Safe to love you (Ink Series - Spin Off Book 2) (11 page)

Knock, Knock, Knock.

I can hear a piano being played. He probably can't hear me over the noise. I never expected him to be a lover of Beethoven; I figured he would like rock music. Expect the unexpected is something I’ve learned about Presley. After a few minutes of waiting, I decide to call him to get his attention.

''Abbie? You survived?'' He sounds relieved to hear from me.

''Yeah, I had a good time.''
Believe it or not.

I knock on the door again. I hear some noises on the phone and guess he's walking toward the door. I'm nervous, because he's not expecting me to be here.

''Good, I'm happy you had a good time. Hold on, someone's at my front door.'' It’s obvious he has no clue it’s me outside.

He unlocks the door and my palms are sweaty. I take a deep breath, and as soon as the door opens I let a shy, “Surprise,” escape my lips. I’m worried when his face goes white and he shuts the door behind him, stopping me from seeing into the apartment.

''Abbie... how— who —I thought I was supposed to pick you up.'' He doesn’t sound happy and my heart skips a beat.

''I was tired and I decided to surprise you.'' I chew on my bottom lip. He definitely doesn't look happy. ''Joy-Anna and Alicia gave me your address.''
This wasn’t a good idea
.

''Oh… yeah, okay... Abbie... I um, I’m a little anxious about this. My apartment's a very personal place.” He rubs his fingers through his hair. “Please, don't judge me... you’ll think I’m some sort of weirdo. I have my photos, and paintings all over the place. I... umm…'' He's obviously freaking out.

''Don't worry, Presley. '' I place a hand on his arm, trying to reassure him. ''I'm not here to judge you.''

He opens the door hesitantly and motions me to enter. The entrance is pretty simple, nothing to worry about here. I drop my bags on the floor and walk into the living room. As Joy-Anna had mentioned, the walls are painted black. The furniture is white and very contemporary. There are huge black and white pictures, framed in red, on each of the walls.

Presley follows behind me silently. I can’t find words. I'm speechless. In a corner, I see what appears to be his tattoo work area. There are drawings of tattoos hanging on the wall. I wonder if he did them. It’s incredible. He is a man of so many talents. His kitchen could be in magazine; it’s also very modern. All the cabinets are bright red and the counter is black marble. There are paintings on the walls in here, too, including a portrait of his mother. At least, I think that’s who it is.

''Is this your mother?'' I timidly ask.

''Yeah, I painted her portrait, based on a photo we had. It was the last one we took before she left.''

''You are remarkable and so talented, Presley.''

He smiles, but he remains silent. I think he’s self-conscious when it comes to his art.

I enter a room which turns out to be his office, and I can tell this is where the magic happens. There are photographs everywhere. There's a dartboard on the wall, and stuck to it is a photo of a blonde girl with a huge tattoo on her back. I figure he has some sort of an issue with her, but I won't ask about her just now.

''I have the photos we took in New York, if you’d like to see them.''

''Sure.'' I'm dying to see them. His camera probably did a far better job than mine would have.

He walks past me and shuffles a few things on his desk before he finds an envelope. He hands it to me without meeting my eyes. Turning up at his apartment uninvited has obviously made him very uncomfortable. I’m sorry I pressured him into this. I should have waited for him to invite me of his own accord.

In the corner of the room, I spy a baby grand piano. I realize he was the one I heard from outside. he’d been playing just a few minutes ago.

''You play?'' I question, indicating the piano.

''Yeah.''

''My mother used to listen to a piano version of ‘The Dying Swan’ all the time when I was a kid. She loved it.''

''I can play it for you, if you want,'' he makes the offer and strides toward the piano.

He settles on the bench and invites me to join him. He stretches his fingers and then starts playing without using any sheet music. He knows it by heart. I cover my mouth with both hands, fighting back the tears. The sadness of the music resonates deeply in my soul, so many memories running through my mind. My parents together and my mom attempting to dance like a ballerina in the living room. I can no longer stop the tears. I see images of my dad sitting on the couch, laughing at my mother’s tragic dancing talents. My dad's laughter was always so loud and full of love.

My eyes are mesmerized by Presley’s fingers dancing across the keys. How can somebody be gifted in so many different ways? I could happily sit here forever. I wipe away the tears with the back of my hand, hoping he didn't notice. When Presley finishes the piece, he glances at me briefly and kisses my temple.

''I'm sorry I made you cry, love.''

