Chapter 30
They couldn’t get upstairs fast enough.
In the cab on the way over, John thought it would be a great idea to tantalize and torment her even more by taking her to an Italian restaurant he knew of. Dinner, like at most nice places, took a long time- too long, particularly for Gennie, who was practically chomping at the bit. It wasn’t until the cab ride home that he realized her little ‘secret’. As they were getting in, he pulled her up beside him, swinging her legs over his. That’s when she whispered in his ear that she wasn’t wearing anything under her dress. At hearing this, he let out a groan, his head falling back on the headrest. As soon as the cab pulled up to the hotel, he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket and without counting it, gave it to the driver. He knew it was way more than necessary, but it didn’t really matter to him at this point. He was very focused at the moment.
They barely made it into their room. No sooner had he put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the door and locked it, than Gen started tearing off his clothes. Off came the t-shirt, the pants, the socks and underwear. Gen decided that right in front of the door was not the place to be, so she gave him a playful shove toward the center of the room. She looked him over intently, then turned to search his suitcase for the condoms. “I’m taking control now,” she announced as she held up a square foil wrapper. He leaned his head back, closing his eyes. She slowly tore open the package, removing its contents. She took her time, his fingers tangled in her hair, delighting in every sound she heard from him. After only a few minutes, he’d had all he could stand. She looked up at him and he smiled at her then pulled her to her feet and backed her lovingly but forcefully up against the wall. He grabbed a thigh firmly in his hand and raised it slightly as he sought sanctuary within her. The high heels made easy work of this game. He tugged at the string lacing up the front of her dress. Once he had loosened it completely, he inserted his groping hand while he offered her hot, wet kisses on the neck and hard, probing kisses on her lips. His impassioned thrusting became quicker and more urgent. In just minutes, she was gasping for air as her cries became more frantic. She studied him as he threw his head back and clenched his teeth, groaning in that final moment of release; she didn’t want to forget one second, nor a single facial expression.
His head fell forward in relief. They spent a few moments standing there, both catching their breath. Eventually, he raised his forehead from her shoulder. “I like leather too.”
Gen nodded, “Mm hmm” She had a goofy, lovesick smile on her face and was totally blissed out.
“I guess we can get rid of this.” He tugged playfully at the straps of her now bedraggled looking dress. “It’s done its job.” He stepped back and made for the bathroom. He returned with a towel wrapped around his waist and bearing a hotel bathrobe in his hand. “This is probably a little more comfortable,” he smiled. He held it while she kicked off the shoes and maneuvered out of the dress. She was glad to be free of them now; he was right, they weren’t exactly comfortable. She slid on the robe and he took her hand, “C’mon, “ he dipped his head toward the bed, “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
“You’re just full of them tonight!” she smiled.
“I aim to please,” he grinned and walked her backwards towards the bed. He planted a wet one on her as he sat her down. “For you, Genevieve,” he beamed and handed her a beautiful peacock blue box adorned with a white silk ribbon. She knew immediately where it came from.
On her face was a mix of confusion and elation. “Johnny, sweetie, what’s this?”
“Open it!”
She pulled at the ribbon and lifted the lid from the box. Finding a velvet case enclosed within, she removed it and slowly creaked it open it to reveal the amethyst necklace. She gasped. “John, you shouldn’t have done this.” She touched it; kind of making sure it was really there. “This is…it’s too much.” She looked at him kneeling in front of her, an expectant smile on his face.
“No, no, it’s perfect, see,” he seemed really excited. “It’s perfect because,” he took it out of the box and put it on her, “because, it’s purple, purple teardrops, purple rain, y’know? Now you’ll never forget the first night we went out together. The first song we danced to!”
She hated silly sentimentality, but she had to admit, he’d hit a grand slam with this one! No man had ever done anything so sweet, or generous, or thoughtful for her before. “It is perfect. Thank you.” She brushed a tear from her eye. “You’re very good with the gift giving. You know how to spoil a girl.”
“What’s the point of having money if you don’t use it, y’know?”
“But, wow, this is…I mean, I thought we were just goofin’ around.”
He kissed her on the forehead. “When I saw this on you, I knew I was gonna get it for you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, and I had them deliver it to the hotel. Cool, huh?”
“Yeah, cool.” She looked up at him sadly, “You know, it’s my last night, and I don’t have anything to give you to remember it by. I’m sorry.”
His eyebrows shot up, “Are you kidding me? You think I’m gonna forget tonight? I mean, sure, you got stuff to take home with you, but I think I’m the one who got lucky.”
“Oh, right,” she giggled and grabbed him for round two.
*******
Hours later, they sat relaxing in the tub. Gen leaned her head back on his chest, while he ran his fingers along her soapy leg that hung casually over the side.
