Chapter 31: Wasted and Wounded

She looked around, all the fellow diners were watching, waiting for her response.
Some were whispering, she heard one say 'Isn't that Jon Bon Jovi?'
Shit.
Jon was still down on one knee in front of her looking hopeful.
'Don't leave me hanging here babe.'
She looked around once more.
'Yes.'
There was clapping then, from the surrounding patrons.
She grabbed Jon's wrist and pulled him up, leading him out of the restaurant.

Out in the hallway she turned him round and faced him square on.
'Couldn't wait to get me on my own?' Jon said, moving forward to kiss her.
She dodged him.
'Jon what the hell?'
'What?'
'You know what! I can't believe you. How could you put me on the spot like that?'
'I thought...but you said yeah.'
'I said that to save your blushes. I could just see the tabloid stories.'
With that she turned to call the lift.
Jon slumped back against the wall.
So i guess that's a no then.

-------------

Jon padded out of the bedroom wearing just jeans. Hair still wet from the shower.
'Hey.'
He hoped she wouldn't remember last night.
Ruby looked up from her breakfast, and smiled. Trying not to look at his body, but it was hard.
He looked leaner than last time she saw him, more defined muscles.
She managed to avert her eyes before he noticed they were on him.
'Any for me?' he said sitting down next to her.
'Don't you have a hangover or something?'
'Bit of a headache.'

He sat next to her his back leaning against the table, trying to get her attention away from the paper and on him.
'What'cha readin'?'
She put the newspaper down.
'Jon about yesterday?'
'Yeah a great date i thought.'
'Hmm yeah, what about last thing?'
'You know i remember the chocolate mousse, delicious, and then yeah must have had a bit too much wine.'
'A bit? One bottle of champagne and two bottles of wine. I think i had two and a half glasses total out of that!'
'Yeah, we were celebrating.' He when to brush the back of his hand against her arm.
He doesn't remember. Ruby thought to herself. She got up and poured coffee.
'Here, black no sugar if i recall?'
'Thanks.'

'You must have been so drunk i swear!'
Jon just sipped his coffee and looked at her.
'I mean in the middle of the restaurant you got down on one knee and proposed.' She didn't look at him. 'It was so embarrassing!'
Jon put his right hand in his jeans pocket. He turned the ring over and over between his fingers.
'Yeah i do stupid stuff when i'm drunk i guess.'
'Don't we all?'
'Sorry.'
'Don't be, i over reacted as usual. I should have known you didn't mean it, i mean you were three sheets to the wind after all. I know you wouldn't have done it if you were sober.'
'Yeah, right....I'm goin' back to bed.'

***

Jon walked into the bedroom and picked up the guitar that sat in the corner. A big part of him wanted to just smash it on the floor, let all his frustrations pour out into the destruction. But the other part of him won.
Going out to the balcony he sat on a chair and soaked up the mid-morning sun.
Sitting the battered old acoustic on his lap he began to strum.

She opened the door quietly.
There was a warm breeze and the white linen curtains billowed into the room.
She watched and listened to him as he sang softly.

"Sitting here wasted and wounded at this old piano,
Trying hard to capture the moment, this morning I don't know.
'Cause a bottle of vodka's still lodged in my head,
Some blonde gave me nightmares..."

He stopped there, he remembered writing that song in a hotel room not too different from the one he sat in now. He remembered the circumstances that led him to write it.
Somethings don't change, he thought.

'That was beautiful.'
'Jesus! Give a man a heart attack.' He said as Ruby walked through the door. 'I didn't realise you were there.'
'Oh. I thought that's why you stopped.'
Jon sighed, and put the guitar down next to his chair.
She looked at him as he avoided all eye contact with her.
God! He gets so caught up in himself sometimes. It's like getting blood from a stone, she thought as she prepared for another session of trying to get into Jon's thoughts.

'Is there something you want to tell me Jon? I mean after last year i hope that we can just be truthful with each other. About anything.'
He dug his hand in his pocket and brought out the ring.

