It had been less than a month since we’d left Vision Lake. I’d called Chris and Kristen, and then called up Dan, our old tour manager, and asked him if he could do a few favors for me, seeing as the man lived in Boston currently.
So, when we’d arrived about three days later in Boston, Dan had arranged to meet me and get me the keys to the house in Brookline that he’d managed to secure for us on short notice. Seeing as it was close to Christmas, I’d gone out and gotten Rebecca a Christmas present, and given her my bank card with instructions to get me whatever she thought I’d like, and to ensure that she got some new clothes for herself as well, as winter in Arizona was quite different than winter on the east coast.
So when she’d come home bearing a shitload of bags, and apologizing that she’d spent several thousand dollars, I laughed, telling her that it was okay, as long she’d gotten my Christmas present in that amount. We’d gone out and purchased a tree, and spent that night decorating it, then enjoying hot apple cider and a cuddle in front of the fireplace. It was one of the happiest holiday seasons I’d had in a long time.
Ryan and family, Chris, Mike and Liz had all forwarded along gifts addressed to the two of us, as evidently Ryan had spread the word, and the spread underneath the tree was pretty nice to see. Mike had also sent word that he and Liz would finally be tying the knot on New Year’s Day in New York, and that we were invited to come along should we be able to. Rebecca had called her family and let them know she was staying in Boston for the holidays, and they’d forwarded along some presents for her.
Christmas Eve crept up on us and we decided to take in the midnight service at the Episcopal church nearest where we were, a tradition that I’d kept since I was a child. We’d attracted a bit of attention, as there were a few people who evidently had seen the California licence plates on the car, and also the face seemed a bit familiar. Once the service was over and was officially Christmas day, we headed back out into the cold winter air and headed to the car. I walked as quickly as I could, the cold seeping through the down jacket I had on and chilling me through. I’d been in California too long.
“Becca, are you going to hurry up?” I said, turning to see where she’d gone off to when I was hit with a handful of snow full on in the face.
Rebecca stood back laughing as I wiped the snow from my face.
“Very funny.” I said, bending down and gathering up a handful of snow myself and lobbed it back at her, which landed on her head with a delightful scream.
Missiles soared between the two of us, laughter filling the air, and other pedestrians skittering out of the way of the impromptu snowball fight. After a few minutes, we were leaning against each other, worn out, laughing and covered in snow. We headed back to the car, shaking off snow as we walked, warm from the exertion of the struggle, and snow melting and dripping off our hair. Opening up the car, I gallantly held open Rebecca’s door, and with a kiss, she slipped into the car. Smiling, I trotted around the other side of the car, and slipped on some ice. Wheeling my arms like a windmill, I managed to stay upright and get into the car.
The drive home was quick and uneventful. Once we were out of the car, it was a quick slip and slide up the drive and into the house. Before we entered into the house, Rebecca grabbed me by the arm, and pointed upwards.
“You’re under the mistletoe.”
I cocked an eyebrow, and pulled her to me.
“Happy Christmas Becca.” I said and kissed her. Her lips were cold but warmed quickly to my embrace. I felt her tongue, and gently returned the explorations.
She broke the embrace, and looked at me, her eyes dark and full of desire
“Let’s go in.” she said, pulling the keys from my pocket. Turning in my arms, she unlocked the door and we went into the house.
Tossing off my jacket, I headed to the living room, and started up a fire in there. Rebecca disappeared upstairs, and came back in a few minutes dressed in a red velvet dressing gown, with her hair pulled back from her face and a mug of tea steaming in each hand.
“Why don’t you go upstairs and get out of those clothes, which are probably sopping wet, and then come back down and we’ll open one present each before heading to bed?” she said to me.
I nodded and jogged quickly upstairs, and stripped off the cold and damp clothes in exchange for a warm set of flannel pants and a waffle textured shirt. Grabbing a towel from the washroom, I quickly dried my hair and headed back downstairs, where I found Rebecca curled up between the tree and the fire, watching the logs hypnotically snap and pop in the fireplace, her cup of tea half drunk.