“You know, I almost didn’t do this. This might never have happened,” Gennie contemplated wistfully.
“What?”
“I nearly threw those application forms away when Stacey gave them to me. I thought it would never happen. Y’know, like the Publisher’s Clearing House or something,” she giggled.
“Genevieve Redlin, you may have already won…”
“Yeah, exactly, I figured it was a bunch of crap. But Stace made me do it. She said she had a feeling. I guess I should trust her intuition more often.”
“I’m glad you did.”
“But you know what?” She looked up at him. “When I first met you in Dallas, I had no idea I would end up here. No idea! I never in a million years would have guessed this ending to the story.”
“I kinda had an idea…and it’s not really the end, you know.”
“I hope not.” she smiled. “But it is kind of bizarre, that just a couple of weeks ago, you were just a voice coming out of my speakers. I knew nothing about you, and here I am sitting in your bathtub... with you!”
That made him grin. “Oh, you knew more about me than I knew about you. And still do.” He leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. “I know where you’re from, I know your favorite color, I know your best friend, and I know you think Robert Smith is a God,” he teased, “but not much more than that.”
“There isn’t much more,” she laughed, “Well, there is this other guitar player….”
“Yeah, yeah,” he grinned and dotted some bubbles on her nose. “Where’s you favorite vacation spot?”
“Oh, probably somewhere…anywhere with a white sandy beach and some palm trees.”
“What was the first album you ever bought?”
“Now you’re just embarrassing me! It was Shaun Cassidy in 1977,” she blushed.
He laughed at that. “Really?”
“Yes. Next question.”
“Um…Do you have any pets?”
“I have two cats. Sashimi and Mojo Jojo.”
“Cats are cool. Let’s see…do you play any instruments?”
“No. I took organ lessons as a kid. I wanted to play piano, but my parents couldn’t afford one, so that’s what I got.”
“Sorry. Maybe we can get together sometime and play some crappy music,” he chuckled.
“Yeah, you and that damn accordion would’ve fit in nicely where I grew up.”
That got him to chuckle. “Ok then, how old were you when, y’know, your first time?”
“Well, that’s personal, isn’t it?”
He shrugged, “You don’t have to answer, if you don’t want to. I was 15.”
“I was 16,” she blushed. “And it was under the bleachers at a baseball game.”
He had a proud grin on his face. “Alright Gennie!”
“Whatever,” she rolled her eyes.
“What song do you have stuck in your head right now?”
“Well, at the moment, it’s Take Me Out to the Ballgame,” she giggled.
“Me too, I wonder why?” he grinned.
“Yeah, I wonder.”
“What’s the most seductive song you can think of?”
She paused thoughtfully for a moment. “Lullaby by The Cure,” she declared decisively.
“What, the song about the spider?”
“Uh huh.”
“Why?”
“Have you ever listened to it?”
“I’ve heard it. But apparently not the same way you have.”
“Oh c’mon! That song isn’t about a spider! At least, I don’t think so.”
John turned his eyes upward, deep in thought. He was trying to recall the words to the song. “I guess it missed me. I’ll have to check it out when I get back home. I have that CD somewhere.”
“I have it in my bag. Do you have a CD player with you?”
“Not here. It’s in the bus.”
“Then I’m gonna play it for you. You’ll see.” She stood and pulled him up with her.
He laughed, “We’re goin’ downstairs?”
“Yep. Put something on.” She toweled off then rummaged through her bag and pulled out shorts and a GOO t-shirt, and the CD in question. She tossed a pair of faded jeans and a shirt at him, “C’mon. To the bus! Bring your key.”
It was late, and no one was around as they snuck out a side entrance to where the bus was parked for the night. They headed to the back where Gen’s sleeping area had been. John took the disc and put it in the player and sat down to listen. The familiar drone of the keyboards and Robert Smith’s guitar permeated the air. “See,” she explained, “it isn’t just the words, it’s the music. It’s sensual, rhythmic.” Her eyes were closed as she stood in the dimly lit room moving sinuously to the music.
Her fluid movements were tantalizing; they made him want to grab her, tear off those clothes and ravish her right here. “Oh. I think I see your point.”
He watched her as she danced slowly, lithely, in front of him. Reaching over to hit the repeat button, he kept the song going indefinitely as he gradually peeled off her clothes, then his and leaned back on the bed, pulling her on top of him. She was breathing heavily and ready to go wild, but then stopped before going any further. “We don’t have…”
He cut her off, “I don’t care.”
They lost count of how many times the song played before they snuck back to their room as the sun was coming up. It afforded them enough time to get a few hours of sleep.