Holding a Hero

by Layne, Lyssa

  Squeezing our way amongst the crowds milling around the bar, we reached the dance floor. It was amazing, with tiny lights in pink, green and blue decorating the ceiling and the DJ’s sound system positioned in the centre of the floor. Val and I started to dance together and it was just like the old days at the club back home. We weren't dirty dancing or anything particularly outrageous, but not even five minutes later, some guys were trying their best to get our attention. John showed up after a few minutes, kissed Val and they left the dance floor with a smile and a wave, heading back towards the bar. Unfortunately, the guys who’d been hanging around soon realized I was alone and shortly afterwards, I had numerous hands, fingers and arms touching me from all directions. I found the whole situation irritating and it was about to ruin my night. Leaving the dance floor, I located Val and John sitting near the bar and John ordered a round of shots. It was a reminder of the good old days in Seattle. Even though it hadn’t been that long, I missed those days when Bekka, Val and I were together.

  I was feeling a little tired and I was still upset with the way those guys had been trying to get my attention on the dance floor. Being groped by complete strangers wasn’t my idea of fun and it certainly wasn’t flattering. Val noticed the signs of my increasing agitation and she grabbed my hand and drew me back to the dance floor again, despite my protests. Not even two minutes after we’d gotten out there, some guy came up from behind me and circled my waist with his arms. It was one grope too much. I was done. I grabbed the man’s hand, intent on giving him a piece of my mind inhaled sharply. Dear God, I knew those hands. A tingle of electricity spread through my hands, warmth spreading across my skin. I turned around, excruciatingly slowly, hardly able to breathe.

  "Angel." I whispered, delighted to discover I wasn’t dreaming and my angel was truly here. I jumped into his welcoming arms and crushed my lips against his in one swift movement, kissing him with the pent-up passion which had built during our separation. Being reunited with Levi was the most amazing thing, and I knew I would never willingly leave him again. "I missed you so much.'' I kissed the tip of his nose. ''I’ve missed you so much, Levi." I kissed his lips once more. "I love you." I looked into his eyes, seeing a multitude of emotions reflected back at me.

  "I’ll say those words, even though they don't mean nearly enough, I love you Rock Star, so fucking much, I can’t express it in words. Never leave me again, or I swear, I’ll go crazy. I need you. I need us. I need us to be together." He kissed me softly. "I worship you, Nix. You’re my world."

  I had my man, here with me, exactly how it should be. My heart literally trembled with joy as I ran my hands across his chest, brushed my fingers across his cheek. The butterflies were back in my stomach again and fluttering around, stronger than ever before. It felt so right to be in Levi’s arms. He was stunning, perfect and mine.

  "Dance with me?" I asked quietly, placing my hands on each side of his waist. He stepped closer, pressing his body against mine, his gaze focused on mine. His love was a tangible entity in that perfect moment. Everything he was feeling, was mirrored in my own body. It was a powerful reaction to one another and I pressed my hips against his, aware of the hardness of him, his desire evident.

  "I love that dress on you, but I can't wait to see it on the floor of my hotel room," he murmured suggestively in my ear in between kisses.

  I practically melted in a puddle of desire at his feet. I wanted him, so badly, I was ready to leave the club, right this minute, in fact, right this second.

  I whispered in his ear. "I think we should go now."

  He winked at me. "Val made me promise I wouldn't take you away from her."

  How dare she? She knew I’d been missing him like crazy and I pouted. "I don't care. I want to..."

  "I know, I know," he chuckled, his voice low and husky. "Let’s just enjoy our night here... we’ll give Val an hour and then we’ll go."

  "You are such a tease."

  "I keep my promises, Rock Star," he said, offering me a beautiful smile. "Do you want a drink?"

  "No, actually, I want to remember my night with you." I giggled. "I’ve had plenty of drinks already."

  He placed his hand at the small of my back and we walked over to Valerie and John who had both discretely disappeared from the dance floor. We located them sitting by the DJ, talking to another guy. John introduced him as one of his friends, his name was Thomas and he had very short blue hair. He was wearing a pink Marilyn Monroe t-shirt. He was interesting, to say the least.

