Tattoos & Unicorns Read online

  Adjusting myself on his lap, I slowly guided his length inside of me. I moaned softly as I felt him fill me completely, and then I began to gently rock my hips. My hands were placed on his chest for leverage, and his were on my hips. My eyes were on his chest, spotting the unicorn tattoo he'd gotten for me. Whenever I seen it; it made me smile, but right now in this moment? It turned me on. Maybe it was the pregnancy hormones, but every single inch of my skin was on fire and I knew that only he could put me out.

  I felt his hands knead my hips, and then my ass as he began to help me keep pace. With every pull, I could feel him deeper and deeper inside of me until he was stroking my g spot. I cried out, and he continued to guide me until I was so caught up in the sensations that I forgot how to breathe.

  I gasped, closing my eyes and tossing my head back. I could no longer think coherently. The only thing I was focused on was reaching my impending orgasm. An orgasm that I knew was going to shoot through my body and make my toes tingle.

  “Owen!” I called out, and he reached up to place his finger over my lips.

  I nodded, my eyes nearly rolling into the back of my head as he arched his hips to meet me thrust for thrust.

  “Oh, God!” I whispered. “Yes!”

  It wasn't long before I was riding my orgasm out in waves. My pussy clenching around his erection, milking him as he came along with me. I whimpered, when I felt him burst inside of me. The force sending shivers up my spine. My legs were shaking, and he smirked up at me with hooded eyes.

  “Look at that.” Owen chuckled, as he looked towards the end table. “We've still got a minute to spare.”

  “Don't you dare.” I giggled, as I tried to scramble away from him.

  He stopped me before I could get too far and rolled onto his side, effectively locking his arms around me.

  “Owen!” I squealed. “We need to get dressed!”

  He kissed the crook of my neck, then just under my ear.

  “I can't wait to get you to Nashville so that I can have you all to myself.” He whispered.

  “You've already got me.”

  “Only for the next seven months.” He winked.

  “Put some clothes on, the movers are here!” Morgan yelled from the living room.

  I buried my head in his chest, and groaned.

  “I hate to say I told you so.” I said, in a sing song voice.

  “I really am going to miss her impeccable timing.” Owen said, sarcastically.

  “You were warned.” I said, raising a brow.

  “And you were simply irresistible.”

  I shoved him in the chest playfully so that I could wriggle away from him, and he slapped me hard on my ass as I climbed out of the bed. I let out a little yelp, and he chuckled before rolling off the other side in search of his clothes.

  “Unicorn?” He asked, before wrapping himself in the towel he'd discarded. “Have you seen my clothes?”

  I had just pulled my shirt over my head, and began to work on my panties when I stopped dead in my tracks glancing around the room.

  “Oops.” I said, biting my bottom lip.

  “Oops?” He asked.

  “Morgan may have tossed them into one of the boxes.”

  He quickly scanned the room, soon realizing that not once stitch of clothing had been left un-packed.

  “Don't worry, I'll find them.” I said, as I tucked my tank top into my shorts. “Pregnancy brain has me all over the place, and then I saw you standing there in that towel and well... pregnancy hormones took over.”

  “So basically anything that goes wrong from here til the baby is born?”

  I nodded. “Blaming it on the pregnancy.”

  I pulled the tape from three boxes before I found Owen's clothing sitting folded neatly on top of the last one. I tossed them to him, and he quickly disappeared into the bathroom while I went out to meet the movers. Fortunately, Morgan was keeping them busy for me by showing them the new lingerie she designed. The lingerie that she was wearing.

  “Ahem.” I said, and the men quickly averted their eyes.

  “Good morning.” One of the men said, extending his hand. “I'm Shawn, and this is Joe. Just point us in the right direction, and we'll get to work.”

  Morgan stuck out her bottom lip, before stepping back into her dress.

  “Buzz kill.” She said, just under her breath.

  I rolled my eyes, before turning my attention to the movers.

  “Most of the furniture is staying.” I said, looking around the living room. “Any boxes you see can go, as well as all of the bedroom furniture from the room on the right.”

  Soon, the two men got to work on the boxes from the living room and after a minute or two Owen joined them. Little by little I watched as all of my belongings left my brand new apartment. An apartment that never really felt like home.

  Thankfully, Owen and I had the same vision for what our future home would look like. We wanted a small ranch on a chunk of land. Somewhere we could raise a family, and he could have the peace and quiet he needed to work on his music. For now, we'd be moving into his studio apartment. He still had six months left on his lease, and it would give us time to find something we both loved.

  Since the drive to Nashville was over thirteen hours, we decided to fly. The old truck had done me well on my journey, but my dad offered to take it back with him to Raleigh. I needed something a little more family oriented now, so Morgan took care of the rental car return. Owen's motorcycle had been strapped to a dolly behind the Penske truck, and all that was left to do was catch our flight.

  With one last look around my bedroom, I went out to the living room to grab my carry on bag. Morgan was standing there with her arms crossed, and a sad look on her face.

  “So this is it?” She asked, as she wiped a tear from her eye. “You're really leaving?”

