“I can’t wait to hear it.”
She grabs my hand and leads me into the living room. While Laila takes a seat at the baby grand, I stand next to the piano, watching her, my heart crashing with anticipation.
Smiling, Laila lays her fingers onto the keys. “Wow. This feels even more nerve-wracking than performing on Sylvia.”
“Take your time.”
She looks into my eyes for a long beat, apparently mustering her nerve. “I can’t believe I’m about to play this for you. I’m so happy, Savage. I love you so much.”
“I love you, too.”
We share a huge smile. Until, finally, Laila begins to play her song:
[Click here to listen to Laila performing “True Love High” for Savage]
True Love High
Yeah, yeah
I’ve fallen, fallen deep into love with you
I’m feeling something so beautiful
You saw me with him at the show
I was a liar
I played it cold to your face
I was on fire
I said I was his all along
Knew you wouldn’t like it
I wanted you desperately
But wanted you only on your knees
I’ve fallen, fallen deep into love with you
And I’m feeling something so beautiful
I’ve fallen, fallen deep into love with you
And I’m feeling something so beautiful
La la la la la I love you, I love you
La la la la la la I love you, I love you
I saw you so clearly that night
Like it was the first time
You made me a bowl of fish soup
And sang with a sweet smile
I swore not to catch any feelings
But couldn’t resist
Now I’m a slave to you, boy
And you’re stuck with this bitch
I’ve fallen, fallen deep into love with you
And I’m feeling something so beautiful
I’ve fallen, fallen deep into love with you
And I’m feeling something so beautiful
La la la la la I love you, I love you
La la la la la la I love you, I love you
You fucked with my body, baby
Then stole my heart
I said you meant nothing to me
I was yours from the start
Yours from the start
Yours from the start
All along, been chasing a
True Love High
As Laila sings out the last high note of her song, I feel a tsunami of love and certainty crashing into me. Pure euphoria. But even more than that, I feel a deep sense of completeness. I’ve found the great love of my life. The woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with, without a doubt. I’ve found true love, exactly the way she just sang to me.
I scoop Laila up in my arms and kiss her deeply. And then, as words of love and adoration flow from my lips, as the last remnants of fear and indecision leave my body, as certainty and peace and grace flood me, I pick my woman up like a bride, carry her up the staircase and to our bedroom, and worship her body for the next two hours, stopping only when we’re both too physically exhausted to keep going.
Thirty
Savage
“Wake up!” Laila shouts. She taps on my forehead. Tap, tap, tap. “Time to wake up, Adrian! Wakey, wakey!”
I squint at her. “What the fuck are you doing?”
“I have a surprise for you!”
I look at the clock on the nightstand. It’s just past eleven in the morning. Which wouldn’t be an unreasonable wake-up time, normally. But, in this instance, Laila and I stayed up until sunrise, talking and making love. Rummaging through the refrigerator. Sharing a contraband bottle of whiskey while soaking naked in our hot tub. Basically, reveling in our true love high.
“Laila, go back to sleep,” I mutter. “You can give me this ‘surprise’ later.”
“I can’t wait.” Tap, tap, tap. “The most important part of my gift finally arrived a minute ago and I cannot wait another second to give it to you!”
I rub my eyes and yawn. “You got me a gift?”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because I love you and you sent me and my family to Cabo and treated us to the fanciest vacation, ever. Because paybacks are a bitch, bitch! So get up!”
I sit up. “I don’t need a present from you.”
“Too bad. I already had a little present in the works for you, when I left for Cabo. But while I was there, I realized it wasn’t nearly enough, so I started making some other arrangements. And now, I’ve finally got all of it and I can’t wait to give it to you!” She grabs my face and kisses me. “Stay right here and don’t move a muscle and don’t you dare go back to sleep!” She rustles my hair, squeals, and sprints out of the room, leaving me feeling dazed and confused and highly intrigued.
A moment later, Laila returns to the bedroom, carrying a large cube wrapped in bright paper, as well as a book-sized wrapped gift lying on top of the cube. She tosses the small gift onto the mattress and shoves the large cube at me. “Open this one first.”