The Sauna Part 103

Monday morning came early it seemed, perhaps because I’d slept so soundly and didn’t remember even dreaming. The alarm woke me with a start and I hated getting out of the warm, cuddly bed where I was nestled between Jon and several sleepy-eyed cats. But, never the less, it was Monday and the start of another week.

I got up and took my shower without waking Jon, but I came into the bedroom to say goodbye before I left. He was sleeping soundly, but I wasn’t going to leave without saying goodbye since I expected he’d be leaving for Jersey today. I sat down on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair away from his face and he opened his eyes.

“Is it morning already? You’re already dressed?” he asked, somewhat disoriented.

“Yeah, love, I have to leave for work. I hated to wake you since you looked so peaceful. But I couldn’t leave without saying goodbye” I explained.

“Do we have time for coffee before you go?” he asked, trying to wake up.

“No, sweetheart, not really. Call me tonight when you’re home safe, okay?”

“But I am home! I’m just going to Jersey for a couple days” he lamented.

“Awww, Jon. You know what I meant” I smiled and I kissed him goodbye as I stood up.

“Come back here” he demanded and I stopped and obediently turned around, and he caught my hand.

“Give me a real kiss” he purred as he pulled me down to sit beside him. “Like this”

Jon’s tongue plunged into my mouth and I felt a shiver run down my back. His fingers wound through my hair as he held my face close to his and his tongue continued to probe my mouth until he was ready to release me.

“Do you really have to go to Jersey?” I teased.

“Yeah, babe, but I’ll be home soon” he smirked, satisfied now that he was leaving me hungry and wanting.

“Hurry home soon, cowboy” I said as I pinched his arm playfully and he smiled.

After one more quick peck, I rose and headed off to work. I knew it would be a long week, but fortunately I’d be busy. There was a lot to do at work and I hadn’t really been giving it my full attention since I’d been back. Jon was a distraction I hadn’t planned on and this would give me a chance to concentrate on the things I needed to do.

Jon lay in bed for a bit after I left and thought about what he needed to do. He needed to try and set up some interviews, he knew, since it was unlike him to be out of the public eye this long. He also wanted to see about getting a hot tub put in at his house there or even get someone to start scouting for new property. The house was good enough for him when it was just him alone and he rarely spent much time there, but with me and five cats? He’d contact a realtor and have them start looking. He also wanted to spend time with the kids.

He stretched and rolled out of bed and headed for the shower first. The house was cold and he wasn’t used to that, never having worried much about the heating bills, but he hadn’t said much about it. That was something he’d need to talk to me about. In fact, he’d talk to his accountant about setting up some system to pay the bills here so I wouldn’t need to worry about that when we were away.

After his shower, Jon sat down with a cup of coffee and began to make a few calls. After he made arrangements for the plane to arrive about noon, he called his assistant and had her start working on arranging any meetings with the press and she was relieved, explaining they’d been hounding her recently with questions and requests. She could put them off for a bit after the end of a tour, but she was beginning to worry about the lack of contact with Jon lately. It just wasn’t like him.

Zeke suddenly jumped on his lap and he smiled. Finally! Now that he was leaving the cat was ready to acknowledge him. But he petted him and scratched him behind his ears and Zeke purred loudly with appreciation.

“You must be missing Richie, huh, boy? Well, you’ll have your Mommy all to yourself again for a few days” he crooned as Zeke curled up on his lap.

Jon jotted out a list of things he wanted to remember to do and stuffed it in the pocket of his jeans before he went and threw a few things in his overnight bag. He had a cab picking him up in a few minutes and hurriedly scratched out a note to me that he left on the counter before the cab arrived.

On the way to the airport, he stopped in town at the florist and ordered a dozen roses to be delivered to me everyday that he’d be gone. The woman who wrote up his order smiled when he asked to write out each day’s card to accompany the flowers himself.

“Someone special?” the woman smiled.

“You have no idea” Jon beamed.

By two o’clock he was back in New Jersey and he headed straight for the city to meet with his accountant first and then took a limo to the house in Rumson in order to be home when the kids arrived after school. Jesse and Jake were the first ones home and they were excited to see him as he hadn’t told them he was coming, preferring the element of surprise.

“Daddy!” Jakey burst out when he came into the kitchen for a snack and saw his Dad grinning at him.

Jon stretched out his arms and scooped him up, giving him a kiss before setting him back down. Jesse waited for his turn and Jon gave him a big bear hug as they exchanged greetings. Dot sat at the counter and smiled as she watched Jon with the kids.

“I missed you guys!” Jon said excitedly.

“Dad, Stephie showed us the pictures you sent! Where was that? Can we go?” Jakey asked breathlessly.

“Next year for sure, guys. When will your sister be home? I’ve got presents for everybody” he teased.

“Steph’s got a club meeting today, Jon. She won’t be home until dinner time. We didn’t know you were coming” Dot chimed in.

“I know, I should have called, but I wanted to surprise everybody” Jon replied, a little deflated.

“It’s fine, Jon. Why don’t you stay and have dinner with us? It’s pizza night” Dot suggested warmly.

“Please, Dad? Stay for dinner?” Jesse pleaded.

