Page 41 of One Pucking Destiny

“That usually means the place is shit. This tattoo may come out looking like something completely different.”

“Don’t worry. This place is booked out for months and has awesome reviews. I looked through their portfolio online and the pictures they’ve been tagged in on their socials. They’re good. They just had a cancellation this morning. Lucky us.”

“So lucky.” I open the door to the chime of a bell, and she hurries in.

The tattoo artist is a huge burly dude with long hair tied back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. Most of his skin is covered in ink, including several parts of his face.

I sit in the chair.

“Where is this cookie going?” he asks Ari.

“I was thinking.” Her eyes darken as she looks down toward my crotch.

My heart hammers in my chest.I am not tattooing my junk. Is that even a thing?

She points at a spot on my lower hip. “On this side of the hip, but a little lower so it’s covered with shorts and stuff.”

“If you don’t want it visible with shorts, we’ll have to go a little lower because his tan line is right here.” The guy suggests as if deciding how close to tattoo a cookie next to a penis is a normal conversation.

He pulls my shorts down below the inverted V of my abdomen muscles. “So like…right next to my dick?” I spat.

Ariana chokes back a laugh.

“Pretty much, man. Is that where you want it?” His eyes move between me and Ari.

“Is that where you want it?” I pin Ari with a stare.

She presses her lips in a line and nods.

I sigh. “Yeah, I guess so, then.”

He preps the area, and I close my eyes, not wanting to see Ari. She’s seen this area of my body before, but lying here in this position feels a little vulnerable.

Ari talks with the guy, but I block out the chatter as the hum of the tattoo gun sounds. I attempt to zone out and fall into meditation mode as the sting of the gun burns my skin. Lying here as the artist tattoos my groin with a chocolate chip cookie for a girl I’ll never have has me rethinking my life choices.

Somewhere in the recent past, I messed up.

This isn’t the making of a love story. As much as Iwant Ari, I need to face the facts that I’ll never have her. I guess we were just a hookup as she likes to remind me.

The guy finishes. “Do you want to see it?”

“Nah, just cover it up. I’m ready to go,” I answer.

He puts the gel ointment and plastic wrap bandage on the area. I pay as Ari requests a ride from the app on her phone. Our ride pulls up, and I give a half-hearted thanks to the tattoo artist.

“Yeah, no problem, man.” He looks behind Ari and me and smiles, not sure what to think of us.

Once we’re inside the car, Ari turns to me. “You’re mad.”

“No, I’m not mad.”

She sighs. “Yes, you are. I shouldn’t have made you do it. I’m sorry. Don’t be upset. No one’s ever going to see it.”

Except every single woman I sleep with from here on out.

I shrug and look out the window. “I’m really not upset. Don’t worry about it.”

“Then what are you thinking? You’re… different.”

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