Chapter 60: Rehearsals

Even as Richie pulled the car into the underground garage, Julianna was unfastening her seatbelt. Before he had the car turned off, she was circling around to the back, to grab some of their bags.

“Where’s the fire?” Richie asked.

“Well, we’re home now,” no sense in fighting it anymore, wherever they were was home, “and you still look a little sad.”

Richie laughed, and loaded his hands and arms with bags. “Get a move on, woman!” he shouted over his shoulder as he strode quickly for the elevator. Julianna laughed and hurried to keep up. They were laughing all the way up to her apartment, and barely had the door closed behind them before their bags were dropped on the floor, and they were in each others’ arms.

They toed off their shoes and kissed greedily, knowing that this time their joining was different. They each felt that this was forever, or as sure a thing as they hoped for. Julianna unbuttoned Richie’s shirt and pushed it roughly from his shoulders, all but tearing it off his arms. Richie broke their kiss to whip Julianna’s shirt up and over her head, tossing it behind him. He skimmed his hands across her collarbone and down over her breasts and Julianna thought she was going to lose control right then and there.

Julianna reached for Richie’s belt, and pulled him toward her. She unbuckled him and had had pants undone and shoved down in seconds. Her hand closed around him, making him growl. With a deft flick of a finger, Richie had Julianna’s bra unclasped and pulled the straps down her shoulders, trailing kisses in their wake. He spun her against the door, and bent to take one pebbled nipple into his mouth and suckled greedily while his hands unfastened her jeans and slid them and her panties down her legs as far as he could reach. He dropped to his knees, kissing the length of her torso, and pausing to lave at her tattoo before diving between her legs and thrusting his tongue into her. Julianna scrabbled for purchase on the door but could not get any. She settled for twining her hands into Richie’s silky hair and holding on for all she was worth.

Her head thrashed back and forth as Richie worked his magic on her. One finger had maneuvered into caress her clit, stroking in light, lazy circles that had Julianna moaning loudly. Her eyes rolled back as the tension started to build in her toes and moved its way slowly up her body. The tightness crept over her, tensing her like a cat and when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, Richie latched his lips onto her nub and sucked hard as he drove two fingers roughly into her. Julianna screamed as the waves overtook her, and her legs gave out. Richie eased her down to the floor, never stopping his assault. Julianna was whimpering helplessly, her arms useless to push Richie away to give her a minute to compose herself. All too soon, she felt another wave cresting. She cried out Richie’s name on a breath, and let the flood overtake her.

Smiling, Richie stood, gathered Julianna up into his arms, and carried her into the bedroom. He seemed to be doing that quite a bit, and he loved it. He loved that she made him feel so deeply. A line from one of his songs popped unbidden into his head: To make you feel like a woman makes me feel like a man. As sure as he knew his own name, he knew he was drowning in her and God help the man who tried to save him. He wanted to go down that third time. He sat on the edge of the bed, and settled Julianna across his lap. She shifted to straddle him, and sunk roughly onto him, making his head drop back for a minute before he brought it up again to lock eyes with Julianna.

Neither moved as they sat joined intimately and just stared at each other. “I love you so much, Julianna,” Richie said, pulling her in close to his chest. “So much it’s scary. You are as essential to me as breathing.”

“I love you too,” Julianna said, “more than my own life.”

She kissed him hard, holding his head captive to her plundering mouth, tasting herself on him. Richie wasn’t complaining, however. He gave as good as he got, twining his hands in her hair and anchoring her to him. She started undulating against him, moving as sensuously as a cat. She hooked her ankles around Richie’s back when he stood and turned them so Julianna was lying on her back at the edge of the bed.

Richie stood there, looking down at his love, and started stroking slowly in and out of her. He lifted her hips to give deeper penetration, and started quickening his pace. Julianna gripped Richie’s wrists and begged, “Harder.” Richie complied, bringing himself roughly into her over and over again. He could feel her tightening around him, and saw her eyes start to roll back. “More,” she cried, as her head started thrashing from side to side. Richie pounded faster and faster; sweat covering his chest. He felt his orgasm building, and it was taking all his willpower to not lose himself. He watched as her chin hitched just a little, and she bit her lower lip; tell-tale signs that she Julianna was as close to oblivion as he was.
“Jules?” he croaked, “I want to watch you come for me. Open your eyes, my love.”

She complied and stared with unfocused eyes at Richie. It was a struggle to keep her eyes open as the waves of pleasure crested again. Her body flushed and convulsed, and clamped down on Richie so hard he hissed.

“Oh thank God,” he said, thrusting fiercely once more before he spilled inside her. He rode her until he felt her relaxing, and gently slipped from her. He crawled up on the bed next to her, and pulled her to him, cuddling her against him. Julianna kissed Richie’s chest and laid her head against his heart. With his strong heartbeat in her ear, and his arms banded around her, she sighed, “I love you,” and fell asleep.

* * * * *

“What’re you doing today,” Julianna asked Richie as she was getting ready to go to the studio. She was dressed for working, in footless tights, a leotard, and filmy skirt overtop of it.

“I’m, uh,” he was distracted by Julianna’s proximity to him, and didn’t really want to tell her what he had planned anyway. “I’m just gonna bum around the city for a while, I guess,” he hedged. That wasn’t entirely a lie, he convinced himself, because he did plan just to hang out for a little while.

“OK,” Julianna said, distracted herself with thinking forward to rehearsals. “I’ll probably be late, but I’ll try to call and let you know.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Richie said.

Richie waited about an hour after Julianna left before heading over to the theater. He really did want to watch some of the rehearsals. He parked around back, and Stan let him in, as pre-arranged.

“Mr. Sambora, a pleasure,” Stan gushed.

Richie smiled wryly. “It’s ‘Richie’, and thanks. Where can I watch from?”

“Well, that depends on what you want to see. Julianna is working with the leads in one of the smaller rehearsal rooms, and the company is on the main stage, working through the second act.

Richie nodded. “I’d like to watch the stage,” he said.

Stan led him up to the control box at the back of the theater. “This room has darkened windows, and nobody save the techs will know you’re here. Does that work for you?” Richie nodded again, and let the other man lead him away.

From the booth, he watched as the company of performers went through “It’s My Life” and “As My Guitar Lies Bleeding”, impressed with the story and the company. He called Jon and told his friend where he was, and held up his phone so Jon could listen for a couple minutes.

“Sounds great,” Jon said. “How’s Julianna?”

“:She’s fine; she’s rehearsing with the leads in another room; I didn’t want to disturb them.”

“Uh-huh,” Jon said. “So, we’ll be out in two weeks. What do you need?”

Richie knew exactly what Jon meant, and asked him to bring the Alvarez Julianna had given him. He had his strat, and between those, he should be all set.

Hours later, Julianna was watching her dancers when her earpiece buzzed. It was Jerry, her main tech. “What’s up, Jer,” she asked, using the small mic that was clipped to her sleeve.

“Nothing, Ms. Cavanaugh, just wanted to let you know that Mr. Sambora had left. I don’t know if he found you or not,” he answered.

Julianna smiled. Bumming around the city, indeed. “Thanks, Jer, we missed each other, but I’ll see him later.”

“OK, Ms. C.,” Jerry said, signing off.

Julianna smiled to herself, thinking about Richie coming around and trying to keep it a secret. He was too much. She sighed happily. Things seemed finally to be perfect. Julianna was happier than she could ever remember being.