OP
OP
AM
Refugee
Part XV: MissZooropa
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
It was a week before Christmas, and Bono was decorating his enormous house in Dublin. His footsteps echoed into the emptiness as he decked his halls.
?Blargh. It sucks being alone at Christmastime.? Bono muttered gruffly. ?And now I?m talking to myself and saying things like ?Blargh!? Clearly, I spend too much time online.? He wrestled with a garland of cedar branches, attempting to attach it to the banister. The strain soon became too much for Bono, still exhausted after the last leg of Elevation. He soon dropped the garland to the floor and collapsed into his favourite chair by the fire, quaffing some eggnog. Staring into the hypnotic flickering of the fire, his thoughts wandered to ?where did it all go wrong?. He always became depressed at this time of year as Edge and Larry nestled snugly at home with their broods and he had no one. Adam was in the same predicament as himself, but he didn?t seem to mind. He was quite happy to share the merriment amongst his two girlfriends, Maria and Suzie.
Much as Bono envied Adam?s never-ending lust for life, he wanted something different. Despite being a huge flirt, he was a monogamist at heart and dreamed of finding someone to share his life with and finally settle down. Bono closed his eyes and tried to fend off that dull ache that was the reminder of his breakup with Alison so many years ago?why had he been so incapable of staying in a real relationship since then? Was he cursed for life?
Suddenly the phone pierced the silence. He was grateful for the interruption, anything to get away from those self-defeating thoughts.
?Hello???.Oh, hi there the Edge. What?re ye up to then? Oh. You?ve done ALL your shopping? And ALL your decorating? And ALL your baking and you?re bored? Well why don?t ye get yer arse over here and help ME! I could use the company anyway??.What? Skiing? Now??..Well I don?t KNOW what happened to spontaneity Edge, it?s just a bit sudden that?s all!?.Well, I suppose a few days? getaway would be kind of fun, I need to escape from this emptiness, and you and I haven?t gone on a trip together in awhile. Where are we going? Sweden? Oh! D?ya think Benny and Bjorn might want to join us? They might cheer me up?.No Edge, I was kidding. It?ll just be the two of us. Like old times. Drop by when you?re ready to go, I?m just gonna pack. Bye!? Bono smirked as he replaced the receiver. He loved the Edge. He always knew when Bono needed him, and today was no exception. Edge was crazy about skiing and almost never had the opportunity to go. Since Morleigh was visiting her parents with the kids for a week, there was a perfect opportunity for both of them.
As he packed rather haphazardly, throwing clothes of every description into his bag, Bono?s mind wandered back to the band?s last trip to Sweden during the summer tour. What a great time they had, not only visiting the country, but especially at the show. That show had been particularly special because he had asked a ravishing young woman to sing the end of With or Without You for him, and she had the look and the voice of an angel. He remembered her long hair glowing in the light and sighed deeply. He began to regret that he hadn?t pulled her up and whisked her away while he had the chance. He wondered if he could somehow orchestrate a meeting with this woman, if only to thank her for singing so beautifully for him. Mind you, finding a particular fan was like locating a needle in a haystack. Not only that, but people traveled around so much at U2 shows, that just because she attended the show in Sweden didn?t mean she was Swedish!
?Blargh.? Bono muttered again. Then suddenly, his face lit up. ?That?s it!? he shouted triumphantly. ?If there?s one way I could find this girl, it would be through that crazy Pleba site. Maybe they could put aside their thoughts about my nether regions for a moment and help me locate this girl.? Dimples playing on his cheeks, Bono rushed over to his computer and clicked on the Pleba bookmark. Bono didn?t get to Pleba on a regular basis, but he did enjoy it every now and then just to keep track of his female fan base and their thoughts about him and the band. He found it highly entertaining if somewhat embarrassing at times.
Logging in as ?Spawn of MacPhisto? he began to type awkwardly, with one finger. ?Hi gals, I haven?t posted on here before, but I have been lurking for quite some time. I?m planning a short skiing trip with a friend this week in Sweden. I have this Swedish boot, and on it there is this girl singing and I?m wondering if any of you know who she is? If she is indeed Swedish, it would be so great if I could meet up with her when I get there. Any ideas??
Suddenly, Bono felt a presence behind him. It was Edge staring at the computer screen over his shoulder. He had let himself in with his own key.
