Page 124 of Off Limits

“Not all that different from us, wouldn’t you say?” I run my finger along his collarbone.

“I guess not.”

“I can only hope they’ll end up as happy as we are.”

He softens. “Okay, are you ready to touch raw chicken?”

My nose crinkles. “Do I have to?”

Lochlyn chuckles as we start cooking. He still works with me hand over hand, pressed up against me. It’s easier to just be ourselves, not worry what anybody thinks, just seeing that we’re deliriously happy.

Epilogue

Twodaysbeforemytwentieth birthday, we’re naked in Lochlyn’s bed. My fingers roam his body, tracing his tattoos. Sometimes I use my tongue as I sit, straddling his lap.

We’ve been lying in bed all day. It’s our weekend in the apartment and we’re making the most of it.

I slide off and lay my head on his chest, swirling my finger along his muscles. “What do you think of girls with tattoos?”

“Girls in general, or one very specific, very sexy girl?” His fingers tickle along my lower back, grazing the top of my ass.

“Both, I guess?”

“It depends on the girl and the tattoo, but I think it’d suit you. Why, you thinking of getting one?”

Rolling my head to rest on my chin, I look up at him. “I was considering maybe getting one for my dad.”

“I think that’d be a really nice gesture.”

“One thing…I want to go for my birthday.” There’s a hesitation in my voice since it’s only a few days away.

“Your birthday?”

“Yeah. That’s the tradition, isn’t it?”

I shake as he laughs. “Yeah, I guess it is. All right. I’ll take you to my guy.”

“Oh, your guy. I feel very in the loop now. How much does it cost?”

“Don’t worry about it.” With a shimmy of his shoulders as he sinks into the pillow, he closes his eyes, his fingers tracing along my spine.

“What do you mean,don’t worry about it?” While I’m pretty sure I knowexactlywhat he means, I need to hear it.

“I mean, I’ll pay for it.”

Yup. Exactly what I thought. “I can’t let you do that.”

Aside from feeding me regularly, Lochlyn buys me everything and anything I want, even surprising me with bouquets of flowers, new books he noticed me checking out, and notebooks for me to keep my notes about what I’ve read. He spoils me far too much.

“Of course you can. Shay, my parents show their affection by putting copious amounts of money into our bank accounts. Let me pay for your first tattoo.” The way he saysfirstis almost as though he expects there to be more. And who knows, maybe there will be.

“At least let it be my birthday present.”

“No can do, already got you something.” My heart skips a beat. Not so much because he bought me a present, but because my birthday is still a few weeks away.

“You did?”

He opens his eyes and looks at me, eyebrows furrowed. “Of course I did.”

---