Chapter 18

Richie and Jasmine spent a quiet weekend together, only venturing out on Saturday morning to stock the cupboards.

Monday morning came around far too quickly but Richie reminded Jasmine, when she was complaining about keeping her hands off him, they were coming to the end of the process and had the wrap party to look forward to.

On reaching the door to the studio Jon’s angry voice could be heard from outside. Richie and Jasmine looked warily at each other before opening the door and gingerly walking into the waiting tornado. Tico and Hugh were standing with their arms across their chests, staring at the floor in an attempt not to meet Jon’s gaze, even though Jon’s anger was aimed at some unknown person on the other end of the phone that was glued to his ear.

“Who pissed in his cornflakes?” Richie whispered to Hugh,

“Someone at Island I think. The conversation started well but his voice just got louder and louder, and he started doing that thing with his hair too. We tried to leave but he keeps blocking the door.”

Jasmine stifled a laugh but whispered in response, “Are you really that scared of him? Honestly…” she sighed,

Tico replied, “When you’ve been with his royal pain in the butt as we have, you know when to get scared. Actually this isn’t too bad today, but if you stick with us long enough, you’ll see the volcano erupt!”

Jon glared in Tico’s direction, evidently having heard his response to Jasmine, Tico flipped him off and winked at Jasmine. 

Jon continued to talk to the person on the other end of the phone so everyone else got to work with the final arrangements and parts that needed recording. Jasmine began recording with Tico, talking him through what she wanted from him and asking him to hit one drum, then another. They were in their own zone, talking about the recording but also about themselves and their weekend. 

Richie had migrated to where his guitars were stashed to the side of the room, in front of the black and white decorated wall. He took off his sweater and flung it on the nearest chair. Picking up his Martin, his bared arms pulsed from the movement, his tattoos looking larger and brighter than when his arms were at rest. He sat himself down on a bench and began strumming nothing in particular. 

The beginning of If God Was A Woman could be heard coming from the strings but stopped abruptly;

“Man, I can’t remember my own fucking song. I’m fucking nuts!”

Jasmine had to laugh, she’d been watching Richie since he had lost his sweater, his bare arms and scruff distracting her from paying attention to Tico’s recording.

“Yeah you are!” she yelled over, winking at him.

Richie grinned and narrowed his eyes at her. Jasmine held onto her chair as the look he gave her touched her in all the right places and made her shudder. She watched him pick up the guitar for the second time and settle it on his lap. He closed his eyes and began If God Was A Woman again. 

Jasmine’s stomach did flip flops to the deep, soulful sound of Richie’s voice filling the room. The acoustic guitar sounded almost perfect and his fingers seemed as if they were made to accompany the beautiful instrument on his lap. Richie scrunched up his face as he came to the chorus; he caught Jasmine watching him in the corner of his eye and smiled even though his face was scrunched up.

Jasmine saw the smile mixed with the intense concentration and felt the heat build within her. The look was more than enough to make her have bad thoughts about what she wanted to do with Richie and she held onto the chair more tightly than before in an effort not to rush across the room and tackle him to the floor.

Richie finished playing when Jon bellowed for him from the small office area at the back of the studio. He chose to take the long way over to Jon, passing by Jasmine in the sound booth. As he passed he noticed how flushed she appeared and the glassy look in her eyes; his heart fluttered and a grin spread across his face as he realized that it was his playing that had made her that way. 

Later on that day, everyone congregated in the main room at the studio, settling themselves on the sofas and chairs that surrounded a large table. Jon’s mood had improved immensely from earlier in the day and he smiled a genuine smile as he spread the proposed art work for the album over the table. Everyone had a good look, pointing at pictures, making suggestions and discussing whether they thought it was appropriate for the songs. 

Jasmine stared at the pictures and then back at the men surrounding her. She saw the camaraderie and genuine love for each other that she knew they had for each other but was now only really beginning to appreciate. The artwork pictures, although beautiful and well shot, just couldn’t convey the meaning of the band or the feelings between the guys in front of her. She sighed as she looked over the rest of the pictures.

Jon heard her sigh, “What is it?” he asked, touching her arm so that she would look at him.

“It’s none of my business Jon. I’m only here to help with the music; the artwork side of things has nothing to do with me.” She explained,

“That’s crap Jasmine. Yeah, you are here to help us musically but I haven’t forgotten that you’re a fan as well. You’re more than well placed to give your opinion on this stuff too.”

“Yeah, Jas, what do you think? Don’t we scrub up good?” David said, posing in front of her.

“You certainly do David, the photos are amazing, they make even you look pretty.”

“HEY!” He protested but creased with laughter instantaneously.

Jon reached for Jasmine’s arm again, “So what was that sigh for? What is it you don’t like?”

“Jon, I really don’t think it’s my place to say it.”

“Honestly, Jasmine if you don’t spill it, I’ll lose my temper, and you don’t want to see that,” he threatened and let a little of the Stink Eye out for her to see.

“Alright. Well, it’s just that even though these pictures are great, and I really mean it, they just don’t show the real relationships that are between you. I’ve been lucky to see it first hand and it is something truly admirable. The fans know you’re close but I just think you could show it to them with better pictures.” Jasmine rattled off her thoughts so quickly that Richie didn’t catch some of what she said. She avoided eye contact from everyone as they processed what she had said.

David was the first to speak up, “You could be right Jazzy, I guess we never really thought about it before. Do you have any ideas on how we could better show how close we are? I mean, it’s not a bad idea for the theme of the pictures considering the subject matter on most of these songs.”

“I haven’t thought about it that hard. It was just something that struck me when I looked at the photos just now.”