?Oh, not that AGAIN!? Edge groaned, rolling his eyes heavenward, ?Spawn of MacPhisto? Really Bono.? Edge turned away and began tidying the various messes Bono had left around the room. Pouting darkly, Bono turned his attention back to the computer, preparing to log off. Suddenly, he noticed there was a reply on his post. With a great rush of glee, he clicked the message. It was from a Miss Zooropa, with a Bono face icon. This was a good sign.
?Hi there, I believe that was ME you were writing about, and yes I am Swedish, I live in Gothenburg. I?d be delighted to meet up with you and if you?d like to drop me a line, my email is?.?
Bono?s mood was instantly transformed. U2 fans were such a friendly, trusting and accommodating lot! What a stroke of luck! He had found her on the first try! Immediately he emailed her with details about where they would be staying and when they planned to be on the slopes. To his utter amazement and delight, she answered right away. As Edge tapped his feet impatiently in the background, Bono and Sara emailed back and forth, making arrangements to meet for lunch the next day, and then she would show him around Gothenburg as Edge continued skiing. Knowing that she would never believe him if he told her who he was, Bono simply told her to meet him at the bottom of the hill at 12 the next day, that his name was Paul, and that he would be wearing a black snowsuit and goggles. Logging out, Bono felt a rush of elation coursing through him. ?I can?t wait to go on this skiing trip Edge!? He beamed, leaping to his feet.
?I?m glad. Now can we please GET OUT OF HERE? We?re going to miss our flight!? Edge picked up Bono?s suitcase in one hand and shoved him out the door with the other. Bono?s flights of fancy were hard to take sometimes.
***
The next day, Edge was on the slopes bright and early, the cold mountain air reddening his nose and cheeks as he gleefully swooshed down the hill and then waited impatiently for the chairlift to take him back up. Bono on the other hand wanted to kill Edge for waking him up at the ungodly hour of 6:00am. With eyes half closed behind his goggles, Bono proceeded to tumble clumsily down the hill, landing in a heap at the bottom. Laughing uproariously, Edge helped his friend to his feet.
?That?s right, Bono! Very good!? Edge smiled kindly, eyes crinkling as the light from the snow reflected into them, paternal instincts taking over. Bono stared pitifully at Edge.
?Can I go back to bed now?? he whined hoarsely.
?No way! You are here on this trip to ski with me, and I know that the minute you meet this girl you are going to abandon me to spend time with her. Besides, practice makes perfect and you don?t want the girl to think you?re a clumsy oaf do you??
Bono sighed with tired resignation and climbed painfully to his feet.
?There now. That?s the spirit! Let?s get back on that lift and try again!?
***
At 11:55, Sara wandered along the foot of the ski slopes, squinting her eyes in the sun and straining to find her mystery man. This was quite exciting! It was as if this man had simply dropped out of the stars at a time that she most needed excitement. She had been feeling lonely and blue lately and an adventure, romantic or otherwise was just what she needed. She wondered if this would be her prince in fly clothing, but dared not get her hopes up.
Suddenly, she sensed a dark shape coming towards her, and before she could react, CRASH! The dark form collided with her and they tumbled into a heap in the snow.
?Oh, I?m awfully sorry about that, I still haven?t quite got the hang of this, although I am increasing my speed, unfortunately for you!? Bono stood up, and held out his hand to help Sara up as she wiped the snow from her face and eyes.
?Oh, my glasses! Where are they? I?ve lost them in the snow. Can you help me look?? She squinted at the dark shadow in front of her.
?Of course! I think I see something over there.? That voice! Something about it filled her with a warm tingling. It seemed urgently familiar, yet she couldn?t place it.
?Ah. Here it is!? The voice called out triumphantly. She held out her hand and he placed the glasses in her snowy mitten. As she cleaned the snow off the lenses, she sensed a second figure gliding up to them.
?Smooth, Bono, Smooth!? said the second figure. Sara inhaled abruptly and shoved on her glasses as fast as she could.
Staring in disbelief at the man in a snowsuit in front of her, she gasped, ?Bono???
Bono removed his goggles and stared at her, his eyes perfectly matching the shade of the sky behind him. Immediately a huge grin spread across his face like the sun breaking through a storm cloud. ?Sara! I am so glad to see you! I?m so sorry that I crashed into you!? Bono opened his arms and drew her in for a huge bear hug.
?Well, I guess that?s it for Bono and skiing!? Edge chuckled somewhat sadly.
?Oh! Sorry. How rude of me. Sara, this is The Edge, ski instructor extraordinaire.?
?I know. Hi Edge.? Sara smiled bashfully and held out her hand, which Edge took and shook gently. Soon he was waving them goodbye, as he had one more chairlift to catch before breaking for lunch.