I came over to where she was and put a hand on her shoulder. She started, and then looked up at me, a smile on her face, and her skin with a reddish glow from the fire.
“Hey.” she said distractedly, and handed me the mug of tea that she’d put near the fire, so it was still relatively warm.
I sat down beside her, and she leaned back into me, watching the fire. I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small jewelers box that I had in my pocket. I opened it quietly, and pulled from it a small silver bell on a silver chain. I’d gotten it for her as a bit of a gag gift. Rebecca had a habit of sneaking up on me and scaring me senseless – to the point I’d commented very early on in our relationship that she should tie a bell around her neck. Moving slowly so as not to arouse her suspicions, I brought one arm around her as if giving her a hug, and the pulled the necklace around her neck. The coolness of the silver against her skin caused her to jump and put her hand to her neck. She looked down and started laughing.
“Merry Christmas Becca-bear.” I said, as she turned with a smile on her face. “Now you’ll not be able to sneak up on me without me hearing you first.”
She kissed me, a quick kiss, and then pulled from her own dressing gown pocket a small parcel.
“I was going to give you this later today, but seeing as you decided to give me a gift early…”
She placed the wrapped present in my hands, and leaned back onto her heels, watching for my response.
“What do you get the man who has everything?” she asked, with a smile. “I mean, really, what do you get a rock star who already has everything he could want?”
I gingerly opened the parcel, not sure what to expect. The paper fell away to reveal a small, book sized box. I looked up and her with surprise and she motioned to open it. Inside the box was two envelopes. I opened the first one and saw a receipt for a custom Gibson Les Paul guitar. I looked from it to her in surprise.
“I know you play a Les Paul, and well, thought that you might appreciate something done especially for you – from me.”
I sat there for a few moments, completely in shock. No one had done something like that for me… ever. Yes, I had my own custom guitars, but none of them had been purchased by anyone but me.
“Hey, only one present for the night. You get to open that one tomorrow morning with the rest.” she said plucking the envelope from my hand and tucking it inside her dressing gown.
I finished off my tea, and took both our cups back into the kitchen. When I returned, she was curled up on the couch, looking at the fire and the tree with a far away look in her eyes. I wanted to propose then and there, but the time wasn’t right. It would have been overkill, plus, I didn’t have the ring I wanted for her. Someday soon though. I wanted to make this special woman my wife if she’d have me.
“You ready for bed?”
She looked up with heavy lidded eyes and nodded. If I’d left her there, she would’ve fallen asleep shortly there after anyway. Taking her hands, I helped her to a standing position and we made our way upstairs and curled up together in a warm bed. I was curious about the contents of the other envelope, however I knew better than to try and see what was in it before she was ready for me to find out. Last thing I wanted to do was ruin our holiday with a nasty argument.
The next morning came with piles of thick white fluffy snow, painting the houses up and down the street like they were a part of some picture perfect Christmas card.
Christmas morning was peaceful and happy for the two of us. I got up early, conditioned to it after many years of waking up before Kristen did when she was a child, and brought Rebecca breakfast in bed. Proving that I did indeed know how to cook, I made gingerbread pancakes and her favorite white tea. Then, once we were up and dressed comfortably, we settled in front of the tree and opened the presents that were there.
After opening the presents, of which Ryan and Heather had nicely sent Rebecca a “Jonathan Retrospective” which proved quite hilarious for her and rather embarrassing for me. We sat in front of the fire, just watching it crackle and pop until she reminded me that Ryan, Heather and Riley were due to be in for Christmas dinner in about two hours, of which we’d need to be dressed and ready (In true Walsh fashion, learning well from my mother early, the turkey had been ready to go since last night and had been turned on when I’d gotten up that morning to make breakfast)for their arrival, we sprinted upstairs and after showering and bickering over who spent more time in front of the mirror, we were dressed respectably and both began working on dinner. Everything was done and ready to go just as the doorbell rang, announcing the arrival of the Davison family.
