Surprise!

Jennifer was not having a good Monday. It was if the cosmos knew she had a relaxing and exciting week and a half coming up, and wanted to screw with her until then. Richie was due in soon, their month-long separation almost over. She smiled at the prospect. She couldn’t wait to see him again. But first, she had to survive the day.

On the way to the train station, she got behind every person in three towns who thought it would be a good idea to let everyone in creation out of the side streets in front of them. She made it to the train with two minutes to spare. She shouldn’t have worried; the train was late, exceedingly late, and she didn’t get to the office until close to 10, putting her two hours behind and her day hadn’t even started yet.

To top everything off, as she gathered her things on the train once arriving at South Station, the man sitting next to her spilled his coffee; all over her Reeboks. Grumbling a ‘no problem’ at the man’s half-hearted apology, she turned up the iPod and made her way off the train. Thankfully, the walk from the station to her building was about 100 yards. Any more than that, and she would have had to kill someone. As it was, she was behind someone who thought she could read the paper and walk at the same time. The woman could, as long as she wove all over the place and didn’t let anyone get past her. She took a deep breath, and let Richie’s voice, singing “If God Was a Woman”, relax her.

Stalking into the lobby of her building, she failed to notice the tall man sitting alone at one of the tables, nursing his second coffee of the day, and watching her.

Richie had watched her approach through the glass doors of her building, his smile growing with each step closer that she took. She was a vision in grey today; a color he knew would make her eyes look as stormy as the scowl on her face – if her eyes went au natural under those sunglasses today. Her pleated skirt skimmed the top of her knees, her stockings were a shade darker than the skirt, and the double-button jacket of her suit fit her like a glove. A pink kerchief peeked out from her breast pocket, and perfectly matched the shell underneath. When she came through the revolving door into her building, he saw she had a beautiful matched pearl double-strand necklace and matching earrings. She hadn’t yet taken her sunglasses off.

A discreet white wire snaked from her ear to disappear into her jacket. She must have her iPod in an inner pocket, he thought. He wondered what she was listening to. As she passed, he stood and tossed his empty cup into the trash, and angled across the lobby toward her. He watched as someone greeted her, and her scowl disappeared, replaced with a wide, welcoming smile. She pulled the buds from her ears and let them dangle into her cleavage, and pushed her sunglasses into the knot of hair on the top of her head.

The man she was talking with was tall, very tall, with dark olive skin and dark hair silvering at the temples. Jennifer gave the man twin pecks on the cheeks and started talking to him in rapid Spanish while he held her in a loose embrace. Richie had heard enough Spanish in his life to catch the gist of their conversation -- she was congratulating him on the birth of his seventh son. He smiled ruefully at the stab of jealousy he felt at seeing her, albeit briefly and platonically, in another man’s arms.

“Excuse me,” he said softly after the other man had left.

“Yes,” Jennifer said, turning. “Can I help – Rich!” She stood agape. He was gorgeous and Oh Good Lord! standing right there in front of her! She had to reach out and touch his hand to make sure she wasn’t dreaming. He was wearing a black suit, cut perfectly for his broad form, with a narrow gray pin stripe. His shirt was a rich burgundy, and the black tie knotted at his throat had a discreet R at the knot, and Jennifer’s heart squeezed. He was wearing the gift she had given him for Father’s Day. She had sent him a silk tie embossed with a replica of the tattoo on her abdomen. She didn’t know what else to get him that was personal but not too much so, and a tie seemed like the perfect Father’s Day gift.

Richie chuckled at her reaction, and snapped his fingers in front of her face. “Earth to Jennifer,” he said. “You alright, darlin’?” He watched as her eyes changed from a stormy gray to almost lavender, picking up the hues of her shirt as they softened at him.

“When did you…what are you doing here? Why didn’t you say something last night when you called?” She gave herself a mental shake. Easy girl, she told herself. She braced her hands on his shoulders and leaned in for a chaste kiss. She was so NOT making out with this man in the lobby of her building, no matter how much she wanted to. “This is a wonderful surprise. I am so glad to see you!”

