Page 134 of Obsession

“I had it done when… I knew my time as a dancer was over.”

I didn’t tell him any more details as I didn’t feel able to talk about it, but Harris seemed to understand the rest of the story very well. He surprised me when he tenderly kissed my ankle.

“Why the thorns in the S?”

I couldn’t help myself since he’d opened the subject.

He smiled; his lips still pressed to my skin.

“I knew you were going to ask that.”

I raised an eyebrow, waiting for clarification.

He sighed and pulled back.

“I’m pretty sure you know why. In my case, the meaning of the thorns isn’t that profound.”

I bit my lip.

“Thorns can be poisonous, but in your case, they emphasize possession. I have seen Amber’s up close; those thorns seem to dig into her skin like claws she can’t escape.”

I didn’t like making such connections, especially since we were talking about the official girlfriend of the man who had slept in my bed all night.

Harris looked at my back, where my wings were tattooed.

“I am poisonous and possessive. You described me perfectly.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat and tried to stay calm; after all, he hadn’t mentioned he wanted me to have it done.

“Wild angel,” he said softly, stroking his fingertips over the lettering – probably over the wings too – “it suits you,” he added and smiled. “But what kind of amateur did this?”

Suddenly he became indignant, and I turned around, startled.

“The shadows on the wings are all wrong,” he mumbled and traced his finger as if to correct the mistakes.

I turned onto my back and pulled down my tank top.

“Oh, and you’re an expert on everything,” I huffed, mocking him.

“I think I am,” he grinned arrogantly at me and stretched his arms forward.

I looked at him for a few seconds before I realized what he was talking about.

“You made these?!” I asked, completely impressed.

They were extraordinary, obviously done by an artist, unlike the unemployed drunk who had tattooed me last summer. He waggled his eyebrows cheekily, which clearly meant yes.

I opened my mouth, a surprised smile on my lips, and touched his arms again.

“So, you’re the one who tattoos necks too, huh?”

He grinned guiltily.

“You didn’t think I had taken each of them to a tattoo parlor, did you? Where’s the charm in that?”

I rolled my eyes.

“I can help you redo it if you want,” he said, and I frowned in confusion. “The tattoo,” he explained, and I shook my head.

---