  I closed the distance between us, and pulled her into a hug. In mere seconds the flood gates had opened, and we were weeping in each other's arms. Our friendship may have taken a few hits, but at the end of the day she would always be the person who helped to shape me. The way she went about 'helping' me was never conventional, but it was always coming from a place of love.

  “I'm going to miss you so much.” She whispered into my ear.

  “I'll miss you too.” I whispered back.

  Owen was standing in the kitchen with his own bag slung over his shoulder, waiting. Morgan offered to drive us to the airport, but this was something that I had to do without her. I spent half of my life following in her footsteps, and this time I needed to find my own path.

  With one final squeeze, I pulled away from my best friend and gave her a heartfelt smile.

  “I love you, Morgan.” I said, earnestly.

  She glanced around me then, glaring at Owen.

  “If you break her heart, I'm coming for you Foster.” She said taking her fingers and pointing to her eyes, and then his.

  “And you.” She said, her attention turning back to me. “If you ever need me. Please don't hesitate to call. Any time, any day. I love you, Ronnie Locke.”

  “It's been one hell of a ride.” I winked.

  “Even if it was a little bumpy?”

  “Even if.”

  I grabbed my bag from the couch, and handed it to Owen when I got into the kitchen. His hand was on the door knob, and when he pulled it open and stepped out into the hall I turned around one last time. I waved with my fingers, a final goodbye to a woman who meant more to me than I ever thought another person could. She waved back, and before I lost my nerve I walked through the threshold and towards the elevator.

  I heard the door shut behind me, but I didn't look back this time. I couldn't. Tears were falling slowly down my cheeks as I took slow deep breaths in an attempt to stop them. My emotions were all over the place. I was excited to start my new life with Owen, but I was sad to be leaving what was left of my old life behind.

  When the two of us were closed inside of the elevator, Owen set our bags down
and pulled me into his arms. I sobbed quietly into his chest, and he kissed the top of my head. The only other set of arms that made me feel this safe and loved were my dad's, and I knew without a shadow of doubt that I had made the right decision.

  The doors opened to the lobby floor, and Owen scooped our bags up. I held my head a little higher as we made our way through the building and out the front door. Our Uber driver was already waiting for us on the curb, and after tossing the bags into the trunk Owen slid into the backseat beside me.

  “Are you alright?” He asked, as the driver pulled away from the building and onto the road.

  “I will be.” I said, resting my head on his shoulder.

  “Have I told you how happy I am that you agreed to come back to Nashville with me?”

  “Once or twice.” I teased.

  “I was afraid you'd be disappointed in me.”

  “Disappointed? Why?” I asked, lifting my head so that I could look at him.

  “For walking away from my dad's business.”

  “From the moment I met you; you were honest about not wanting to be a part of it. When you told me you wanted to go back to Nashville the night that your dad died, I'll admit that I was scared. My first thought was that you were going to leave and never look back. I wouldn't have blamed you if you did. You didn't exactly sign up to be a father when you met me.”

  “And you didn't sign up to deal with all of my emotional baggage, but here we are.”

  I laughed. “I think I've got a bit of emotional baggage of my own.”

  “Do you? I hadn't noticed.”

  I rolled my eyes. “There's a part of me that still doesn't believe that you're real.”

  “Pinch me.” He said, raising his brows up and down suggestively.

  I swatted his arm playfully, and he wrapped his around me. I laid my head back on his shoulder and smiled. I never imagined my life going in this direction. My future has been mapped out for me since I was fourteen years old. From my college major, to the man that I would marry.

  I tried so hard to plan my life accordingly, and then one chance encounter with a smooth talking, motorcycle riding, tattoo covered, brokenhearted, not so bad boy changed everything. I wasn't one to believe in love at first sight, but when I met Owen I knew that he was different.

  There was still a part of me that wondered if the two of us were moving too fast. That one day he'd wake up and realize that he wasn't ready for the instant family that came along with loving me. I battled with these thoughts even now with his arm around me, and his hand caressing my shoulder.

  “What are you thinking?” He asked, as if he could hear the thoughts racing through my head.

  “About the what ifs.” I said softly.

  He tipped his head so that his lips brushed against my ear.

  “What if when we get on the plane I introduce you to the mile high club?” He whispered.

  I gasped, and he chuckled.

  “What if when we get home I take you into the shower and suck the water from every inch of your delectable body?”

  “Owen!” I whisper snapped, but it only seemed to encourage him.

  “What if I loved all your 'what ifs' away?” He asked, a little louder this time sending butterflies directly to my stomach.

  “I think if anyone could, it would be you.” I admitted.

  “That's my girl.” He said, before kissing me just under my ear. “No more getting in your head, alright?”

  “Alright.” I sighed.

  We pulled into the airport a few minutes later, and the Uber driver dropped us off out front. After paying the man, Owen grabbed our bags and I followed him through the crowded airport. We arrived ten minutes before our flight, giving us just enough time to check our bags before the flight began to board.

  I took the window seat, and Owen stored our bags in the over head compartment before sitting down beside me. He reached for my hand, and we waited in silence as the rest of the plane soon filled to capacity. The flight attendants went over the safety features, and shortly after that the pilot announced that we'd be taking off.

