Joss awakened to the insistent buzz of her cell phone. She was lying in her stomach, naked, her head and arms hanging over the side of the bed. Her tangled hair was hanging down in her face. As she lifted her head slowly, she began to realize that she wasn't at home. Now fully awake, she remembered she was at John's place after a night of dancing, being out with her girls, then making hot love with him most of the night. The phone, having since stopped, started to buzz again. She reached for it on the night stand praying that she wasn't being called in to work.
But before she could utter hello, a voice started yelling at the other end of the line.
"Thank God, Jocelyn!" It was her friend Mia. "Chile, you had me scared to death. I was about to call the police!"
"There you go again, being all dramatic. And besides, I am the police", Joss chuckled.
"Well you know you're supposed to call in - especially since you left with that man. He coulda been an axe murderer or hit man or something."
Or something, Joss thought to herself. But she chose not to entertain this line of discussion.
"Mia, the call-in time is 10, and when I checked, it is only 8:30. Why are you calling me so early?", asked Joss.
"It's not early", Mia insisted. "Where are you anyway?", she finally thought to ask.
At that moment, John appeared from the kitchen, carrying a tray with a pot of fresh brewed coffee, ham, hash browns, scrambled eggs, and wheat toast with apple butter. Damn he looked good, Joss thought. He had a five o'clock shadow and was wearing boxer briefs and a black tee. He must have showered because Joss could smell his clean soapy scent. John got into bed next to her after sliding the tray toward her on the bed.
"Good morning, beautiful", he said, smiling, as he leaned over and kissed her greedily.
"Good morning", Joss returned, in her sweetest bedroom voice, cradling the phone speaker against her shoulder, but it didn't help. Mia had heard the baritone good morning and lip smacking kisses.
Dayyum, Mia thought. At least I know where she is, and what she was doing, and what she will probably be doing next, Mia laughed. Wait'll I tell the girls.
John and Joss sat, quietly beaming at each other.
"Joss! Joss!", Mia was yelling.
"What do you want Mia?"
"Don't you remember? You promised to help me set up my new condo this morning. The movers called and they will be here at 10:45. But that's OK – I will call Bethanny or Sylvia to see if they can help, since you are still with that guy."
"His name is John, Mia."
"Hi Mia", John said, just loudly enough for Mia to hear. Mia smiled and Joss put her on speaker.
"I'll let the girls know I spoke to you, Joss, and that you're OK. Actually, more than OK, I gather", Mia teased.
"Wait, Mia. You said the movers are coming at 10:45? I can be there then to help."
"Are you sure? I hate to interrupt your… your…date."
"No, you don't", Joss said, teasing back.
"Seriously though, it's alright. I can get someone else", said Mia, anxiously.
"What is it?", John asked.
"Mia's moved to a new condo and I promised to help her set it up today. The movers are coming this morning." Joss snagged a sliver of ham while John poured her coffee. "Mmmm", she purred. "Thank you, baby."
"You're welcome", John said to her. "Ten-forty five, Mia? No problem. We can be at your place by then. Um, where is your place?"
After getting the address, Joss ended the call.
"WE can be there, John?", Joss asked, taking first a sip of her coffee, then a large forkful of eggs and potatoes.
"Sure", he said. "I don't have work today so I can take you over." John's fork was almost invisible, it was moving so quickly from the plate to his mouth.
"I don't know about this", Joss commented, clearly concerned, now nibbling on a corner of toast.
"It'll be fine. Finish your breakfast. I slaved over a hot stove for you for hours, woman", he scolded, barely able to keep a straight face.
"Yes, Daddy", Joss answered contritely.
"God I love it when you call me Daddy", John said, suddenly picking up the tray of their unfinished breakfast and setting it on the floor by the bed. He divested himself of the boxer briefs and tee, then turned toward an already naked Joss, reached out, and pulled her into his arms.
The lovers collapsed into the sheets. John pulled the covers over their heads, cocooning them, and they became lost in each other, blanketing out the world that battered them all too frequently. In their cocoon they were safe, they were warm, and they loved each other as if it were their last time. When they emerged, grinning, sweaty, and totally sated, it was almost 10.
Though she could have slept for a few more hours, Joss was up first. "We need to get moving, but we'll still be a little late since I have to stop home for clothes."
"Why can't you wear what you wore last night?", John asked, stretching his body lazily as if he could sleep more also.
"Are you kidding?", Joss asked. "That's just it, last night's clothes, or didn't you notice?"
John shook his head in disagreement. "But she already knows we spent the night together. No harm, no foul. Doesn't Mia have something you can wear? And I absolutely noticed that you were half naked in that club. I thought I was going to have to shoot kneecaps of a couple of handsy guys." He paused.
"Yeah - I noticed that too."
Joss acted as if she hadn't heard his last remarks, but secretly she enjoyed his little fit of jealousy.
"I am sure Mia has something she can lend me."
"That's it then. Let's get a quick shower, dress and go", John said.
The two showered and dressed quickly. Joss put on lip gloss and pulled her hair into a pony tail. Her red dress was thin and somewhat sheer, so John made her wear one of his undershirts and boxer briefs underneath it but on top of her own underwear. He also handed her one of his light leather jackets.
