Music, Ink, and Love (24 page)

I had my coffee alone, sitting at the table, relaxing and waking up slowly. The newspaper wide open on the table, I read a few articles, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything. My mind had way more important things to think about. I ran through my mental list of things to pack a few more times. I made sure everything was in our luggage, from our toothbrushes to my beach trunks. I even made sure to include Nix’s migraine medication. Everything had to be perfect, I didn’t want Nix to worry about anything. The luggage was already ready and waiting by the door.

We had to leave within the next two hours. Time to wake Nix up. I had let her sleep as late as she possibly could. Her semester had kicked her butt big time and I felt bad for her. She was definitely looking forward to our small vacation and so was I. We had barely had time to feel at home in our new place, and already I wanted to leave. Nothing was wrong with the house, I just needed some time away from all the painting, moving furniture around and the unpacking nonsense. The garage was stocked with empty boxes and things we didn’t want anymore. Just the thought of cleaning it all discouraged me. It was something I would have to do on our return from Mexico.

“Good morning, Rock Star.” I tickled her on the hollow of her neck. “Babe, it's time to get ready.”

“Hmm.” She rolled on her stomach, leaving her ass uncovered. With my fingers, I rubbed her back all the way down to her ass.

“Wake up, soon to be Mrs. Munroe.”

“Hmm.” She turned her head on the side and opened her eyes in my direction.

“Tired, perhaps?”

She nodded and then, pouted.

“You know, you're beautiful when you do that?” I smacked her ass. “Come on, now. We have a plane to catch.”

I pulled Nix out of the bed by her feet until the end of the mattress reached her knees and let them fall to the floor.

“Hmm.”

“Wake up or I'm getting my tattoo machine ready and I will tattoo a huge penis on the inside of your thigh.”

The sound of her giggles warmed me. “You're not serious.”

“Try me.” I stifled a laugh.

She sat on the bed looking like a lion that had gotten into a fight against a T-Rex.

“Shower, eat and we're out.”

“Why are you so bossy?”

I sighed. “Because I'm waiting for you to go and get married.”

“Pussy-whipped.” She laughed and fell back on the mattress.

Fucking Kyle. I let her alone with Kyle for five minutes and he finds enough time to talk about our conversations.

“Okay, I'm going to get my machine. It appears to me that my future wife wants a new tattoo.”

“No... No... Come back.” She begged and laughed at the same time. “Levi Munroe, stop. I'm awake, I'm awake.” She giggled and ran to the bathroom butt-naked. What a great view. I could still hear her giggles under the water of the shower.

I went to spy on her in the shower and, after being splashed away, I went back to the kitchen to get us something to quickly eat. Time was running short and preparing her favorite breakfast wasn’t an option. I got her some fruits and toast with peanut butter and jelly. I had seen her eating that before so I hoped she wouldn’t mind eating that today.

By the time I was done preparing our breakfast, she walked in the kitchen barefoot and so sexy. She had one of those t-shirts that fell down one shoulder and she had paired it with black legging. Something comfortable for travelling.

“Can you try and not look so hot when we’re in a hurry?” I asked, teasing her.

“Look who’s talking.” She beamed.

With my friends and family, we got on the plane to Mexico. I had had palpitations since the first second I opened my eyes. Our day was finally happening. This morning, I had woken up to a barely dressed Nix at my side, her hair all around her face like a messy halo and her eyes without any signs of anxiety or tiredness. She was beautiful, gorgeous and the reason of my happiness. I had watched her for at least an hour before I forced myself out of the bed. My phone was filled with pictures of her sleeping beauty.

I would marry her today if I could, waiting one more day seemed impossible. All of my life, or at least for the past ten years, I waited for a girl like her to show up. I wanted to make her mine for the rest of the eternity. She had changed me so much and I loved her more than I ever thought possible.

