by Jude Ouvrard
I nodded. Why were they so weird? They were all acting formal and shit. So unlike Ty. He was normally laid back and relaxed but now, he sounded nervous and off. Were they fighting? Sitting on the couch, I heard a door crack and some noise coming from the kitchen, but I didn’t turn to look around. Instead, I drank my beer and listened to Ty’s music, trying to rid myself of that odd feeling.
Two warm hands came from behind me, and slid from my neck to under my t-shirt to my chest. Holy Mary Jesus. “Nix.” I choked up. The emotions came rushing at me, happiness mostly but also, the relief of all the stress
I stood up, letting go of her hand for a very short moment. I pulled her to me over the couch. I had to touch her, kiss her. Anything to really believe that she was here. “Star.” I kissed her lips. “My Star.” I held her in my arms with a tear rolling down my cheek. “When did you get here?”
“I got here two hours ago. I wanted to surprise you and I also didn’t want you or anyone to throw a party for my return. Bekka offered to have a dinner here and I thought it was perfect.”
“You’re so beautiful, Star. I missed you so fucking much and now, you’re here.” I pulled her into my arms and I held her so freaking tightly as if she would go away from me again. “Stay with me... Stay with me, Nix.”
“I’m here, I’m back.”
“How are you doing? Tell me everything.”
“It’s been hard, emotionally draining, but I’m better now. I learned a lot about myself and I’m stronger and I decided I don’t want to see Brian again.”
“I already made it clear with him that we wouldn’t see him again.” I closed my eyes at the memories of him. “I had never been so angry with someone, Nix.”
“I know and I lost myself when we saw him. Confusion, stress and a whole bunch of shit came through me. Levi, I’m so sorry for everything.”
I kissed her lips, loving the sensation of them. “Don’t be sorry. I’m glad we’re back together and mostly, I want you happy. I want you to tell me how you feel, good or bad.”
“I will.”
She encircled my waist into her arms and I thought I was about to break down. My vision got fuzzy and tears invaded my eyes. “Babe, you have no idea how good it feels to have you in my arms right now.” I kissed her hair. “This day is fucking perfect. I have my fiancée with me again.”
“I know exactly how you feel, Angel, because I feel the same way. I can’t wait to be home with you.”
Oh hell yes, I couldn’t wait to be home with her again. Her energy, her smell, everything that went missing the day she entered rehab. The bed wouldn’t be so big and cold anymore. Her nice body would be glued to mine. “I can’t wait either.” I sniffled.
Nix looked up to me, her stare surprised. “Don’t cry, Angel. This is a good day.”
“So good that I can’t stop myself from crying. You are my life, the reason my heart beats.”
She dried my tears with the back of her hand and stood on her tiptoes to reach my lips. She mouthed to me quietly that she loved me.
“Can we join you guys now?” Bekka asked, curious.
“Of course, but don’t expect her to leave me side, not even for a second.”
Tyler came up to me and gave me a man hug. “I’m glad you have her back now.” I nodded.
I couldn’t stop looking at her, I knew her release date was coming but I never expected to see her here tonight.
Best fucking surprise ever! My girl was back and I wanted the world to know.
Chapter EIGHT
Back in our home, I could definitely not keep my hands off of her and she sure as hell didn't mind. The apartment was ours for the night, Bekka staying over at Tyler's place.
“You look tired.” Her eyes were small and heavy.
“I had a long day, babe.”
“Come, let's get to bed, then.” I invited her to follow me to our room by offering her my hand.
She entwined her fingers with mine and I knew, I wouldn't let go of her hand.
Having her back in our room made me the happiest man ever. The only way I could explain was a scene from E.T. When his heart stopped beating, the flowers died and when his heart started beating again, the flowers came back to life. That was me. While she stayed at the center, part of my heart became numb and now, it had never felt so alive.
I wished I had known she would be here tonight; I would have changed the sheets and put my clothes away. “I’m sorry about the mess. I can change the sheets if you want?” I asked her, grabbing my clothes off the floor and putting them in our laundry basket.
“Babe, stop, please. You make me dizzy.”
I threw everything I had in my hands and reached for her.
“I wished you didn’t have to see this mess. I’m sorry.” She probably noticed but all I could do was tell her how sorry I was.
“I don’t care if your clothes are on the floor or if the sheets are dirty. I’ve been thinking about this very moment for weeks. This is you. A little bit messy sometimes, worried about me, and caring about me. It’s all that I missed, all that matters, okay?”
I nodded.
“Did you get new ink while I was gone?” She asked biting on his lips.
“I didn’t, but I’m starting to regret it now.”
She pulled my t-shirt over my head and giggled. “I missed your tattoos. In my spare time, I tried to draw some of them.”
“Can I see?”
“Oh, hell no.” She laughed. “I have no talent whatsoever.”
“I still want to see them. You got me curious now.”
“I’ll check if I still have them in the morning.” She rolled her eyes and her cheeks flushed.
She proceeded with the belt on my pants. Nix was on a mission to get me undressed. It thrilled me. I loved how confident she acted. My pants fell to the floor and there I stood, in nothing but my boxer briefs.