“You look nervous Becca.” I said as I removed the apron I’d had on while cooking to save my outfit from the fact that both of us were a bit klutzy.
She nodded. “I kinda am. This is the closest I’m going to get to meeting your family Jon.”
I laughed “Chris is actually my family Becca, but I know what you’re saying. Ryan’s always been like a little brother to me. Don’t worry… Ry and Heather don’t bite, and I’m sure they’ll love you.”
I took her hands in mine, they were quite cold and I rubbed them to warm them up. The doorbell rang again and I could hear Ryan yell out “If you’re doing the business in there Jon, could you at least unlock the bleeding door so we don’t freeze to death on the stairs here?”
Rebecca looked at me with an indescribable expression on her face and with her hand in mine I headed for the door, calling back to Ryan that he’d better belt up or I’d leave him to fend for himself.
I opened the door, and Rebecca got her first look at one of my closest friends. Ryan was bundled up like he was headed for the Arctic, and a fine dusting of snow was in his long red hair. Heather was impeccably dressed as always, and gave her husband a look as she came into the house.
“You must be Rebecca.” she said with a warm smile. “It’s nice to finally meet the woman who won over this old codger’s heart.”
Rebecca smiled weakly, still clearly worried. Ryan came in after Heather, and shook the snow from his hair. His glasses were frosted up from the humidity and temperature difference, and once he removed them, Rebecca gasped. Ryan’s eye color – which was a clear, unsullied blue- was often the subject of discussion amongst women.
“This must be Rebecca.” he said, making his way forward, squinting as he cleaned off his glasses on his shirt.
Heather slapped him and stopped his progress forward.
“Ryan, you’ll scare her shitless if you don’t put your damned glasses back on.”
He rolled his eyes and put the glasses back on. Clearly able to see once again, he reached out to shake Rebecca’s hand.
“Nice to finally meet you Becca. Nice to put a face with the name that Jon’s been going on about non-stop.”
She shook his hand, but still stayed dead silent.
“Becca, are you going to say anything to them or did you suddenly lose your ability to talk?” I muttered quietly to her as Heather and Ryan removed their jackets and hung them up on the coat hook.
Her first words were the ones I’d become used to hearing with Ryan.
“Oh my god, is your hair ever red!” she said, then realizing what she’d said,she clapped her hand over her mouth and blushed wildly.
Ryan greeted that with a hearty laugh and a huge grin.
“Yeah, I’m kind of used to that. It tends to enter into the room before I do.” he said as he pulled what only be termed a mane of red curls out of his face.
With the ice broken Rebecca started to converse with Heather and Ryan like she’d known them for years, and even went as far as to hug Heather at one point. Riley had elected to spend the day in Rhode Island with his grandparents, and that left the four of us together to enjoy supper. I’d prepared a vegetarian dish for Ryan in advance, however Heather decided to join in the feast with Rebecca and I.
Dinner was uneventful, Rebecca talking to Ryan and Heather more than she talked to me, which suited me. When dessert was served – the traditional flaming plum pudding – and everyone moved out to the living room, Ryan kept me back as the girls went ahead, talking about assorted things, including the two of us – Heather entertaining Rebecca with an anecdote about Ryan and I on one of the tours and how we’d probably scarred our tour manager at the time by streaking through the hotel at three in the morning.
“Remember what I said to you about the next woman in your life Jon?” he said, pushing his glasses up and still managing to look at me over the tops of them.
“Yeah Ry. I remember that.” I said watching Rebecca as she laughed at Heather’s tale.
“Well, Heather and I both like Becca. Don’t let this one get away from you. Got it?”
With a look at me and a smile, he wandered out to the living room and announced with glee that he’d like to try out his new digital camera with us as Guinea pigs. This of course got many groans from everyone, Heather included.
“I should’ve known when I met him – Bassists are all just big geeks – Ryan’s a gadget geek and I should know better than to buy him what he wants.”
