Ozzy

 

 

PINS AND NEEDLES in my arm wake me. McKenna’s on top of it. Not wanting to arouse the beauty with the streak of green in her hair, I take my time and twist my arm until the rush of blood circulating in it catches my breath.

The pain doesn’t matter.

All that matters is the woman in my arms. Last night’s epic sex marathon replays and I know, without a doubt, she’s mine. Forever. I told her I love her, but it goes so much deeper than a four-letter word. I breathe her deep in my soul. Music exists because of her.

I stroke her hair off her forehead. She looks so peaceful—carefree even—in slumber. My heart starts to sing a new song about wanting to hold still in this moment forever. I can hear the guitar playing and the drumbeat. I have to capture McKenna’s song.

She turns onto her side and I stare at her naked back for a moment. Dropping a kiss onto her shoulder blade, I reach over and pick up some sheet music and a pencil from the side table and start scribbling.

Two hours later and ‘Hold Still’ is complete. This is one song I’ll refuse to let the band collaborate on. No. This is my song to my girl.

Next to me, McKenna stirs. Stretching her arms over her head, she turns her face toward me. “Morning,” she says in a sleepy voice.

I smile at the beauty in my bed. “Hey. How’d you sleep?”

She giggles. “Like someone who’s been well-loved.” Her hand reaches out and smooths down my chest. I watch its descent, my dick starting to warm up to the idea of yet another round.

Before she wraps her fingers around me, I grab her wrist. “You must be sore.”

Her legs move under the blankets. “Maybe a little.”

Sighing, I push her hand upward instead of down. “Let’s get you into the bath. There’s a jacuzzi tub in there.”

“I’d expect nothing less.”

It dawns on me that she thinks I own this house. Picking her up because she needs to be in my arms, I walk us into the bathroom. “Actually, this isn’t my house. Platinum rented it for me for the duration of my residency.”

When I deposit her onto the tile floor, she says, “Oh. That’s nice of them.”

I turn on the water for the jacuzzi and put a bath bomb into it. “Yeah, well, it comes out of my pay.”

“Speaking of pay, I’m glad you hired the night nurse for Mom. I now have my nights available to do what we did last night.” She kisses me.

“Not a problem.” I eye the tub and turn on the jets. “Now, get in.”

“Only if you will.”

I give her a grin. “Oh, I plan on getting in alright.”

Once we’re settled, her in front of me between my legs, I caress her shoulders. “There’s something I have to tell you.”

Underneath my hands, her body goes stiff. “You have ten kids and another dog?”

I chuckle. “Nope. I have one ex-wife and that’s it. I swear.” I kiss the back of her neck and her body relaxes against me.

“I can handle that.” She caresses my bruised knuckles, then brings my hand to her mouth and places little kisses on each one. “What’s up?”

“Well, you may think because I’m a rockstar that I have a lot of money. And I do make a shit-ton for my residency. But, I have a lot of expenses. You see, I support all of my family, plus pay for everything here. The band, the crew, this house. Platinum takes a huge chunk of my paycheck.” Inhaling, I confess, “And I paid Teresa ten million dollars to go away.”

She shakes her head. “I’m not looking for a handout, Ozzy. I fully expect to pay for Mom’s nursing care—was planning on it with the national competition. Assuming, of course, I win. Or get excellent publicity from it.”

I kiss her cheek. “I have no doubt.”

She turns and kisses me on the lips. “Thanks. I don’t want your money. I only want you.”

“I’ve never met anyone like you, McKenna.”

Her lips curl. “I’m one of a kind.”

“That is for sure.”

Her hand dips below the water’s surface and soon finds its way to my cock. She envelopes it, stroking its length as it grows. “McKenna,” I warn.

“I’m not sore anymore.”

I growl and we put her admission to the test.

 

 

WHEN WE’RE DRESSED and full from a very late breakfast, I bring her into my music room. “We need to talk about the future.”

“Isn’t that kinda soon? I mean, we just had our first overnight.” She blows me a kiss from across the room.

“Our first ‘overnight’”—I use air quotes around the word—“encompassed more than most couples will do in a year.”

Her cheeks turn a pretty shade of pink. “Well, there is that.”

I clear my throat. I need to get this off my chest. “Platinum wants me to go to LA to record the next album right after my residency ends. Which is New Year’s Eve.”

“Oh.” She licks her lips. “So, you’re moving to LA?”

I nod. “Not exactly. I do own a house there. It’s nothing much, but it’s in a safe neighborhood and I paid for it in cash. It was the first thing I bought, besides Shirley, when I was on my tour.”

“Must’ve been exciting.”

