fingers on the strings.  He’d gone through it two or three times when another sound caught her attention. 

Ariana’s eyes cut to center stage, where Jon was snapping his fingers along to the lazy funk.  He was in crooner mode and croon he did when pressing his lips against the mic.

“I never knew how much I loved ya

I never knew how much I cared

Till I wrapped my lovin arms around ya

I give ya fever that's so hard to bear

“You give me fever

When you hold me

Fever when you hold me tight

Fever, I'm on fire

Fever all through the night”

The sight of Jon swaying his hips and running restless fingers through his hair had to be one of the sexiest things she’d ever seen. 

Where were these thoughts coming from?  They were just friends, for crying out loud.  Yes, that friendship came with a little bit of electric undercurrent, but still just friends. The naughty shiver his voice caused…  

She wanted to run, but her feet wouldn’t move.

“Romeo loved Juliet

Juliet she felt the same

He wrapped his lovin arms around her

He said Julie baby you’re my flame

You give me fever

In the morning

Fever when you hold me tight

Fever I'm on fire... Whooa

Fever all through the night

Fever all through the night

Fever through the night

Oh My baby Oh The Fever

Whoa Yeah Yeah Yeah”

Holy shit.  He wasn’t just singing.  He was singing to her.

The shiver turned to heat, tingling throughout her body and distracting her from the band’s shift into “Born to Be My Baby”.  She desperately hoped Jon hadn’t noticed how her eyes glazed over, but a peek in his direction told her there was no such luck.   Her face flushed hotter than the rest of her when he sauntered in front of her with a salacious grin. 

She found a little bit of composure when he made a brief trip to the other side of the stage, but somewhere between the “na na na” and the harmonica he stole it again. 

“Baby, when I turn out the lights,

Every night I think about you, darling.

And I PRAY with all my might

That God and all the angels secure you so tight,

Cuz forever you’re my BABY!

Baby you’re mine...TONIGHT!

When the overwhelming desire to be his tonight nearly brought her to her knees, Ariana knew she needed to get out of there and fast.  She’d brushed away his kisses and flirtation before.  Why was now different?

It was different because he was talking to her – and she knew it. 

♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱ ♱

Ariana didn’t find out until much later that, while she was restlessly pacing in Jon’s dressing room, he was sprinting past everyone to be first off the stage.  While she was lost in her own lust and confusion, he was knocking his guitarist out of the way and running through the corridors. 

All she knew was that the door flung open and, like in the movies, there was a heartbeat in which everything froze.  It was like the universe telling her that this was the moment.  This was the moment that would change forever, and she committed it to memory.  There would be no forgetting the vision of a sweaty Jon whose face was flushed with the same excitement that lit his eyes. 

The indecision she’d been wrestling with disappeared in the slam of that dressing room door, and her choice was reinforced when he came to her in the middle of the room.  Strong arms wrapped her up, surrounding her with his presence, scent and words.

"Ari...  I need...  I want... I know we've been over this before, but I can't do this anymore.  Tonight… Up on that stage, all I could think of was you. Watching you react to me drove me wild.  Every word I sang was for you!”

Before he could say anything else, Ariana pulled away just enough to raise her eyes to his.  She was mesmerized by the blue that stared so intently into her own.   It was time to tell him that she wanted him too.

Cupping his face into her hands, she gently touched her lips to his.  Once.  Twice.  It felt good and right, but she wanted more.  She hooked her hands around his neck, drawing him in closer and probing his bottom lip until he gave her entrance. Her tongue slipped deep into his mouth, savoring the saltiness of sweat mixed with a flavor that was new to her – him. 

Jon placed his hands on her hips, slipping his thumbs inside the waistband of her jeans.  He backed her up against the wall pressing his sweaty body against hers.  His hips against hers.

She could feel his hard bulge against her core.  With a whimper, Ariana let her fingers roam slowly through his damp chest hair and made her way down to the buttons of his vest.  She fumbled with one of them but couldn’t get it undone.  Her patience left along with her indecision and she gave up the fight, tugging with both hands until they flew everywhere.

“You don’t need this vest, do you?”

“Nope!”  Jon’s grin lit the entire room as he reached for the hem of her shirt and swept it up and over her head. “And you won’t be needing that... I think.  You sure about this, Crash?”   

His hesitation was cute.  Sweet, even, but totally unnecessary.

“Absolutely!” was all she could manage before eager hands were on her breasts and nimble fingers traced little circles over the swollen nipples.

Rather than relieving the ache that had been building all night, his touch only made her ache more.  Gentle teeth nibbled at her ear before his mouth worked across her jaw, slithering down her neck until he could tip up the fullness of her breast and latched onto it. 