He places his fingers back on the keys. The beauty of the sound he produces amazes me. Presley's wearing a short sleeved t-shirt that lets me see his hypnotic ink. Everything about him screams bad boy, but yet, he’s playing piano like a professional and allowing me a glimpse of a whole other side of him. His tattoos are giving him a tough allure, but the music he plays confirms how soft and gentle he can be. I love him.

''This is my favorite: Frederic Chopin, ‘Raindrop’.'' He smiles while he’s playing but suddenly becomes serious. ''This was apparently my mother’s favorite piece.'' He frowns. ''It’s the first piece I ever learned.''

''Presley, you're incredibly talented.'' I seem to keep repeating myself.

He doesn't respond; he just continues playing. It’s a peaceful song, one I’ve never heard before. When his fingers hit the last chords, he stands up and offers me his hand. I rise beside him and gaze into his eyes. There's no need for words. We understand each other completely. I pull him towards me and kiss his soft lips. God, he feels good against my body. ''I missed you, Presley.'' I kiss his lips again. ''You have a nice apartment. I love it here.''

''Really?”

Why really?
“Yes, you are an amazing artist, and that's what I love about you.'' His apartment is alive. The colors, the love he’s put into it. How can he not see it? Presley gives everything he has, he bares his soul and lets others peek in and savor his passions. ''Never doubt yourself.''

Presley

WE STARE AT
each other for a long time. Deep down, I hope Abbie is wishing for the same things I do. Holding her forever and wanting her to be mine… ‘til death do us part. I'm crazy about this woman. She's stunning, intelligent and she accepts and nurtures my artistic side. She cried when I played the piano for her. I want to know why she reacted that way. There is so much more to learn about her; and I’m certain there are so many more reasons to love her. Never in my life have I felt like this, and in all honestly, I'm scared shitless.

I gently kiss her sweet lips. ''Can you tell me more about you, your life, and your parents?'' I'm curious. I’ve decided I want to know as much as possible about her. She raises an eyebrow and I continue. ''You don't have to tell me, if you don't want to, but I would like to get to know you better. ''

Abbie takes a moment to think, before she starts to speak. ''I was born in Portland. My parents got divorced when I was eleven years old. My mom got married young and I think she was tired of the life she had with my father. Dad didn’t want her to leave but there was nothing he could to make her stay. Erin, my mom, wanted to be free. She needed a new life. She packed up our things and we moved to Las Vegas. She became a different person from that point on. She started dating other men and I hated it. She didn't seem to care how I felt about it, she was apparently trying to find her perfect match. Some of the guys she dated were nice, some were idiots, and some were young enough to be her son. When I turned thirteen, she married a dentist. She’d only been dating him for three months when they got married. I think she thought she’d hit the jackpot. He had a big house, a fancy sports car and he spoiled her constantly. I was so angry when they got married. I barely knew him, and she never once asked me if I was okay with her plans. The first thing I knew, he was my step-dad, and was picking me up from school. They got divorced eleven months later, with Mom citing irreconcilable differences. The dentist cheated on her numerous times during their marriage, and she realized money doesn't always make things better.”

Abbie takes a deep breath, grips my hand and leads me across to the couch.  Settling on the plump cushions, she continues speaking. “Mom’s heart was broken, and she went downhill from that moment onwards. She suffered a depression and alcohol became a necessity to her day to day life. A couple of months after the divorce, she met Dwayne. He was good for her and he did seem to care for her. She started smiling again and stopped buying a bottle of Jack every two days. He was younger, but he definitely seemed able to deal with her craziness. She married him, and six months later, they decided to move to South Carolina. When they made the decision, I moved back to Portland to live with my dad. I didn't want to move to another strange city, and I missed my dad. I hadn't seen him a lot during the years we lived in Las Vegas and he was a good father.” She takes a deep breath, hesitating for a few seconds. ''And I missed Cameron. He was my best friend; we used to play together all the time as kids. By the time I moved back to Portland, we’d both grown up some, and we discovered our feelings for one another had grown and changed. When we saw each other again, I thought he was very attractive, and he was very attentive with me. He was always there for me.” She took a breath and shrugged nonchalantly, looking up into my eyes. “So that’s it, I guess. You know what happened next. My Dad passed away, I broke up with Cameron… moved to Seattle and then I got involved with Dean. I have no idea where my mom is nowadays.''

''Maybe you should try to find her,'' I suggest. It’s not my place to push Abbie, but if her mother is alive, I think, she should search for her. Not a single day goes by where I don’t think about my mother. I still miss her terribly.