Bono and Sara stood awkwardly staring at each other for a minute. Bono broke the silence. ?Wow, you?re even more ravishing than I had remembered!? Sara blushed to the roots of her hair. She had a difficult time handling compliments as it was, but one from Bono?
?Thank you.? She whispered softly.
?Come on, let?s get out of here and go have lunch! I?m starving!? Bono and Sara went to the ski chalet so he could change, and then they hopped into a waiting Mercedes, which drove them to one of the best restaurants in town.
?Here?s to skiing! And to not being alone during the Holidays!? Bono clicked his glass of champagne against hers. She noted with some discomfort, but delight nonetheless that his gaze upon her had not wavered since the moment they met. Much as she had anticipated, Bono had the gift of the gab, making conversation throughout lunch effortless and magical. After lunch, Bono and Sara explored the city, wandering in and out of dozens of shops, with Bono insisting upon buying his ?hostess? a pair of rich red garnet drop earrings framed by sterling silver Celtic knots.
After the sun had gone down, they walked along the harbour, admiring the Christmas lights that twinkled brilliantly in the water and chatting about every topic under the stars from the profound to the mundane. ?This is just like the perfect first date ? except this is BONO!? marveled Sara to herself. A violent shiver overtook her body; a combination of the excitement and the cold damp air. Instantly Bono?s coat was around her shoulders and he had drawn her close as they walked.
?Ehm,? Bono began nervously, rubbing the tops of her arms vigorously to warm her up, ?I know you may be getting sick of the sound of me voice by now, but if you?d like to get in the car with me and go back to the lodge, we could maybe warm up by the fire and order in something to eat??
?That would be lovely!? Sara enthused, trying to remain calm, not daring to imagine where this adventure would end. Bono?s slow, sexy smile revealed his delight at her answer.
Once inside the car, the light was such that even though she was looking outside she could see Bono's reflection staring at her. Bono secretly wished that they weren't in a towncar but in a limo so he could tell the driver to roll up his window so they could have some privacy. Sara smelled his naturally seductive Taurean aroma. Bono wondered why she was staring out the window and not talking to him. Perhaps he had over estimated her feelings about him. He would have to try harder!
Bono slid across the seat to gently meet Sara's thigh with his. Sara swallowed slowly and turned around only to almost bump her face into his. She looked down at his thigh and slowly perused his fine form until her eyes fluttered gently wide open as she peered into his sea blue eyes. Bono gazed into her eyes intently. Gently, he placed his huge warm hands over hers. He gathered them together and held them beside his cheek.
"Your hands are so cold...and they're trembling." He murmured softly. Sara watched him stroke the lengths of her fingers, saying nothing, as if watching a dream. Slowly he opened her hands staring into them as if to see his future there. She could feel his warm breath on them. He closed his eyes and carefully began to cover her palms in soft, warm, sensuous kisses. Sara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't stand to keep them closed too long though because she didn't want to miss seeing what was happening.
After kissing every inch of both sides of her hands he tenderly began stroking the side of his face with her hand. He held her other hand in his, completely enveloping it.
"Oh, if only I could stay like this forever...." He whispered forlornly. Sara moved over to him and placed her head on his warm, broad chest. She listened to his huge heart beating for her. They remained this way until they arrived at the lodge.
Meanwhile, word had got out that half of U2 was staying at the ski lodge, and the resort was surrounded by fans. Sara felt a small twang in her stomach. She knew too well what it was like to be one of those fans shivering out in the crowd. After helping her out of the car, he placed his arm around her and escorted her past the small throng of desperate fans.
"Bono, shouldn't you go to them?" Sara pleaded. Bono smiled a bedimpled, completely enraptured grin at his new beloved. It seemed like the best idea he had ever heard. Everything she said was wonderful.
"OK me darlin'...I'll meet you inside if ye like!" Sara smiled gently at him, and walked inside. She could feel the stares burning a hole in her back but she didn't care. She was in love. She rushed to the phone to call Lisa. Her friend, who was infatuated with fame and celebrities, would never believe this. She had to let her know that not only had she spent an entire day with a VERY famous person, but she might be spending the NIGHT with him too! The phone rang and rang.
"Where the hell is she?" Sara muttered angrily. Where was her friend when she had exciting news for her? Lisa was always telling her how much she loved her phone calls and now she was calling and she wasn't there! How dare she!!!! Sara slammed down the phone in disgust. Then she began to feel nervous.