  I brought a book to read, and some music to listen to but I didn't think I'd be doing much of either. I had never flown on a plane before, and with my morning sickness I was worried that I'd find myself in the bathroom for an entirely different reason than joining the mile high club.

  The take off was a little rough, but once we were in the air my stomach began to settle. Owen held my hand the entire two hour flight, rubbing his thumb over my knuckles periodically. We talked about all the things we wanted to do before the baby came, and even more after. I don't know what I was so worried about. The way he talked about the baby was enough to make any woman's heart melt.

  Our carry on bags remained untouched, the things we'd brought to pass the time were an after thought. Being with him was easy. We could talk about everything, or absolutely nothing and it was never boring. He had a way of making me live in the moment, and when I found myself getting in my head again he was right there to pull me out.

  When the plane landed on the tarmac, and the passengers began to exit, things finally started to feel real. The instant I walked out into the muggy southern air I inhaled deeply. It was almost like being in Raleigh again, and a sense of calm washed over me.

  On the ride back to Owen's apartment I watched out the window as we passed rolling hills, and large mountains that almost touched the sky. Everything about Tennessee was breathtakingly beautiful. The views were stunning, and I found myself thinking about what our future home would look like. Would we have a view of the mountains just like this?

  “You're awfully quiet over there, Unicorn.” Owen said, placing his hand on my leg.

  “I'm just enjoying the view.”

  “Me too.”

  I rolled my eyes as I turned to face him. “You can stop you know? You've already convinced me to move here with you. You don't have to try so hard.”

  “I'll remind you every day, for the rest of my life how much you mean to me, just so you don't forget.”

  “For the rest of your life?” I asked, arching brow.

  “I said what I said.” He winked.

  I blushed, and he gave my thigh a squeeze.

  “I'm so damn happy you're here with me, Unicorn.”

  “For the first time in a long time... I'm happy too.”

  TWENTY-FOUR

  OWEN AND I HAD OFFICIALLY been in Nashville for two weeks, and tonight I was finally meeting his friends. He had kept me holed up in his apartment for as long as he could. As much as I enjoyed our days of laying in bed and doing nothing at all, I was beginning to go a little stir crazy.

  I styled my hair, and found my most comfortable pair of jeans. I pulled the zipper up, and tried to fasten the button but it wouldn't go. I tried again, but it was no use. I turned sideways to look at myself in the mirror, and that's when I noticed it. The tiny-est of baby bumps had begun to form, and I placed my hand over the small curve in wonder.

  “Ronnie, have you seen my-what are you doing?” Owen laughed as he rounded the corner from the living room.

  “My jeans won't fit.” I said, as I continued to stare at myself in the mirror.

  He came to stand behind me then, placing his hands over mine on my stomach. He smiled at my reflection, and winked at me.

  “You've never looked more beautiful, Unicorn.”

  “You have to say that.” I sighed.

  He chuckled. “I don't have to say anything, but I want to. You're incredibly smart, sexy, and cute as hell when you crinkle your nose like that.”

  “I just imagined meeting your friends under different circumstances. I mean, I can't even share a drink with them.”

  “I'll ask the bartender to make you a virgin cocktail.”

  “It's not the same.” I pouted.

  “I'll drink one too.”

  “You will?” I asked, arching a brow skeptically.

  He nodded, before placing a kiss on the top of my head.
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br />   “Now, have you seen my belt?”

  I blushed, remembering what we'd used it for last night.

  “I uh- think it's under the bed.”

  I watched in the mirror as he dropped down onto the floor to look under the bed. A few seconds later he stood up triumphantly, before pulling it through his belt loops. Of course he was wearing jeans. Fitted jeans that made his ass look amazing, and hugged his junk in all the right places.

  “Were you just checking me out?” he asked, playfully.

  “I was judging you with my eyes.” I retorted.

  “Well stop. All your judging, is making me want to get undressed.”

  I shimmied out of my jeans, and tossed them onto the bed. I went back to the closet, and after digging around for a while I came across a navy blue cotton dress that I hadn't worn in a while. I shrugged it on, and then got down on my knees to find my boots. I didn't have much use for them in New York, but they'd be perfect here.

  After pulling my boots on, I checked my reflection in the mirror once again. My bump was less visible in the flowy dress, and I felt more like myself than I had in quite some time. Morgan had always been my stylist. Every meeting, every party, even when we went out to dinner. I dug around in my jewelry box, and finished my look with an owl pendant on a long gold chain.

  When I finally left the bedroom to see where Owen had gone, I found him sitting in the living room scrolling through his phone.

  “I'm ready when you are.” I said.

  He stood, tucking his phone into his back pocket.

  “Nashville looks good on you.” He winked.

  “It feels good.” I said with a smile.

  He reached his hand out for mine and I took it, allowing him to lead me out the front door and to my new SUV. The motorcycle was parked right beside it, and I brushed my hand over the seat in passing. I couldn't wait to ride through the mountains, holding onto Owen with the wind blowing through my hair.

  “A few more months.” Owen said knowingly, before climbing into the driver's seat.

  “Thanks for driving. I don't know my way around yet.”

  “You have nothing to be nervous about.”