“I’m glad to be home.” She said, holding me close.
“I’m beyond glad.” I kissed her lips. “Now that you’ve gotten me almost naked, why don’t we take off some of your layers?”
Of course I thought about sex. Who wouldn’t? But I just wanted to have her with me in our bed. I unbuttoned the first button of her shirt and pulled it over her head leaving her hair dishevelled. I stared at her after that, she let me watch her like a predatory animal. Every part of her body that I dreamed about was standing right before me. She undid her pants herself and pushed them to the floor. I lifted her in my arms, held her for fucking forever and embraced each second of it. I’m such a pussy-whipped man.
In our bed, her ear rested on my heart, something she always liked to do. My mind had a hard time processing that she really was back. All of the days where I moped around and missed her were gone. My Star had my life shining again.
Her breathing stable and calm, we hadn't moved since we had first gotten under the covers.
“Why are you so quiet, babe?” She asked in a low voice.
“I... I don't know. I thought we were just relaxing.” I paused. “To be honest, I was enjoying the moment, you here with me.”
“I went to bed every night thinking about you. I talked to you a lot. Told you about my plan and my goals.” She looked up to me. “You were my strength. I mean, you still are.”
I kissed the first piece of skin I could find. “You are mine too.”
“Hold me, please.” She said rolling on her side. Her back to my front, my arms locked around her. I had to keep my thoughts in check because my mind wanted her, but I had to be good and listen to my heart. She had just got back. I had to give her a chance to settle.
“I played guitar and sang a lot in rehab, it helped me.”
Did she now? “Alone or in front of others?” The answer could be a huge statement for her.
“I started to play alone in my room and then others heard me and slowly I let them listen to me and by the end, I could play in the living room without feeling like I would have a panic attack.”
“Wow, bab
e! That’s great, but don’t tell Tyler, he might force you into giving a concert at the club.”
She giggled. “Yeah, I gotta be careful. I might do it later.”
“If you do it, I’ll help you in every way that I can.”
“Thanks.”
Being with her again was incredible but I knew it was all temporary. School and work would be back on her schedule in no time and I hated the idea. I wanted her to take it easy. Rushing back into everything may not be good. “Have you thought about what you’ll be doing with school and work?”
“Yeah, I’ll be back to school on Monday. I have a lot to catch up on. I might fail some of my classes.” I could hear the disappointment in her voice. “And I’ll be back at the club by Wednesday.”
“Are you sure about that? I mean, I don’t want to put my nose in your business. I know you are a strong woman, but I don’t want you to stress over things for no reason.”
“Well, babe, we made plans about getting married and all that and I still want those things to happen. I just got to concentrate on what’s important and school is important. I’ll have to work extra hard and maybe ask for tutoring. I don’t know yet, but I don’t want our plans to change.”
I thought my heart might have cracked. How freaking sweet and lovely was my Star? “Star, we will get married. I don’t want you to worry about that.” I squeezed her into my arms. We would get married no matter what. I didn’t mind having a small ceremony or flying back to Vegas. It didn’t have to be something super fancy. In the end, I only wanted to marry her. And the new place I had started looking for. I liked the apartment but I was starting to think about having something a little bit more spacious. Not now, but soon, I would have to tell her about my plans.
She sighed and I knew she was about to fall asleep. I closed my eyes and tried to relax. I had my star back, I was a happy man.
She had just gotten back to me a few days ago, and already she fought the odds and tried to prove to everyone who told her to quit that she could get her credits this semester. I told her to wait a week or two before going back to work and she agreed. We had no financial issues whatsoever. Her classes meant more than a paycheck.
Picking her up after her class or tutoring had become my new habit this week. I waited for her in the car or at the door of her classroom. The smile on her face each and every time made it all worth it. To my pleasure and Kyle's, Nix started to hang out at the shop again. She mostly had her headphones on with some schoolwork but she was fucking here! Her, in my shop, I was in heaven. I could stare at her as much as I wanted. My muse, my fiancée, nobody had ever made me so damn happy.
“Lev, I'm done for the day. I can't see straight anymore.”
“You've been studying for two hours now. You need a break.”
“Are you ready to head back home?” she asked. There was nothing I couldn't do tomorrow. My designs were close to perfection and I had no appointments scheduled.
“Let's go.” I told her, and she threw her books in her backpack. “Are you hungry? We could grab something on the way.” I said, putting my designs away in my folder.
“I feel like cooking something, together.”
“Good idea, Star.”
I knew she wasn't really fond of cooking, but I liked it and any excuse to do something together sounded good to me.
“Anything in particular?” I asked thinking about what food we had.
“Surprise me.”
“I can surprise you alright.”
Shit! I had no idea but I had to come up with something good. Since her return, we had eaten take out or frozen meals. Nothing fancy and I knew she deserved better than this. We had been both focused on her schoolwork. Nix impressed me: she worked so hard on herself recently and yet, she still had energy to learn a bunch of stuff in a very short period of time. Her friends at school were very helpful. If I remembered something about University, it had to be the amount of time I spent studying and learning laws. My brain felt like it was full by the time I graduated. It felt like a lifetime ago but it had been a couple of years.