Bono would be there very soon! What would she do! Was he even going to ask her to sleep with him? Would that ruin all the romance early, or make it stronger? Or was this merely dinner and maybe a nightcap and that would be it? Sara rushed to a mirror to fix her hair and make sure she looked OK.
Suddenly the door opened. Bono padded towards her softly, his sapphire eyes glowing rapturously at her. ?Shall we?? he queried, once again eagerly taking her hand in his. Silently they walked to his room and went inside. The fire was already crackling, a bottle of chilled Veuve Cliquot awaited them and the bed had already been turned down. Slowly he removed his jacket and threw it on the floor. Then he kicked off his boots. Sara swallowed and tried to control her breathing.
?Shall I order us a little something to eat? All this skiing and excitement has made me ravenous!? Sara couldn?t believe that she was actually adding excitement to Bono?s life! She nodded enthusiastically, and as he placed the order, she walked over to the window and stared at the snow falling gently to the ground outside, sparkling in the light glowing from their room. She heard him hang up the phone and watched his reflection as he tiptoed behind her, pretending not to notice that he was now standing mere inches away. And then his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, and his face was beside hers, mouth next to her ear.
?The snow?s fallin? dooooownnnn, we?re watchin? it fall?..there?s no people around?baby please come hoooooome. No church bells in our room, but I?m singing a song, it?s a happy sound, Baby please come home?.in Dublin I Decked The Halls, but it wasn?t like Christmas at all, I?ll remember that we met here?and all the fun we?ll have next year?now there is a waaaaaaay, that I?ll hold back my tears, if on Christmas Day, baby you?ll come hooooooome?.Baby please come home?.Baby please come hoooooome?.? His voice was so soft and sweet and she couldn?t believe he was changing the lyrics just for her.
Soon the dinner arrived, and they sat on the floor eating their picnic in front of the fire. So intoxicated by love was she, she promised Bono that she would spend this and every Christmas with him. She wasn?t so sure how her family would feel about this, but they would just have to understand. Bono was simply too irresistible!
After dinner, they sipped their champagne slowly and nibbled on chocolate truffles. Suddenly, Bono motioned for her to sit on his lap. Her legs were like jelly and she had no idea how she made it over but she did. Bono wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
"It?s nice to go from such bitter cold to such?.heat, isn?t it?? he murmured. Sara was about to answer but she was unable to speak. Bono leaned toward her and gently rubbed the tip of his nose up and down hers and along her cheek, slowly...seductively allowing his silky soft hair to brush her face. He began to talk to her quietly, punctuating each sentence with a soft kiss on her cheek, first one side then the other. Often she didn't hear what he was saying. The pattern, the rhythm and the restrained hunger of the kisses were all she needed.
What she did catch was the "Oh, Sara...how did I ever survive without you...I can?t believe how easily I found you and now I'll never let you go...never...ever. All I need is to look at you. As long as I have you near me I am completely happy." Both had their eyes closed. Sara allowed the hoarse sexiness of his soothing voice seep into her by osmosis. Her mouth was half open and drying out but there was nothing she could do. She was in a trance. Bono's warm kisses got closer and closer to her to her longing mouth. His hands rested on her waist. He didn't want to overwhelm her. Finally, after an eternity, his ravenous mouth was upon hers.
Suddenly, Bono pulled away and looked carefully into her eyes. "I don't want to rush you into anything you don't want to do, my Angel."
"Oh believe me, I want to! It?s just that I want to savour every exciting moment..." Sara admitted. She wanted to stretch this one out. Every caress was an adventure and she didn't want the suspense snatched from her right away.
"I agree. It's like being a teenager again, discovering love for the firs time. Tou-tou-touching youuuuu" Bono sang, smiling ecstatically at Sara, who began to giggle uncontrollably. Suddenly he picked her up and tossed her on the bed grinning devilishly. The performer had been awakened.
?FLIRTATION! TEMPTATION! SENSATION! SALIVATION! EXPECTATION! EL-EV-A-TION! ELONGATION! PROCREATION! JUBILATION! EXULTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ? Bono squirmed sensually, doing a mock strip tease until he collapsed with laughter, and fell down on the bed beside her panting heavily. Becoming serious again, he leaned towards her, eyes out of focus, gently pressing his lips to hers again. Soon their clothes were gone and they spent the rest of the night bathed in warm firelight, alternately making ecstatic love and snuggling in each other?s arms. They had finally found true happiness in each other and neither ever had to spend another Christmas being lonely again.