A little sigh escaped as her head lolled to one side, and she arched her back to press the needy flesh more fully into his mouth.  The taut peak throbbed against his tongue while Jon’s palmed its twin, and Ari’s sigh swelled into a moan.  She loved the way he pawed her, but it was his mouth that was killing her.  The more he sucked, the louder and longer she moaned, until her legs nearly gave way.

Without missing a beat, he scooped her up and laid her down gently on the sofa without breaking their embrace.

Practiced hands unfastened her pants and guided them all the way down her tanned legs before gliding back up the back of her thighs.  When he slid his fingers inside her panties, Jon found proof that Ariana was more than ready for him.

Her legs opened of their own accord, allowing – inviting – him to thrust a finger into the slick moisture.  She’d known it was coming, yet still she gasped as another joined it to pump in and out while the fingers of the opposite hand pinched the rose bud of her breast. 

He’d said he wanted her but seemed content with giving her pleasure for now.  When his mouth wasn’t busy tasting her, he was watching her flushed face or the rise and fall of her now sweaty chest.

In a low, hoarse voice, he skimmed lips over her belly button and whispered, “Baby, I want you so bad it hurts!  You’re so damn beautiful. I wanna take you where you’ve never been before.”

The hard cock throbbing against her thigh signaled that he was ready, and God knew Ariana was. 

She sat up, pushing him off just enough so that she could reach the laces of his pants and untie them.  When the flaps were pushed aside to free the appendage from captivity, it jumped and swelled under Jon’s guttural groan. 

Oh, yeah.  This couch wasn’t going to be big enough for what was about to go down. 

Pushing him gently to the floor, she shimmied his pants down to mid-thigh and straddled him.  His dick bucked at the touch of her drenched panties gliding its length, and it was a heady feeling, but she wanted more. 

She levered forward to press her mouth to his while Jon’s hands clamped onto her hips, guiding their sultry rocking.  

“Oh, Ari… That feels so good, babe!” 

His heated whisper against her lips was as warm and wet as the friction they were creating down below.  He was right.  It did feel good, but she just knew it could feel better.

“Jon, I want you inside of me. I need to feel you deep inside me. NOW!”

Heavy lids slit open to look at her, and Jon must’ve seen the truth in her words.  It wasn’t want.  It was need, and he immediately flipped their positions, putting her under him.

“I wanna see your face the first time you come for me.”

“So watch, but get on with it!” 

To further urge him, she wrapped both legs around his waist, ankles locking at the back before thrusting her hips upward.  He finally got the picture and pushed her panties aside, his thumb stroking the length of her slit one time before lining up.  Ariana’s lids fell shut in ecstasy when he gently guided his cock into her and gave her a moment to adjust.   

“Ari, baby.  Open your eyes.  I want you to look at me.”

There was an edge of desperate pleading to the hoarse command, and Ariana responded to that.  Her eyes fluttered open to connect with his as Jon pumped in and out of her.  Slowly at first, so as not to hurt her – or to hold off his orgasm. 

There was no reason to do either. 

“Harder Jonny, please!” 

She didn’t have to ask him twice.

Gone was the gentleness.  Gone was the uncertainty.  The only things that remained were lust, desire and sweat.

“I can feel you, baby.  I know you’re ready.  Come for me, Ari.  Come for me!”

Maybe it was the final detonation of a long, burning fuse, or maybe it was just programmed into her body to obey him, but Ariana did.  Tension drew her back into a high arch, but she kept her eyes open.  They were locked on his when she let loose to scream, “Yes, Jonny, oh yesssss!!”

He growled in response, pumping harder and deeper.  She could sense him getting close, and as good as her release was, Ariana wouldn’t be truly satisfied until he emptied himself inside her. 

Quivering legs wrapped more tightly around him, and her hips rolled up to meet his, allowing him to drive deeper.  It was what he wanted, because with one last strong stroke, Jon cried out her name.

With a shudder, his arms gave out and Jon collapsed on top of her, where their hearts thundered against one another until slowly returning to normal.  When they were both no longer gasping for air, he rolled to one side and propped himself on an elbow to look at her. 

She could feel the flush in her cheeks, and the hair stuck to her face with sweat, but turned to face him, anyway.  A hand lifted to cup his cheek as her eyes filled with tears of…  Satisfaction?  Fear?  Love? 

She couldn’t really say.  They simply slid down her cheeks as Jon took her in his embrace and kissed the top of her head.

“Shhh…  I know, baby.  I know.”