♥ Me
Was all the note said, but he knew just where to find her. Pulling the soft grey hoodie over his head, Jon shut the door behind him and made his way down to the water. The morning sun was shining bright in the clear blue sky and the wind blew gently against his face. He found her exactly where he knew she would be, sitting on the dock, her feet dangling slightly over the edge, staring off into the distance.
"Whatcha doin down here?" His feet thunked against the slatted wood boards.
"Watching that boat going under the bridge." She motioned to her left.
From the dock, you had an unobstructed view of the Oceanic Bridge. The moveable bridge was closing and Jon could still see part of the boat that went under it.
"How long have you been watching?" Jon extended a hand, pulling her to her feet.
"Not too long. My plan was to go for a run, but got sidetracked by the water."
"You know you can use the gym in the house."
"It’s too nice out to run inside." She turned back to look at the water. “It’s beautiful here.”
“It is, isn’t it?” He wrapped his arms around her chest. “Do you like it?”
"How can I not? I love being near the water."
"Could you live here? I mean in the main house, not the guest house.”
“Jon we’ve been over this. I can’t stay in a house that doesn’t belong to you. I just can’t.”
“But, what if it did?”
"You’ve already told me Dorothea will get the house.”
"She doesn’t want it."
Ariana took her eyes off the pair of jet skis that were doing circles and creating a decent wave, causing the water to lap against the dock.
“Since when?”
“Yesterday.”
“And when were you going to tell me that?”
“I’m telling you now.”
“Nice.”
She stepped around him and started to walk away from him. Catching her hand as she passed, he stopped her.
“Hey.” Turning slightly, she stood half looking at him, half looking up the path that led to the house. “What just happened?”
“Nothing.”
“Crash, talk to me.”
“It’s nothing, forget it.”
“I will not. We’ll stand here till you tell me what's wrong.”
“You’re just going to think I’m overreacting.”
Ariana still wouldn’t look at him, so Jon moved, so he was standing in front of her. Bringing his hand around to gently petition her chin up, he met her distraught eyes with a reassuring smile.
“No I won’t just tell me.”
She let out a frustrated growl as she combed her fingers up through her hair, stopping when she reached the crown of her head she clasped her hands together and rested them there.
“I don’t know how to say this without it sounding stupid or selfish.”
“You're neither. Continue.”
“She’s being a bitch! About everything and taking it out on you, and for what? You haven’t had a marriage for God knows how long, but yet she is doing everything possible to make the situation worse. And that pisses me the fuck off.”
Jon couldn’t hide his smile. She was cute when she got mad. Her nose would turn up, her eyes would turn the deepest, darkest green, she would start waving her hands in the air and pace, which she couldn’t do from how they were standing on the narrow dock.
“Babe, it’s okay to be angry.”
“No, it’s not.”
“You’re entitled to your feelings, please don’t ever feel like you have to hide them from me.”
Ariana shifted weight from one foot to the other and rolled her eyes in disgust, not with him but with herself.
“I saw that Crash. Don’t roll your eyes at me.” Jon wagged his pointer finger at her and got her to crack a little smile. “What else?”
“What do you mean, what else?”
“You said stupid and selfish. I’m assuming you just told me your version of stupid, which I say again, you aren’t. Let me hear how you're being selfish.”
“I shouldn’t be here.”
“Ari, we’ve been through this.” He inched closer.
“Don’t! Let me finish.” She pressed her hands against his chest to stop him. “I said shouldn’t, not didn’t. The last few weeks have made me do a lot of thinking, and,”
She flattened her hands over her belly.
“...I realized that, I deserve...I have a right to this. Maybe not this,” she motioned to the house, “but this.”
She reached for his hand and with hers laid it over her abdomen.
“This baby, you and me, a family. Happiness.”
“Can I say something now?” Jon took both her hands and held them against his chest.
“Sure.”
“Wanting something doesn’t make you selfish, Ari, it makes you human. And you are not to blame for how Dorothea is behaving, that’s on me. If I had done right by you years ago, we wouldn't be having this conversation.”
“Jon."
“You had your chance, let me have mine.”
“Fair enough.”
“You deserve this, and so much more for putting up with all that I asked of you. So, whether it’s this house or a new one, whatever you want, I will do. Heck, knock the whole place down if you want.”
Ari sighed. “I just don’t know. We have to think about Stephanie, Jesse, Jake and Romeo too. This is their home as well.”
“It’s not like we have to decide anything right now. When the time comes, we can ask them. How’s that sound?”
A long breath of air escaped her lips. “Good. I’m sorry I’m a bucket of emotion.”