“I’d love to stay, thanks” Jon replied, smiling as he looked at Dot out of the corner of his eye and she smiled back.

Jake dragged Jon off to watch cartoons and Jesse went to fetch some things from his room to show Jon and so they passed the time until it was close to dinner. Jon offered to go and get the pizzas after everyone promised not to tell Steph he was home. He wanted to surprise her by ringing the bell and having her answer the door, thinking it was the delivery guy.

“She’s got a crush on the delivery boy from La Via’s, so don’t take it personally if she looks a little disappointed” Dot warned.

“A crush? She’s only twelve. How old is the delivery guy?” Jon asked, feeling a little out of the loop at hearing this.

“He’s really old, dad. He’s almost as old as you!” Jakey offered, pleased to be in the know.

Jon raised his eyebrows and looked questioningly at Dot. Before she could answer, though, Jesse jumped in to explain.

“He’s not that old, Jake! He’s only about seventeen. But Steph makes goo goo eyes whenever he comes with the pizza. She even fixes her hair and puts on lip gloss when she gets home on Mondays. She’s goofy” Jesse said, making a face.

Jon relaxed then as Dot proceeded to chide Jesse about teasing his sister. She whispered an aside to Jon.

“She’s at that age, you know, and she’s really sensitive about being teased, so don’t say anything to her” she cautioned Jon as she handed him the keys to the Lexus.

“Well, I’ll have to check this guy out” he said protectively as he pulled on his jacket and headed towards the door, but he was smiling.

Jon returned home with the pizzas and rang the bell. When Steph heard the bell, she raced to the door after a quick stop by the mirror to check her hair. Her face fell and she looked startled when she opened the door and saw her father standing there grinning.

Jon was less disappointed at her reaction now that he’d been prepared and he gave her a cheeky grin, noting the lip gloss when she opened the door.

“Not who you were expecting?” was all he said as she tried to regain her composure.

“Dad? I thought you were in Buffalo?” she stammered.

“I missed you guys so I flew in for a few days” Jon told her as they walked to the kitchen where Dot and the kids were waiting.

“I’m glad to see you, dad. I was just surprised, that’s all” she said apologetically.

“Yeah, she was expecting her boyfriend” Jesse teased and Dot shot him a warning glance.

Jon bowed his head to hide his smile as Jakey laughed and Stephanie blushed crimson. But once the boxes were open, everyone focused on the pizza and they chatted while they ate as a family once more. After dinner, Jon distributed the gifts he’d brought for everyone and Stephanie whispered to him.

“Tell Trish thanks for thinking of me. I love the seagull” she said, touched that I’d attached a little note to tell her it reminded me of her and the fun we’d shared.

“Tell her yourself-I’ll give you the email address and you and the boys can write once in a while” Jon said, handing her a piece of paper where he’d put the address.

“Okay, thanks. I forgot she has email too!” Steph agreed.

Jon stayed until it was time for Romeo to go to bed and he tucked him in after he read him a story. He kissed the boys and Stephanie and got into the waiting limo and headed back to his place alone, feeling a little sad to be leaving the kids after having enjoyed feeling like a family again.

He took his bags in and poured himself a glass of wine before he sat down on the bed to call me. He kicked off his sneakers and dialed the number, anxious to hear my voice as the house felt so quiet and empty now.

“Hello?” I answered.

“Hi babe, it’s just me” he purred into the phone.

“Oh love, it’s good to hear your voice! I miss you already; it seems so empty here without you!” I said, still feeling the thrill of hearing his voice.

“I know. This place feels like a morgue being here by myself. Is everything okay?” he asked.

“I’m fine, I just miss you though. Baby, the flowers are beautiful! And your note …” I said blushing.

“Heh heh heh, did you like that? The woman at the florist certainly enjoyed it” he teased.

“She didn’t see it, did she? Oh my God!” I exclaimed, fingering the note which read:

Lil’ Jon and I both miss you, baby. Keep the fire burning until I get home

“No, actually I sealed it before I gave it to her. I didn’t want to give you a reputation, just a reminder of what’s waiting for you” he laughed.

“Do you think I could forget so quickly? I’m liable to jump you when I see you” I teased back.

“Just didn’t want to take the chance you might not miss me” he said in that husky voice that made me wet just hearing it.

“Jon, there’s no chance of that! How are the kids? Did they like the presents?” I said, changing the subject before I needed a panty change.

“Yeah, and Steph loved the stuffed seagull. I gave her your email so she could write you herself” he explained.

We chatted about the kids and my day at work and the weather and anything else we could think of to avoid saying goodbye. But it was getting late and I was tired and we knew we couldn’t stay on the phone all night.

“You should get to sleep, darlin’. It’s getting late and the wine is kicking in” Jon said finally.

“I know and I am tired. It’s been a long day. I love you, Jon” I said, stifling a yawn.

“I love you too, wife. Dream about me?” he said softly.

“Always, love. Always. Good night, baby” I said and we said goodbye.

I crawled into bed, glad I was tired and sleepy. The first night being alone would be the hardest. Despite the bed full of cats, it still felt cold and empty. But I soon fell asleep, hoping I’d be able to feel Jon in my dreams.