“It was.” I don’t share the conversation I had with Teresa when I first bought it. She screeched like I bought us a hovel or something. Come to think about it, though, I purchased it without consulting her first. And she never did see it, in the end. “But, now I want to sell it and buy a place with you. For us. That is, if you’ll have me.”

“You want to move in together?”

I cross the room and stand before her. “Yes.”

Her expressive eyes take on a shine I’ve never seen in them before. “I’d love that. We can use the money from the sale of your house as a downpayment on ours. And, hopefully, I can contribute money from my business.”

I run my hands up and down her arms simply because I have to touch her. And I need to feel her reaction to my next admission. One I’ve given much thought. “I’ve decided to tell Platinum that I don’t want to do a major tour. My life is with you, and your life is here with your mother. I want us to buy a house here, in Vegas.”

She stiffens. “But your career—”

“Isn’t as important as you are. I know other casinos have contacted me about continuing my residency. I’ve told Aiden to explore the offers.”

She leans back. “But what about Platinum?”

“As you’ve heard, my new music is less pop. I’ll talk with Ginger about where I fit in the Platinum family. And I’ll make sure to negotiate a couple of months off from the casino, so I can do shorter tours.”

“You’ve really thought this all out.”

I pull her into my embrace. “You’re my world, Dulcita.”

Watery eyes meet mine. She stands on her tiptoes and kisses my cheek. “And you’re mine.”

We remain locked together for a few minutes. “Let’s go out to the pool. Bans needs to play.” At her name, my dog pops up her head and races out her doggie door. Laughing, we join her out there.

As I toss a stick for her to fetch for the umpteenth time, I mull over some of what Teresa said in her letter to me. Thinking about moving in with McKenna has unlocked a whole host of uneasy thoughts. Knowing the importance of communication, I take a deep breath and say, “I think I was wrong about Teresa.”

McKenna stops what she’s doing and takes the few steps over to me. “What, exactly, do you mean?”

I close my eyes. “You pointed it out to me first. I was loyal to her with my body only. I didn’t communicate with her about anything. Hell, I bought the LA house without even sending her a photo.” Rubbing my bruised knuckles, I confess, “In her letter to me, she said basically the same thing. I’m not saying that we were right for each other, but I do think I owe her an apology. Although, I have no desire to see her ever again.”

McKenna nods. “I understand. Why don’t you do it the best way you know how?”

I consider her question. “With a song?”

“You already wrote her one. Why not change the lyrics in ‘Honesty?’”

Her solution floors me. “Why didn’t I think of this?” Fragments of new lyrics float out of my grasp, but I know they’ll come to me. “Our divorce is final. I’ve paid the alimony. I’m not responding to her letter, but I can do this.”

We lapse into silence, the only sound is Bans chasing the stick. After five more throws, I say, “I wrote one more new song that I want included in the album. It’s about you.”

“Me?” She beams at me. “I like the sound of that!” She blows on her closed fist like she’s too hot to handle. I guess, in a way, she is. “When can I hear it?”

“Give me a sec.” I toss the stick once more for Bans and head upstairs to our bedroom. Funny how I’ve changed the pronoun. McKenna and I are a “we.” Smiling, I grab my notes and the jewelry box I picked up nearly two weeks ago, and return to the patio where McKenna has taken up the stick throwing duties. I love how she’s come so far with my dog.

With me.

I shake the sheet music. “It’s going to be my first single.”

“But what about ‘Take Me’?”

I shake my head. “Nope. This one. It’s called ‘Hold Still.’ And it’s for you.” Without any instrument, I stand and sing the words I wrote this morning while she was sleeping in our bed:

 

You and I used to be

A glance, a smile, nothing more

We’d play and pass

But that was all

No reason to Hold Still

 

Come and go, go and come

I was cleansing my soul

And so were you

But that was all

No time to Hold Still

 

Chorus:

Underneath was something deeper

We both felt it but ran

No way could you be that person

For me, for you

Yet we couldn’t stop – we wouldn’t stop

Until we did

And you held me deep

When we both agreed to Hold Still

 

One day you called me on my bluff

Danced into my life for good

Challenged me to be better

But that wasn’t all

Time started to Hold Still

 

Your smile, your genius

Your beauty, your passion

They all swept me in

But that wasn’t all

I prayed for the world to Hold Still

 

Repeat Chorus

 

Now we’re both letting go

Of our hurts and demons

Connecting so deep, Dulcita

But that’s not all

I want this moment to Hold Still

For our love will never Hold Still

 

When I finish the song, I clasp the bracelet around her wrist.

Tears run down her cheeks. “Oh my, Ozzy. I love the song. And the bracelet.” She throws herself into my arms. “And I love you. Forever.”