by Layne, Lyssa
I fell asleep on the couch, lost in a maelstrom of anxious thoughts. I didn’t cry, and somehow, I controlled my emotional responses which I thought was pretty impressive under the circumstances. Lately, control hadn’t been one of my stronger character traits, and I knew I’d been flying off the handle a lot since the blow-up with Mom. Despite congratulating myself on my control, my sleep was troubled.
I woke up to the sound of the door being unlocked. I didn't move, instead staying on the couch and pretending to sleep. I didn't want to play games with Levi, but I was in no mood for a fight. I heard Levi rummaging through my backpack for some of his things. I heard him unzipping his jeans and letting them fall on to the carpeted floor. He probably hadn't noticed me lying on the couch yet. I was going crazy, wanting to look at him and see if he was drunk or worse, if he looked mad, but I was too scared to open my eyes.
His hand brushed against my cheek and then he carefully tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. He didn't move, just stood there looking at me, studying me in the darkness. He moved closer and lifted me into his arms to carry me to the bed and tucked me under the comforter. He kissed my forehead and whispered against my cheek. ''I love you more than you’ll ever know, Nix. I only have eyes for you, don't worry. You own me, heart and soul.’’ I could smell Jack Daniels and beer emanating from his breath and it was apparent he knew I wasn’t really asleep.
I rolled over to face him. ''You let her flirt with you. How would you feel if the situation was reversed?” I asked.
''It would drive me crazy,’’ he admitted. He lapsed into silence for a few moments and I knew he was thinking over something. ''I wanted to grab a beer and relax, for ten minutes before bed. Driving the Harley all day is exhausting and I needed a break. I’m sorry you got mad and didn't agree, but it wasn't a good reason to deny me a kiss.''
''And that’s why you let that girl flirt with you, just to piss me off?’’
''I don't have any excuse for that. I did warn her off, but she was drunk and honestly, her sleeve was horrible. The lines weren't even inked straight and the shading was miserable. I told her I wasn't interested and to leave me alone because I was with my girl, but when I turned around you were already gone.’’
''I couldn't bear watching her flirting with you.’’ I was hurt, but at least my trust wasn’t misplaced, and he’d turned her down. ''I’ve seen enough girls in your arms already. I don't want to go through it again. I know I’m being totally unreasonable, but I’m going to ask anyway. Am I enough for you, Levi?’’ My eyes were swamped in a sea of tears, and I was terrified of what he would answer.
He dropped down onto the bed beside me. ''Of course you’re enough for me. My life means nothing without you, Phoenix. I've loved you since the very first day I saw you, working behind that bar. You are the woman I want to spend my life with, I love you. Don't you trust me?’’
I was being over-sensitive because of how tired I was. ''I do trust you, Levi. I'm sorry. I love you so much and I trust you completely. I just need to sleep. My brain is playing cruel games with me.’’
He pulled off his shirt and joined me in the king-size bed. Levi took me into his arms and he feather kissed me again and again. It tickled but it was the best feeling in the world. He owned me then. Just like that we were reconciled. The other girls didn't stand any chance. Our love was strong and the thought of spending my life with him was all I needed.
I woke up in the middle of the night, the moon was peeking through the curtains, giving me enough light to be able to gaze at my boyfriend. He was breathing peacefully and looked angelic in the moonlight. I could barely see the tattoos on his skin, and I spent a few minutes imagining how he would look without all the ink. I had no doubt he would be exactly the same person, but his tattoos gave him a bit of edge which I thought would otherwise be missing. Once I knew him better, his tattoos had changed my perception of him. He’d become the sentimental guy who kept his memories and passions inked on his skin.
I drifted back to sleep with my ear pressed to his chest, listening to the most beautiful sound I've ever heard. His heart. The sound was peaceful, but so filled with life.
His fingers danced against the skin of my back and my whole body was rapidly covered with goosebumps of expectation. It felt so incredibly good.
"I know you’re awake, my sweet Rock Star. Turn around, let me admire your pretty little face."
