I Will Run To You

I Stand Accused On Trial (Part 2)

Dallas, Texas
Monday, September 5, 1983
(10:30 pm)
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Lindsey had decided that "How Still My Love" was one of his favorite songs in Stevie's entire collection.

Stevie was three songs away from the end her set, and Lindsey was watching from the sidelines as she sang seductively into the microphone, "Doing all you can for me...They say you're not the man for me...Oooooh, you make it easy in the still of the night...in the still of the night...how still my love..."

Lindsey thought his heart was going to beat right out of his chest.

His mind strayed to the image of Stevie at about three o'clock that past night - well, morning - perched on top of him and slowly, almost achingly slowly, rocking her hips up and down against him, teasing him with her every deliberate move, arching her back and glowing in the moonlight from the window. Her two perfect round breasts moved along with her, her golden curls picking up the light and glowing like the "Gold Dust Woman" cape behind her and making him have to fight the urge to flip her over beneath him and just take her, fast and hard until she was crying out and he felt her come completely undone beneath him. In truth, he loved the teasing, loved watching her ride him slowly and gingerly, loved taking their time and just looking up in awe at the beautiful woman he had somehow managed to make his...twice.

When he'd finally had enough and desperately needed to touch her, to feel her against him, he'd reached up and cradled her face in his hands, and whispered, "Come down here for a minute, sweet girl. I want to feel all of you."

Stevie had happily obliged, draping herself over him as he drew her in for a kiss. He was still kissing her when he'd rolled over on top of her, and only stopped to whisper, "My beautiful Stephanie...I love you so much."

It was Stevie, he thought, who made it easy in the still of the night.

He couldn't wait to ask her to marry him so that all of their nights would be that easy.

"How Still My Love" turned into "Stop Dragging My Heart Around" after a speech by Stevie professing her love and gratitude to her friend Tom Petty, and Lindsey decided all was well and took that moment to go backstage to the bathroom. On the way, he ran into Christopher, who was exiting the men's room with a look of despair on his face.

"Hey Chris, why the long face, man?" Lindsey inquired.

"Ugh...I just had it out with Christy once and for all," he said. "It's over. I'm not trying to string someone along any more than I already have. You hear the woman singing above us? I have to stop dragging her heart around."

Lindsey couldn't help but chuckle at the reference. "It makes sense. You going to ask Lori out finally?"

"Already have, brother." Christopher's face turned triumphant. "It's all set. And when her divorce is final, I'm going to ask her to marry me. You mark my words. Lori Perry will be Lori Nicks...and we're going back to Phoenix to live our lives free of the bullshit."

"Congratulations, man." Lindsey shook his hand. "Listen, I'll keep the date open if you do the same...I'm about to ask your sister the same question."

"Dude!" Christopher pulled Lindsey into a hug. Slapping his back, he said, "Good on you, man. This is going to be awesome, the four of us together."

"Five," Lindsey corrected him. When Chris cocked his head to one side in confusion, Lindsey said, "I was not about to tell your dad this afternoon when I asked for his blessing but...Stevie's pregnant. We found out in August on the break, day before we left for Biloxi." He could still see the tears in Stevie's eyes that matched his own, lying in bed in her house in Arizona and laughing and crying and thinking of names and curling up together in bed with the dogs, telling her that his entire world fit into one room.