Music, Ink, and Love

by Jude Ouvrard

  “Levi, just go with it. Tease.”

  While I reminded myself of how freaking good she was, I had left her waiting. Not anymore. Hold on, Rock Star.

  She held me firmly, not sure how comfortable she was on the countertop. It may not be the best idea but fuck, she was positioned at the perfect height. I thrusted into her while she met me each time. I had never connected to anyone like I did with her. Our bodies reacted to one another and we only had to let them guide us.

  “Levi... Slow down.”

  I tried to... I tried harder, but I was lost in my universe of Star. So perfect.

  I stared into her beautiful blue eyes and I saw her wince once or twice. I lift her in my arms, still deep into her and moved her against the next available wall. We should have gone in our bedroom, but it was too late now.

  One of her legs hooked on my hip, and the other one had her foot in a pointe position, trying to support herself has kept the perfect rhythm going.

  “Levi.” The way she said my name meant everything. She loved what I was doing to her. Her breathing quickened, her cheeks flushed and she held her lip between her teeth. I hurried, sent her a little deeper into our pleasure, held it together for a minute or two and we met the apex of our night. Both of us sliding down the wall to the floor, my legs were tired and I couldn’t even think about standing up just quite yet. Her head rested on my shoulder, her tired eyes fighting to stay open.

  “Do you want me to get you to bed, babe?”

  “No, it smells too good not to eat it. I’m starving. Feed me, Angel.”

  I took everything I had for me to stand and help her up. I got us two full plates that we ate in the living room with the TV on to some haunting documentary. While it fascinated me, Nix seemed to hide her face into my shoulder most of the time, until she fell asleep. Bekka had the habit of staying over at Tyler’s so I didn’t expect her to come home tonight. I let myself fall asleep on the couch with the girl of my dreams in my arm. My back would probably hate me in the morning but she was worth a stiff back.

  She was worth every fucking thing.

  Chapter NINE

  The next morning, when I woke up, I found Nix at the kitchen table eating cereal and going through a bridal magazine. She smiled when she saw me standing there and watching her. Already dressed and showered, her beauty made my day.

  “Morning, Star.”

  “Morning, Angel.”

  “Did you see anything you liked?”

  “You.” She winked.

  I rolled my eyes. “Let me rephrase my question. Did you find a nice gown?”

  She giggled shyly. “Yes, but we have to decide where it will be before I decide on a dress.”

  “Right.”

  “I’m thinking about a ceremony outside, in the nature. A beach or a lake, I don't know.”

  “Okay, yeah, I like that.” A church wedding didn’t exactly appeal to me, but I would do it for her. Somewhere outside sounded much better. “We’ve put this on hold for a while but I would like if you could meet my father. I mean, I’m sure he would love to meet my future wife.”

  “Yes, we should invite him here or meet him somewhere for dinner.”

  The fact that my father was about to meet the love of my life made me nervous. Not that it would change anything for me, but I would love it if they got along. The only time she heard from my father, I had gotten drunk and ended up at the apartment. Thanks to Tyler. That was a shitty day. I always hated that damn day.

  “I’ll call him and I’ll let you know.” Calling my dad led my To Do list for today. I hadn’t talked to him a lot lately and I had to change that today.

  “Sounds good, babe.” She smiled.

  “I’m gonna take a shower real quick, Star.”

  Was that an invitation I had just offered? She giggled and shook her head in disbelief. What? A man can dream, right?

  My phone started ringing just as I stepped into the shower. Recognizing my father’s ringtone, I hurried to pick it up. It could have waited but maybe it was important.

  “Good morning, Dad.”

  “Good morning, son.”

  “It’s funny because I meant to call you today. I would like to set a time and date for a dinner, if you’d like.”

  “I was calling for the same reason. We haven’t talked much lately.” He chuckled, embarrassed. “I’ve been rather busy with work.”

  “I know how it is, Dad, don’t worry about it. Give me your next available time and we’re going to be there.”