“Don’t apologize.” He curled an arm around her shoulders. “Whaddya say I give you the grand tour?”
“Lead the way.”
Leaning her head against his shoulder, they walked side by side along the dock to the cobblestone path by the river bank. Jon told her all about the little Red Bank town across the river and what he loved most about this fifteen acre waterfront estate.
Making their way towards the main house, Jon stopped for a moment and looked at her, waiting for her to make the next move. When she continued along the path, he didn’t push the issue and moved on.
Sanctuary II, as it was called, was above one of the few freestanding buildings that adorned the tree lined property. The bottom half of the building stored a few of Jon’s classic cars.
Together they climbed the stained wooden steps, and Jon held open the door with the palm of his hand as Ari stepped inside. They walked down a small hallway and into the studio. The room looked like your typical studio- a glass window divided the room. On one side there were a couple of stools, mics, a drum set, a keyboard, and a few guitars. On the other, the soundboard mixer sat flush against the glass, with a view to the other side. Three windows on the left side of the room let in the sunlight and gave way to a beautiful view of the house.
There were several photos hung over a dusty old couch. One in particular caught her eye. It was a black and white of Bruce Springsteen, Steve van Zandt next to him Southside then Jon. A very young, short-haired Jon and Danny DeVito standing in front of them. Though, a very cute photo, it shouted ‘trouble with a capital T.
From there, they walked to The Shoe Inn. Leave it to Jon to have his own pub. Unlike the studio, this building was a single level ranch size house. When you opened the door, a U-shaped oak bar stood in the middle of the room. To the right you had a pool table, dart boards and an old-fashioned jukebox. Dark wood paneling flanked the walls on the left side, along with a stone faced fireplace, a pair of love seats and a couch completed that side.
Ari walked around, looking at all the posters and photos that decorated the walls. Jon stepped behind the bar and pulled two bottles of water from the small refrigerator she couldn’t see.
“Here.” He softly tossed it to her as she made her way past the neon Jukes sign that hung to his left.
Ari continued her tour, making a stop at the jukebox to check out the playlist. Clicking through the old records, she stopped at Frank Sinatra and selected Fly Me to the Moon. Swinging her hips as she walked, she moved towards the mahogany pool table and leaned against it. Slanting a stare at Jon, she beckoned him closer with her pointer finger.
Jon’s lips curved in a heated grin as he sauntered slowly to her. Her hands slipped up to his jaw, and she leaned in to place a soft melting kiss over his lips. As she relaxed against him, her desire melted in his mouth and he dove deeper into that sweet, viscous want.
Ari groaned into his mouth as her hands climbed his shoulders to press her chest against his. Feeling the way his mouth stroked her rising ardor and his touch made her body blossom with want and yearning. It was driving him insane. Jon’s arm swept down to scoop her up and rested her on the edge of the table.
Ariana pulled back and was guilelessly biting her lip while she watched his face as her eyes darted between his for a moment, hesitating.
“Wanna fool around?” she whispered breathily around a smile.
“Mm hmm,” he hummed as his hand brushed under her shirt over her stomach.
Ari squirmed as his tender palm caressed up her side, stopping over her breast, before continuing with slow hypnotic caresses that made it so she could do nothing but melt.
His fervent lips were on her as she wrapped her legs around his back to beg him closer, feeling him pressed against her through her thin yoga pants. With the sensation and passion intertwined, she instinctively turned her head away, moaning as he pressed hot open-mouth kisses against her neck.
“Jon...” His pelvis bucked slowly, pushing the tip of his hard body right where she wanted.
“Security gates open,”
Ari quickly jerked her eyes open and pulled back. “What the hell was that?”
With his hand still over her breasts, Jon’s gaze darted up to hers and a gentle smile softened his lips. “Looks like we have company.”
“Who?” She pushed his hand out from under her shirt.
“Don’t know.” Jon stepped back and righted himself. “Guess we’ll have to finish this later.”
Ari rolled her eyes and hopped off the table. Rubbing her palms over her thighs, she straightened herself out the best that she could.
“We should go and see who it is.” Jon clasped his fingers around hers.
One hand on the doorknob, Jon stopped and pulled her close as his free hand glided up the back of her neck and gathered a fist full of hair, pulling her in for one last sultry kiss. When she was breathless, he released her.
Ari smiled into his eyes as her tongue ran over her swollen lips, licking off the last delectable drops of him as he opened the door.
“Ma?! Pop?!” Jon arched a quizzical brow and shot a questioning look at his parents, who stood in the doorway.
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