Safe to love you (Ink Series - Spin Off Book 2) (25 page)

''It’s brought us closer together, faster.'' She finishes my sentence. ''I'm surprised you didn't run for the hills.''

''It wasn't an option.'' I cup her cheek with my hand. Our eyes meet. ''It never will be.''

''Your eyes, Presley...I would miss them. When I'm dreaming, I see them. When we aren't together, I miss them. They speak for you. Just by looking at them, I know your mood, how you are feeling. I see your passion, your lust, your love...everything.''

''I could say the same about you, my love.'' I take her in my arms and we hug for a few seconds. She feels so perfect in my arms. It’s where she’s meant to be.

''Oh...before I forget...Joshua stopped by earlier, and we’re having dinner with the whole family.''

''Great...I’m sure it will be a special night!'' I roll my eyes; certain I will have to explain why.

As I suspected, Abbie doesn’t miss the insinuation. ''Every night is special with you but... why is this one so special?''

''I shouldn't tell you. Joshua has a surprise for us tonight.''

''Okay, Presley, I won't torture you for the details. You just need to dress classy, no beanie. That’s what Joshua told me.''

''All right! Now let’s eat.'' As much as I love to be in her arms, I think I'm starving to death.

I sit at the table in front of a plate full of blueberry pancakes. They look delicious. There’s a small jug of maple syrup in the middle of the table, and Abbie brings another plate of bacon and eggs, along with a bowl of fresh fruit salad. She’s made enough food to feed at least four other people, but I'm not about to complain. Abbie just loves to cook breakfast. I eat as much as I can, but it doesn’t take long before I’m starting to feel full, and I think Abbie does too.

I hear three quiet knocks at the door and I shout out, ''Come in.''

Derek strolls in and sits at the table, as if we’d invited him for breakfast. He is special in his own way.

''I think there will be leftovers, right? Can I join you guys? Joy-Anna is gone...''

''What do you mean, she’s gone?'' Abbie asks anxiously. I'm sure she thinks something bad happened between Derek and Joy, but I know what’s coming.

''There’s this family dinner tonight, and apparently none of the dresses she owns are good enough, or whatever. She's out shopping for an outfit.''

Abbie bursts into laughter. I grab a plate for Derek, and I'm suddenly happy that my shirt is too big for Abbie. She's under-dressed for company. I know for a fact that she has nothing on but my shirt. It's a turn on, but at the same time, I'm a little uncomfortable knowing she’s practically naked.

''I'm going to let you guys talk; I need to go take a shower.” Derek is way too focused on the food to notice Abbie’s lack of clothing, which is a good thing. When Abbie stands up, she pulls down the shirt to make sure nothing is revealed. She winks at me before she enters our bedroom.

''Do you know what's up with tonight?'' Derek asks casually, putting a forkful of pancake in his mouth.

I plead ignorance. ''No...I haven’t got a clue. Just a regular family dinner, I assume.'' I don't like lying, and I hope he doesn't guess that I am. There’s no way I'm going to ruin this surprise for my brother. Alicia is the most precious person in his life and she deserves her special night.

''Yeah, I guess.''

Derek manages to eat almost everything that we’d left. I can hear Abbie humming as she’s getting dressed after her shower. It's part of her daily routine. She is adorable. Derek leaves when Abbie returns with the lotion to spread on her tattoos. I apply it for her. I’m loving her tattoos. They’re cute, and at the same time they add a bit of an edge to her sweetness.

''You were right baby, I want more tattoos now,'' Abbie laughs. ''I never thought I would, but it’s addictive.''

Just tell me what and when.'' Tons of designs and ideas are already flowing into my mind.

''I will,'' she answers with a little grin.

''Any ideas now?'' I ask, because the idea of giving her another tattoo is killing me. Tattooing her is so different, nothing like any of the tattoos I've ever done before. It makes me so proud and my only goal is to give her the perfect tattoo.

She looks at me from beneath her eyelashes, she knows she’s killing me and she enjoys it by teasing me some more. ''I don't know... yet.''

''Alright, well, you know where to find me when you do.'' I get up and clear all the dishes from the table. I hear her chuckling. I drop the plates into the sink and turn around, my arms crossed over my chest. She starts laughing uncontrollably. Then she grabs the camera sitting on the table and start taking photos of me.

''I see what your game is, Ms. Rylee.''

''Smile for me, Williams. Come on!'' She begs, and takes few more pictures. ''You need to help me out here. How long have you been modelling?''

