Body, Ink, and Soul

by Jude Ouvrard

  It was a side I was ready to get to know.

  Chapter Seven

  The warm water in the shower was running from my hair down my shoulders and over my body. I stood under the showerhead, remembering Levi’s kisses and what he’d said to me. 'I'm yours already. Take me.' I feared him so badly before, everything he was, the tattoos, his job. I thought he was a typical bad boy. Bekka and Val had tried to tell me numerous time that I was wrong, but I’d never listened to them. When Val left, I started seeing him for who he truly was. Levi had a tough look about him, but his heart and personality were the complete opposite. He had made sure I was doing fine when Val left, more than once. All this time, I’d tried to ignore it, but now that I was finally seeing it, I wanted to be his and I wanted him to be mine. Talking to Tristan was a top priority, before I could move forward with Levi. I had to tell Tristan I wasn't looking for more and I wanted to end whatever we had. I had been wrong about Levi, so terribly wrong. Despite my desire to take things slowly, all I kept wishing was for him to join me in the shower, I wanted to continue what we’d started. Now I could admit to myself, I’d always known I couldn’t trust myself around him. As much as I’d tried to deny it I had always been attracted to him, right from the first time we met. After that kiss this morning, there would be no turning back. Levi was the one I wanted.

  The idea of explaining the situation to Tristan was going to be awkward, he was everything I’d been taught to love by Mom. He seemed to be a really nice guy, and he was gorgeous, but my whole body ached for Levi. Everything had changed drastically in the last hour or so, and I could barely get through two seconds without thinking about him again. It was strange, but now it was clear in my head and I was comfortable with my decision.

  I got dressed in a hurry as I wanted to see Levi again. His bedroom was next to mine and I couldn't hear any sound coming from inside, which left me wondering if maybe he was gone. I was silently praying he wasn't. I walked out of my room wearing a pair of cut-off denim shorts, which showed off my ink, and a black tank top. My hair was still wet and I wore no makeup.

  ''Levi?'' I called. The house remained silent, and I didn’t hear a sound coming out of his room.

  I walked through to the kitchen, finding it empty and lastly checked the living room. Levi had dozed off on the couch, lying comfortably on his side, one arm tucked under his head. I leaned against the wall and quietly watched him for a few minutes. He looked so peaceful and I hesitated, but made the decision to join him. Living with him was going to be a challenge, while I didn’t want things to move too fast between us, I wanted to get to know him more. And I just couldn’t stop myself from wanting to be on the couch beside him.

  I settled onto the couch, lying next to him and his arm slipped around my waist, holding me close. He didn't say a word, didn't even open his eyes, he just held me close and breathed deeply against my hair. I closed my eyes, resting my cheek against his chest and dozed off.

  I hadn't felt this great in years, Levi was bringing something amazingly good into my life. I didn't know exactly what this was between us, but I knew I would figure it out in time.

  I woke up a little over an hour later, still encircled by his arm. His breathing was deep and even, and I moved out of his embrace as slowly as I could so I wouldn’t wake him. I tiptoed into my room, sitting on the bed and grabbing my guitar. Feeling exceptionally relaxed and mellow, I started humming and my fingers moved instinctively over the guitar strings. Humming gradually morphed into words and my fingers created a peaceful melody on the guitar. Playing the instrument came naturally to me and so did singing. I didn't have to think about it, it was as easy as breathing and something I’d loved since childhood.

  ''Rock Star?'' I heard Levi’s voice, groggy from sleep.

  I opened my eyes and a smile raised my lips. He was standing by the bed, his arms crossed. ''Hey!'', I greeted him huskily.

  ''You really can sing, you know that? Your voice is beautiful and you play guitar well.''

  ''I know... it's my thing, you know... yours is tattooing people... this is mine.''

  ''Why don't you have an album or play in town? You’re so talented, you could be the lead singer of a band or even go solo.''

  ''Levi, I know all that... but it’s not how I want to live my life.''

  ''Such a waste.'' He looked down at me and saw my expression, then ran a hand through his bed hair. ''I don't mean to upset you, but you’re really great. You really should exploit your talents. I know you don't want to right now, but if you ever change your mind, let me know. I know a few guys who could help.''