  “Who’s we?”

  “My fiancée, Phoenix and I.”

  “Son, is she pregnant?”

  I burst in laughter. “No, Dad, not pregnant. I just think it’s time you met her.” I couldn’t believe that my dad thought Nix was pregnant. She could be but I knew she wasn’t.

  “I agree, Levi.” He chuckled and that surprised me. Dad was normally the serious type. “I’ll have Colleen call you this afternoon.”

  “Okay, thanks, Dad.”

  I breathed in and out. For some reason, I hadn’t realized I had been holding my breath. Maybe because this whole time I talked to my father butt naked. It could be it. I jumped in the shower and all I could think about was telling Nix about my phone call.

  When I turned off the shower, my emotions went from happy to sappy to protective and thankful. Nix's melody echoed in the apartment and her voice completely sank into my soul. Her voice alone could make me weak, but the emotion behind each word she pronounced broke me to pieces.

  I dried my hair quickly, removed the droplets of water covering my body with my towel before I put on my underwear. I walked to our room and there she was, sitting with her legs crossed in the middle of the bed and her guitar resting on her lap.

  The lyrics of the Rising Sun resonated in my mind, with the images of her singing the song for me. She hit every note with perfection. Her eyes lost in an emotional turmoil. I leaned against the wall and I watched her.

  She ended the song with a deep sigh. I meant to join her, but she started a new piece. Her fingers danced gracefully on the strings of her guitar. I could tell she was getting acquainted with the new song, something I had heard on the radio or at the club.

  She looked up to me and smiled.

  “Come.” She said and I did, I sat by her side and she leaned on me while working on her new song.

  “What song is it?”

  “It’s ‘Safe With Me’ by Sam Smith.”

  “It’s lovely.”

  She blushed and started humming and as the song went, the words became clearer and her voice embraced every one of them.

  “I could stay like this forever, Nix.”

  “We will, Levi. No matter how far or close we are, it doesn't have to feel different. We're strong. In the short period we've known each other, you've seen me at my worst state and at my best, and you never judged me.”

  “You never judged me either.”

  She chuckled, timidly. “I did, but it was before I knew you.”

  “Well, in that case, it doesn't count Mrs. Munroe.”

  Her eyes looked up to me, sparks of light and a beautiful curve laced her lips. “Mrs. Munroe.”

  “To be.” I kissed her lips. “I would do it tomorrow if I could.”

  “I've been looking at these magazines and I realize that I really want something simple. You, me, your father, Bekka, Kyle, Tyler, Tiff and Val, if she can make it. If you want something bigger, we will but to me, they are all the people that matters to me.”

  “I've been thinking about the same thing, Star.”

  “Any suggestions as to where we could do it?” I had been asking myself that same question and I couldn’t exactly pick just one. My answer to her wouldn’t be any help.

  “Here, Vegas, Mexico, Hawaii.”

  “Here?”

  “When you said by the water, I thought about my mother's place by the lake.” I paused not letting the emotions get to me. “But it’s a private land, we would have to ask permission and
all that.”

  “It could still be an option.” She seemed interested.

  “True. I'm going to see my father this afternoon. It would be a better idea to talk to him in private before he meets you. He knows about you, but I think it would be better if I talk to him about our plans first. It would give him a better chance to understand us.” I had to give my old man a chance.

  “You know him better than I do, Angel. I trust you on that.” She kissed me, biting on my bottom lip. Tease. “I have a class in an hour.”

  “We'll leave together, then.”

  I liked my life simple and with her, it was.

  The weather in Seattle kept growing colder. Winter was around the corner and so were the holidays. Christmas with Nix would bring joy to our burden. My dad and I hadn’t been much fun during Christmas since my mom’s passing.

  The heat turned on in my car, we both sat and listened to the music. Nix went through her notes one last time, making sure she had everything. She repeated some words that made no sense to me at all but to her, it made everything clear. Apparently. We kissed to the point where we were almost making out in the parking lot.

