Page 103 of The Cabin

Oh. I push my chair out. “Yeah. Sure.”

“Where are you going?” He pulls me to him, maneuvering me so that I’m straddling his lap. Yes, I would be pretty embarrassed if someone walked in. But I know Grayson isn’t going to let me get off and secretly I think I’m totally into it. Even the part where someone walks in.

“I thought you asked if I was ready to go.”

He pushes his head in between my breasts and shakes his head back and forth. Resurfacing he says, “No. Are you ready for the reveals?”

Butterflies. Creepy crawlies. Just flat out vomit. I am so fucking nervous. Wow that came back like a freaking wrecking ball.

“How are we doing this?”

Grayson rubs up and down my thighs. “I think one at a time.”

“What if you hate it?”

He chuckles. “I’m not going to hate it, Sol.”

“Not to my face! I know you. You’re going to pretend to love it forever. Just so you don’t hurt my feelings.”

He puts more pressure on my thighs, pulsing his hands twice. When I don’t look back up at him, he takes his hand and grabs my chin. “Sol. Look at me.” I do. And I am terrified of what I see. It’s the way he looks at me. It is everything I’ve ever wanted and more. And I’m sure it’s the way I look at him. But somehow onlyoneof us actually means it outside of this moment in time where we’re both up here in our bubble in the mountains away from real life. “I promise you. I’m not going to hate it.” I just sit there. “Have I ever lied to you?”

“Uh. Yes, now that you mention it!”

He gives me a lopsided grin. “Walked right into that one. I mean about something serious. Important. Something I didn’t later come clean about because when you asked me for the truth it hadn’t been the right time to share with you.”

I purse my lips. “No.”

“Okay, then I’m going to take this bandage off and I’m going to prove to you that I’m telling the truth. Yeah?” I just shrug ready to throw up. “Here, sit in front of me so I can see it better.” My groan is not at all under my breath like I intend for it to be. “What do you want me to do, keep it on forever?”

“Would you please?”

“You’re cheating. I’d do anything you ask me. Except this.”

I throw my hands up and let them slap down onto my thighs. “Alright. Let’s do this.”

He’s dazzling in this lighting. He’s dazzling all of the time.

Grayson pulls the tape off and my stomach lurches. On his arm is a black line tattoo depicting a big lake with mountains behind it. There’s the silhouette of a man standing on its shore, watching the sunrise. It’s done really simplistically, all in single passes besides the silhouette. We only had two hours. But I think the overall message is pretty clear. It’s the first time I’m seeing the final product too, and I’m really happy with how the artist portrayed my vision.

Grayson is dead silent, staring down at his arm. His view is upside down, obviously, and I hope it doesn’t look like a bunch of scribbles from his standpoint. Okay. I have survived worse than someone not liking my idea for a drawing. Although, this particular drawing is etched into his skin forever, but, uh… same concept.

I can’t help but fidget. My legs are bouncing, my hands are wrapping and unwrapping around themselves. The suspense is horrific.

He stands abruptly, moving towards the windows where there’s a lot of natural light shining through. He twists his arm back and forth, studying the spot where I marked him for the rest of his life. I could probably afford for him to get laser removal done. I’ll figure it out.

“Come here,” he rumbles and I stand on instinct, even though I’d rather do anything but go and face him.

When I’m close enough, he pulls me in by a few of my fingers and ensures we make eye contact. I want to look away, but it’s like I’m his prisoner. I am captivated by his gaze. His eyes are sparkling even though they’re also an inferno. I’ve gotten really good at reading eye communication being around this man. This tall, sexy, sweet, funny, scheming, lumberjack. I feel stripped bare by him. I feel hypnotized. I think an entire army could attack right now and I’d have no idea. I wouldn’t hear a thing. All I can focus on is the look he’s giving me.

“You gave me a lake tattoo,” he murmurs, staring right into my freaking soul, still playing with my fingers as they hang between us. “You gave me a lake tattoo with a man watching the sunrise above the mountains just like my dream.” Okay. At least he can tell what the hell it is. “A man watching the sunrise. Thesol-rise. Because I said I loved waking up with you.” I am going to pass away from shame. He is so effing perceptive. You cannot get anything past him. Ever. That was supposed to be extremely subtle. A throw away. ‘Aw, cute, the sun is rising in this lake tattoo’. Thelaketattoo. Not the freaking sunrise tattoo. That was supposed to be for me. In case all of this goes to shit. That he’d have a teeny tiny part of me with him.

I can’t move, I can’t speak, I can't breathe, I can't do anything.

“Take your bandage off.” I can’t. This was supposed to be a funny freaking bet. How the hell did it become this vulnerable?? This personal?? This intense??

“Baby.” I know I make a face. I can’t help it. There’s pain written all over me. He’s decimating me with the ‘babys’. “Show me your tattoo.”

His fingers start to move up towards the gauze, picking at the edges. He doesn’t take it off. He waits for me. But he loosens the tape up that’s surrounding it.

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