Ruby gasped when she saw it.
Jon sat with it between the finger and thumb of his right hand and leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees.
'Okay so i meant it. I meant to ask you, ever since i came back to Europe.'
He didn't look up, just stared at the ring turning it round and round.
'I just thought how can i show you that i'm not what you think? I'm not just looking for a quick fuck. I've had enough of that, i need something real.'
Jon finally looked up at Ruby. 'I need you.'
She stood her summer dress swaying in the breeze, arms crossed as if she was cold. A look in her eye of what? Pity...or something. He thought.
'Jon...'
'You don't have to say anythin'. Just, you're right. There's nothin' if we aren't honest.'

'Listen to me will you?...It's my final year of University. I've had to do two years in one. I haven't been out, i haven't had any down time. I'm nearly there, by the time i start the new term i should be up to date. I have to do well in this final year, i can't waste it all now on distractions.'
So that's all i am, a distraction? Great. Jon thought. He looked away, dropped the ring into his empty coffee cup and slumped back into his chair.
She saw the hurt in his eyes.
'Jon don't you get it, i'm not saying there isn't a future for us.'
'It's just that you want me to wait for you.'
'Yeah...i guess.'
'I can't Shorty. A year, i can't go for a year not seeing you. Six months was bad enough.'
'Perhaps, holidays....'
'Oh so a couple of days every six months? that's alot better.'
'Jon why are you getting cross with me?' A tear rolled along her face.
'It shouldn't be this hard Shorty. Maybe some things just aren't meant to be.'
He regretted it the minute it left his mouth.

Well i guess that's it then. She thought as she turned around to go back into the hotel room. He always knows the right words to hurt me most.
'Wait.'
He was stood in front of her now grabbing her arm he turned her back around.
He took a step to close their bodies together.
'I'm sorry i didn't mean that...I just...'
Lifting his hand to her face he brushed his thumb across her lower lip and on down her chin. Using it to tilt her face up.
He leaned tantalisingly close, inches from her face.
'I've missed these lips like you wouldn't believe.' He whispered.

She didn't say or do anything just let it happen.
Lips touched lips ever so softly for a second before parting.
She opened her eyes to see why he had stopped, but before she could his lips were on hers again.
Don't stop. Was all she could think.
She was buzzing.
She lifted her hands to his waist and held him closer to her, feeling electricity as her hands touched his soft skin.

Jon bought his left hand up to hold her other cheek, deepening the kiss.
The top half of their bodies apart so he could stoop slightly to reach her lips.
He slowly pulled away from her.
Placing one more soft kiss on her lips.
He looked down at her, it seemed like an age before she opened her eyes.
She licked her bottom lip as if savouring the taste.
'Jon...' She barely whispered.
'Just give us a chance babe, i swear we can make this thing work. One weekend a month, i can fly over. Christmas, Easter...'
A smile broke out on one corner of her mouth.
'I was just about to say i've got a camp bed.'
'I'm a millionaire rock star babe, i don't do camp beds.' he chuckled leaning in to kiss her cheek and trail soft kisses down to her neck. 'Perhaps you can accommodate me somewhere more comfortable?'
She just wanted to tell him how infuriating he was. Sulking one minute, all hot on her the next. But she was just glad she had cocky Jon back it meant all was well, for now.
And besides she didn't want to say anything to make him stop what he was doing.

'Hey Jo...Oh now what do we have here?'
Jon pulled away from Ruby and peered through the open doors.
Richie was stood in the bedroom leaning against the door frame.
He saw Jon stood just in jeans inches away from Ruby, barefoot. Both flushed with red lips from kissing.
'Am i interrupting something?'
'Hey Richie.' Ruby replied.
Jon wasn't as polite, 'How the hell you get in here man?'
'You weren't answering the door, so i tried it. You should really lock it you know, never know who could be lurkin'.'
'Thanks for the tip asshole.'
'Is that my breakfast?' Ruby asked, spying the slice of toast in his hand.
Richie ignored this question, like he seemed to do with everything he didn't want to hear.
'Okay if i borrow our boy here for a bit darlin'?'

Ruby squeezed past Richie to go back into the suite. She figured if they had business to discuss, or rather if Richie wanted to rib Jon about her, she didn't need to be there.
Richie leant down and pecked her cheek as she went past him, 'Good to see ya darlin'.'
'And you Rich.' She said patting his chest and taking back the slice of toast from his hand.