  I did the introductions between John and Levi, after Thomas slipped away. They were polar opposites, but I was pleased when they got along straight away. After Mom’s terrible reaction, I expected to face off against judgemental people, with regards to Levi’s tattoos. He had a lot of them, and besides being impossible to hide them all, Levi wasn't the type of man who would feel a need to hide them anyway. He was perfectly at peace with who he was, and it only made me love him even more. I was very pleased when John didn't let Levi’s ink worry him. Levi started talking about University and his experiences when he was studying law, and John had a lot to add to the conversation. All I wanted was for the hour to fly as quickly as possible, but it was dragging.

  The one bright part of the next hour was that Levi never let me go. He held me hostage against his side and it made me gloriously happy. He alternated between his hand dancing across the skin on my back or he would say "Hold my hand", in a low voice against my ear so that nobody else could hear. It was intensely erotic and so personal to the both of us. I knew the intense meaning it had for him, his way of protecting me.

  "I love you," I whispered against his ear, more than once. I wanted to repeat those words again and again. They were the most powerful gift I had to offer him and yet, I loved him so much more than could be expressed in those three little words.

  Because he was engaged in a conversation, he didn't say the words back, but each time I said it, his arms tightened around me. The voices and music surrounding us faded away. My senses were completely concentrated on Levi; my Angel. He drew me around so my back was resting against his chest, his heartbeat matching mine. I remembered the mornings and nights I’d spent listening to his heartbeat. He had awakened something in me, a depth of emotion I’d never known before and I felt so much more alive because of him. It suddenly occurred to me, we were both in Boston with one of my best friends. Twenty four hours ago, I’d never have believed this was going to happen.

  Ending my daydreaming session, Valerie pulled me out of Levi’s arms and dragged me back to the dance floor. "Let the men have their boring talk and let the girls have their fun. Come on Nix, let’s get wild."

  I went along with her, figuring it would speed up the dragging time if I did something constructive. The DJ was mixing all the best songs, some of my favorites. I glanced back and saw Levi watching me and I flushed, enjoying his attention. Val and I danced together, like we used to do in Seattle - hot and provocative. We were playing, it was all in fun, and we didn’t take ourselves seriously. Val held her hands against my hips and we matched our moves to one another. I could feel the perspiration rolling down my back and blisters were forming on my feet. No doubt, I would regret wearing heels and dancing all night tomorrow morning, but for now, I was having the time of my life.

  His arms wrapped around my waist again and Levi pressed his chest against my back before I’d noticed his absence from beside the DJ booth with John.

  He pressed a kiss against my cheek. "You’ve been a very good girl, Rock Star." He smiled.

  "What are you talking about?"

  "I asked for an hour. You’ve waited three." He kissed my bare shoulder with his soft lips. "You’ve been more than patient. Come on, let’s go now."

  "Okay," I answered quietly. I was suddenly anxious. As much as I’d been waiting for this moment, somehow it seemed daunting to be going with Levi. It seemed awkward, almost uncomfortable after our massive fight, to be alone together.

  "Hold my hand, ba
by, I’ll get us out of here. My hotel is only a block away."

  "Don't walk too fast,” I warned him. “I can't feel my legs."

  Levi raised an eyebrow. "Are you serious?" Seeing my little nod, he grinned. “Guess I'll have to give you a ride, then." He bent down and threw me over his shoulder. I screamed, laughed and begged to be put down, but he wouldn't listen. I could hear him laughing and enjoying this but he wasn't the one wearing a short dress with a plunging neckline. I was afraid one or the other of my attributes were going to pop out of the dress at any moment.

  Despite my protests, Levi only put me back on my feet when we got into the lobby of the hotel. The very nice hotel, I might add. A quick glance encompassed marble everywhere and stunning artwork decorating the walls. That was about all I had a chance to see thought as Levi grabbed my hand and walked me towards the elevator. The tension was rising between us and Levi was clearly a man on a mission and determined to get me up to his room.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  When I traced my fingertips down the front of Levi’s shirt, he frowned at me. "Don't tempt me here, Rock Star. The room is only on the third floor, there’s not enough time for this in the elevator." He crooked an eyebrow at me in warning. He knew me well.

