Page 61 of Strange Seduction
“Took the day off. I wanna take you somewhere today.”
I perked up. “Somewhere like what, Teddy?”
“You’ll see.” He leaned down, stole a kiss, and started sliding out of bed.
I grabbed his wrist. “Mm-mm. No. Tell me where we’re going.”
He grinned. “Just get dressed. And wear something comfortable.”
“Like sweat pants comfortable or ‘we’re gonna end up naked somewhere’ comfortable?”
He tossed the question around in his head, visibly displaying his thoughts on his handsome face. “Maybe both. Never know where the day will take us.”
“So a dress then,” I stated aloud, racking my brain for any casual options I packed. “Should I bring the camcorder?”
“Sure.”
“So it’s somewhere interesting enough to record, huh?” I accused.
He laughed but didn’t answer. He just ducked out of reach before I could drag him back under the covers.
I flopped back with a dramatic sigh. “You’re so lucky you’re cute.”
?????
The sun had barely burned off the morning chill when Theo pulled us into a narrow alley in Trastevere lined with faded murals and hand-painted signage. A neon“Palazzo del tatuaggio”flickered overhead, half the letters blinking like they hadn’t decided to stay lit. From my limited knowledge of the Italian language, gained from the book I read all those months ago, I had a pretty good idea of the day’s events.
“Wait,” I said, squinting at the storefront as we parked. “We’re getting tattoos?”
“We’re visiting a friend,” he said with a grin, then stepped out of the car. “The tattoo part’s optional.”
I followed him into the shop, excited by the idea of possible tattoos with possible piercings. The stereo played Frank Ocean, and I half-smiled.
There were Black people around.
A tall, dark-skinned man with a sleeve of black-and-gray ink looked up from his sketchpad. “Finalmente,the prodigal son returns.”
“Ciro,” Theo said, grinning as they embraced in that weird way men hugged.
The Ciro man turned to me. “Carmen, I’m guessing?”
“That’s me,” I said, offering my hand, which Ciro shook with an exaggerated bow. He reminded me of Lucci. Theo had such weird friends.
“You Trini?” He asked.
“Almost,” I smiled. “Belizean.”
“Ohh. My bad,” he squeezed my hand apologetically. “My girl’s Bajan and you all sound alike to me. I always get them mixed up .”
“At least you ain’t confused me for Jamaican. I’d be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every time I get called one.”
He laughed.
“I feel like I know you already, considering I was the one who branded your name on his chest,” he pointed at a frowning Theo, annoyed that someone had the nerve to hold my hand.
Ciro must have picked up on the annoyance cause he dropped my hand immediately.
“You did?” I questioned to fill the awkward tension.