"What is this for?", Joss asked, when he gave her the jacket.
"Just put it on", John said, matter of factly. You'll need it.".
Dressed in jeans, a vee neck European tee, boots and a short leather jacket himself, John took Joss's hand and led her out of the apartment and into the underground garage where he made their way over to a Harley.
"No."
John turned around to look at Joss. "You say something?"
"I said no."
"C'mon Babe – it'll be fun. I'll keep you safe. We aren't going far. Don't you trust me?"
After a very long pause, Joss answered, "Yes, I trust you", eyeing the big machine as if it were about to eat her alive.
John took his helmet off of the bike's handlebar and put it on. He pulled a helmet from the bike's storage, and handed it to Joss. He helped her tighten the chin strap after he pulled the scrunchie from her hair. Then he climbed onto the shiny machine and Joss gingerly followed suit, resting her hand on his shoulder for support.
"Make sure you are sitting on the back of your dress", John instructed. "Put your feet here", he pointed. Those shoes aren't the best for riding but you should be OK. Hang on to me tight. Not my clothes, me", he said, pulling her arms around him and locking them at his waist in the front. "Don't let go, not even at lights. I will keep us balanced at all times. The only thing you have to remember is to lean into, not away from turns. So when I lean left, you do also. Right, you also, got it? We won't fall, I promise you. She's only about 20 blocks from here so we'll be there before you know it."
"I seriously doubt that", Joss sniped.
"Ready?"
"No."
John laughed and fired up the Harley. The roar of the engine startled Joss a bit at first, but she quickly became used to it. John drove around the garage slowly, and Joss hanged on tight. She was a little hesitant on the first 1 or 2 turns, but by the 3rd she had it down.
John drove them toward the ramp, the gate rising as they went. "You OK?"
"Yes."
"Then here we go", John announced cheerily.
After stopping at street level at the top of the ramp to look both ways, John made a sharp left. Joss leaned as instructed earlier and they took off. Traffic was fairly light as it was relatively early for New Yorkers. The pair travelled quite a few blocks before they were stopped by a red light. John glided to a stop and rested his foot on the asphalt, keeping them upright, the bike humming in anticipation of its next run.
"Are you still OK back there?", he asked.
"Surprisingly, yes", Joss answered.
Just then a minivan pulled up in the next lane with 2 kids in the second row. A little girl, who looked to be about 10, peered out the window curiously. John had spotted her looking at the two of them and he waved. The little girl broke out into a big grin and waved back excitedly. Joss could see her mouthing, "Wow".
"Damn John, little girls like you, too?"
"I am only interested in the big ones – a very particular big one, in fact." Joss knew he was smirking under the helmet.
Just then the light changed, and they sped off to complete their journey.
Finally arriving at Mia's condo, Joss disembarked and called Mia's cell while John curbed the Fat Boy and disembarked also. He put Joss's helmet back into the bike's storage and a few moments later Mia emerged from the building smiling.
"Joss, you are here", Mia exclaimed, opening her arms and giving Joss a big hug.
"Hi John", Mia offered.
John smiled and nodded. "Hey."
Mia took in the Harley. "You came on that?", she asked. Almost, actually, Joss thought as she smiled. "Yeah", she finally answered. "It was fun."
Mia wasn't sure that she totally approved, and she was about to say so when her womanly thoughts took a different turn. The whole thing was really kind of hot though – to be sitting on a big powerful vibrating machine like that one, holding onto a gorgeous man, his butt pressed right up against your crotch. The only thing between life and a miserable painful death was his ability to tame that roaring beast. Oooo…..
She regrouped. "You were driving that last night?", Mia asked, looking at the monster bike then at John.
"Oh no", John said with a grin. "Last night I was driving my Jag."
"Ohhhhhhhhhhh, your Jag. I see", Mia said in a singsong voice, looking at Joss.
Joss turned to John, "Thanks for bringing me by. I'll call you later?"
"You're leaving John?", Mia asked in earnest. "You don't have rush off. I feel badly enough about this interruption as it is. My kitchen is set up so I can offer you something cold, or hot if you prefer, and you can hang out while Joss helps me with a few things. I promise I won't keep her all day."
Joss was mortified and looked at John, expecting him to beg off.
"Thanks for the invitation. I'll stay. Where can I park my bike?"
Joss was further mortified, but Mia was elated. "Straight up the block, turn right. Garage entrance is near the corner. Code 4511, look for space 97. Take the elevator up to 1502."
"4511, 97, 1502. Got it." John leaned down and gave Joss a kiss. "See you in a minute", he said to a blushing Joss. He smiled again at Mia.
They both watched him as he replaced his helmet, mounted the bike, started it, checked traffic, roared up to the corner then turned.
"That man is too fine", Mia said. "I want all the 'T'".
"John."
"What?", asked Mia.
"John. His name is John."
The two friends linked arms and trotted off into the building.
"Love the outfit", Mia teased. "Who's your stylist?"
A/U: Hello everyone!
Hope you liked the chapter. This is a continuation of the story "Nice to Meet You or The Inevitable Outcome". I wasn't sure whether to make this a chapter or a new story and opted for the latter. The next chapter is in editing and will be posted soon.
As always, thank you for reading and reviewing!