The End
Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)
It was a week before Christmas, and Bono was decorating his enormous house in Dublin. His footsteps echoed into the emptiness as he decked his halls.
?Blargh. It sucks being alone at Christmastime.? Bono muttered gruffly. ?And now I?m talking to myself and saying things like ?Blargh!? Clearly, I spend too much time online.? He wrestled with a garland of cedar branches, attempting to attach it to the banister. The strain soon became too much for Bono, still exhausted after the last leg of Elevation. He soon dropped the garland to the floor and collapsed into his favourite chair by the fire, quaffing some eggnog. Staring into the hypnotic flickering of the fire, his thoughts wandered to ?where did it all go wrong?. He always became depressed at this time of year as Edge and Larry nestled snugly at home with their broods and he had no one. Adam was in the same predicament as himself, but he didn?t seem to mind. He was quite happy to share the merriment amongst his two girlfriends, Maria and Suzie.
Much as Bono envied Adam?s never-ending lust for life, he wanted something different. Despite being a huge flirt, he was a monogamist at heart and dreamed of finding someone to share his life with and finally settle down. Bono closed his eyes and tried to fend off that dull ache that was the reminder of his breakup with Alison so many years ago?why had he been so incapable of staying in a real relationship since then? Was he cursed for life?
Suddenly the phone pierced the silence. He was grateful for the interruption, anything to get away from those self-defeating thoughts.
?Hello???.Oh, hi there the Edge. What?re ye up to then? Oh. You?ve done ALL your shopping? And ALL your decorating? And ALL your baking and you?re bored? Well why don?t ye get yer arse over here and help ME! I could use the company anyway??.What? Skiing? Now??..Well I don?t KNOW what happened to spontaneity Edge, it?s just a bit sudden that?s all!?.Well, I suppose a few days? getaway would be kind of fun, I need to escape from this emptiness, and you and I haven?t gone on a trip together in awhile. Where are we going? Sweden? Oh! D?ya think Benny and Bjorn might want to join us? They might cheer me up?.No Edge, I was kidding. It?ll just be the two of us. Like old times. Drop by when you?re ready to go, I?m just gonna pack. Bye!? Bono smirked as he replaced the receiver. He loved the Edge. He always knew when Bono needed him, and today was no exception. Edge was crazy about skiing and almost never had the opportunity to go. Since Morleigh was visiting her parents with the kids for a week, there was a perfect opportunity for both of them.
As he packed rather haphazardly, throwing clothes of every description into his bag, Bono?s mind wandered back to the band?s last trip to Sweden during the summer tour. What a great time they had, not only visiting the country, but especially at the show. That show had been particularly special because he had asked a ravishing young woman to sing the end of With or Without You for him, and she had the look and the voice of an angel. He remembered her long hair glowing in the light and sighed deeply. He began to regret that he hadn?t pulled her up and whisked her away while he had the chance. He wondered if he could somehow orchestrate a meeting with this woman, if only to thank her for singing so beautifully for him. Mind you, finding a particular fan was like locating a needle in a haystack. Not only that, but people traveled around so much at U2 shows, that just because she attended the show in Sweden didn?t mean she was Swedish!
?Blargh.? Bono muttered again. Then suddenly, his face lit up. ?That?s it!? he shouted triumphantly. ?If there?s one way I could find this girl, it would be through that crazy Pleba site. Maybe they could put aside their thoughts about my nether regions for a moment and help me locate this girl.? Dimples playing on his cheeks, Bono rushed over to his computer and clicked on the Pleba bookmark. Bono didn?t get to Pleba on a regular basis, but he did enjoy it every now and then just to keep track of his female fan base and their thoughts about him and the band. He found it highly entertaining if somewhat embarrassing at times.
Logging in as ?Spawn of MacPhisto? he began to type awkwardly, with one finger. ?Hi gals, I haven?t posted on here before, but I have been lurking for quite some time. I?m planning a short skiing trip with a friend this week in Sweden. I have this Swedish boot, and on it there is this girl singing and I?m wondering if any of you know who she is? If she is indeed Swedish, it would be so great if I could meet up with her when I get there. Any ideas??
Suddenly, Bono felt a presence behind him. It was Edge staring at the computer screen over his shoulder. He had let himself in with his own key.
?Oh, not that AGAIN!? Edge groaned, rolling his eyes heavenward, ?Spawn of MacPhisto? Really Bono.? Edge turned away and began tidying the various messes Bono had left around the room. Pouting darkly, Bono turned his attention back to the computer, preparing to log off. Suddenly, he noticed there was a reply on his post. With a great rush of glee, he clicked the message. It was from a Miss Zooropa, with a Bono face icon. This was a good sign.