Jon listened to the exchange but his head was in another place, ideas running though his head of how they could get Jasmine’s desired theme into pictures. 

“You may have something here Jasmine, you’re right about trying to convey how much we mean to each other but I’m just not sure how we’ll be able to do it.”

“How about candid photos from the recording sessions and other stuff we do together?” Richie suggested,

“Go on,”

“How about we look through old tour photos, take more from what we do from now on and see if we have enough to make the artwork? Does that make sense?”

“Yeah, for you, it does. I like it. I can see it, black and white photos from way back, pictures from here whilst we’re working on the album and other randoms. How about baby pictures too? Go for the theme of the journey that brought us all to this point in time?” Jon thought out loud.

Jasmine nodded, Jon was on the same wavelength as her and he could see what she was trying to get at. He saw her face brighten as he spoke and knew he was on the right track when he saw her nod her head.

“When we’re done here do you have time to talk with me more about this?” Jon asked her.

She looked at Richie, who, from the look on his face, was ready to thump Jon for even suggesting it, and nodded, 

“Sure, but I’m not sure that I’ll be much use to you.”

“I’ll be the judge of that darlin’. I’ll drop you back to Richie’s place when we’re done, unless fuckhead over there wants to stay and help.” He directed the last comment towards his friend across the table.

Richie’s mind whirred at the possibilities. On one hand the thought of being apart from Jasmine for more than a few minutes made him feel nauseous but on the other hand, if he were to go home alone, he would have time to make a nice dinner and surprise her when she got home.

“As long as Jas is ok with it, I’ll go home. I’ve got some errands to run anyway.” He decided.

Jasmine agreed then they all got back to work. Jasmine reached into her bag and got her camera out, taking sneaky pictures when the guys weren’t looking. These would show Jon what she meant.

Late into the afternoon Jasmine had just answered the call of nature, when she felt something take hold of her arm and roughly pull her into the closet that held the replacement drum skins and guitar strings among the other equipment in there. 

“What the fuck?” she hissed, knowing that it could only be one of the guys from the band or Obie.

“Fuck’s right darlin’, come here,” she heard as she was pulled closer until her already pounding chest brushed up against something warm and hard.

“Rich, what are you doing?”

“You,” he said, dropping a hot and passionate kiss on her lips, searching out her tongue with his own. She involuntarily opened her mouth and allowed him access to her tongue. The kiss deepened and Richie’s hands roamed Jasmine’s back, reaching underneath her shirt and seeking out the aroused tips of her nipples. She bit back a groan when Richie gently squeezed her nipples and massaged her breasts.

Jasmine couldn’t help but respond to Richie’s hitched breathing and her own hands wandered downwards towards his pleasure path. She deftly undid the fly on his jeans and slid the material down until she could grasp hold of his arousal.

“I’ve been dying to do this since this morning,” she breathed.

“Oh really, and what had you all horny?” Richie teased, remembering the flushed look on her face,

“You’re voice is enough to ignite me, but when you scrunch your face up too, I’m toast,” she could hardly speak thanks to Richie’s mouth having attached itself to her breasts, sucking and pulling her sensitive skin.

Richie didn’t reply, he just sped up his movements and ran his hand under her skirt,

“Woman, am I glad you wore a skirt today!” he mumbled, reaching up her thigh and rubbing her through the thin material covering her obvious wetness between them.

“We’re going to get caught if we don’t stop now.”

“Not if we’re quiet. Can you be quiet when I make you cum?”

Jasmine nodded uncertainly, she would try her best to keep quiet but from previous experience she knew that once Richie had his groove on she had no control over her reactions.

She stifled a squeal when his fingers pushed their way into her and began to stroke in and out, and when his thumb joined in on the action, rubbing her clit, she just grabbed his cock and pumped him harder in an effort to occupy herself and not scream out.

Richie pulled back and lifted her up onto the cupboard that she had been leaning against. He pulled her towards the edge of the piece of furniture, spread her legs and handed her the silver foil wrapper.

Jasmine quickly separated the rubber from the wrapper and sheathed him; once they were protected Richie yanked the material of her panties aside and seated himself within her. He pulled out slowly then slid back in just as slowly. It took all of his will power not to cum then and there, the scent of lust was in the air and the labored breathing coming from Jasmine was becoming too much for him to handle.

Jasmine held firmly onto Richie’s shoulders, drawing him closer and deeper into her. 

“You’re killing me.” She gasped as he slid in again,

“Same here baby, what do you need?”

“Faster,” she said, reaching for his hips, hauling him into her and hooking her legs around him so she was open for his full length. Richie shuffled and steadied himself, then let himself off the leash. His hips bucked as he pounded into her at her request. The friction between his pelvic bone and her clit was building Jasmine to her ecstasy, she could feel the tingling start and get stronger.

Richie felt Jasmine’s grip on his hips tighten and knew she was close. He sped up and reached deeper into her, watching her facial expressions as he did so. He knew the moment her pleasure swept through her and watching her reaction pulled everything from him. They came together, Richie having to put his hand over her mouth as a squeal of pleasure threatened to let everyone know what they were doing.

They got their breath back as they adjusted their clothing and Richie disposed of the condom, both grinning from ear to ear like they had gotten away with doing something forbidden, which, in some ways, their relationship was.

“You go first. I’ll hang here a few minutes.” Richie told Jasmine, kissing her sweetly on the forehead and hooking her hair behind her ear.

“See you later, oh and make sure you shut the window,” she replied, nodding down towards his fly. 

Richie grinned and did his button and zipper up. Jasmine opened the door carefully and looked around before being satisfied that no one was around and headed back to the sound booth.