Page 605 of One More Kiss

I blurt out, “Did you just tell me you loved me, and then, ask me about a tattoo?”

Asher nods, chuckling. “Indeed. I did, Kristee. I meant it. I am of perfectly sound mind at the moment.” His fingers link with mine, before he pulls my hand up between us in the bed, pressing a kiss to the back of mine. “I’m certain of that. But I’m not pressuring you. I want you to know how I feel. Now you do.

“You wanted a tattoo. Do you still?”

Blinking at him again, I chuckle. He looks so calm staring down at me. His brow raises. “I do want a tattoo…” I stretch, working out my back and feeling the slight pull between my legs. “Oh, and thank you, Asher. For tonight. For everything. And one more thing… I love you, too.”

His eyes alight with feeling before he grins wolfishly. Leaning down, he takes my lips again.

* * *

Sometime later,I’m completely satisfied and spent. Asher reaches over and snags his cell phone from the bedside table. I hear his side of the conversation. “Hey… yeah, it’s me… Good, man… How’s your schedule tonight? Can you fit two small tattoos in?... Yeah, two… My girlfriend and I… You heard what I said… See you in a bit.”

His girlfriend? I’m his girlfriend?

“We need to get dressed. My tattoo artist is going to stay for us. But… it’s after midnight and he was about to close. So, we need to head out.” Asher says as he watches me.

A tattoo. I’m going to get my tattoo. With Asher.

Smiling, I scoot out of the bed, racing across the room, uncaring of the fact that I’m naked. Asher’s laugh follows me into the living room. “I’m glad you’re excited.”

We both dress quickly and I try to smooth my hair into some semblance of order in his bathroom before we’re alone in the elevator again, heading back down.

The same doorman is there and opens the door for us as we approach. “Heading back out?”

Asher nods. “Yes, sir. We have an appointment. My lovely girlfriend is in need of some body art.”

The doorman’s brow rises though he says nothing. He simply tips his hat and holds the door open. “Be safe.”

Asher and I walk the few blocks to where he left his car parked, and after hopping in, we’re off. The tattoo shop is across town, but traffic is sparse as we drive.

When we reach the empty lot of the small building, Asher helps me out and takes my arm as we cross the parking lot. He knocks on the locked door, and a guy who has even more ink and piercings, including on his face, unlocks it and greets us. He lets us in, locking the door back behind us. Asher slap-hugs him and introduces me. “Hey, Chase. This is Kristee. My girlfriend. She wants to get a tattoo. A semi colon. I want one, too.”

Chase smiles at me. “A semi colon, huh? Okay. How big? Where are you thinking? Do you have a certain design in mind?”

Kristee blushes as she mutters, “I know. You probably hate doing them. But it means something. I think I want it on my right wrist. Maybe something with watercolors around it… like the colors of the sunset…”

Asher’s eyes fly to mine at my words. His eyes are asking me if my choice has anything to do with him.

Of course, it does. I mean, the semi colon is for me. But the sunset colors are to represent him. Meeting him after sunset today changed my life.

I nod. His eyes slightly glisten, and his fingers tighten around mine.

“I don’t hate them at all. And that would be fire. I can do that.” His words cause me to look away from Asher. I notice that Chase is holding his arm out. His forearm is covered with a tiger but within its golden eyes are a semi colon. My eyes widen, raising to his. He winks before looking at Asher. “What are you getting, man?”

He smiles down at me before looking at Chase. “Same one she gets.” He looks at his wrists, turning them. On the side of his right wrist is a clear spot. He nods. “Right here.”

Chase tells us to come into the back. I take the chair while Asher pulls up a stool on the opposite side of Chase. Chase pulls out a tablet and a stylus pen and starts drawing. He free hands a stunning design of a semi colon surrounded by what actually looks like the sky at sunset. Turning the tablet to face us, he asks if we want anything changed. Asher says, “Up to her. Whatever she wants.”

I don’t. It’s so beautiful.

Swallowing back sudden tears, I shake my head. “It’s perfect. Just perfect. Thank you.”

After cleaning the arm of the chair, his tattoo gun, taking out new needles, and squirting the ink into small cups and securing them to the plastic wrapped table with Vaseline, he asks me how big I want it. I decide on about three inches tall. He shows me how big that’ll be on my wrist and after I agree, he prints the outline of the semi colon, sending it to the transfer paper from his tablet.

Moving my arm to where he needs it, he applies the design outline, before asking me if the placement is good. I nod. He grins, asking, “You ready?”

I nod again, and he starts the gun, dipping it into the black ink. “Try not to move, okay? If you need a break, just let me know.” Nodding once more as excitement and nerves flood through me, I exhale as he starts on the outline. It stings, but it’s not as painful as I imagined it would be. He wipes my arm, cleaning the blood so he can see the design, and I also look down. “You good? You’re actually doing great. Whole thing should take about an hour. The shading is going to take the longest.

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