“I wanted to see you,” Richie said simply. “Jon had been going on and on about flying out to Houston to see T, and I was just sitting at home last night, wishing like hell I had come here yesterday instead.” He colored slightly at that admission. “And damned if I could find any reason not to fly out today – though I’ll admit I didn’t think about it more than half a heartbeat. I didn’t tell you because I wanted to surprise you. You did say you like surprises, right?” He chuckled at her eager nod and said, “I can stay through Wednesday if you’ll have me; I promised Ava I’d spend the Fourth with her, so I need to fly home Thursday.”

Jennifer still couldn’t tear her eyes away from Richie. His hair was the only thing that was mussed, and it made him look achingly sexy. The little laugh lines at the corners of his eyes deepened as he watched her perusal of him. “Darlin’, you’re gonna make my pants mighty uncomfortable if you don’t quit looking at me like you want to eat me alive.”

“Oh!” Jennifer’s hands flew to her mouth to capture the nervous giggle that was going to burst out. “Sorry, it’s just…I wasn’t expecting…” she blew out a breath. “Sorry. Damn you clean up good,” she said on a breathy laugh. “And of course I’ll have you.” She blushed at her words and their double meaning. Oh Lord, she thought to herself.

Richie just laughed. “I’ll hold you to that, Jennifer,” he said in a low voice, its timbre resonating low in her abdomen. “So, I know you have to work, I’ll just bum around town until – um, do you have lunch plans?”

“Nothing I can’t break,” she answered.

“Excellent,” Richie said. “I’ll see you around noon then?” He kissed her a bit more lingeringly on the lips, making her sigh.

Jennifer just nodded, and watched as he strolled from the lobby. He turned back at the doors to wave to her, and she waved back, smiling like a fool. She went up the elevator to her floor, and for the first time was not fiercely gripping the handrail. She was beside herself. She couldn’t believe he had surprised her like that. She sat hard in her chair and clicked on the Internet Explorer icon, intending to get on the board and send a quick message to the girls about Richie’s surprise visit.

Then she sat back.

She wanted to keep this to herself a little while longer. Smiling, she grabbed her folio and her Blackberry, and headed off to grab a Diet Coke before going to her first meeting of the day. It was with her boss. Two weeks ago, she applied for a different position within her division: a position with far less stress, and more importantly, the shedding of the minions. Jennifer would find out today if she got the job she had applied for. Straightening from the beverage fridge in the break room, she squared her shoulders and strode down the hall.



Lunchtime couldn’t come quickly enough for Jennifer. A few minutes before noon, she headed down to the lobby. She had her faculties about her now, and was hyper-aware of her trip in the elevator. As she crowded out between the security gates, her eyes scanned back and forth and lit on each of the faces waiting in the lobby.

When they landed on his face, she let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. She thought she may have been dreaming the whole morning’s encounter. But no, there he was grinning widely at her, and getting curious looks from the people streaming around him. Her step quickened as she approached him, and she leaned in for a kiss. In her heels, she was just as tall as he was.

“Hi,” she said breathlessly.

“Hi yourself,” Richie answered, taking her hand. “Well?”

She smiled widely. “I got the job,” she said, excitement barely contained,

Richie swooped her up in a big hug and spun her around. “Congratulations, honey,” he said, kissing her soundly. “That’s just great. We’ll have to celebrate tonight.” His voice was full of promise and heat, and Jennifer’s heart rate kicked up a notch.

“That’d be wonderful,” she said, meaning every word. “So, where’d you like to go for lunch?”

“How long ‘til you have to be back?” Jennifer thought his eyes darkened slightly with that question, but shook her head ruefully, knowing there wasn’t enough time to properly celebrate.

Considering she had been so late that morning, she really should be taking lunch at her desk, but... “I don’t have to be back until two,” she said. “Why? Where are we going?” Her eyes narrowed at him.

“Do you trust me?” he asked her, looking into dove-gray eyes that softened at his question.

“Of course,” she said, squeezing his hand gently.

He led her outside and to a black sedan. He opened the back door and handed her in. He followed and settled beside her. He took a black scarf from his pocket and held it up. “You’re sure?”

Pulse racing, Jennifer simply turned her back to Richie so he could fasten the blindfold around her head. Jennifer sat back against the seat, and felt Richie take her hand. He spoke softly to her, making small talk about the last few tour dates, and what the guys were up to during this small break. Jennifer felt the car make several turns, and lost track of where they were. When the car slowed, she reached for the knot at the back of her head.

