Tico picked up his phone and called Jon first.
"Yeah T, what's up?" Jon answered almost straight off.
"I'm heading out to see some artwork at the Louvre. I want to get your opinion on the piece, so meet me downstairs in half an hour okay?" Tico hung up, not giving Jon the chance to say no. He never did say no to the Cuban.
"David, ring Rich to tell him we're all going out, but then back out at the last minute. Got it?"
"On it!" he replied, digging his phone from his pants pocket.
"Hey, Rich! T, Jon and I are heading over to the Louvre to look at some smiling lady and get some culture. You in?"
"I- I dunno, man. Haven't we done this before?" Richie said.
"Yeah, but it's usually so rushed. This time we have all the time in the world to appreciate the beauty. Half an hour. Downstairs. See you then!"
"Okay. See you then." Richie said reluctantly.
"Done!" David said, turning to Tico.
"Good! Let's get this show on the road," he said with a huge smile.
Tico left David with strict instructions on what was to happen and when then left their suite ten minutes early to head down to the lobby to wait for the other two.
As usual, Jon was on time. He was a stickler for punctuality, but Richie was his exception to the rule. He always let Richie get away with being the last to do anything. "What are we waiting for, Teek?"
"Richie," he said simply and watched Jon's face for any reaction. He wasn't disappointed. Jon's eyes lit up and a slight flush crept up his neck. He saw Richie leaving the elevator behind Jon and making his way over to the others.
"I'm here. Where's Dave?" he asked as he walked up to his bandmates, secretly taking in Jon's rearview. His stomach flipped a little at the sight.
"Um- he had an urgent call to take, so he said he'd meet us there later. Let's go, the car's waiting for us." Tico said, putting on his sunglasses.
Jon and Richie did the same and pulled caps down over their eyes as well, before following in the drummer into the town car. The driver closed the door before getting behind the wheel and heading off.
It was a pleasant afternoon and thankfully no one bothered them. There were questioning glances but no one thought to put two and two together so everyone left the three men alone.
Before heading back to the hotel, Tico suggested they go to a local bar for a drink, mainly to kill some time.
"So I wonder where Lemma got to?" Jon asked. He'd noticed Tico checking his watch constantly.
"Maybe he fell asleep? He was pretty shattered." Tico offered as an excuse, a lame one, but they seemed to accept it.
After a couple of drinks, they decided to stroll back to the hotel. Clouds had rolled in while they were inside the gallery and the thunder had started to rumble as they sipped their wines, so it wasn't a huge surprise when the rain started not long after they set off. They ended up jogging the last block or two back before tumbling through the lobby doors, shaking the rain from their hair.
Tico checked his watch; the timing was perfect. He sent a discrete text message to David while Jon was checking the front desk for messages and Richie was still shaking moisture off his clothes.
"Just enough time for a hot shower before dinner," Jon said to no one in particular as they entered the elevator.
"Jon, I need to talk to you for a minute. Mind if I come up to your room? Shouldn't take long." Tico said, "Rich, do you mind checking on David? Take my key."
"Sure, man. I wanna know why he ditched us." He took Tico's key and exited the elevator, leaving Jon and Tico to ride another floor up.
"So what did you want to talk to me about, T?" Jon asked, slipping the key into the door and opening it.
Tico pushed past Jon and quickly scanned the room. Nothing looked out of place. David had replied that everything was set, so he had to trust him.
"Nothing important really, just wanted to see how you were after our chat the other day? Do you mind if we go out on the balcony? I'd kill for a cigarette."
"Sure, man. I'll just get mine and join you," he said, searching the coffee table for his pack and lighter.
Tico unlocked the balcony door and quickly made sure the ice bucket was in the corner in the shadows. He lit his cigarette, his fingers shaking slightly.
Jon joined him a moment later, the spark of the lighter bright in the darkness. "It's a beautiful city, isn't it?" Jon asked rhetorically, leaning on the railing looking out at the rain-soaked city, the Tower lights sparkling.
"A city built for romance, don't you agree, Jon?"
"Hmm yeah, if you had someone to share it with, sure," he said.
"Don't you think it's about time to do something about that?" Tico asked.
"I dunno. I mean, what happens if he doesn't feel the same way and I make a fool of myself? How would I face him every day after that, huh?"
"What if he does feel the same way? Maybe it's time to just to trust the fates to handle things. Just think about it, okay? Hey, I'm just going to the bathroom. I'll be back."
"Right, you know where it is. I'm not going anywhere." Jon said, lost in thought.
Tico had to grin to himself at Jon's comment, and thought, "Nope, you're not going anywhere just yet, my friend."
As he left the balcony he shut the door and turned the lock and drew the curtains. When Jon heard the snick of the lock, he turned and rattled the door. He knocked on the door, trying to get Tico's attention.
"Hey! Hey Teek! You locked me out, man! Open up!" he yelled as he banged on the door this time. He patted his pockets looking for his phone. Damn it, he'd left it inside when he went looking for his cigarettes.
He then saw the note under the door. Picking it up and opening it, he struggled to read it in the dim lighting.
"Jon,
Sit down, relax, enjoy the view. There's wine in the ice bucket in the corner, have a glass or two."
No name, no signature.