Abbie seems uncertain. ''I don't know. I'm not so sure it’s a good idea. I don't think she needs me anymore. She has Dwayne, and last I heard, she’s happy. My cell phone number hasn’t changed. She could’ve called me any time she wanted to.” She combs her fingers through her hair, looking frustrated. “It was so different the last time I saw her, as if she’d moved on with her life and I wasn’t part of it. I don't know, Presley, maybe someday I’ll look her up again, but I’m not ready to do that now.''

''I’ll be there for you, if you ever decide to get in contact with her. I’ll help you, I promise.''

''Thank you.'' She presses a kiss my neck. ''So, while we’re learning more about one another – what's your story?''

''I was mostly raised by my dad. My mom, Frances, left when I was three years old. Joy-Anna was almost two at the time. I'm apparently a lot like my mom… she was an artist too. She played piano, but I hear she was a lot better than I am. The relationship between Dad and me wasn’t easy, to say the least... I think I reminded him too much of Mom. When Joshua started going to school, as far as Dad was concerned, he was the perfect son. Joshua settled into school life well, and got great reports from the teachers. When it was my turn to start school, I was either drawing all the time or I was thinking about the new piece I was trying to learn to play on the piano. I didn’t do well academically; I was too distracted by my passion for the arts. It made Dad crazy, he got frustrated with me and we fought a lot, until finally, he realized what I’d been telling him was true, and I couldn’t fit into the mold he’d made for me.” She is watching me, concentrated on my story. I like that she cares. “So, he finally agreed to send me to a school specializing in the arts, and I found somewhere I belonged. I was so freaking happy after struggling for so long with shit I didn’t want to do. My relationship with my Dad was lousy for a very long time, but a few years ago, Dad remarried. Lucia is a lovely woman; she has a heart of gold. She’s been instrumental in repairing the relationship between Dad and me. We're much closer to one another now, because of her.''

''I'm glad your father sent you to an art school. Nobody should waste talents like you have. Presley. You are an incredible human being.''

I could listen to Abbie praising me all day long. ''I'm so glad that I found you,'' I whisper as I kiss her, moving a strand of hair back from her face. She slowly brings her face towards mine. I mirror the movement and we kiss. Her lips are perfection against mine, her mouth molding to fit mine as if we were meant to be together. The kiss deepens, and then I pull away to stare into her eyes once more. ''You drive me fucking crazy, I hope you know that.'' A huge grin slides into place on my lips, and she answers with one of her own. ''You have the same effect on me,'' she admits.

We kiss again. I caress her back, her waist, and wrap my arms around her body. I lift her into my arms, and she wraps her legs around my waist. God, I love it when she does that. I love the sensation of her body pressed so tightly against mine. I want her, and I need her, now. The day seemed incredibly long without her, and I have to admit I missed her. Now, I want to make up for lost time.

''Presley! Abbie!'' Joy-Anna arrives. Abbie immediately releases her grip around my waist and slithers down to the floor, looking embarrassed.

''Christ, Joy-Anna!” I grumble.  In a lower voice, I speak to Abbie. “Sorry about that, love.'' Abbie's obviously trying to catch her breath. Her cheeks are flushed and she looks as disappointed as I am.

I press a kiss to Abbie’s forehead before Joy-Anna appears. ''Am I interrupting something?'' Joy-Anna glances at us and notices Abbie’s discomfort. ''Oops, sorry. I guess I am.''

''What's up, Joy-Anna?'' I demand and I hear the rudeness in my tone. She knew Abbie was here, so why come in without knocking?

''Joshua wants to know if you're up for a night out.''

I sigh heavily. ''You could've have called. It’s not like it was an emergency.''

Joy-Anna shifts uncomfortably on the spot and murmurs a quick sorry.

I explain to Abbie. ''Joshua owns a club. Do you feel like going?''

''Hmm... Okay, yeah, sure.''

I turn back to my sister. ''We'll go. Now, please, buzz off and give us some privacy. We’ll see you later.'' Joy-Anna receives my not-so-subtle message and scuttles towards the door. Once I hear it close, Abbie and I pick up where we left off.

Abbie

Joy-Anna lends me a dress for the evening. I would have never worn something like this before I met Presley. It’s way too sexy for my usual tastes, but I think I like it. I’m discovering it feels good to be sexy. Joy-Anna came and collected me from Presley’s apartment when darkness fell and marched me back to her place, to prepare for the evening. I'm wearing my new shoes, and Alicia’s fixed my hair and makeup. The guys will apparently be meeting us at the club. I don't know if Presley will even recognize me dressed like this. The dress is incredibly short and my back is bare. The scrap of material doesn't cover much of my skin.

