Page 117 of Stealing Sunshine

Ours is full of light and excitement. A deep yearning and desire. It’s the first ray of sun streaming through the clouds of a lifelong rainstorm.

When I zone back in, it’s to the sight of Shade reaching across my body to show Daisy photos on his phone. I blink at the bicep in my face and then lean into Daisy to see the photo on the screen.

“How many of Bryce’s tattoos have you done?” she asks,swiping to the left and rolling her lips to hide a smile when the python with its fangs in the peach on my thigh appears.

Shade looks at me, twisting his mouth as he thinks. “What would you say? Eighty percent?”

“Around that,” I confirm.

“And that hasn’t been weird? I’m assuming you did the bull piece on her chest?” Daisy asks, hesitation mixing with something else in her voice.

“I did. But no, it’s not weird. It’s work. We take that shit seriously,” he answers between bites of pizza. I shove his arm away, and he drapes it over his knee again.

Daisy brings her eyes up to mine and holds them there, searching for whatever she didn’t get from Shade. It takes me a moment to realize what it is.

I stroke the inside of her arm and bring my mouth to her ear. “No, Daisy. It’s never been like that between us and never will be. You’re the only one I’ve ever shared an intimate experience with while giving or getting a tattoo.Onlyyou.”

She shudders as my words drift across her skin. I take the shell of her ear between my teeth and apply soft pressure before releasing it.

“Okay,” she whispers.

“Have you ever asked to tattoo Bryce?” Shade asks, attention fixed on Daisy.

“You mean, like,Iwould tattooher?”

I take a bite of chicken wing to keep from laughing at her surprise.

Shade swallows a bite of pizza. “Yeah. I let her do it to me the first day she showed up here. It should be a tradition or something. You come here, you get some ink. Every single time.”

Licking the hot sauce and ranch from my lips, I quirk a brow. “I already put everything away.”

“Okay, so next time you come here, we’ll let the little devil give you a piece of her own. Nobody leaves this place without some ink, yeah?”

“It’s only fair, I suppose,” Daisy agrees easily.

I’ve never had many traditions in my life. But this one could be my new favourite.

“You know he’s saying that you’ll have to get a tattoo every time I bring you here, right?” I ask to be sure.

Her eyes brighten. “I can agree to that.”

“Don’t let him pressure you. You’ve only just got your first piece,” I add, ignoring the pressure swelling between my legs at the picture in my mind of her with a tattoo gun in her hand.

“And I loved it. A lot.”

“You heard her. Stop trying to change her mind,” Shade scolds me.

I let it go for now, but considering I’m going to do everything I can to make sure I get the chance to bring Daisy back here, it’s not the last time we’ll be talking about it.

She’s not going to be forced into liking something just because I do. Not when a hobby like mine is the permanent kind.

“Fine,” I relent.

Shade tears his pizza crust in half. “And while we’re on the topic, you’re not staying away for months again. I’m not the clingy type, but I nearly spam texted you to come visit me.”

“I’ll make sure she comes back soon,” Daisy promises.

Yeah, I’m falling in love with her.

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