Page 66 of Pigeon

Close to the end of the song, Pigeon steps away and leaves me standing alone in the middle of our friends. Ava continues singing the ending of the song as Pigeon takes a seat, then pulls a guitar from behind it. As Ava finishes her song, Pigeon starts playing. Shocked gasps and a few “what the fucks” can be heard around me. I guess I’m not the only one who didn’t know he had this hidden talent. Just as my mind thinks that, Craig says loudly, “I told you he could play, Axel! Pay up!”

My hands fly to my mouth when I realize Pigeon’s playing Ed Sheeran’s song “Perfect.” When he adds his voice and sings the words, his eyes meet mine. They stay locked together, forgetting for a few moments that we’re not alone. Tears well up and spill over, but I don’t bother with them. When the song ends, Pigeon sets his guitar down and walks to me. Cupping my face, he whispers, “Perfect. You’re fucking perfect for me.”

Pigeon kisses me slowly and thoroughly before pulling back to smile down at me.

“Love you,” I admit.

“Okay, yeah, whatever, you two. What the fuck, Pigeon? How come we didn’t know you played? And you can sing, too!” shouts Axel in accusation from beside us.

“Because I don’t play for the likes of you dumbasses. I only play for my wife,” Pigeon answers, still staring down at me.

“Thank you, husband,” I murmur.

“I have another gift for you, but we have to pick it up tomorrow,” Pigeon says with a grin.

“I have one for you that you’ll get to unwrap when our guests leave,” I return with my own grin.

“Fuck, I think she wants us gone already,” Axel complains while Pigeon and I share a laugh.

The reception continues with good food, great company, and flowing booze. Hugs are freely handed out, and I receive a lot of official welcome to the family comments before Trudy started rounding people up to leave. When Axel stops next to us, I listen while Pigeon gives him a hard time about Bailey’s doctor’s appointment not turning out the way he was hoping it would.

“It’ll happen when it happens. Hopefully, that’s soon because that woman has to get busy if she’s going to give me all the kids I want,” Axel complains as Bailey slips under his arm and hugs his waist.

“Not having a dozen babies, Axel,” Bailey says while rolling her eyes at me.

“But I like you pregnant. You’re extra sexy when you’re fa…” Axel stops suddenly. He hesitates then rewords his sentence. “When you’re carrying our child.”

“Nice save, biker boy. Time to head home. I’m driving so you can conserve your energy so you can apologize thoroughly tonight,” Bailey retorts before walking off to retrieve their daughter from Petey.

“I’m hoping she means apologize with sexy time and not by making a trip to the flower shop,” Axel whines before following Bailey.

After the last guest leaves, Pigeon and I make our way to our room. As Pigeon undresses and climbs into bed, I take my time. I know his eyes are on me and my every move, so I slowly remove my dress and hang it over the back of a chair. Leaving me in just bra, panties, and a short slip, I walk to Pigeon’s side of the bed. His dark eyes continue to follow me as I slowly remove my bra then slip. When Pigeon reaches for me, I step away. Eyebrows rising, I smile at his confusion and impatience.

“Remember, I told you I had a gift for you that you had to unwrap?”

Pigeon grins before nodding.

I turn until my right side is in Pigeon’s view, my nipples hardening at the look in his eyes when he realizes what he’s seeing.

“Step closer, baby,” he orders.

I do as I’m told and hold perfectly still while he removes the protective tattoo film covering his gift. His eyes darken with heat when he pulls the film away.

Looking up to my eyes, he asks in a guttural tone, “You put us together on your body? Fuck, Ivy. Fuck, I love it. Love you. I want the same fucking tat on me.”

I stand still while he studies the heavily shaded pigeon running up my ribs that has a string of ivy leaves trailing over one wing, across the body, and winding around a foot. It’s not a large tattoo, but the detail in it is amazing. I loved it the second the tattoo artist was done, and I love it more now seeing the look in his eyes.

“Ivy leaves have many symbolic meanings, but I like to think these ones are for loyalty. Something you have from me and always will. A pigeon is best known for security, peace, and home. All of which you brought to me,” I whisper.

“I have no words to explain what this means to me. You marked your body for me, with me, with us. It’s permanent, and so are we. Lose the panties, honey,” Pigeon rasps out.

I push them down and then step out of my panties, and Pigeon carefully, without touching my still tender skin, lifts and then lays me next to him.

“Ivy also symbolizes fertility. We going to have a lot of babies, wife?” Pigeon asks while tracing a finger down my body before circling my navel.

“Do you want kids?” I ask since it’s not something we ever discussed.

“I want kids with you,” Pigeon’s answer is immediate and firm.

---