“Uh-uh, Jennifer darlin’,” Richie said. “Leave it on.”

“But won’t people wonder what the hell is going on?”

“You said you trusted me right?” Jennifer nodded. “Okay,” Richie said. “Let’s go. I’ll help you.”

He got out of the car and took Jennifer’s hand to guide her out of the car. Her heart was pounding. She wasn’t scared, but the anticipation was killing her. She took a deep breath and could smell the harbor. They were somewhere near the waterfront. She felt a breeze as a door opened and a burst of air-conditioned air flowed over her. The smells and sounds of a busy kitchen made her smile.

“Where are we?” she asked.

“Patience, my dear,” Richie answered, and kissed her briefly on the lips. He led her through a warren of hallways and stopped abruptly. She heard the unmistakable slide of elevator doors, and her grip on Richie’s hand tightened. “Are you alright?” he asked her.

“Don’t like elevators,” Jennifer said in a small voice. Richie quickly untied the blindfold and pulled her into his arms.

“Sorry,” he said, kissing her temple. “I forgot. Just keep your eyes closed, okay?”

Jennifer chuckled. “I usually do. I just like having the option of looking if I want to.”

The doors slid open and Richie put his arm around Jennifer’s waist and guided her down a hallway. He stopped outside a door and pulled a keycard from his pocket. Opening the door, he ushered her inside with a gentle hand at the small of her back.

“Open your eyes,” he said after closing the door behind them.

Jennifer did and gasped. “Oh, this is gorgeous!” She looked around in amazement, and knew exactly where she was. This could only be the Presidential Suite at the Boston Harbor hotel. No other room would have the views this did, or the opulent elegance.

The Presidential Suite was the most luxurious accommodation in the city. It had two Harbor view bedrooms each having a king size bed, desk, comfortable easy chair and private bathroom. The oversize master bathroom had a Jacuzzi tub and a walk-in shower definitely more than big enough for two. The parlor had a huge living area – it had to be over 900 square feet. Three sofas flanked an oversized coffee table, and a large plasma screen television dominated one wall. The gleaming mahogany dining room table could easily accommodate 10 people.

The dining room table was set with two place settings, situated so the diners could look out the window at the gorgeous views of the Harbor. The crystal was Waterford, the china Delft, and the flatware heavy silver. A pair of large candelabra were lit and glowed softly in the middle of the table.

Jennifer wandered around the rooms while Richie stood watching her, an amused expression on his face. There were freshly cut flowers in vases throughout the rooms, and the artwork on the walls would make any collector jealous. Returning to the living space, she noticed for the first time the tuxedoed butler standing by the sideboard. “Hello,” she said to him.

He made a half bow. “Good afternoon, Miss. May I get you something to drink?”

Jennifer smiled. “I would love a Diet Coke with lemon, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, Miss,” he answered, and opened the sideboard to reveal a hidden refrigerator from which he pulled her soda and a fresh lemon.

“Rich, this is just amazing,” Jennifer said. “But you know, you could have stayed with me.” She blushed. Oh crap, she thought. What if he didn’t want to? “If you wanted to,” she added lamely.

“Darlin’, I would love to stay with you, and maybe tomorrow,” he said. “But today, I wanted to be able to have a private place that was close to where you work, so we could have an intimate lunch.” He crossed the room and took Jennifer into his arms. “And maybe dinner and dessert as well.” His voice lowered as he framed her face with his hands and nibbled delicately on her lips. The butler smiled and turned discreetly away. “But for now,” Richie said, trailing his hands down her neck to her shoulders, “it’s just lunch.” He smiled at her lust-filled expression and led her to the table.

The butler pulled out her chair and pushed it in for her as she sat. He flamboyantly unfolded a heavy linen napkin and draped it gently across her lap. He went to the phone and pressed a button, and in less than a minute, there was a soft knock on the door. Jennifer smiled and giggled when she caught Richie watching her watch the butler. The butler had opened the suite’s door to take a large rolling cart from room service. He brought the cart to the table, and placed covered plates in front of each of them. With a flourish, he removed the lids, and Jennifer burst out laughing.