  I giggled until we reached his hotel room. He unlocked the door with the magnetic card and as soon as the door opened, I could smell the perfume of freshly picked lilies. The lights in the room were dim and there was a Jeff Buckley song playing softly. It was so amazing, I wanted to cry. He’d done all this for me. The lilies, the music, flying all the way from Seattle for me. I couldn't speak, every single word in my vocabulary had somehow disappeared from my brain. I stopped in the centre of the room, inhaling the delicate scent of the lilies which were in a crystal vase on the dresser. Levi stood behind me, not touching, but the tension between us was tangible and I could feel the vibrations humming between us. He pushed my hair to one side and kissed my bare back, pressing his lips against my shoulder blades. Every kiss sent waves of delight rippling through my body. Levi grasped the zipper of my dress and unzipped it painstakingly slowly, drawing out the tension until it vibrated between us like a violin string.

  The dress fell from my shoulders and slid slowly down my body to my ankles. I stepped out of it and turned around to face Levi, who was watching me with a heated gaze. He was fully dressed and yet, so utterly irresistible. My fingers were trembling as I pulled his shirt over his head. To my surprise, when I dropped my eyes to his tattooed skin, there was something new, something which wasn’t there the last time I’d seen him shirtless. A purple star with a thick black outline was inked on his sternum. Below the star, in small and delicate writing were the words, ’Rock Star’. He’d gotten it for me. He’d marked his own body as an expression of his love for me. I’d expected that one day, he might get a tattoo which depicted our relationship, or we might get matching tattoos, but the fact that he’d done it during the few days we were apart touched my heart. He’d gotten the tattoo because he loved and missed me, I was certain of it. I was flattered and deeply touched that he’d discovered a way to keep me close to his heart.

  Now more than ever, I knew we were going to be together forever. It sounded cheesy, but I couldn't imagine life without him. School was going to start again soon and we would spend our days apart. I didn't want to think about it but it was the sad reality. I had to finish my studies and get my diploma. After that, the world would be mine.

  With an internal shrug, I figured out I was practically naked in front of the man I adored, and I was thinking about school. I smiled at my idiocy. "I love your new tattoo, Levi. I think it's my new favorite."

  He glanced down at his chest. "It's you. It's how much I love you. I had it done on the morning you left me, I couldn’t wait to show you, but then, everything changed so fast. I never want to be away from you, Phoenix," He unclipped my bra, sliding the straps off my shoulders and let the scrap of fabric slip to the floor.

  I reached for his belt and couldn’t undo it fast enough. His pants were down on the carpet floor in no time. He’d done so much for me, now I wanted to spend the night with him, sharing both our bodies and souls. I would never forget this night. I knew he loved me before, but everything had suddenly gotten so much more intense between us, far more serious.

  He hitched my legs up to his waist one by one, lifting me from the floor and into his arms. I wanted so much more. He walked over to the wall and pressed me against it, our bodies glued together. I tried to control myself, but dug my nails into the skin on his back. I was out of breath, but not nearly ready to stop. I wanted him, I wanted to make love and never forget this night. He was so special and the thought of ever leaving him again were impossible to consider.

  "I don't think I’ll be able to control myself much longer, Rock Star."

  "Me neither, Angel," I whispered.

  He nibbled on my neck as I said the words, pulling me back from the wall and walking us to the bed. The cold sheets felt cool against my overheated skin. I pushed his boxers down his legs and then, removed my own. The excitement of what was about to happen pulsed through my body from head to toe. We kissed passionately again, then he tickled me, and I giggled. Slowly, our touches transformed into something more powerful, so overwhelming that I could barely breathe. I wanted to please him and he obviously wanted to show me how much he cared. The lights in the room were so dim, I could barely see the outline of any of his tattoos. I had missed them so much, while we’d been apart.