“Yes hon, but you love me anyway. Plus you hate it when I get whiny about not getting the gadget of the month.” he said as he dug out his tripod and camera from the bag he’d brought with him.
The next half hour was spent being blinded by the flash of Ryan’s digital camera, and he promised to email the copies of the pictures to us as soon as they got back to New York.
Finally, around eight at night, the two of them parted company with us, declaring they were headed to Rhode Island for the next few days to spend the remainder of the holiday with Ryan’s parents in Newport. Departing with hugs to both of us and smiles, they skidded across the street to their car – a Mercedes with all wheel drive – and of into the night.
“See, I told you they didn’t bite.” I whispered to Rebecca after they’d left. She nodded leaning her head back against me as we stood in the front window, watching the snow fall.
“So, do I get to open that second present now?” I asked.
Her head snapped up in surprise.
“I’d forgotten about that. Just let me get out of this and into something more comfortable.”
With a quick kiss she was off up the stairs, and I couldn’t help but wonder what she had planned as I made my way back into the living room where the golden ornaments on the tree twinkled in the peaceful light from the fireplace.
The crackling of the fire and the soft drone of the heating provided a backdrop of white noise that lulled me into a light sleep, and somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard the soft footsteps across the wooden floor, but didn’t think too much on it until the feather-like caress of lips that felt like silk on mine and the scent of her perfume, a mix of floral and spicy aromas, filled the air.
I opened my eyes when she pulled away, and was greeted with the site of Rebecca in that damned dressing gown again. Her hair was still pulled up like it had been for most of the day, and in her hand, she held the remaining envelope from the night before.
She handed the envelope over to me, and then stood back, watching me while I tore into it.
The second envelope was a letter, from Rebecca. I read the contents of the letter over twice, the first time not believing what it said, and the second time to make sure I’d read what it did say correctly. I looked back at her again.
“Merry Christmas Jon.” she said softly with a smile, she undid the dressing gown and let it slip to the floor. Beneath it was a creation of black lace and scarlet silk, a suspender belt and black seamed stockings.
“Becca, you don’t have to do this you know.” my voice betraying my own desire.
“What if I want to? Did you ever think of that? Since we left that place behind you’ve barely touched me. God damn it Jon, I want you, I need you. You own my heart and soul, and if this…” she hit the paper with a finger, “Is the only way I can express that to you, then, well…” she trailed off then, looking away from me, her cheeks red with both the reflected heat coming off the fire and the emotion of the situation.
She started to reach for the dressing gown, and I reached out and stopped her.
“Do you not know what you do to me? Every time I touch you it’s like trying to contain a living flame. You make every nerve in my being scream with desire for you. Being with you is a sensation that I’ve never felt before, and every time we’re intimate I feel like… well, I’m not sure there are words that describe it. I’ve had sex for the sake of having it off, and with you I’ve had sex with love, and it’s a whole new ballgame for me.”
I sat back, pulling her with me. “And if you knew how much I hate talking about how I’m feeling that was one huge statement coming from me. Damn it woman, I want you more than breathing most days.”
I kissed her then, claiming her mouth as mine, and being none too gentle about it. She wanted to know that I wanted her – this wasn’t about love, this was about raw passion. if she couldn’t feel the massive sodding hard-on I had since she’d dropped that damned dressing gown I’d have to check her for a pulse.
She pulled back from the kiss, settled into a position that was more comfortable for her. I drew her back to me, looking into her eyes.
Looking into eyes that were almost coal black in the faint flickering illumination of the fireplace, I saw a questioning look, and then recognition of the situation at hand. She smiled, then leaned in and whispered in my ear three words – “I trust you.”
With those words, I pulled her as close to me as I could. Pulling her hair out of the ponytail she’d had it in, I let it fall around her shoulders before grabbing a handful of it as gently as I could and pulling her head back to expose the pale skin of her neck. With one final look in her eyes, I nibbled on her neck, increasing the pressure with my teeth until I was sure I was going to break the skin. I worked my way up her neck, and grasped an earlobe between my teeth. She’d removed her earrings when she’d gone upstairs, and with a gentle tug I pulled back and looked at her. She was silent, her eyes closed. I wasn’t sure if she was enjoying what was happening or if she was fearfully anticipating what would happen next.