I giggled, because I was quite certain I looked like hell. I flipped onto my back and found him, naturally, looking as hot as hell. His hair was a little bit dishevelled and his green eyes were happy and filled with pure joy.
"I love you, Levi. I'm so sorry about last night."
"Hey, baby girl, don't worry about it." He slapped my thigh playfully. "Come on, get in the shower, I'm taking you out to breakfast."
"Come with me." I suggested. I loved taking a shower with him, it was my favorite time of the day.
"I certainly can't deny that request," he smiled lazily, his eyes darkening with desire. He followed me into the bathroom, shucking his boxers along the way and quickly stripping me out of my t-shirt.
We stepped into the modern tiled shower, my back against his front. I loved moments like these. He got the water started, adjusting it until it was the perfect temperature.
"We won't always agree with each other, it won't always be unicorns and rainbows, but I will always love you, Nix, always. When you think I don't like you, I want you to remember this moment and know how much I love you." He kissed the back of my neck, slowly making his way to my shoulders. "Before you, I never thought about marriage, babies - but now, the idea of this life, with you and a small family sounds fucking good. Perfect, I should say."
My heart was pounding and I wasn't certain I was going to be able to stand for too much longer.
"I know you’re only twenty-two, Rock Star. I'm not trying to rush you into anything. I want you to live your life like I’ve lived mine, free to make your own choices. I just wanted to let you know what I’d been thinking about while we were riding yesterday." His hands slid from my waist to my pubic bone. He slowly tightened his arms around me. I was silent, letting his words sink in.
"I want it all too, Levi.” I finally said. “I want our life together in a little house, with a puppy and a black cat. I want it so badly, because I'm crazy about you, but I need to finish college first. It's my last year. After that, we’ll be free to do whatever we want."
"I like it when you say we." I turned around in his arms and gazed up at him. I thought I might have seen a tear in the corner of his eye. "I love you," he whispered.
"I love you, Levi," I murmured against his lips. My hands travelled up from his abs to the base of his neck and I clasped them there. The moment was perfect. "We’ll get married in a small ceremony, with your family and our friends. You’ll have to wear a suit and I’ll wear a beautiful white gown." I giggled. "I can't believe it. I never dreamed I would be getting married someday."
"We will." He took the small bottle of shampoo the hotel provided from the shelf, and squeezed some into the palm of his hand before massaging it gently into my hair. I couldn't recall anyone doing that for me, apart from the people in a hair salon. The shampoo was scented with flowers and vanilla. I loved it and relaxed against Levi as he massaged my scalp tenderly, interspersing his efforts with long kisses.
After washing my entire body, the sexual tension had built between us to extreme levels and I wanted nothing else but him. Levi carefully rinsed the shampoo and soap from my body, skating his palms across my nipples so I shivered with desire. Satisfied that I was soap-free, he picked me up, pressing me against the tiled wall and he entered me in one smooth lunge. Our bodies became one, we both knew exactly what we wanted. My desire for him was growing every time we made love. He was amazing at showing me how much he loved me, with his touch, his whispers, and his kisses. He continued to slide in and out gently, while he caressed my skin
"Please, Angel, give it to me. Please. Harder, faste
r," I demanded.
He did as I requested and we came undone together, Levi shouting my name as he pressed deep and lost control. Maybe too fast, as I still craved his touch. He lowered me carefully to the floor and I took both of his hands in mine, bringing them up to press against my heart. His chin rested on my shoulder as we both let our heart rates slow down.
"That was really hot," I panted.
Levi chuckled at my comment.
"I'm serious. Don't laugh!"
"You are one hot little baby, Rock Star. You drive me wild." He kissed me on the soft spot behind my ear and squeezed me in his strong arms.
My stomach growled, and I knew it was time to turn off the shower and get something to eat.
We walked through the streets of Chicago holding hands. The sky was a perfect blue and the sun was blinding in the early morning. The weather was perfect for a late August day.