I remember that Mom once had told me I would fall in love with a woman. At the time, it disgusted me, I must have been twelve or thirteen. She had giving me the talk for the first time because I had a school dance that night. I hated that moment with her, I never had been so embarrassed. After that moment, each time I would whine about girls, she kept telling me I would find someone fit for me one day. I stopped believing eventually. When I moved back to Seattle after leaving Mercedes, I thought women were too complicated for me. Giving up seemed like the way to go. What a fool I was! Nix took me by surprise. When I saw her I thought I was dreaming or that someone had backhanded me so hard I was hallucinating. She stood behind the counter in all of her gorgeousness and my heart started beating fast and then, faster.

Now on the plane, next to me, her hand on my knee, sat a sleepy and beautiful Nix. Time to nap, I guessed. She had worked extra hard all week at school and made it four nights in a row at work. Our vacation would definitely be good to both of us. I drank my glass of champagne, and hers as well. Traveling in first class had its perks. If only I could doze off for an hour or two. The leather seat hugged my back, I sat back and closed my eyes. I could only try.

When we left the airport, we were all transported in a mini-bus to the house. The palm trees, the warm sun rays, and the ocean breeze, all of those elements together made this place perfect.

“We should move here, babe. I swear I could get used to this.” I could more than definitely get used to this place. Hell yes! Perfect weather every day, I could open a shop here.

“You’re not serious, Levi.” She didn’t seem so sure. “Right?”

“I could, babe, I could. Look around you. It’s Los Cabos, aka fucking heaven.”

“Hey, man, stop with your bullshit, we’ve got our shop and your family is all in Seattle. You just got your house. I’ll make sure your ass stays where it belongs.”

“A little possessive, are we, K?”

“Not possessive, but you just got back from New York. I’m not letting you go again.” Kyle sounded frustrated.

“Chill out, K. Look around, admit it, you would live here if you could.”

He shrugged. “You’d better get your ass back there, the shop is empty without you two.” His voice resigned, he looked out the window.

“I’ll be back at the shop, Kyle. I would miss you too.” I hadn’t really been serious when I said I could get used to living here. The excitement got the best of me, but I loved my city, my shop and my people.

“I love you.” I whispered to Nix.

“You weren’t serious, Levi.”

I shook my head. “No, I just love this place.” I smiled. “A lot.”

The mini bus came to a stop, parked in front of dad’s house. The front of the house overflowed with colorful flowers. I couldn’t remember if there had been as many flowers the last time I came here, but Nix looked at each one of them. Smelled some of them. I wanted to smell her. She had the best perfume.

“See something you like?” She asked mischievously.

“You.”

“No, look around. Austin told me these flowers had been planted this week. For us.”

“They are nice flowers.” They were. But they weren’t her. “I prefer you.”

“I prefer you too, silly, but I can admit that this place, the house, the flowers, are perfect.”

“And you haven’t even seen the inside of the house or the backyard yet.”

Stepping closer to me, she reached for the loop at the waist of my pants. She pulled me to her, removing the space between us. Both of our bodies were touching, pressing against each other. Her arms slid from my waist to my back leaving a trail of warmth along my skin. “This is going to be perfect. I will thank your father.”

“We did, you did, at least fifty times already.”

“Yes, but now I really know what I’m thanking him for.” Nix hugged me tightly. “I’m so happy, Levi. There is nothing like this, nothing compares to how I feel now.”

“Well, then, I succeeded.” I kissed her forehead with pride, I made her happy.

“Are you two going to stay here all day or can we go inside?” Kyle asked surrounded by the rest of the guests.

“Go.” I might have shouted it rather than said it. They broke our sweet moment. “It’s very hot here. Why don’t you get that white bikini on and work on that tan you wanted so desperately. I need to freshen up. I’ll get my board shorts.”

We walked into the house, her hand in mine. She looked around without a sound coming out of her mouth. Then she saw the pool, the beach. Squeezing my hand with all the excitement within her, she walked closer to the window giving a view on the backyard.

