“Parsley!” I crouched so our dog could hurtle into my arms. I’d missed her. Karl had been back and forth over the first couple of months of the tour, but we’d found it was too much traveling for Parsley, who’d come to love hanging out with Aiden whenever Karl was out of town.
“Stop hogging my puppers and go kiss your guy,” Ignatius said, grabbing Parsley’s leash like I wasn’t the one who’d brought the beloved dog into his life.
“I thought you wanted to review the set up of the voter registration and fair housing tables for this week’s venues?”
Ignatius blew out an unconcerned breath. “You probably did it right. Anyone who this perfect dog kisses and who thought up the action booths to start with probably gets the details right.”
I laughed and took the win, and my brother-in-law took the dog towards his bandmates. I wrapped myself into Karl’s arms. “How was the drive?”
The New Orleans late spring heat shone down on us, but it was his kiss that raised my temperature. “Too long. Fine. But too long. Where’s our room?”
I laughed. “Glad to see your stamina wasn’t drained by the hours crossing the swamplands.”
“Stopped for coffee at the border, bought Parsley a squeaky alligator at a gas station, all very adventurous. Now I need to collapse my road-weary bones onto a bed so you can have your wicked way with me.”
I pulled him towards the entrance of the guesthouse, our steps echoing on the cobblestones as we hurried to get inside. I’d barely had time to check in before Karl arrived, and now all I wanted was to get him upstairs so I could finally touch him again. My skin prickled with anticipation under his hand at my back.
Once in the room, we tumbled onto the four-poster bed, Karl pulling me on top of him. His hands roamed my body, exploring every inch of me as if we’d been apart for months, not weeks. I understood the feeling; getting to his skin was my highest priority. “Love you,” I said between desperate kisses.
“Love you, Margo. Take off this dress.”
I whipped it over my head and let it sail across the room. He settled himself between my legs, and I moaned as he entered me. We moved together, faster and faster, tumbling and racing towards climax.
After, collapsed together and watching the ceiling fan rotate above us, Karl cleared his throat. “I have a plan.”
I reached for his hand. “Yeah?”
He squeezed. “Only if it doesn’t get in your way.” He was always careful about encroaching. Letting me know what he wanted, but also that he could step back if necessary. Increasingly, I was sure it was something I would never need.
“Let’s hear it.”
“I’ve lined up gigs in the Twin Cities and St. Louis, and workshops in Philly and Nashville. It’s enough, with everything else, that I can stay with you until the tour’s over. I packed everything we’d need, just in case. And Aiden said if I fly him up here and get him a ticket to Scorch’s show, he’ll drive my truck back home.”
I tugged him to me. “Really?”
He stroked my hair behind my ear, eyes soft. “Margo, of course, really.”
“I worried you were tired of tour bus life.”
“Spending all my time with you, and about two dozen people around to help us spoil Parsley when we want to sneak off together? What would I be tired of?”
I looked around the eclectic, charming bedroom, all antiques and regional art. “Not being in your own home? Missing time with your friends? Cobbling together jobs to support all this?”
“Are you tired of any of that?” He sounded only curious, not like he hoped for any particular answer.
I took a deep breath. Blew it out slowly while I shook my head. “I love it. This tour’s been everything I hoped for. But only because I got to share it with you.”
He cradled me down beside him, floating the sheet up and letting it settle over our entwined bodies. “I love it, too. When we started, I only hoped for time for us to learn all the contours of our relationship. But it’s been so much more. I’ve stretched into new ways of making a living, and discovered places I never thought to visit, and, mostly, I’ve had time to admire all that you are. You make everything fascinating, Margo. You jump in with both feet, no matter what it is. I want to keep jumping in with you, for as long as we can.”
I grinned and leaned in for a kiss. “Then it’s a plan.”
Thanks for ringing your way to love with Margo of the Bells. Reviews are an invaluable tool for authors, and I’d love to get your honest review at any of the following places, or others of your choosing:
For a complete book list and more, keep scrolling. You can also check out Sarita & Scorch’s meet-ouch in the enclosed sample chapter.
Happy reading!
-Melanie