?Hi there, I believe that was ME you were writing about, and yes I am Swedish, I live in Gothenburg. I?d be delighted to meet up with you and if you?d like to drop me a line, my email is?.?
Bono?s mood was instantly transformed. U2 fans were such a friendly, trusting and accommodating lot! What a stroke of luck! He had found her on the first try! Immediately he emailed her with details about where they would be staying and when they planned to be on the slopes. To his utter amazement and delight, she answered right away. As Edge tapped his feet impatiently in the background, Bono and Sara emailed back and forth, making arrangements to meet for lunch the next day, and then she would show him around Gothenburg as Edge continued skiing. Knowing that she would never believe him if he told her who he was, Bono simply told her to meet him at the bottom of the hill at 12 the next day, that his name was Paul, and that he would be wearing a black snowsuit and goggles. Logging out, Bono felt a rush of elation coursing through him. ?I can?t wait to go on this skiing trip Edge!? He beamed, leaping to his feet.
?I?m glad. Now can we please GET OUT OF HERE? We?re going to miss our flight!? Edge picked up Bono?s suitcase in one hand and shoved him out the door with the other. Bono?s flights of fancy were hard to take sometimes.
***
The next day, Edge was on the slopes bright and early, the cold mountain air reddening his nose and cheeks as he gleefully swooshed down the hill and then waited impatiently for the chairlift to take him back up. Bono on the other hand wanted to kill Edge for waking him up at the ungodly hour of 6:00am. With eyes half closed behind his goggles, Bono proceeded to tumble clumsily down the hill, landing in a heap at the bottom. Laughing uproariously, Edge helped his friend to his feet.
?That?s right, Bono! Very good!? Edge smiled kindly, eyes crinkling as the light from the snow reflected into them, paternal instincts taking over. Bono stared pitifully at Edge.
?Can I go back to bed now?? he whined hoarsely.
?No way! You are here on this trip to ski with me, and I know that the minute you meet this girl you are going to abandon me to spend time with her. Besides, practice makes perfect and you don?t want the girl to think you?re a clumsy oaf do you??
Bono sighed with tired resignation and climbed painfully to his feet.
?There now. That?s the spirit! Let?s get back on that lift and try again!?
***
At 11:55, Sara wandered along the foot of the ski slopes, squinting her eyes in the sun and straining to find her mystery man. This was quite exciting! It was as if this man had simply dropped out of the stars at a time that she most needed excitement. She had been feeling lonely and blue lately and an adventure, romantic or otherwise was just what she needed. She wondered if this would be her prince in fly clothing, but dared not get her hopes up.
Suddenly, she sensed a dark shape coming towards her, and before she could react, CRASH! The dark form collided with her and they tumbled into a heap in the snow.
?Oh, I?m awfully sorry about that, I still haven?t quite got the hang of this, although I am increasing my speed, unfortunately for you!? Bono stood up, and held out his hand to help Sara up as she wiped the snow from her face and eyes.
?Oh, my glasses! Where are they? I?ve lost them in the snow. Can you help me look?? She squinted at the dark shadow in front of her.
?Of course! I think I see something over there.? That voice! Something about it filled her with a warm tingling. It seemed urgently familiar, yet she couldn?t place it.
?Ah. Here it is!? The voice called out triumphantly. She held out her hand and he placed the glasses in her snowy mitten. As she cleaned the snow off the lenses, she sensed a second figure gliding up to them.
?Smooth, Bono, Smooth!? said the second figure. Sara inhaled abruptly and shoved on her glasses as fast as she could.
Staring in disbelief at the man in a snowsuit in front of her, she gasped, ?Bono???
Bono removed his goggles and stared at her, his eyes perfectly matching the shade of the sky behind him. Immediately a huge grin spread across his face like the sun breaking through a storm cloud. ?Sara! I am so glad to see you! I?m so sorry that I crashed into you!? Bono opened his arms and drew her in for a huge bear hug.
?Well, I guess that?s it for Bono and skiing!? Edge chuckled somewhat sadly.
?Oh! Sorry. How rude of me. Sara, this is The Edge, ski instructor extraordinaire.?
?I know. Hi Edge.? Sara smiled bashfully and held out her hand, which Edge took and shook gently. Soon he was waving them goodbye, as he had one more chairlift to catch before breaking for lunch.