"What do you want to eat?" Levi asked, bringing my hand up to his lips.
"Hmm... Something simple. Eggs with an English muffin or a bagel with cream cheese."
"Yeah, sounds good to me."
I slipped my hand into the back pocket of his jeans. It was relaxing to walk with him, we were happy and in love, and that was all we needed. We ended up eating breakfast at a McDonald’s near the hotel. We didn't want to waste too much time in a restaurant and McDonald’s provided exactly what we wanted, something quick and good. We were back to enjoying our walk through the city of Chicago in no time.
The beauty of Millennium Park was impressive, I took heaps of pictures of the Cloud Gate and the garden area was majestic. There was so many things to love about the park. I could have spent hours exploring our surroundings. Kids were playing in the fountain and it brought so much life to the city. I decided I was in love with this park.
"I don't want to ruin your moment, but do you want to leave today, or are we going to stay another night?"
I took some time to think it over before I answered. I did want to stay here, not just for one night but for a couple of nights so I could discover all that Chicago offered. But while there was something about this city I loved, I missed home more than anything. "I think we should leave today, but promise me we‘ll come back here one day?"
"I promise." He stared into my eyes as he made the vow, and it was so much more than a promise to return. Levi wanted me to be happy and I knew he would do anything to ensure that happiness.
We stopped in few stores and browsed a little, but I couldn't buy anything due to the restraints of travelling on the Harley. We only had my backpack to rely on and it was already full.
We finally got back on the Harley after a quick lunch and a fast make-out session in the hotel room. We didn't know where we were going to stop next, but we both were anxious to get home. We had almost thirty hours of riding ahead of us, though I’m sure Levi was relieved that I was in a much better mood than yesterday.
Rockfort, Madison, Eau Claire and Minneapolis disappeared behind us as we travelled. We decided against stopping in Minneapolis for the night, choosing to continue and possibly reach Fargo before exhaustion kicked in. This time, I was the one singing for Levi. I sang for hours as we rode, and he seemed to love it. We made a few stops here and there and every time, we cuddled and exchanged a few ‘I love you’s. I was beginning to think we were both hopelessly romantic.
Levi hadn't booked the hotel in advance this time, due to our open-ended travel plans and we had to find a place willing to accept us at 11:00 at night. We finally ended up in a Best Western with an indoor pool. We both crashed almost immediately. Levi looked exhausted. This trip was wearing us out, it was much harder than I’d expected, but we were keeping our morale up. I never realized it was that tiring to travel on a motorbike.
The next morning, I rolled over in bed to find Levi’s side was empty and cold. I called his name, but he was nowhere to be found. I tried calling his cell phone but it rang inside the room. Wherever he’d gone, he hadn't taken it with him. I jumped in the shower and when I got out of the bathroom, Levi was sitting on the couch with breakfast for us. He’d gone out in search of food, bringing back pastries and fresh orange juice. It was delicious and another wonderful gesture from my angel.
We ate in silence, watching cartoons playing on the TV. When he was finished eating, Levi sat behind me and brushed out my hair. I enjoyed every single second of it. He really was my angel, taking care of me every minute of the day.
"Would you like to go for a swim in the pool?" he asked, with a child-like smile.
"I brought a bathing suit, have you got something to wear?" I was glad I’d thought of bringing a bikini when I packed my clothes for Boston.
Levi shrugged. "I’ll just wear a pair of Bermuda."
Oh, yeah and I just bet they’re going to hang low on his hips providing me with an absolutely outstanding view, I thought to myself. He was so incredibly sexy without a shirt, I would never get tired of watching him.
"Alright, let’s go," I agreed.
We changed clothes, grabbed the towels from the bathroom and headed to the indoor pool. We had to whole place to ourselves; not another person was swimming this early in the morning. Levi, being a show-off, jumped into the pool first with a front flip. Smart Ass! I decided to just dive in and meet him in the middle of the pool. As soon as my head was out of the water, he pulled me into his arms and started kissing me.