  Again, he was offering me help, proving once again, he was always here for me. ''Thank you, Levi.''

  ''My name has never sounded better coming than when it comes out of your lips. It's very hot and so very distracting.'' Our eyes connected, and I wanted him to join me on the bed, had a fervent need to be closer to him. With Levi around, I decided, I couldn't think straight. He glanced at his watch. ''I've got to go to the shop. I have appointments to get ready for.''

  ''Oh.'' I couldn't hide my disappointment. ''I’ll see you tonight, I guess.”

  ''You can come with me if you want. Kyle will be there, too.''

  ‘‘Hmm... yeah... yeah I would love to. Give me few minutes to get ready.'' This was the first step towards getting to know him better. What better way could there be, than spending time with him in his own environment?

  ''Nix...'' He surprised me by using my name, I couldn't recall him doing it before. ''You look perfect like this. Don't change a thing.'' He took the guitar from my hand and placed it back on the stand, before he held his hand out to me in a silent offering, his eyes intent on mine. Would I take his hand this time?

  I placed my hand into his and he smiled as we headed to the tattoo studio. I’d noticed more than once how he always wanted me to hold his hand. It seemed to be something important to him, something he enjoyed, or maybe it made him feel more secure.

  His car was parked out front. He opened the passenger door and waited for me to settle in the seat before he closed it. He really was proving to be a gentleman.

  ''What was the first tattoo you got?'' I asked him as we drove down the street. He’d probably answered that question hundreds of times before, but I was intently curious about the answer.

  ''My first one... ‘No Regret’ on my chest. It marked the beginning of the new path I was ready to take in my life. As you know, I'm a lawyer, too. My father is one of the best lawyers in the state of Washington and I was always pushed in that direction. Following in my dad’s footstep seemed to be the way to go, but in my heart, I was an artist. I was into writing, drawing, you know... I had been working with Dad for two years when I decided to quit. I wasn't happy and he knew it. That day, I got my first tattoo. I had started tattooing with Kyle on the weekends. He’s like my brother, he taught me everything he knew.''

  ''How did your father react?''

  ''He wasn't happy but to be honest, I didn't expect him to be either. A few weeks after I started tattooing, Kyle and I opened our own shop and the business never stopped. Months ago, I moved to the East Coast, since I wanted to open a shop over there. I worked with very a talented artist and learned a lot. In the end, I decided it wouldn't be worth it. The economy isn’t really doing well right now. So I came back and found you standing behind the bar.''

  I smiled. ''Yeah, I remember that day. You asked for a smile.''

  ''It wasn't the first time I saw you. I’d seen you a couple of times before, but I’d never talked to you before that night.'' He squeezed my hand.

  ''You irritated me as much as you fascinated me.'' It was the truth - that’s exactly how I’d felt about him. His smile from that first night still lingered in my mind.

  ''I still do.'' He laughed. ''You’ll get used to me, Rock Star.''

  ''I guess I will.'' I watched him as he concentrated on the traffic, admiring how handsome he was.

  ''Are you thinking of getting more ink done?'', Levi que
stioned when we stopped at a set of traffic lights.

  I laughed out loud. ''Are you serious? Hell, no.''

  ''Why not?'' he asked, his tone serious.

  I swallowed back the laughter, worried I might have offended him. ''My mom would kill me. She will kill me if she ever finds out about this one.'' I brushed my fingers across the tiny star.

  ''It’s your body, your life. You can do whatever the fuck you want with it. So let me ask you again, are you thinking about having another tattoo?''

  ''Not, right now. The idea hasn't crossed my mind... yet.''

  ''It will.'' He kissed the top of my hand. ''It’s only a matter of time. Tattoos are addictive.''

  He smiled again, and I sat quietly, considering what he’d said about the tattoo thing. I wasn't sure he was right about tattoos being addictive. While I hadn’t thought about getting another one, I wondered if I could work up the courage to do it a second time, knowing how Mom would react if she discovered them. No doubt she would freak out, but Levi was right. It was my body. Time would tell, but my little star made me feel more confident somehow. It was a new addition that I loved, and I thought it was giving me a little edge, making me feel sexy.

