Not the One

Part 18

"Dance with me?" Lindsey asked, reaching for Stevie's hand.

She gave him a funny look, but put her other hand on his shoulder anyway. "There's no music."

He just shrugged as he began slowly swaying on the spot. Stevie rested her head on his chest as she went along, the two of them moving together in sync. 

Once again she steals away
Then she reaches out to kiss me
And how she takes my breath away
Pretending that she won't miss me

For a moment Stevie wished that Lindsey had stayed quiet. He didn't have to spell it out, she knew, everybody knew the song was about her. The first time she heard it, she thought it was one of the must beautiful songs Lindsey had ever written. Given their current situation, the intimacy of the moment, the fact they were the only ones in such a romantic setting, Lindsey's quiet voice for her ears only... it was all becoming a bit too much for Stevie.

Hearing her sniffle, Lindsey stopped and looked down, cradling her face in his hands. "What's wrong, baby?"

"Nothing. Nothing, I just-" Stevie breathed out heavily, shaking her head. "I don't know, Linds, this feels too much like a goodbye."

Kissing her tears away first, Lindsey then pressed his lips to hers. "It's not. I want to show you that you didn't scare me away. I completely understand, how you feel and why you feel that way, Steph. I'm here, I didn't run for the hills." He smiled weakly. "What we shared during this tour... it means the world to me. Sure, we had some moments, where either you or I fucked something up, but we're still here, together. I don't want you to think that you were an easy lay on the road, never, Stevie. You've been in my heart since I was 16-years-old, you've never left and I'll never let you go. You're in here." He placed his hand over his heart. "Forever."

Lindsey had wanted their evening to start out differently, but he understood. Taking Stevie by the hand, he walked them over to the bed and they sat down. He hugged her around the shoulders and pulled her closer to himself.

"I did this-" Lindsey showed vaguely around the room. "For you to have something to hold on to. I want you to see that I've changed, that I'm a different man. Sure, having quickies on amps used to be fun, but we're different people now." He pressed a kiss to her temple, smiling as she chuckled lightly. "I want you, Stephanie, you. I want us to come home and still have this. I've been waiting years for you to come back to me, baby. I'm- I'm ready." Lindsey touched her chin with his finger and tilted her head up, so their eyes met. "The question is, are you?"

Stevie could see that he was afraid to hear her answer. The silence wasn't helping. Slowly, the corners of her mouth turned upwards, forming a sincere smile, she nodded her head. 

"I'm ready."

"Are you serious? Like, for sure? Absolutely, completely sure?" Lindsey asked, repeating the question several more times.

"Yes!" Stevie laughed heartily, when Lindsey's arm wrapped around her middle and pushed her to lie down on her back, his lips seemingly everywhere at once.

"Come on, let's get me out of this material prison." Lindsey said, starting to unbutton his own shirt. 

"Wait, Linds, you're actually wearing a suit." Stevie slowed down his hands, taking a moment to look at him.

"Yes, I'm hurt you haven't noticed." Lindsey fake pouted, but only until she straddled him. "I wanted to look nice for you, to impress you."

Tucking a strand of her hair away from her face, Stevie smiled sweetly at him as she bent down and kissed him gently on the lips. "I've been impressed by you, since I heard you play for the very first time."

Kissing her once more, Lindsey flipped them over, making her shriek. "Let's put those playing skills to a much better use..."