This is the version of Abbie that I love–free-spirited, humorous and a little bit of a smart ass. Why not play her game to please her? I pull my shirt off, showing off my tattoos. Whenever I'm shirtless, Bee can't stop staring. I can see that her cheeks are turning red behind the camera. There, gotcha love. I continue to pose for her. She ends up giving me back the camera in defeat. My laughter is so loud. She rolls her eyes at me. Wait, what? ''Did you just roll your eyes at me?'' I take a photo of her, she’s acting, trying to seem mad. ''Come on, smile for me, Rylee?''

She can’t hold it in for second longer. ''Oh shush! You aren’t funny. You know what you're doing, and I don’t.''

''Love, just stay natural. This is your thing, you are a natural. A beauty.''

She blushes some more and I take a few more shots. This moment is exactly why I'm going to marry her. It’s easy to be joyful around her, she is pure sunshine! I'm the luckiest guy in the whole damn world. I continue taking photos, even as she tries to hide away from the camera. Sometimes, the candid pictures are the best ones.

Alicia

I'M WEARING
the red cocktail dress Joshua suggested. He’s wearing a matching tie with a black suit. He’s handsome. We're all dressed up and it feels special. I have no idea why the Williams family have decided to celebrate tonight, but I’m not complaining. We’ve reserved a section in one of the finest restaurants in Seattle, and even Bee is wearing heels. It has to be something unusual, to get Bee in a pair of high heels.

Bentley orders a bottle of champagne and the waiter pops the cork at the table. Okay, this is obviously a very special night. Bentley usually only orders champagne on rare special occasions. Maybe Abbie is pregnant? Or Joy-Anna? Probably Joy-Anna, she’s been married for a while now. I know she wants to start a family. There’s no sign of a baby bump though, and I imagine she’d wait until she hit the twelve-week mark before she and Derek would tell anyone. There has to be something else going on. The waiter pours a glass of champagne for everyone. And then, Joshua turns to me. He kisses my lips and everybody is watching us.

OH. MY. GOD.
It’s us
. He is....He really is...P-R-O-P-O-S-I-N-G...

''Alicia Hale, I used to see you running around the house with my brother. I used to think you were a spoiled brat.'' Joshua laughs and I join him. Fresh tears are already welling up in my eyes.
''One particular night brought us closer, and I’ve never stopped caring for you since. After that, my feelings for you changed, and I fell in love with you.''

Lucia hands me a tissue, and I realize that my tears have finally begun and I'm crying. Joshua is so handsome and romantic in his own way.

''You’re an exceptional woman, generous and thick-skulled, and I'm pretty sure we can all agree that I'm telling the truth.'' Joshua shows his white teeth in a gigantic grin.

''I'm not that bad...come on guys,'' I protest in my defence.

''I know we’re meant to be together. I thought we would be married before ’Ley, but my brother beat me to the proposal stage.'' Joshua eyed Presley with menace, but Presley just burst into laughter and muttered an apology.

''I could go on and on about this, and I wish I could give you everything, but I hope that this ring is enough to show you the depth of my love. The love I feel for you is endless,'' Joshua says.

Joshua gets down on one knee and presents me with a ring; it's perfect. ''Baby, will you marry me?'' Joshua proposes, gazing into my tear-filled eyes.

''Yes.'' I say very quietly. ''Yes... YES!'' I grow louder, practically screaming in happiness. Joshua slides the ring onto my finger, and everyone starts to cheer for us. Lucia comes to me first to hug me warmly.

''Welcome to the family, officially.'' She is such a sweetheart. Bentley hugs Joshua, and tells him how happy and proud he is.

''Wow. Please, people, wait. I want to kiss my fiancée first.''
Oh my God, my heart is melting. Isn't he cute?

Joshua lifts me up in a bear hug; kissing me passionately. I'm probably blushing. “I love you,” he whispers in my ear before he sets me on my feet.

I straighten out my dress, and Joy-Anna and Abbie both hug me. We laugh and we cry simultaneously. We're all going to be related--sisters. We are family and I love them to death. This evening has turned out to be the most fantastic moment of my life. I truly am blessed and happy; I don't think I’ll ever stop smiling, but I also think the champagne is kicking in. I have a smile on my face and I can’t make it stop. Dinner is served, but I don’t eat much because of all the excitement, mostly because it’s hard to eat when you can’t stop staring at the sparkly engagement ring on your finger. I'm so freaking happy.

For dessert, Joshua asked the waiter for chocolate fondant cake. It’s irresistible and delicious. I'm not good with speeches, but I want to thank the Williams family for everything they’ve done for me. I get to my feet and take a deep breath. My hands are trembling.