Bono and Sara stood awkwardly staring at each other for a minute. Bono broke the silence. ?Wow, you?re even more ravishing than I had remembered!? Sara blushed to the roots of her hair. She had a difficult time handling compliments as it was, but one from Bono?
?Thank you.? She whispered softly.
?Come on, let?s get out of here and go have lunch! I?m starving!? Bono and Sara went to the ski chalet so he could change, and then they hopped into a waiting Mercedes, which drove them to one of the best restaurants in town.
?Here?s to skiing! And to not being alone during the Holidays!? Bono clicked his glass of champagne against hers. She noted with some discomfort, but delight nonetheless that his gaze upon her had not wavered since the moment they met. Much as she had anticipated, Bono had the gift of the gab, making conversation throughout lunch effortless and magical. After lunch, Bono and Sara explored the city, wandering in and out of dozens of shops, with Bono insisting upon buying his ?hostess? a pair of rich red garnet drop earrings framed by sterling silver Celtic knots.
After the sun had gone down, they walked along the harbour, admiring the Christmas lights that twinkled brilliantly in the water and chatting about every topic under the stars from the profound to the mundane. ?This is just like the perfect first date ? except this is BONO!? marveled Sara to herself. A violent shiver overtook her body; a combination of the excitement and the cold damp air. Instantly Bono?s coat was around her shoulders and he had drawn her close as they walked.
?Ehm,? Bono began nervously, rubbing the tops of her arms vigorously to warm her up, ?I know you may be getting sick of the sound of me voice by now, but if you?d like to get in the car with me and go back to the lodge, we could maybe warm up by the fire and order in something to eat??
?That would be lovely!? Sara enthused, trying to remain calm, not daring to imagine where this adventure would end. Bono?s slow, sexy smile revealed his delight at her answer.
Once inside the car, the light was such that even though she was looking outside she could see Bono's reflection staring at her. Bono secretly wished that they weren't in a towncar but in a limo so he could tell the driver to roll up his window so they could have some privacy. Sara smelled his naturally seductive Taurean aroma. Bono wondered why she was staring out the window and not talking to him. Perhaps he had over estimated her feelings about him. He would have to try harder!
Bono slid across the seat to gently meet Sara's thigh with his. Sara swallowed slowly and turned around only to almost bump her face into his. She looked down at his thigh and slowly perused his fine form until her eyes fluttered gently wide open as she peered into his sea blue eyes. Bono gazed into her eyes intently. Gently, he placed his huge warm hands over hers. He gathered them together and held them beside his cheek.
"Your hands are so cold...and they're trembling." He murmured softly. Sara watched him stroke the lengths of her fingers, saying nothing, as if watching a dream. Slowly he opened her hands staring into them as if to see his future there. She could feel his warm breath on them. He closed his eyes and carefully began to cover her palms in soft, warm, sensuous kisses. Sara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She couldn't stand to keep them closed too long though because she didn't want to miss seeing what was happening.
After kissing every inch of both sides of her hands he tenderly began stroking the side of his face with her hand. He held her other hand in his, completely enveloping it.
"Oh, if only I could stay like this forever...." He whispered forlornly. Sara moved over to him and placed her head on his warm, broad chest. She listened to his huge heart beating for her. They remained this way until they arrived at the lodge.
Meanwhile, word had got out that half of U2 was staying at the ski lodge, and the resort was surrounded by fans. Sara felt a small twang in her stomach. She knew too well what it was like to be one of those fans shivering out in the crowd. After helping her out of the car, he placed his arm around her and escorted her past the small throng of desperate fans.
"Bono, shouldn't you go to them?" Sara pleaded. Bono smiled a bedimpled, completely enraptured grin at his new beloved. It seemed like the best idea he had ever heard. Everything she said was wonderful.
"OK me darlin'...I'll meet you inside if ye like!" Sara smiled gently at him, and walked inside. She could feel the stares burning a hole in her back but she didn't care. She was in love. She rushed to the phone to call Lisa. Her friend, who was infatuated with fame and celebrities, would never believe this. She had to let her know that not only had she spent an entire day with a VERY famous person, but she might be spending the NIGHT with him too! The phone rang and rang.
"Where the hell is she?" Sara muttered angrily. Where was her friend when she had exciting news for her? Lisa was always telling her how much she loved her phone calls and now she was calling and she wasn't there! How dare she!!!! Sara slammed down the phone in disgust. Then she began to feel nervous.