"Are you having fun? Do you like the road trip?" he asked, making sure I was happy, and enjoying myself.
"Yeah, I am. At first, I wasn't sure about the bike, I was nervous about how big and powerful it is, but right now, I'm fine and I’m having a great time. What about you?"
"It's fun. I like being with you, it's all that matters to me," he lowered his head, kissing my lips again.
"You’re a hopeless romantic."
"Only because it's you, Rock Star."
We played in the pool until our fingers were shrivelled. By the time we were dried off and dressed again, it was time to check out and hit the road. Levi braided my hair before I put my helmet on. Levi wanted to reach Montana by the end of the afternoon. Miles City was six hours on from Fargo and he planned to stop there for an early dinner.
We continued the ride until we reached Butte, Montana. Levi checked us in for the night in a nice hotel. It was exciting to be getting closer to home. Butte was a small city but it contained a wealth of history. We took a walk before calling it a night. The air in Montana was a bit chilly, but being wrapped in Levi’s arms kept me warm.
We watched TV until we both crashed. When I woke up, it was the middle of the night and the TV was still on. I switched it off and cuddled with my angel who was sound asleep. This was our last night away from home, and as much as I would be glad to be back, I was going to miss our time alone together. Our schedules were about to get crazy, what with my going back to school, working in the bar and Levi’s work at the tattoo shop. I didn't want to think about it too hard, but it was approaching faster than I wanted.
Missoula, Spokane Valley, Moses Lake, Ellensburg... We had lunch in an Italian restaurant in Ellensburg, which was a small town. We didn't hang around for long, we were too close to home and too excited to get there. We were back on Beauty in no time.
Levi was driving slower than he had before by the time we had less than two hours left of our trip. My hands were tucked under his shirt and he sometimes covered them with his own hand. My only desire was to make these last couple of hours count. Our time together was precious and we were going to return to reality very soon.
I was probably going to have a shift at work tonight and he was going to need to catch up with appointments at the shop. Kyle had covered for him for days now. We both missed our apartment and our friends, but we had grown closer together during our trip. We were both different. I knew how much he loved me and my love for him had only multiplied. He was my other half and he completed me.
And finally, we saw the sign, welcoming us to Seattle… I squealed with delight.
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CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
When we got into the city limits, Levi stopped on the side of the road and turned off the ignition. I wasn't quite sure what he was doing, as we were still miles from home. He got off the bike and stood before me with worried eyes. I noticed he was chewing on his lip and a deep frown was forming on his forehead.
"Star, when you left me, I’m pretty sure Bekka was about to strangle me, she was so angry. She hated me because you left. I don't know what we’re going to face when we get home. She might not like me anymore, and I really don't care, as long as it doesn't affect what you think about me... about us."
"Hey, Angel... don't think like that. If she is upset, we’ll talk it through and we’ll fix things up. Don't stress for no reason." I placed my hand against his cheek and caressed his skin with my thumb, enjoying the feel of the stubble beneath my fingers.
"I only wanted to let you know in advance. I don't think she’ll be particularly friendly with me," he admitted. "I just don't want to cause trouble between you and your friend." He was worried about my friendship, he wasn’t worried about him, but me.
"We’ll all be fine." I tried to kiss him, but my helmet smacked into his and we both laughed. "Don't worry, I’ll talk to Bekka tonight. It will be okay... She sounded fine the last time I talked to her."
"She was really pissed, Nix. She slapped me across the face when she found out about my ex. Ty had to physically push her away." He shook his head. “That girl is not to be messed with when she’s angry."
"Wow, okay. I’ll talk to her as soon as I can." Bekka hit my boyfriend? What the hell was wrong with her? She was mad, I got that, but it wasn't a reason to hurt him. "Let’s go home. I can't wait to get there."
I had butterflies in my stomach. I couldn't wait to be at home, in my bed, be reunited with all of my clothes. I had taken a very limited wardrobe when I left for Boston.