“Oh my god!” She whispered, her eyes fixed on the ocean. She turned to me, the look in her eyes had so much life in it. “I’ve never been to a beach like this one. It was one of my dreams.” She kissed me. “Which room is ours?”

“Follow me.” I waited for us to reach our room. “Lock the door.” I had something in mind before we reached the beach.

A
tall arch of white orchids sat in the backyard facing the ocean. I never was this type of guy, the type of guy who would be overwhelmed by flowers. I tattooed hundreds of flowers but these, they were special. They represented my future wife's request. She talked about it and Colleen listened. She listened more than I did because when we made the call to the florist to order her bouquet, I failed to mention the arch. But somehow, it awaited us in the backyard and looked like a vision of heaven.

Could Mom see this? How pretty everything was around here? She came here, a couple of times. That’s why my dad kept the place. They had loved it here and now, he got to share it with Colleen. A weekend of firsts.

I drank my freshly squeezed orange juice, the sun climbing higher and higher. Everything I wished for would happen today and the blue sky, the shining sun, were promising me a perfect day.

Nix and the girls were getting a massage downtown while I waited, counting every second until she said ‘I do.’

I could have given her a huge reception with hundreds of guests in one of the finest ballrooms in Washington State, but it wouldn’t be anything like this. We kept it small, traveled farther, but everything looked like a dream. I couldn’t stop smiling.

“Hey, Levi.” Kyle startled me, bringing me out of my thoughts. “You want to go for a swim?” 

“Yeah, sure. Where's Tyler?”

“He's getting ready.”

I was wearing my cargo Bermuda shorts, so I simply removed my phone and wallet and decided it would be good enough for a swim.

Tyler joined us. “Pool or ocean?”

“Definitely the ocean.” We jogged into the water. When it reached my waist, I dove in and stayed under water until my lungs needed air.

“Why didn’t I come here more often in the past?” I asked myself, out loud.

“Because you're an idiot. I hope you let us come here again. We could definitely do a summer weekend here.”

“Yeah, I was thinking about that, too.”

We stayed in the water until I saw shadows in the house. “I think the girls are home.”

It only took me a few seconds to reach the house but then, water dripped down my shorts and I couldn’t get in.

“Nix.” I called her name from the outside. “Rock Star?”

She came into view, looking like a princess. Oh! She really was a princess this time. She couldn’t deny it.

“I told you before I left... you weren’t supposed to see me.” She said. “Is Val here?” I shook my head no. She worried that Val wouldn’t get here on time. I told her we could always delay for an hour if we needed to. I knew it caused her anxiety. Having her two best friends by her side meant a lot to her.

“But you're here. You’re here, and looking like...” I couldn’t even say, she left me speechless. “You expected me to stay outside when I know you are in here?”

“Levi... You kind of already ruined it. You saw me. I thought something had happened when you said my name. It seemed urgent.”

“Only because I missed you.” I could hear K laughing behind me.

“I missed you too.” Her fingers showing a new manicure, reached for my cheek. “You look kind of hot like that too.” She flushed. “You're wet, very wet. Your hair, your tattoos, and that V, here.” She pointed toward my lower abs.

“It's not like you've never seen me before, Princess.”

“I know. It must be because it's here. You look like a guy fresh out of a music video.”

I blushed. “You look like the girls in the wedding magazines, but you're prettier. You're my princess.”

“Princess? I look nothing like a princess.” She remembered that first night.

“You are to me.” I said with lust.

Kyle and Tyler jumped in the pool, probably tired of hearing us. Not that I blamed them, I couldn’t help myself.

I closed the distance. I inhaled a shaky breath, looking at her lips while I tried not to touch her. I was dirty. I had dirty thoughts. But she smelled good and looked marvelous. I didn’t want to ruin that. My thumb pressed on her lips. She kissed it, never leaving my eyes. I loved that simple moment between us. I replaced my thumb with my lips and I kissed her. We were hours away from being husband and wife. Hours away from becoming the happiest person alive. I tasted her, loved her tongue touching mine. I missed not seeing her this morning.