  “Will you marry me, Phoenix Silverstone?”

  “Yes, I’ll always say yes to that question, Angel.”

  She giggled and jumped out of the car, blowing me a kiss when she was a couple of feet away. I watched her walk away with her eyes glued to her notes and then I knew I had a few hours before I could see her again.

  Not only was I on my way to a surprise visit at my dad's office but I had just kissed the most beautiful girl before proposing to her again! Of course, hearing her say yes again made me feel happier than ever. I parked my car on the side of the street near my dad's work. I grabbed myself and my dad a coffee before getting on the elevator to his office. Anxiety set in. I was on my way to tell my dad I was getting married sooner than what we had planned originally and that I wanted him there with me. The second part made me nervous more than it should. Of course, I wanted him there.

  My hands were clammy when I entered his office. The receptionist recognized me and speed dialed Colleen to let her know I was here. I knew a lot of the staff here because of the short period I had worked here. To please my dad, I had put on some of my most formal clothes. Nix said I looked hot, so I might have to wear them more often. A black pair of slacks and grey shirt under a black sweater. Almost all my tattoos hiding, except for my knuckles. I expected a comment from my dad on that too.

  “Mr. Munroe, your father is expecting you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Luiz.”

  I crossed the hall in a fast pace, my father was talking to Colleen when he saw me coming. He smiled at me. It was good to see him. He looked great.

  “What a good surprise to see you here, Levi.” He spoke so loudly everyone turned around to look at us.

  I gave him his coffee, we shook hands and he gave me a quick man hug.

  “Come.” He followed me into his office. “What brings you here this early?”

  We sat and I knew I had to start talking.

  “Well, a lot has been going on in my life since the summer.” I tried to control the grin on my face. “I met Phoenix and everything changed fast and for the best.”

  “Okay, what does that mean?”

  “First, it means that I love her, like I’ve never loved anyone else. Second...” I paused. “It means that we’re going to get married as soon as we can. We aren’t waiting years or taking over a year to play it. We’re doing this now.” I looked at him straight in the eye, I wanted him to know how serious I was about this.

  “How long have you two been together?”

  “Since the beginning of the summer. June, I think. We share an apartment with her friend and we’re solid.”

  “How did you meet her?” He asks, trying to understand me better.

  “She works for Tyler. This is where I met her, but she also goes to the university and she helps at the shop when she can. She works hard, she’s twenty-one and she’s my perfect match.”

  “I’m looking forward to meeting her.” He said with a corner smile.

  “That’s why I asked you to have dinner later this week. I want you to meet her.” Her parents. Here come the details. “You won’t meet her parents though. That’s the complicated part. Unfortunately, her mother cut all ties to her when she found out she was with me. She’s kind of old school and doesn’t agree with me. She refuses to talk to her, even her step-father took her mother’s side. It’s a very sad story, let me tell you. She’s okay now. And her biological father, he is not around.” I lied.

  “How did you deal with her mother? Did you try to explain? You’re a good man, son. The tattoos are... well, they are what they are, but it doesn’t make you a criminal or an asshole. You work hard and you have a good living. I would love to have a word with that woman.”

  “She tried, but it didn’t work. Maybe with time, she’ll have regrets. I have no idea. I only saw her once. She was hysterical.”

  “I’m sorry, Levi. Some people have their own opinion of people and we can’t change that.”

  I nodded. It sucked.

  “Anyway, I think you’ll like Phoenix or Nix. Actually, we call her Nix.”

  “I can tell that you’re in love. It’s a very good thing for you, son. I want grandchildren someday.” He laughed.

  “Wow, Dad, slow down. Let us get married first. We need to plan the wedding, find a house. We’ve got a lot of things to do before kids.”

  “Sometimes, it goes faster than we think. When and where will the wedding be?”

  “We are looking at our options. So far, we decided to do an outside ceremony, by the water. We don’t know if we want to do it here or away, down south.”