She slowly opened her eyes and focused on me.
“Is there a problem?” she asked quietly with a quirky grin.
“None whatsoever.”
“Good. Last thing we need is you getting cold feet right now.”
She brought her hands up from her sides, and wrapped her arms around my neck. She ran her hands through my hair, and smiled.
“Now where were we?” she said, leaning in to kiss me softly again. I felt her hands on my shirt, unbuttoning it, and my original plan went out the window for the most part. What ever she wanted she was going to get.
She pulled the shirt off slowly, then broke the embrace. With a mischievous grin, she leaned in and with slow nipping kisses worked her way down my neck, to my chest. Her nails raked my skin gently, and I felt her take a nipple in her mouth and suckle hard. Before I knew it, a moan escaped my lips.
She stopped her ministrations and looked up at me with a impish smile.
“You enjoy that.” she said, running her fingers over the other while looking me in the eyes.
“Yes. Jesus woman, where did you learn half this from.” I said, reaching up to push back a stray lock of hair from her face.
“That’s for me to know and you to find out.” She returned back to what she was doing, one hand absentmindedly running through my chest hair.
She made her way slowly down my chest alternating gentle kisses with nips that made me squeak in anticipation of what would happen next.
She stopped at the waistband of my pants with with a look up at me she undid the button, and unzipped the fly.
“Hon.. you… you don’t have to do this.” I said breathlessly.
“You ever think that I want to?” she said as she pulled my aching cock from my suddenly too tight pants. “Pleasing you pleases me.”
With a look in my eyes, she took me in her hand, her thumb finding the sensitive spot on the underside as she started moving her hand up and down the shaft.
I closed my eyes and gave over to the sensations. I’d never been much of a vocal lover, however Rebecca managed to bring that out in me. After a few minutes, I felt her hand stop, and before I could wonder what would be next, her hand was replaced with the warm softness of her mouth.
“Oh sweet Jesus.” I swore as I felt her tongue lap gently around the head, and then circle down and around, then she slid her tongue down the shaft while sucking hard on the head. I cursed again and could feel her laugh, and she stopped the ministrations.
“Your accent gets thicker when you’re feeling strongly.” she said, and moved so that she was kneeling, straddling my lap. “You going to unwrap your present?”
I smiled at her, and pulled her to me in a kiss. Her tongue sought entrance to my mouth, and I granted it, our tongues intertwining. I could taste the faint taste of myself on her, and it excited me more, if such a thing was possible. One arm I wrapped around her waist, that hand finding her ass and squeezing it gently. The other hand wandered upward, and found her firm yet soft breasts. The corset she had on, black lace over scarlet silk, covered them, and I cupped a breast through the material. I could feel the nipple harden under my thumb as I made lazy circles. Her moan was stifled by the embrace, and I moved my hand slowly to the laces that held the corset together. Wrapping my finger into the laces, I gave a tug, and the bow that so merrily tied everything together loosened.
I gave another pull and it loosened enough that her breasts sprang loose, and I broke the embrace, and took one in my hand. She moaned deep in her throat, almost a purring sound. Lowering my head, I concentrated my attentions on one while I gently massaged the other, and then traded off. By this point Rebecca had her head thrown back, and her breathing had become ragged.
I pulled her up straighter, and with one last tug removed the corset. Showering gentle kisses down her stomach and down to her thighs, stopping just above where the stockings began. I then stopped, and gently moved her off of me.
“What’s wrong?” A look of worry crossed her face as I moved myself from the couch, my clothes being shed as I got up.
“Nothing love, nothing. Just better not to go any further here, I don’t think either of us fancies ass splinters from this floor.”
