Page 71 of Kissing Games
He lay back on the rug. ‘You’ll have to tell me what to do. You’re the expert on looking good for the camera.’
She grinned. ‘Well, this is my first time directing someone so let’s see what happens.’
Valentina held the tablet and told him how to move his body. She was effortlessly stunning and he doubted he’d be able to see a pair of tartan pyjamas ever again without getting aroused.
She giggled as he adjusted himself, trying to hide the impossible. ‘Charlie, I can’t send these to Isabella.’
He lifted his chin. ‘Let me see.’
Even though his boxers were covering his shaft, it was obvious he was massive. But that wasn’t what made the photos pornographic. It was the look of lust in his eyes as he stared at the photographer. He gave the tablet back to her.
‘I don’t care who you show those to. But whoever sees them will probably guess that we’ve…’ He brought his hand to his mouth as if to impart a secret and looked around furtively.
‘Been having sex?’ she asked sarcastically, her hand on her hip.
‘Valentina Valverde! I was going to say they’d guess we’d been drinking chocolate caliente.’
She shook her head and laughed. ‘Setenta hijueputa.’
He patted the sheepskin. ‘Come sit down, Queen Valentina of the McGhirlie clan, and I’ll tell you about my tattoos.’
She sat in front of him next to the fire. He remembered the first time they’d sat like this. Then, he’d presented her with a jar filled with ideas. So much had happened since that night. Now they’d been intimate with each other in a way that went far beyond the physical. She held his gaze and her eyes glowed. Was she thinking the same thing?
‘So, what was your first tattoo and why?’
He pointed to his knee. ‘This one. To piss off my dad. It’s pretty faded now.’
She scrunched up her nose and peered through the hairs. ‘A smiley face?’
‘Yes,’ he replied proudly. ‘I’d started wearing ripped jeans, which my parents absolutely hated, especially my dad. Whenever we were sitting across from each other, he always said it looked like my knee was looking at him. So, I took a needle from my mum’s sewing basket, grabbed a pen and gave myself my first tattoo. I would have drawn someone giving him the middle finger, but my artistic ability wasn’t up to the challenge, so I did two dots and a semi-circle instead.’
Valentina laughed. ‘Oh, Charlie. What did he think when he saw it?’
He grinned. ‘He was horrified, of course, which was the desired effect.’
She shook her head, still laughing. ‘One day, Charlie, when you have kids, they’re going to give you hell.’
He felt like he’d been punched in the guts.Caroline’s baby.He’d so desperately wanted it to be his. And now his sister was pregnant as well.
She stopped laughing at the instant change in his expression. He didn’t want her to ask what he was thinking. The wounds were too fresh and his heart was still raw from talking about Jennifer.
She smiled brightly. ‘Okay, what was tattoo number two?’
He pointed to the musical staves around one arm. ‘I got this when I was sixteen. My dad hadn’t shown my photo to the tattoo parlours, so I got away with it, even though I was underage. The notes are a G and C. It was the closest I could get to Jennifer and Charlie.’
‘What did your parents say?’
‘They were furious but conflicted. My mum was secretly pleased, thinking it showed my love and commitment to classical music.’ He rolled his eyes. ‘How little they knew.’
Valentina put her hand on his leg.
He covered it with his and squeezed. ‘The third was this.’ He touched the design on his left chest. ‘The Parachute Regiment badge. It was the start of a new life for me when I joined the army. Getting this ink magnified that change and helped me feel like I fitted in.’
‘And the rest? The dragon?’
He blew his cheeks out, embarrassed. ‘They’re mainly dickhead tattoos. Done to look cool or make some kind of statement I didn’t know the meaning of. I haven’t had a new one for a few years now.’
She pointed to his right chest which was completely empty of ink. ‘Would you ever have anything done there?’