  Our bodies instinctively found their way to one another and within seconds we were making love in a bed for the very first time. It was different than in the past, this time it was much more of an emotional moment, our minds, our bodies, our souls melded together to become one. I wanted to make this moment last forever. His touches, his kisses, every word he whispered in the quiet room - every individual sensation sent me directly to heaven.

  Waking up to the sound of his heartbeat against my ear was the perfect start to the day. His arms wrapped around my body made me wish we could stay here, in bed, all day long. Our night together had only confirmed I wanted to be with him forever.

  All the drama with Mom still hurt, but the love Levi offered was so incredibly powerful, he was filling the gaping hole she’d left in my chest. I was better because of him, and I was incredibly grateful. His heart was pure, he was a truly amazing man.

  While I was resting my head over his chest to listen to the steady thump of his heartbeat, I grabbed my phone from the nightstand and took a couple of pictures of us together. They would serve as a tangible reminder that heaven really does exist. I kissed his lips tenderly, before I cautiously wriggled out of his warm embrace, trying not to wake him. I had to go back home today, get back to work and the new school year was approaching rapidly. While I loved Boston, I was missing my Seattle.

  Even though it was very early, I called Val to let her know everything was okay and that I would drop by her apartment to pick up my belongings, before we caught our flight home. I was missing Bekka, Tyler and Kyle, and I was excited to be seeing them soon.

  I took a shower and dried my hair, all the while Levi never noticed a thing. He must have been really exhausted, to sleep through the racket I was making. I sat on the couch, feet away from the bed and switched on the TV, turning down the volume and watching cartoons. After a few minutes, I heard Levi stirring in bed. When I turned my head to glance at him, he was smiling. Not just a little smile; this was a huge, enormous happy smile. He was utterly gorgeous.

  "Morning, Rock Star." He has the sexiest morning voice ever, when he first awoke, it was always rough and raspy.

  "Good morning, Angel." He crawled out of bed and joined me on the couch. I motioned him to come closer and when he did, he lay down on the couch and rested his head in my lap. I gazed down at him for long minutes, memorizing every little detail of his face - his nose, his beautiful eyes, his soft lips. I never thought I would say it, but in that instant, I knew I was going to marry him some
day. I loved everything about Levi, and there was no doubt, love was turning me into a completely different person. My eyes lingered over the new tattoo he’d gotten, the one which represented me and my part in his life. It was so much more symbolic than a ring could ever be. He’d chosen to have it marked on his body, as a permanent symbol of his love for me.

  "We have to get ready to leave soon, Levi," I reminded him.

  "I have a different plan." He twisted his head so he could see me better. "It will take us more time to get home, but I really want to spend time with you, Rock Star. Before I came to Boston, I stopped in New York to pick up my motorbike. I’d left it with a friend’s until I got settled in Seattle. I want to bring it home with you. We’ll have to drive across about eleven states, but I want to do this with you. It’ll be a chance for us to get to know one another even better. What do you think? Are you in?"

  "Yeah," I agreed after a moment’s consideration, "but I don't have a leather jacket or a helmet."

  "We’ll get you what you need." He got up and knelt between my legs on the floor, clasping my hands in his. I could see the excitement in his eyes, at the prospect of the road trip. "We’ll have to spend at least a couple more nights away from home. We’ll stop where we want to, stay in a motel overnight, find some nice places to eat and ride throughout most of each day. It’ll be awesome."

  "Perfect. I want to do it," I agreed, then added in a whisper, "I want to spend my life with you." My throat tightened and my eyes filled with tears. The trip to Boston had been an emotional roller coaster, but I was more than happy to end it with my angel. "I love you, and I have to tell you... that... I’m sorry you had to travel all the way here because of me. I’m sorry I didn't let you explain what was going on with your ex-girlfriend. I don't mean to bring it up again, but when I saw you with her, it nearly destroyed me. My heart was hurting so much, I didn't know what to think or do. I'm so glad I finally realized how silly I’d been and let you talk to me, because I can't imagine life without you. I really can't and I don't ever want to."