''I’ve always considered each and every one of you my family. I'm closer to all of you than to my own family. You’re all very important in my life, and I'm so happy that I got to share this evening with you. Thank you!''

There, I did it, and I think it went well. The emotions get to me. I try to control the happy tears but I fail miserably. Joshua kisses my tears ago. I’m so overwhelmed by the proposal, I didn’t expect it.

After dinner, we go outside and Presley takes photos of us. All the couples: all the girls, Lucia and Bentley, brothers and sisters. We had a blast. I made Presley promise to give me the photos tomorrow. It’s growing late and the night has been blessed with lots of champagne and wine. The only thing I have in mind now is spending time with my Joshua. I'm ready to say goodbye and go home because it’s impossible to take my hands off him. We spent all night with our family, now I want privacy.

As if he read my mind, Joshua wraps his arm around my waist and presses a kiss to my cheek. ''Hey gorgeous. Do you mind if we don’t go home tonight? I’ve organized a night at the hotel. Doesn't that sound good?''

I leap into his arms; this is definitely the best night of my life.

I can’t stop smiling. I don't think I’ll be able to sleep for a week. I don't think sleeping is in Joshua’
s plans, anyway.

Abbie

Two weeks later...

Today, it's the boys turn to get thei
r tuxedos for our wedding. To be honest, it's about time. The date is rapidly approaching and it’s making me nervous. What if they can't find the right suits? I think I’ve mentioned to Presley about a hundred times that he needs to get a purple tie. I truly hope he doesn't forget. It has to be this way. I even saved a few pictures of ties I’ve found on the web, and placed them in his cell phone before he left. I want everything to match and to be the best we can be. I never thought I would get this crazy over a wedding, but I am. I'm a bridezilla, albeit a mild one.

Last night, I woke up in the middle of the night. I had a dream about my mother. It was a good dream. Mom and I were getting matching tattoos. It was crazy, because Mom never approved of tattoos, but in the dream, we both had matching flowers done. I adored the idea, and I was determined I had to get this done. I couldn't wait, so I brought the laptop to the bed and surfed the web until I found the exact flower I had in mind. They’re freesias, like the ones we had for Mom’s funeral. I woke Presley up, begging him to get his equipment ready. It was 3:15 am when he started tattooing me. We opted for a small bouquet of pink and white freesias, on my upper arm. He even asked me a couple times if I was truly awake and aware of what I was doing. I promised him that I was, and that this was definitely what I wanted.

''You realize that it’s the middle of the night, right?'' he asked.

''I do and I'm sorry, but I want to do it now. The images are so clear in my head. Please, baby, I'll owe you big for this.''

''No, Abbie, you won’t owe with anything, I want to be the one to do it, but damn, it’s not like it’s a small thing. We won’t be done before the sun rises.''

''I know, and I'm sorry.'' I knew it was a lot of work for him to do, I'm not an idiot. I knew I had no right to wake him up in the middle of the night to do it, but I was certain it needed to be done right now. It was selfish on my part, and I felt bad for pushing him, but I couldn’t seem to think about anything else. Presley got his gear ready, wearing nothing but his underwear. I couldn’t stop staring at his amazing body. He got the coloured ink out, the black outline ink, the needles and the endless list of other equipment he needed.

At first, when he started drawing on my skin, I thought it was somehow tingling and provoking my desires for him. He was concentrated and making sure every flower was in the right place. Every once in a while, he stepped back to look at my arm and then he would return to fix it up. Presley is deliriously sexy when he is working at any kind of art. He has the same focused expression on his face when he’s working at his photography or playing piano.

So he did it, and I'm so freaking happy. I knew I wanted to get another tattoo, I just didn't know what it would be until I had the dream. It was obviously a sign; it was so clear in my head and I had to get it marked on my skin immediately. It was almost six in the morning when Presley finished. He did a fantastic job and is so talented. This time he didn't use a stencil, he drew it directly onto my skin, working the design until he was satisfied with the result.

He didn't get much sleep because of my crazy urge, and I know this morning he wasn't in a great mood due to a lack of sleep. I saw him grab some Advil before he left. I think it's probably better if I don't call to remind him about the purple tie.

I'm naked, about to take a shower, and I'm staring at my body. Studying my tattoos. I feel so different, but in a good way. I’m happy with myself; happy with the miraculous changes in my life. It’s as if I'm blossoming into a flower. I think Presley is bringing out who I always knew I was, but the real me that I kept hiding. I’ve never felt more free and grounded at the same time before, but I love the sensation.