  We drove in silence until we got at the shop. He released my hand, much to my disappointment, got out of the car and ran to my side to open my door. As soon as I was out the car, his hand reached for mine again and he hugged me tightly.

  ''I know you have things going on... just try to enjoy the day, okay?'' he demanded.

  I knew what he was alluding to, without him saying the name. ''I’ll talk to him tonight, Levi... he isn't what I want, I know that now. '' His eyes connected with mine, as thought he was trying to figure out if I was serious or not, but I was certain. My body and soul needed him. It scared me to a certain extent, because it was so new and my feelings towards him had changed so drastically. Yet I knew Levi wanted to take care of me and I liked that about him. He was real and didn’t pretend to be someone else.

  ''I really want to kiss you right now,'' he said, his voice deep and sensual. It gave me goose bumps all over my body, hearing him saying he wanted to kiss me was.

  ''You and I both know that if we do, we won't get into the shop for another thirty minutes at least, and you've got stuff to do.''

  ''Just a small kiss, I swear,'' he begged huskily.

  I laughed and nodded my agreement. Levi was so freaking cute, he was obviously dying to kiss me and to be honest, it felt good to know how much he wanted me. He pulled me closer to him, until my breasts were pressing against his chest, and we just stared at each other for a minute. Our eyes seemed to connect us together so deeply, we didn't need to talk. His fingers danced across the skin on my arms and up to my neck, until he reached my cheeks. His palms rested against each side of my face and I closed my eyes, knowing what was coming next. ''You are so beautiful, Phoenix,'' Levi whispered against my lips before giving in to temptation. He was in control, going neither too fast or too slow. As far as I was concerned, he had reached a level of perfection. His kisses, his lips -everything about him made me want to push him back into the car and God only knew what would happen in there. He nibbled on my bottom lip before he released me and pulled away.

  ''Again, Lev, more,'' I begged.

  He laughed, pressing his forehead against mine briefly. ''I have to get going now. But I'll take a rain check.'' He kissed the tip of my nose and we walked into the shop. My heart was beating fast and I didn't just have butterflies dancing in my tummy, I had hummingbirds flapping around in there. I was rapidly falling in love with him, and there was nothing I could do to stop it.

  Kyle was looking at us with a huge grin on his face when we came in. He was sitting at the drawing table. ''I'm glad you guys came up with some kind of arrangement... it might help with Lev’s mood swings, stop him from being so cranky.''

  ''Shut up, man.'' Levi frowned.

  I laughed out loud. Had I really been giving him that hard a time before? ''Was I the reason for your bad mood?'' I asked, with a smile on my lips. He avoided looking at me. ''Really, Levi?'' I tried again, pulling him closer and circling my arms around his waist, but he was still avoiding eye contact. I felt bad, but soon his arms wrapped around my shoulders and I knew it was only a matter of a couple of seconds before our eyes met again.

  ''At least now you know how I feel,'' he said quietly.

  ''I do.'' I kissed his chin and pushed him away. ''You’d better get to work now, you don't want your customers to get moody with you, right?'' I teased gently. I bit my bottom lip to stop from giggling and walked away. I settled in the waiting room and grabbed a tattoo magazine from the table.

  ''Do you really think you’re going to sit there alone all day?''

  I glanced up and found Levi standing in front of me, his hands on his hips. To be honest, I had no clue what I was going to do here all day. I shrugged my shoulders.

  He shook his head and a tiny smile played on his lips. ''Come on, you’re part of the crew now. You’re our receptionist for the day.''

  I raised an eyebrow. ''What? Me?''

  Kyle laughed.

  ''Is that why you brought me here?'' I demanded.

  He caught the expression on my face - I must have looked pissed because he hurried to my side. ''No, Rock Star, I brought you here because I want you with me. There isn't much for you to do, but I just want you close. Hang out with me and Kyle.''