In a little casserole dish was a perfect portion of macaroni and cheese. She inhaled the aroma deeply. It looked and smelled just like her mother’s, right down to the crumbled corn flakes on top. “Rich! I can’t believe you had them make mac and cheese. Here! In the most luxurious hotel in the city!” She was a little embarrassed, but more touched than anything. When he had asked about her favorite comfort foods way back when, she told him how her mother’s cheese sauce was unparalleled, and they compared notes on their mothers’ recipes.

“Darlin’, I couldn’t do it for you in England, but I could here. Besides,” he said, scooping a succulent portion on to his fork. “The chef here knows me and owes me a favor.”

Jennifer shook her head and took a small bite, her eyes closing in pleasure. “It’s delicious,” she said then turned to the butler. “My compliments to the chef,” she said with a giggle.

The butler smiled wryly at her. “I’m sure he’ll be thrilled that you’re enjoying your lunch. If there’s nothing else, I will leave you now. Ring when you would like the remnants cleared away.” Richie and Jennifer couldn’t think of anything else they needed, so the butler made another little half bow, and left the suite.

The two of them ate leisurely and companionably, happy to gaze out the windows or at each other. When their plates were clean, Richie stood and held out his hand. Jennifer took it, and he led her to one of the couches. He slipped his suit jacket off and draped it on one end of the couch, and sat on the other. He pulled her down across his lap, and kissed her silly.

“Are you sure you have to go back to work?” Richie’s eyes had darkened to nearly black, and Jennifer could feel the reason for his question firming under her.

Jennifer shuddered, then her shoulders slumped. “Yeah, I do,” she said, playing with the knot and collar at his neck. “I’m still catching up from my trip to England, and I have meetings with various business partners this afternoon…” She got distracted by Richie’s fingers diving into the knot of hair on her head. She felt him removing the pins that held it, and before she could protest, her hair cascaded down around them.

“That’s better,” Richie said, pulling handfuls of it to his face to inhale its aroma. “Your hair is still damp, and smells heavenly,” he said. “And it’s so soft….” He wasn’t really talking to her anymore, more to himself. He was thinking about what that hair would feel like draped across his chest. Or his thighs. He groaned and shifted a little, trying to get more comfortable.

“It’s thick, so if I wrap it up, it doesn’t dry all the way.” Her voice was thick, and she wished to hell she didn’t have to get back to work. She threaded her fingers into Richie’s hair, sighing at the feel of it. “Damn,” she whispered under her breath. The locks sifted through her fingers like silk, and she had the urge to tug on it, but refrained. She brought her mouth down to his and they locked together in another passionate kiss. Richie opened her jacket and palmed a breast through the think silk of her shell. He felt her nipple pebble against his palm, and he rolled it between his fingers, making her moan and squirm. After several minutes, Jennifer broke the kiss and stood on shaky legs.

“Rich,” she said shakily, “if we don’t stop now, I’m not going to be able to go back to work and as much as I don’t want to, I have responsibilities I can’t ignore.”

“I know,” he said, “but you can’t fault a guy for trying.” His grin was infectious, and Jennifer’s answering smile lit something in his heart. “Give me a minute to, um, get myself under control here, and I’ll take you back to work.” Jennifer blushed and excused herself to duck into one of the bathrooms and fix her hair and makeup. She wound the thick tresses back up on the top of her head and secured them, and reapplied her lipstick. Her lips were still swollen from Richie’s kisses, and she smirked at her reflection, noting she was going to have to keep her jacket buttoned, at least for the next little while.

She met up with Richie back in the living room and took his jacket from the sofa. She held it so he could slip his arms into it, and Jennifer smoothed it over his shoulders, her touch lingering. “I guess we’re ready to go then,” she said.

“Guess so,” Richie said, turning to look at her. “What time do you get out of work for the night?”

“Since I was late probably not until close to seven.”

“Okay,” he said, as they made their way down the elevator and through the lobby. He had a tight grip on her hand the whole time, and only let her go to get her into the car. Once he was seated next to her, he took up her hand again. They were quiet on the ride back to her office on Summer Street, and when they arrived, Richie got out and helped her from the car. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, so as not to smudge her lipstick. “Until later then,” he said, and ran a finger across her cheekbone.

“Until later,” Jennifer echoed. With a final quick peck, she turned and climbed the stairs to her building. She turned back to wave, then disappeared inside.