  “What about Los Cabos? You know I have a small house over there. It depends on how many guests you want.”

  “Something very small and intimate. It would be around eight to ten people.”

  “Let me see if I can make a few phone calls. I’ll get back to you later this week, if you are interested.”

  “Yes, I think it would be great. I’ll tell Nix tonight and we can all talk about it over dinner.”

  Colleen's voice came out of the small intercom on his office phone. “Mr. Munroe, your next appointment is here, in the conference room.”

  “I'll be with him in five minutes. Thank you, Colleen.”

  “I'll let you go. I just wanted to tell you a few things before you meet her.”

  “I understand, Levi. Thank you for the coffee and for stopping by. You should do that more often.”

  “I will, Dad.”

  We shook hands again and I left his office. I felt much better after telling him more about Nix.

  When I got to the shop twenty minutes later, Kyle was talking with a client. I waved at him and went to the bathroom to change into comfortable clothes. All I thought about was Los Cabos. I had been there once and it really was beautiful. We could certainly arrange something at his place. Like Nix had mentioned, something simple. Maybe I could ask Tyler to get a license to marry us. Tons of ideas ran into my mind. I imagined Nix in a white beach-style dress with little flowers in her hair. She would be definitely hotter than Brooke Shield in Blue Lagoon, right? And I wouldn't have to wear a black tuxedo which was fucking fabulous. It would be a laid back beach wedding. Hell yes! Now, if she could finish her class sooner, that would be perfect because I'm dying to talk to her.

  I picked up my phone and dialed my dad's cell phone number.

  “Austin Monroe speaking.”

  “Dad, do you have any pictures from the house in Los Cabos, I would really love to show Nix.”

  “I'm sorry, it won't take long.” I heard him talking to someone. “I do. In fact, I have a couple of pictures online for my colleagues. They rent it sometimes. I'll send you the link by email.”

  “Okay, thanks and sorry for interrupting your meeting.”

  “It's okay. I'll be in touch.”

  Okay, I need to c
alm the fuck down.

  I returned to my laptop and checked on the few houses I had been looking at. One of them appeared to be sold, but it didn't matter, I was just checking, right?

  I got a notification from my mailbox that I had received a new email. My heart beat too fast. Nix had to agree. This could be it. The place where she would become my wife.

  “What the fuck is wrong with you? You have some kind of whipped cream drooling out of your mouth.”

  I laughed and wiped my mouth automatically. “Remember the place my father owns in Los Cabos?” He nodded. “Well, depending if Nix likes the place or not, we could get married there.”

  “And I'm invited, right?”

  “Of course, I mean, if Nix agrees. She’s the boss, man. It’s her day.”

  He laughed out loud, startling his customer. “Well, then, I’m so going. Nix likes me. I’m like her big brother and I inked her.” He... did. He fucking inked her and I tried to suppress the anger that I suddenly felt. The possessiveness in me. He had crossed a line, fucking hell.

  “Wow, Levi. Chill out. She called me, remember? To surprise you.”

  “Fuck! I know... I know, K.” Something was wrong with me. I knew she called him.

  “You looked like you were about to have a seizure.”

  I chuckled, embarrassed by my reaction. “Sorry, K. Somehow, you got to me head on.”

  Kyle went back to his client, I guessed he was giving her a short break. I sat at my desk and looked at my laptop. I didn’t have an appointment until late in the afternoon. There was nothing else to do but to watch the pictures of Los Cabos and draw some random designs.

  I texted Nix because my day was terribly slow and she remained my biggest distraction.

  Levi: Star, have you ever heard anything about Los Cabos?

  Nix: Isn’t it where the Hollywood stars like to go?

  Levi: My dad has a house there and it’s beautiful.

  Nix: Okay.

  God, she doesn’t sound interested. I had to go straight to the point and tell her what I was dying to say.

  Levi: My dad proposed that we get married there.

  Nix: WHAT? I’m in the middle of my class. You are killing me.