He waited for the bedroom door to click shut before he spoke.
'So you look pretty happy?'
He sat down on the chair Jon had occupied minutes earlier putting his feet on another one opposite, and picked up the guitar.
'I would probably be even happier if you hadn't dropped by.' He unceremoniously shoved Richie's feet off the chair and sat there himself.
Richie started strumming a few chords. 'You have an annoying habit of stopping by at the worst times.'
'You writin'?' Richie ignored his comment.
'Nah just rememberin'.'

Chapter 30: A Summer Night in Paris.

'Shorty!' He stood up so fast he banged his head on the overhead luggage rack.
'Ouch Jon are you ok?' She leant over to rub his head where he had hit it.
'I'm great now.' He smiled.
She laughed and looked down at her hands, coming over all shy suddenly.
'I'd given up on you' he said.
'Sorry but this is London, unfortunately traffic doesn't part like the red sea just because i'm in a hurry. Thought i was going to miss the train.'
'Well it doesn't leave till ten past. Call it security.'
She chuckled, and he admired her sparkling eyes as they danced with the laughter. Her blonde hair was pulled back into a ponytail, showing her perfect face off. Making her eyes seem even more blue if that was possible. The pale skin he remembered so well from last winter was sun kissed, she was radiant.
'So, is this seat free?'
Jon snapped out of it, he hadn't realised he had been staring. 'Yeah, Course.'
He gestured for her to sit.

'So you came?'
'Yeah, i've never been to Paris.' She smiled cheekily.
Jon laughed, he'd missed her sense of humour. Like the way she would mercilessly tease him, and the way he would take it. He didn't usually take humour at his own expense very well.
'And...Alex?'
'What about him?' Ruby really didn't want to talk about this, but it was probably best to get it out of the way, '...he's nice, reliable, my age....practically perfect, except....' She changed her focus, pretending to look for something in her bag.
Jon's eyes didn't move from her, 'Except?'
She opened her mouth to tell him except he isn't you, but stopped herself. 'I told him i need to take a break....Anyway i could ask the same about you and Diane. What is going on there?'
'Let's just call it a major error in judgement.'
Ruby nodded, knowing when to not probe any deeper.

A brief awkward silence followed...Jon was the first to break it.
'You may aswell have said that it's over.'
'What?'
'With Alex.'
'Cocky son of a...' She laughed.
'I mean it. I'm not letting you get away this time.' He looked intently into her eyes, hoping to show her he truly meant it.
'Sir, Madam can i get you something to drink?' They were interrupted by a waitress.
'Champagne.' Jon replied.
'Please.' Ruby added. Turning back to Jon, 'Mind your P's and Q's!'
Jon just rolled his eyes in response.

'So what made you come?'
'Let's just say a friend let me in on the inner workings of your mind.' She said stowing her bag overhead.
'Damn it what has he been saying?'
'You should be thanking him!' Ruby replied.
'Champagne, Sir.' The waitress said as she returned. 'Would you like me to open it?'
'That's okay, i'll do the honours.' Jon said, glancing at Ruby's face he quickly turned back and added, 'Thank you!'

He popped the cork and poured the champagne into two glasses.
'Here's to...us?' Jon asked cocking an eyebrow, not entirely sure where the land lay between them yet.
'Here's to getting it right this time.' She replied.
'Ouch.' Jon said clutching his chest in faux pain.

---------------

It was quarter to ten as they arrived at the train terminal in Paris. They stood on the pavement outside.

'What?' Ruby laughed. 'Do i have food on my face?'
Jon snapped out of it, 'Sorry...no, sorry its just, you look good.'
She blushed, looking away from his gaze, 'Thanks.'
'I really want this to work you know. I'm just figuring this out for myself..' he said as if he felt she was unsure about the situation.
'I know. And just so you know, there was no doubt in my mind.'

That was it then after that admission, a goofy grin was plastered on Jon's face that wasn't going anywhere in a while.

