Chapter 12

~ later on the way to Winnipeg ~

Jon gets tired on the plane and moved to lay with his head on Danielle’s lap.
Danielle ran her hand through Jon’s hair which caused Ava to start to laugh.

“What’s so funny Ava?”

“Uncle Jonny is going to fall in love with you.”

“Why do you say that?”

“cos he loves that, and if he falls asleep he’ll moan from that.”

Jon tells Ava she doesn’t know anything and she calls him a big fibber.

Finally the captain comes on and reminds everyone to fasten their seat belts.
“Hate captains.” Jon muttered as he sits up.

They spend the day together, mostly running errands he has to. Going to radio stations for interviews, sound check, standing around so people can take pictures of him. Danielle finds everything interesting and Jon can tell she’s not just putting on a happy face she actually cares about his life.

Danielle is ecstatic that she gets to see another Jovi show. This time from the front row too. After the show she’s on a high and kisses Jon the second she sees him.

“You’d be the horny wife wouldn’t you?” He’d smile.

“If I was touring with you – oh yeah. Watching you shake your ass around on stage every night would get to me.”

“Watching you get hot for me would so work.” Jon smirked.

“Jon.” Danielle says and look down.

“Why are you shy about me wanting you?” Jon asked. “You seem very confident in other areas.”

”Because I know my body isn’t all the great.”

”What are you comparing yourself to? A model that’s to thin to exist? Or airbrushed until it hurts?”

”Jon you’re being nice.”

“Ok let me explain what I see when I look at your body and how I guarantee it differs from when women look at their bodies. Now no yelling at me for this I’m being honest with you ok?”

”Ok.”

”I see legs, to wrap around me. Breasts, beautiful and real and I want my hands on them. I see your small butt but it's perfect to rub against my cock and drive me nuts. I see your arms, they’d wrap around me make me feel not so lonely. Your long curly hair it's natural, so I could play with it and not get in trouble. Your neck – can I nibble on it? See Dani your body is functional, what can I touch or play with to entice.” Jon then leaned in for a kiss. “What do you see when you look at my body?”

“As if you don’t know what women drool over?”

”I didn’t ask what women drool over I asked what you see.”

“Strength, your stomach is rock hard. Your arms are so defined and your thighs are too you can protect me.”

“What am I protecting you from sweetie?” Jon wanted to know, he’s glad they are having this conversation, this is the kind of stuff he’ll need to know about her should she accept his marriage proposal. They are in comfy bed clothes and lying in bed Jon didn't get an immediate answer from her so he asked again softly. “So what am I protecting you from Del?”

“From being alone the rest of my life.”

”Why would you think you would be?”

”Because I was told by my ex that I’m alone because I don’t need a guy in my life”

”What was he smoking?” Jon asked. “I think it's sexy that you don’t NEED me but WANT me anyway.”

“You get that? I thought I was the only person that understood the difference.”

”Yes. It's just like me, I don’t need a woman in my life, I can survive, pay people to do shit around my house, find a warm body to fill my bed if I need to. The problem is I want one there. I want the same woman in my arms every night. I want the same woman to get on my case about picking up my laundry off the floor. I want the same woman to be how I find fulfillment of those urges. You have the box set right?” Jon asked.

“yes of course.”

”Why did I ask?” He smiles knowing the answer was going to be yes the second he asked it.

“Anyway the song – you can’t live without me why aren’t you dead – that’s kind of what I’m talking about. I don’t want someone to be all – I can’t live without you Jon. To me that’s a little desperate and also a lie. I know that they can LIVE without me maybe not enjoy life as much but they’ll LIVE.. I’d much rather have a woman who’s honest in my life who tells me – you know what Jon if you fuck me over, I’ll survive so keep that in mind you aren’t my world I just like you in it.”

“IS that how you feel now about marriage?”

“I don’t know I’ve lived a charmed life. I’m not sure if I’m gonna get it again. I didn’t appreciate it when I had it so I might be destined to be alone now.”

“Do you feel your marriage ended because of you?”

“No way to make it succeed or fail with one person.” Jon told her, happy they are talking like this. It shows him that she wants more than the surface.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“Why?”

“It's just a pet peeve of mine that people think themselves so important that they can make or break a relationship.”

“I could put strain on my marriage but it took two to cure it or fuck it up completely.”

“so what finally ended your marriage?”

“Honestly, me not taking to heart what she told me when she said she needed me home more and her not understanding that I was doing the best that I could. We stopped truly communicating.”

“How do we stand a chance then, if you and Dot didn’t last.”

“I know now what I don’t want to lose, what being alone is like and I don’t like it.
Remember I’m also 45 now incredibly comfortable in my own skin – Just Older is about the truest songs we ever wrote.”

Dani decided to lay it on the line. If this was a real relationship then this stuff needed to be discussed.

“I’m not as forgiving as Dot was.”

“The cheating?” Jon asks already knowing this topic would come up.

“Yep.”

“Well I know that up front, the beauty of going at things this way. We are walking into a relationship upfront and honest. We know now what we will and won’t accept.
I’m not dumb enough to walk into this without a prenup or knowing you will walk out if I cheat. I’m glad we’re talking about this. If I cheated would you go to the press?”

“No I wouldn’t forgive you though. I can’t tell you I’d forgive you for that I think Dot did a disservice to anyone you’re ever going to date.”

“Meaning?” Jon doesn’t understand this statement.

“She forgave shit most women wouldn’t.”

“Again Dot got me in a way that many women never will. Not a bad way not that she’s the only one for me, nothing like that at all but she had a way of looking at our relationship with a grain of salt.”

“Meaning?” This time it's Dani that needs clarification. Jon smiled, if she’s always going to be this easy to talk to life with Dani is going to rock.

“If I called her and told her I’d be home in a hour, she’d tell me ok. If I came home 3hrs later – she’d ignore it she knew that was just me – I get sidetracked I forgot I made a promise to her to be home.”

“Oh god I don’t want to be involved in that.” Dani said very bluntly.

“Wow who screwed you over?”