Looking at my belly, I think I should cut back on the carbs until the wedding. We’ve been eating a lot of take-out lately, and I feel like I might have gained a few pounds. I don't dare get on the scale. I’ll trust my instincts and eat lighter for the next two weeks. Salad and grilled chicken with fruit; this will be painful. Well, at least until after the wedding.

We're supposed to receive the dresses this week. They’re going to be delivered to Lucia’s house, so we can be sure the men aren’t going to see them. I'm so excited about this. I’ll have to call Lucia, to see if she needs help with anything. I'm sure she won't accept any help, but I think I should ask anyway.

Presley has asked a friend of his, another photographer, to be at the wedding for the photos. If we want Presley in the pictures, we will obviously need someone else to be holding the camera. I trust him; I'm sure his friend is a good as Presley is. Well, maybe not
as
good, but good enough. I smile to myself. I’m being ridiculous.

Today, Alicia, Joy-Anna, and I are going to buy our jewelry for the wedding. I want something very delicate and feminine. I looked through a few magazines, but I didn't find exactly what I wanted. Joy-Anna is going to freak when she sees my new tattoo. I know Alicia has a big one in that exact same area, also done by Presley. When Joy-Anna arrives, I'm wearing jeans and a tank top, and applying lotion to my tattoo. She doesn't say anything, but there’s a huge smile on her face, and her eyes grow wide with surprise.

''Abbie Rylee...he inked you again! When did he do it? It looks pretty new,'' she says, as she takes a closer look.

''I had a dream about my mom, and I woke Presley up in the middle of the night to do it.''

''Ah! Now I understand why he looked like hell this morning, when he arrived to get Derek.''

I grinned sheepishly. ''Yep, my fault.''

''It’s so pretty, Bee.'' She is studying the details. “He put his heart into it. The flowers look real.

''Thanks.'' I suddenly feel the urge to hug her, so I do. She laughs, pleased and surprised.

''Are you alright, Abbie?''

''I am. I really am. I’m just overwhelmed by my life, him, you, Alicia, everyone. The wedding is coming, and it's all happening so fast. I want it so badly.''

Joy-Anna giggles. ''And then you’ll be Abbie Williams!''

''I know!'' I squeal. We hug some more, and jump around the room like little girls.

I put on my sweater and Presley’s scarf, that way I can smell his cologne all day. I top it off with a jacket, and we leave the apartment to meet Alicia outside in the parking lot.

She drives us to Lucia’s house. I don’t say anything, because maybe she wants to join us and I just didn’t know. I'm excited to see her as well. We enter the house, and Lucia walks toward us from the kitchen. Her smile is radiant, and as per usual, she kisses and hugs each and every one of us.

''Abbie!'' Lucia takes a hold of my hand. ''I know you were planning to go shopping for your wedding jewelry today, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to suggest something a little more traditional.''

We follow her into the living room, where there are some leather boxes in various colors sitting on the coffee table.

''I would like you to consider wearing the Williams’ family jewels. They’re mostly vintage, and in perfect condition.'' Lucia smiled, giving me a few seconds to let this offer sink in. ''If you don’t find anything that you like, then we can go to the jeweller’s downtown so you can buy something.''

''Are you sure about this? I mean, I'm touched by the gesture, Lucia, I am. Can I look at them?'' I ask curiously.

''Of course you can, Abbie.'' She picks up the first box and opens it; it contains a white pearl necklace with a matching bracelet and earrings. ''This set was worn by Bentley’s mother on our wedding day. It belongs to his great-grandmother.''

I take the box from Lucia’s hands to get a closer look. It is a classic, not exactly what I had in mind, though.

I hand the box to Alicia, while Lucia opens the next box.

''This one is from my side of the family. It belonged to my aunt, and she offered it to me as a wedding present. It’s all diamonds. It’s the set I wore on my wedding day.'' She hands me the box, and I see the little sparks of happiness in her eyes. It probably reminds her of her own special day. I take a look at what’s inside the box. It’s perfect, very delicate, but it shines beautifully. There are four diamonds on the necklace and I assume it’s made of white gold. The bracelet and earrings are also perfect. I think this is the one I’ll choose. Lucia continues with the third and last box. ''This one is the oldest one. It’s from the beginning of the twentieth century. It’s made of white eighteen karat gold. It’s an Edwardian Amethyst Pearl Festoon Necklace, with a Heart Girandole Centrepiece. I have to admit, it’s my favorite. I think this one would match your dress perfectly.