That garnered a laugh, and I moved us from near the tree to the roaring fire, where at least a rug was to separate us from the hardwood floor. I dropped to my knees in front of her. She started to join me but with a look from me, she stopped and stood still.
Resuming from where I’d left off, kissing gently back up her legs, which I noticed were shaking either from the cold or from anticipation, I stopped at the black lace panties that were a part of the outfit. Hooking a finger under the slim elastic that they had, I pulled them down with one swift motion, and stepping out of them, she was left in the suspender belt and stockings. She made a movement to remove them, but I put my hand up to stop her.
“Leave them on.” It came out as more of an order than I’d intended it to.
“Okay.” she said, so quietly I could barely hear her.
I pulled her down gently so that she was kneeling like I was on the floor, backlit by the warm glow off the fire, her hair catching the light and glowing a warm brown, hanging down in a curtain of soft curls that hung well below down her back. Taking in this beautiful image I pulled her to me and slowly bore her to the floor with me, keeping far enough away from the fire so that it was warm, but not hot, and no one was in danger of having anything lit on fire by a random spark.
I reached down, and my hand found the curly nest of dark hair between her legs. Slowly I found what I’d been looking for, and the gasp of surprise followed by a moan that seemed to come from her toes, told me I was doing something right. She was more than ready for anything I might have had planned, but first, I wanted to make sure she got her own share of the pleasure before I indulged my own urges.
Slipping a single finger inside of her, and gently rubbing her clit with my thumb,while I slowly thrust the finger back and forth. I sat back just enough to watch her twist and squirm with the sensations that were flowing through her. I could feel her steadily approaching climax as well as see it, she’d lost all sense of coherent thought, and her back arched in an attempt to bring herself closer to me, her eyes closed and half formed words tumbling out of her interspersed with half-bitten off screams and moans.
Bringing her right to the edge, I stopped what I was doing and reached up to run my hand down her cheek. She opened her eyes to look at me and I could almost hear the thought of If you stop now, I may just have to kill you.
“Keep your eyes open Love. I want to be able to look deep into those eyes…”
She cut me off with a fevered embrace, and pulled me down to the floor again with her.
“Shut up and fuck me.” she said simply, and I arched an eyebrow in surprise.
Sliding into her, I sighed at the sensation. It had been a long time since the last time we’d been intimate, way too long. She was close, and I stayed still, afraid of losing control too soon. I wanted this to last, to go on for as long as either of us could handle it.
I bent down and kissed her, and tried vainly to think unsexy thoughts. Every thought I had kept coming back to the warm, beautiful and willing woman I loved, who was teetering on the brink of oblivion beneath me.
I began to move, slowly at first, building up into a steady rhythm that left me breathless, and every nerve of my being tingling with sensation. Rebecca’s hands traced their way up my back and one into my hair, while the other’s nails bit into flesh as she finally came,her eyes locked with mine. Feeling her spasm around me, I knew I wouldn’t be too far behind. She took my face in her hands, and looked me square in the eye once some semblance of thinking ability returned.
“I want you to return the favor.” she said saucily, keeping a hand firmly on my face. “I want to be looking in those incredible blue eyes…” she said, a shudder coursing through her and cutting off her words with a keening cry.
That was more than I needed to send me over the edge. Looking into eyes that were so dark that I couldn’t tell where iris ended and pupil began, I felt the white hot rush of my own climax scream down my spine, and eyes locked with hers, I came soundlessly, overrun by sensations and emotions.
Moving myself off her so as not to crush her with my own weight, I pulled her along side of me and held her in my arms until both of us were breathing somewhat normally again and the fire no longer was throwing enough heat to keep us both warm. Pulling the blanket that was always on the couch down and over us, I kissed her, and she rested her head on my arm.
“We’re under the mistletoe again.” she said sleepily, pointing upwards at the ceiling from under the blanket.
“I thought you were only supposed to kiss under it.” I said teasingly as she moved around until she was facing me again.
“Mmhm.” she nodded. “But I like that a lot more.”