Chapter Thirteen

Dee stood up, rubbing her hands over her face.

"Ah," she sniffed, trying to clear the tears and brush her hair off her face.

She rubbed her red rimmed eyes with the backs of her hands and turned to face him.

"Would you believe me if I told you i've never told anyone the full story before and that I feel strangely empty? Good but empty; it's like a huge weight I never realised I was carrying before. Right, enough of tears and sadness, let's do something fun. Do you play Monopoly?" she asked him, smiling; lighting up her face.

"Not since I played Jon and won and he sulked for a whole day." he replied, laughter lighting up his handsome features.

"Right, well hold onto your hat mister cause I'm the queen of Monopoly and believe me, if you think Jon sulks you ain't seen nothing yet." she said, brightly, rushing out of the room to get the board game from the closet.

Richie sat back against the leg of the sofa and sighed. Damn her! she was good at this. She currently owned 3/4's of the board and he was down to his last $100. He threw the dice and groaned as he moved his piece onto one of her squares with a hotel sat on it.

"That's it, I give in, I fold. You win." he said, resigned to his fate, as he threw his last $100 bucks and all his cards on the floor.

"Whoo hoo.!" she squealed, doing her version of the happy dance, which wasn't easy to do whilst sitting cross legged on the floor, but she managed it; all the while looking more and more adorable in Richie's eyes.

Dee was nothing like any woman he'd met before. She was comfortable in her own skin and comfortable around him, whilst wearing old cut off jeans and a vest top, with very little make up on; most of it had transferred to his shirt. Most of the women he'd known over the years wouldn't get out of bed without a face full of make up or perfectly groomed hair. As he watched her doing her happy dance, her hair becoming bedraggled and messy as she did so, he smiled, feeling tenderness towards her.

"OK, OK, no need to get cocky!" he growled, grinning.

"Woo hoo hoo!, I won! I won!" she chanted, giggling as Richie pulled a mock frown at her.

She got up and started to dance around the room, feeling free for the first time in ages. Richie sat back on the floor, stretching his legs out, watching this wonderful woman he felt that he'd known for ages, dance like crazy.

Dee moved closer towards were he was sitting then found herself falling as she tripped over one of his outstretched legs. Strong hands caught hold of her and she found herself sitting in his lap. She knew she ought to feel embarrassed but all she could feel was elation. Finally, all her demons seemed to have left her and she wanted to celebrate. Impulsively she turned to him and kissed him.

Richie was taken aback as Dee's soft lips touched his. Richie leaned forward and kissed her softly, feeling her lips under his. He licked her top lip and they parted allowing him access to her mouth. He kissed her deeply, feeling her relax slightly against him. She tasted of coffee and cigarettes and mint gum. She gave a groan, coming from somewhere deep inside her and this broke the spell they had created.

Her newly found courage immediately melted away as she realised what she had done and she pulled away, blushing like mad.

"Oh god, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to do,...I mean, I, ...to throw myself at you..." she stopped, looking at him with wide eyes, as she held her breath for his reaction.

Richie looked at the slightly dishevelled woman in his arms and felt alive for the first time since he could remember. She was soft and warm and feminine and all the things he looked for in a woman, plus she was smart and vulnerable too.

"That's OK darlin', I enjoyed it." he grinned, rakishly, as they continued to stare at each other.

"Let me make a coffee." she said, jumping up and scurrying into the kitchen. She switched the kettle on trying to cool down her overheated skin. She hadn't meant to kiss him; of course she had wanted to but she hadn't meant to carry it out. God he'd tasted good; coffee and chocolate with a touch of honey.

'You stupid woman!' she berated herself, muttering, as she opened the fridge for the milk, 'Now he's just going to think you contacting him cause you wanna jump his bones.'

"You mean you don't want to?"

Dee jumped as he spoke, right behind her, nearly dropping the milk.

"Jesus! Richie don't do that! I swear you're part cat, sneaking up on me." she said, angry with herself for being caught talking to herself.

"If I roll over would you scratch my tummy and make me purr?" he leered, comically, making her stop dead in her tracks and look at him incredulously.

He raised his eyebrows in a comical fashion, making her laugh and easing the tension that had suddenly sprung up between them.

He smiled at her from the doorway.

"I like you Dee, more than I thought I would, and I'd like to get to know you more than just friends." he said, moving towards her.

Dee looked at the gorgeous man standing in her kitchen and thought she'd died and gone to heaven. Richie Sambora wanted to get to know her.

"Why?" she asked, her brain having taken a short nap.

He just smiled at her and kissed her.