Bono would be there very soon! What would she do! Was he even going to ask her to sleep with him? Would that ruin all the romance early, or make it stronger? Or was this merely dinner and maybe a nightcap and that would be it? Sara rushed to a mirror to fix her hair and make sure she looked OK.
Suddenly the door opened. Bono padded towards her softly, his sapphire eyes glowing rapturously at her. ?Shall we?? he queried, once again eagerly taking her hand in his. Silently they walked to his room and went inside. The fire was already crackling, a bottle of chilled Veuve Cliquot awaited them and the bed had already been turned down. Slowly he removed his jacket and threw it on the floor. Then he kicked off his boots. Sara swallowed and tried to control her breathing.
?Shall I order us a little something to eat? All this skiing and excitement has made me ravenous!? Sara couldn?t believe that she was actually adding excitement to Bono?s life! She nodded enthusiastically, and as he placed the order, she walked over to the window and stared at the snow falling gently to the ground outside, sparkling in the light glowing from their room. She heard him hang up the phone and watched his reflection as he tiptoed behind her, pretending not to notice that he was now standing mere inches away. And then his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, and his face was beside hers, mouth next to her ear.
?The snow?s fallin? dooooownnnn, we?re watchin? it fall?..there?s no people around?baby please come hoooooome. No church bells in our room, but I?m singing a song, it?s a happy sound, Baby please come home?.in Dublin I Decked The Halls, but it wasn?t like Christmas at all, I?ll remember that we met here?and all the fun we?ll have next year?now there is a waaaaaaay, that I?ll hold back my tears, if on Christmas Day, baby you?ll come hooooooome?.Baby please come home?.Baby please come hoooooome?.? His voice was so soft and sweet and she couldn?t believe he was changing the lyrics just for her.
Soon the dinner arrived, and they sat on the floor eating their picnic in front of the fire. So intoxicated by love was she, she promised Bono that she would spend this and every Christmas with him. She wasn?t so sure how her family would feel about this, but they would just have to understand. Bono was simply too irresistible!
After dinner, they sipped their champagne slowly and nibbled on chocolate truffles. Suddenly, Bono motioned for her to sit on his lap. Her legs were like jelly and she had no idea how she made it over but she did. Bono wrapped his arms around her and sighed.
"It?s nice to go from such bitter cold to such?.heat, isn?t it?? he murmured. Sara was about to answer but she was unable to speak. Bono leaned toward her and gently rubbed the tip of his nose up and down hers and along her cheek, slowly...seductively allowing his silky soft hair to brush her face. He began to talk to her quietly, punctuating each sentence with a soft kiss on her cheek, first one side then the other. Often she didn't hear what he was saying. The pattern, the rhythm and the restrained hunger of the kisses were all she needed.
What she did catch was the "Oh, Sara...how did I ever survive without you...I can?t believe how easily I found you and now I'll never let you go...never...ever. All I need is to look at you. As long as I have you near me I am completely happy." Both had their eyes closed. Sara allowed the hoarse sexiness of his soothing voice seep into her by osmosis. Her mouth was half open and drying out but there was nothing she could do. She was in a trance. Bono's warm kisses got closer and closer to her to her longing mouth. His hands rested on her waist. He didn't want to overwhelm her. Finally, after an eternity, his ravenous mouth was upon hers.
Suddenly, Bono pulled away and looked carefully into her eyes. "I don't want to rush you into anything you don't want to do, my Angel."
"Oh believe me, I want to! It?s just that I want to savour every exciting moment..." Sara admitted. She wanted to stretch this one out. Every caress was an adventure and she didn't want the suspense snatched from her right away.
"I agree. It's like being a teenager again, discovering love for the firs time. Tou-tou-touching youuuuu" Bono sang, smiling ecstatically at Sara, who began to giggle uncontrollably. Suddenly he picked her up and tossed her on the bed grinning devilishly. The performer had been awakened.
?FLIRTATION! TEMPTATION! SENSATION! SALIVATION! EXPECTATION! EL-EV-A-TION! ELONGATION! PROCREATION! JUBILATION! EXULTATION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ? Bono squirmed sensually, doing a mock strip tease until he collapsed with laughter, and fell down on the bed beside her panting heavily. Becoming serious again, he leaned towards her, eyes out of focus, gently pressing his lips to hers again. Soon their clothes were gone and they spent the rest of the night bathed in warm firelight, alternately making ecstatic love and snuggling in each other?s arms. They had finally found true happiness in each other and neither ever had to spend another Christmas being lonely again.
The End