He picked up her bag and slung it over his shoulder and grabbed her hand, 'Come on you must be hungry.'
They got into the backseat of a waiting taxi and Jon leaned forward and said something to the driver. Ruby strained to hear but didn't catch it over the sound of the radio.

---------------

'This really is the only way to see Paris.' Jon said as he lead Ruby out.
She walked ahead of him, open mouthed at the stunning view.
Jon had taken them to the Tour Montparnasse the tallest building in Paris, and they had just walked out onto the terrace at the very top.
He walked to stand beside her at the railing.
The blazing sun had long since disappeared below the skyline leaving only a dark blue twilight. But it seemed as bright as ever, the darkness of the buildings broken up by a criss cross of streets lit by cars and lights.

'Wow.' she whispered, barely audible.
'Yeah best view of the city...mainly 'cause you don't see this ugly thing that we're standing on.' he chuckled.
'It's beautiful.'
'Hey we're on the wrong side.' Jon laughed, he took her hand and led her to the opposite side of the viewing terrace.
Placing his hands lightly on her hips he maneuvered her to stand in front of him and pointed her in the right direction.
'Eiffel Tower.' He said in her ear as he stooped slightly so his head was level with hers over her shoulder. Pointing across the city scape before them.
'There's the Champs-Élysées and at the end the Arc de Triomphe.'
'I don't see it.'
He moved his face closer to hers, his cheek brushed hers slightly.
Jon felt completely on edge this close to her, his arms had goose pimples yet the summer air was warm. Ruby was too enthralled in the view to notice.
'Follow the tip of my finger, right there, all lit up.'
'Oh yeah!' She exclaimed.
Jon could hear the wonder in her voice.

'How come you know all this?' She asked.
'I've stared out of hotel windows all over the world babe.' She could hear a tinge of regret in his voice.
'Well thank you.'
'What you thanking me for?' he asked as she pulled away and turned to face him.
'For this, bringing me up here.'
'I should be thanking you' Jon said. 'Anyway don't know 'bout you but i could eat.'
'Yeah i guess.' She turned to take in the view a last time before they went.
'Don't worry, where we are eating you will have nearly as good a view.'

***

Three floors below they took their seat next to the window.
Ruby turned in her seat to continue admiring the view.
'Looks like i have competition for your affections tonight.' Jon laughed.
She turned back to him with a smile on her face.
'I'm sorry, it's just wow.' She quickly turned her head once more, 'Beautiful....ok i'm done i promise.'
Jon just laughed. 'Wait till i show you Dubai, or Tokyo!'
'I might hold you to that you know.'
'You better had.' Jon replied, the goofy grin still evident.

Jon ordered them both oysters as a start and lobster for the main course. This was done in French and Ruby was none the wiser until the food was served. Reluctant at first she soon confessed her enjoyment of both. The wine flowed freely and they both enjoyed each other's company, any residual nerves put at ease.

Later on they were enjoying a simple dessert of Mousse au Chocolat, it was just past midnight.
'That was so amazing.' Ruby said as she put her napkin on the table.
'Aww come on look one more bite left.' Jon replied.
'Nope. I can't eat another spoonful!'
Jon reached across and scooped the rest out with his spoon and put it in his mouth appreciatively. 'Waste not want not.' He said as he liked the spoon for a final time and wiped his mouth with a napkin.
'Gannet!' Ruby said laughing.
'Nothin' wrong with a good healthy appetite babe.' Jon stood from he seat with a wobble.
'You ok there Mister?' Ruby laughed at his unsteadiness.
Jon put up his hand, 'Yeah fine, head rush that's all. I'll be back, just one minute.'
Ruby giggled at his tipsy state. She had barely had a glass of each of the two bottles of wine that had been brought to the table. And that was enough for her to be half cut.

Minutes later Jon was back.
He didn't move to sit down, he just stood next to her.
'Hey you gonna join me?' She asked. He seemed antsy.
'Listen i gotta say somethin'.' He said, his Jersey really came out strong when he was drunk she noticed.
He dropped onto one knee on front of her.
'Jon? What are you doing? Get up!' Suddenly she felt herself sobering up.
'Shorty. Will you marry me?'