We sat in my car, Incubus played in the background. Her old favorite band and also a band I liked a lot, it hadn’t stopped playing since the first time she sat in my car. One of the things I didn’t want to change.
“I think next week I’ll be ready to go back to work. I’ll have to work hard, again.” She sighed. “But I have stuff to pay.”
“Work at the shop. You’re always there anyway. At the club, you’ll have to stay up late. Are you ready for that?”
She listened and thought about what I had just said. “I don’t know, Levi. I’m not sure what to do, I think I’m getting better with my classes. I’m catching up fast. But moneywise, I need to work.”
“I told you not to worry about money. I’ve got it covered. We’re in this together, babe. If you’re going to let me be your husband, you’ll have to learn to let me pay for your stuff when you need it. It’s just money, and I happen to have it. Let me help you. Focus on your classes, now. Work on your homework and when you’ll be ready, we’ll call Tyler and you’ll have your place back.”
“Why do you make it seem so easy?” She looked down to her fingers.
“Because there is nothing complicated. I know you’re strong, babe, but you just got through some heavy shit. I don’t feel like now is a good time for you to stress about shit that isn’t necessary, okay?” I took her hands in mine and kissed her. “I hope you understand my point. I want you to do what you want, but I hope you’ll consider what I’m offering you.”
“We’re in this together. The Save Nix from her Past Struggles foundation.” She chuckled.
“No, babe. I’m just looking after you. That’s what couples do, right?”
“Right.” She sighed looking out the window. “Thank you, I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.”
“No, babe. You don’t understand. I’m not asking for the money back. You and your well-being mean more to me than money.”
I had to keep my eyes on the road, but I glanced in her direction every chance I got. At some point, I thought I saw tears in her eyes and I felt bad. I honestly only wanted her to have no worries. Her studies were important to her and to me. I’ve been there, I understood.
“Look babe, my only goal is to see that my Star shines, it’s all I need.”
“I’m shining, I just need to be polished a little.” She teased me.
“I’ll work on that.”
Having her home with me was still fucking amazing. I had been so lonely here without her.
My stomach begged me to be fed and my mind urged me to prepare something quick so I could spend time with Nix on the couch.
I took the chicken breasts from the freezer, sliced them and grilled them. On the side, I prepared some veggies for a sauté. We would be eating soon, leaving us more time to cuddle. Nix changed into her pajamas before she came to help me. Her damn pajamas hugged her in all the right places, a tight tank top without a bra and some very tight leggings a la Commando. She stirred the chicken slices and all I could see was how damn sexy she made it look. Her long hair were twisted in a loose bun on top of her head like she had no care in the world and that just fucking turned me on.
“It's... hmm... I think it's ready. You can add the... hmm... the veggies.”
She chuckled and added the plate of veggies to the sauté.
“Are you hungry, Levi?” She knew the effect she had on me. I stood there totally helpless about to lose my mind.
“I am, but maybe not for what you have in mind.”
“Not too long ago, we made out for the first time and you took me on that counter.” She looked at me over her shoulder. “I liked it.” She teased me.
“You liked it. I thought you loved it. Because yes, Star, I have that effect on you. Do you want me to show you?” I asked, pulling my hoodie over my head, showing off the tattoos that arouse her so much.
“You don’t play fair, Lev.”
“Never have.
” I turned off the burner and, without hesitation, I held her face between my hands and kissed her with force. In the past few days my hunger for her had been uncontrollable. She had been away from me for way too long.
“I thought you were hungry, babe.” She whispered against my lips.
“I’m famished.” I lifted her off the floor and sat her on the counter top. I looked into her baby blue eyes and my heart skipped a beat. I loved that girl beyond my own life.
Both of her hands holding on to my biceps, she let me kiss her. She kissed back, deepening the intensity and had me hard in no time. Her breasts against my chest, I had to touch her. Feel her soft skin under my hands. Her hands let go of me for an instant and it made me mad, only for them to return on the belt of my pants, undoing and pushing them down my legs.
“Kitchen counter sex sounds good, but do you want to go in our room or here?”
“Here.” Nix whispered with her lips touching mine. Then, she removed her tank top, leaving her breasts for me to touch. My imagination ran wild with all the things I wanted to do or try with her. A man’s a man, and when paired with a beautiful woman, we just can’t control ourselves.
“I’ll help you, hold on to me.” I said while she tried removing her pants. I lifted her up and then pulled at her pants. Naked in my fucking kitchen, I liked that a lot.
We kissed for a very long time, I could kiss her all day. Her hands danced on my back and sometimes I could feel her nails digging very subtlety. It gave me chills. The tension between us had reached its limit.
“Star, I need you, now.” I whispered with a hint of begging.
“I need you too, Angel.” Thank God, she did.
Her legs encircled around my waist, I adjusted myself between her tight and I pushed myself into her. Jesus Christ!
I would never get rid of this feeling of me engulfed in her. Everything fell into place when we were together. She was the piece of my fucking puzzle. The ketchup on my French fries. The ink of my tattoos. She completed me and this was my heaven.
She yelped and exhaled. I pulled out and pushed back in.