Once we arrive at the bar, I discover wearing a dress like this is a challenge. The girls keep telling me I'm hot, but I'm timid and uncomfortable with men watching me. Normally, I just blend in.

We’re standing at the bar having a drink when Joshua and Derek arrive. There’s no sign of Presley, and I immediately grow nervous. Where is he? Joy-Anna points him out behind me when she sees the anxiety in my expression. I turn around to face Presley and he's smirking at me. His eyes graze over me, from head to toe, and he is all smiles. It seems he might like the outfit.

''You're the sexiest woman in here tonight, and you're all mine. God, Abbie, I’m in love with you like I’ve never been before.'' I love the fact that he tells me he loves me so often now, and it feels so good each and every time. He offers me his hand. ''May I have this dance?''

I can’t resist him. ''Of course.'' He kisses my hands when I place them in his, and leads me onto the dance floor.

Presley is still smiling when he pulls me towards him. He settles his hands on my hips, and I notice there's something different about the way he’s looking at me, but I can’t figure out what it is. It seems as if his desire for me has exploded through the roof. I suddenly realize I'm not wearing a bra and wonder if that’s the reason. I'm so self-conscious, and aware of other men watching me with Presley. This is so different from my past life, but I find I'm actually enjoying being the seductress.

Presley can dance, very well, and I'm surprised by the revelation. He presses up against me, and the sensation of his body touching me from hip to breast makes me shudder with desire. I place my hands on his abs, and it takes every ounce of willpower to restrain myself from sliding my hands up under his shirt.

The music is loud and the dance floor is packed. Alicia and Joshua are dancing beside us. I’ve never been into dancing before, but Presley and Alicia are making it fun. Presley turns me around in his arms, my back against his chest. He runs his hand over my stomach and down across my waist while we’re dancing. I wrap my arms around his shoulders and he starts kissing my neck in such a sensual way, I wonder if it may be too much for a public place. Then I realize I don't care. Our hips grind together, and his hands roam all over my body. This is so hot; he makes me all riled up.

All I want now, is to go home with Presley and spend the night with him. I finally break away from Presley to go back to the bar, where Joy-Anna is standing, an expression of disbelief on her face. I laugh, a little embarrassed by my behaviour.

Presley joins us and we have a couple of drinks while I cool down. I'm feeling a little dizzy, but I'm having so much fun, I don’t care. Joy-Anna and I throw back a couple of shooters – Jack Daniels, Goldschlager and tequila.

When I look around to Presley he’s checking his cell phone, and he looks irritated. He glances at me and offers me a fake smile. Then he scans the surrounding area, as if he’s looking for someone. His face turns bright red when he spots a blonde at the other side of the bar and he suddenly seems furious, which scares me a little. This isn’t the Presley that I’ve come to know. He doesn't explain who she is and I worry that he’s trying to hide something from me.

Joy-Anna grabs my arm, and drags me a couple of meters away, leaving Presley standing and staring at the blonde woman.

I protest. ''What the hell, Joy-Anna? What’s going on?''

''That blonde bitch is trouble, Bee. She’s always been trouble. Her name is Kelly. Whatever she does, or says, to you doesn't mean anything, okay?''

''Okay, but who the hell is she?'' I ask. I need to know, but I’m a little scared of finding out at the same time.

''Presley dated her for a while. He helped her with her portfolio, and as soon as she got her photos, she dumped him. Now, she’s got plenty of modelling jobs, and thinks she’s a big shot. I hope she's not here to see Presley. If we’re lucky, it’s only a coincidence that she’s turned up here.''

Somehow, I don’t think Kelly’s arrival is coincidental. She surely knows that this is Joshua’s bar and that he’s Presley’s brother. ''Okay...” I respond slowly. “We can’t let her get near Presley.” I shiver anxiously. “Did you see how mad he was? After seeing how sweet and kind-hearted of a person Presley is, it shocks me that he can get angry like this.'' I don’t like seeing Presley so upset, he’s normally laid back.

''He doesn't get angry very often, Bee,'' Joy confirms.

Despite the tense situation, I giggle. ''Bee? Since when do you call me Bee, anyway?''

Joy shrugs. ''It’s cute. Let’s go, Bee. We’ll have some more shooters and keep an eye on the situation.'' She forces a smile.'' Everything is going to be alright.''

We walk back to the bar, and discover that tattoo girl has made her approach while we were discussing the situation, and she is literally two inches away from Presley’s face, which pisses me off. Presley catches sight of me and I can tell he knows Joy-Anna has explained the situation. He moves away from Kelly and comes over to me, kissing my lips.