He crumpled it up and threw it on the table. Stalking over to the corner, he saw the silver bucket and lifted the cloth. He whistled at the name on the champagne bottle, knowing that no expense had been spared. Two crystal flutes were nestled beside it. He didn't know what the hell was happening but he popped the cork and poured himself a glass, deciding to take Tico's advice and just let the fates deal with life.
*~*
"David! You okay, man? What happened to you today?" Richie called as he let himself in.
"Hey, no need to yell, I'm right here." Thcurly-haireded blonde popped his head around the corner. "Yeah sorry about today, got stuck back here doing... stuff. Where are the others?" he tried to keep a neutral look to his face.
"Teek went to talk to Jon in his room. Why? Hey, are you coming to dinner?"
"Umm, yeah. Maybe. Let's go find the others and see what they're doing." Dave grabbed Richie by the arm and dragged him out of the door.
"Jon was going for a shower after he and Tico had talked." Richie was dragged along in his wake.
"Then we'll have a drink while we wait. C'mon." They walked down the hallway after riding the one floor up, and David knocked on the door. Tico opened it without saying a word.
"Hey man, long time no see." Richie greeted Tico again. "Where's Jonny?"
"Balcony."
Tico closed the door behind David, who hadn't let go of Richie's elbow. Tico took Richie's other elbow and they frogmarched him to the balcony door, neither he or David saying anything further. Richie immediately got an uncomfortable feeling.
"Is he okay? What- what's going on?" he managed to get out before they halted at the door.
Tico quickly unlocked the door before he and David pushed their friend out and relocked the door.
"Hey? Hey! Open the door, man," Richie yelled, using his shoulder to push against it.
"Tried that!" Jon piped up from the darkness.
"Fuck! Jon!" He spun around on his heels in surprise. "Are you okay? Why are we out here?"
"I'm enjoying this wine and the view. So stunning," he said, turning his head to watch Richie. His bare feet were propped up on the railing, his clasped hands holding the champagne flute, resting against his flat belly.
"How long have you been out here?" Richie asked.
"Long enough to drink about half a magnum," he tilted his chin to indicate the ice bucket behind Richie, "and to think about a few things in my life at the moment. Pour yourself a glass and join me, won't you?"
"Ummm, yeah, yeah, okay," he said, and turned to find the glass and bottle. He poured himself a glass and downed it almost straight away, before pouring a second. That feeling in his gut was becoming more pronounced, but he was yet to figure out if it was a good or bad.
"Hey, tsk tsk, slow down, Rich. It's too good to waste it by not enjoying it. Let the bubbles fizz on your tongue, then enjoy the creamy smoothness of it, try and distinguish the different flavours before letting it slide down your throat." Jon was using a low, sexy voice in his instructions. He didn't need to tell Richie how to savour champagne, but he was enjoying how his breathing suddenly picked up speed.
He stood up and padded over close to where Richie was standing and reached past him to slide his palm down the bottle neck and grasp it in a firm hold, before lifting it out to pour himself another glass. He put the bottle back, letting his thumb rub over the bottle opening to gather up the drops of wine. Still standing in front of Richie, he then sucked the drops from his thumb, never breaking eye contact. Even in the dark, he could see Richie's eyes widen in recognition of Jon's subtle message as he took in a lungful of air.
"Fuck, Jonny," he whispered.
"Yeah, Rich?" he questioned softly.
"What are you doing, Jonny?"
Jon took another sip of his wine and licked his bottom lip. Richie's adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed heavily, desire kicking him straight in the balls.
"I've waited too long, and I've decided I don't want to wait any longer..." Jon said, taking Richie's glass from his hand and turning to place both glasses on the table behind him, "to do this."
Jon lifted his hands to touch Richie's hair, slowly sifting his fingers through the shorter soft strands. One hand came around his ear and cupped Richie's jaw in his palm and Jon watched as he closed his eyes and leaned into Jon's touch.
With his stomach full of butterflies, Jon leaned closer to Richie while his eyes were still closed and softly, so very softly, kissed him. He released the breath he didn't know he'd been holding when Richie's eyes opened. They were full of hope and wonder and sparkling from the city lights.
"Oh Jonny," Richie whispered, then brought his own hand up, shakily to mimic what Jon had done. Except this time the kiss was more, so much more. Never had a kiss felt so honest and so perfect.
He kicked off his shoes quickly to bring them closer together in height. "I think we've both waited too long to do this." Richie said, in between kisses.
"When Rich? How long?" Jon knew that Richie would understand his vague question.
"First day. That long!" he said, resting his forehead against Jon's.
"Huh. Then we have a lot of lost time to make up for."
Music filtered from behind the closed balcony door but for the two men outside, they didn't hear anything but the beating of their own hearts.
"I know what you mean, but no, I'm not going to let you rush this. I want to savour this. I want to feel it fizz on my tongue, taste the creaminess, the different flavours. That's how it goes, right?" Richie asked, his mouth a whisper away from Jon's, tempting them both.
He moved closer, slipping his hand down Jon's back and over his ass. His other hand trailed down the singer's neck, hesitating at the neckline of his shirt.
"Ahh yeah, yeah, something like that." Jon mumbled, as he felt the heat from Richie's hand on his ass, making its way into his back pocket. He groaned quietly when he felt Richie's hips slide against his.
"Ahh Rich," Jon said, his fingernails digging into the flesh at Richie's neck. "Kiss me again. Please."