  ''Okay.'' His voice was my weakness. He could tell me anything he wanted with that sweet, sultry voice of his and I was lost.

  I took his hand and he gave my fingers a little squeeze. I walked behind the counter and sat with them. Levi had a beautiful smile on his lips. He was truly happy to have me here and he made me feel like I belonged.

  ''I don't know if you knew, but I work at the music store nearby and I think I'm going to quit. I'll have to do it sooner rather than later,'' I casually mentioned as I studied the appointment book.

  ''Why do you want to quit?'' Levi seemed surprised.

  ''Because he works there too.'' He knew exactly who I was talking about.

  ''Yeah. I remember now.'' I saw his jaw tense.

  ''I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep working there. Especially after I tell Tristan I’m not going to see him anymore. It’ll be too uncomfortable. I'll spend my days here or with Bekka. I get enough tips to pay my rent and bills. I’ll be fine.''

  ''You can work here if you want,” Kyle offered. “We could use the extra help. Cleaning up our stations is a pain. We hate doing stuff like that, right Levi?''

  Levi glanced up from his desk and nodded. ''He’s right. If you want it, the job is yours.''

  ''Alright, I’ll have to think about it though.'' I decided to play with them a little, and made it sound as if I had a multitude of job offers lined up.

  ''Think fast, because we’ve got a long list of students looking for a job in a tattoo shop,'' Kyle said, pretending to search for the list amongst the pile of papers on his desk. “A huge list.” He grinned.

  ''I guess I’ll take it then,'' I said casually. I was very excited about the prospect, but at the same time, my mom’s reaction loomed in my mind and I knew she would be horrified if she found out. She had done everything she possibly could to keep me away from this world and these sort of people, and I knew she’d be furious to discover my relationship with them, particularly Levi. It all revolved around the tattoos, she hated them with a passion and held a massive amount of prejudice against people who had their bodies inked. I knew my Dad had tattoos and he’d abandoned Mom when she found out she was pregnant with me, and she’d always insisted that tattooed people were dangerous, had addictions to drugs and alcohol and were prone to abuse and breaking the law. Despite everything she’d drilled into me over the years, I didn't find Levi or Kyle dangerous. There weren't like Mom told me they would be. They had good values and showed respect to those around them. They were good guys, but I knew she would never get past how they looked, she would never try to underst
and that the way they chose to decorate their bodies didn’t make them bad people.

  ''Is everything okay, Rock Star?'' Levi stood right in front of me and I hadn't even noticed him. I was lost in my thoughts, realizing how disappointed Mom would be when she found out about Levi. My heart hurt because I liked him so much already, but I knew he would never meet with Mom’s approval.

  ''Yes... I... um. I’m fine.'' I forced a bright smile. ''Where do I start?''

  ''I’ll show you,'' Levi said, although he still looked concerned. I smiled again trying to prove I was okay, wanting him to let it go. He placed his hand on the small of my back and led me around the shop. He showed me how to keep the stations clean and sterile, and where the supplies were kept. It seemed easy, but I took some notes to make sure I wouldn't forget any of the steps.

  Levi’s first customer arrived not too long after he finished showing me everything. Adam was here to get a half sleeve and today Levi would only be working on marking the outline. My tattoo boy had everything ready. His stencil was done in advance. They chatted a bit about the Mariners game coming up and the colors he wanted to add to his tattoos.

  I felt like a stalker, spying on my victim. I was watching Levi, listening to his every word and falling deeper and deeper for him with every passing minute. His passion, his devotion to his job was overwhelming. He enjoyed it more than anything, he looked happy and it really suited him. It was his environment, his world. He was a listener; he remembered little details Adam had specified earlier. When he was working on each specific part of the tattoo, he made sure the outline would later allow him to do exactly what Adam wanted. He was very professional and I was impressed by his attitude. My little tattoo felt so small and boring next to this amazing piece he was working on.

  Kyle sat with me after his first appointment was completed and we talked for a while. He was a lot like Levi, not physically, but their personalities were similar. Kyle had his hands and fingers covered in tattoos, whereas Levi kept his unmarked.