Page 90 of What About Now

“I do.”

“Are you going to tell me?” I laugh. “I mean, I am the guy doing the work, after all.”

“I thought I could call Forrest, see if he wants….” Her voice trails off when my hand covers her mouth.

“Nope. None of that. Bad words, Brogan. So very bad.” She’s laughing so hard her entire body is shaking. She licks at my hand, and I pull it away from her mouth, wiping it on my shorts.

“I was just teasing. Of course I want it to be you. I’ll tell you when we get there.”

The rest of the drive to the shop is silent as I try hard to think about something she mentioned that she wanted. The only tattoo she ever said she wanted was the one she has. I’m certain of it.

“Here we are,” I tell her, parking my truck. “Now, are you going to tell me?”

“Patience, my dear husband.” She reaches for her handle, opens the door, and climbs out of the truck. I watch her as she walks toward the front door, and hovers under the awning waiting for me.

I let us inside, lock the door, and move down the dim hallway to my office. Inside, I flip on the light, and lean against my desk, arms crossed over my chest as I wait for her to tell me what’s next.

“Can you do something for me?”

“Anything.”

“Can you write our last name on a piece of paper?”

I furrow my brow in confusion, but do as she asks and hand it to her. She shakes her head. “You keep it.”

“Why?”

“You need it for the stencil, right?”

“What?” I ask, but then her words register. “You want to get our name tattooed on you?”

“I do. In your handwriting.”

The conversation from the day I gave Brogan her first tattoo filters through my mind. “Left bicep. Closest to your heart.”

“Right where I want to always keep you.”

“Come here.” I pull her into my arms, and hug her so tightly I’m surprised she’s able to breathe, but I just can’t seem to help myself. This woman, she’s my entire world, and I’ll never be able to tell her what this means to me. Then again, maybe I can say it another way. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I dial Lachlan.

“What’s up?” he asks.

“Hey, can you meet me in the shop in about an hour?” I ask him.

“Sure. Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just need some ink.”

“Nice. I’ll see you in an hour.”

“Thanks, Lach.” I end the call and shove my phone back into my pocket.

“What was that about?”

“I don’t know how to tell you what this means to me. That you’re putting a piece of me on you for a lifetime. The only way I can think of is to do the same. Lachlan will be here in an hour.”

“Yeah? And where exactly are you going to put it?” she asks, her eyes roaming over my arms.

I tap my chest. “Right here, over my heart, where I want to keep you.”

Her beaming smile lights not only the room, but me up inside. “I love you, Maddox.”

“I love you too.”

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