Inked in the Steel City Series(93)

The window was glowing too, a faint light illuminating the curtain. It was a pure, soft glow – not streetlight. “It’s so late,” she said, her gaze lingering where the moonlight shone through the window. The excitement of being tattooed and then sex had kept fatigue at bay, but a sleepy feeling was already creeping through her veins, urging her to curl at Jed’s side after she rose and slid off of him.

“We can sleep in,” he said, gripping her wrist and interlacing his fingers with hers as she stood beside the bed.

She nodded. “I can help you move tomorrow, if you want. I don’t have any shoots booked.”

“That’d be great.”

He was still hard, his cock flushed and gleaming from what they’d just done. A little thrill went through her as she contemplated the next day. Surely they’d find some time to do more than just move boxes. Would she spend the night there with him in the Allegheny West house? Her toes curled against the carpet at the thought.

Visions of the next day continued to play through her mind as she slipped away into the bathroom to get cleaned up. When she returned, Jed was still lying exactly where she’d left him, his head tipped back a little. The position put his body on an appealing display, and the long line of his fresh ink caught her eye. “Your new tattoo is in Latin, isn’t it?” she asked as she sank down onto the edge of the bed, her curiosity rekindled now that her lust had ebbed.

He nodded.

“What does it say?”

“Durate et vosmet rebus servate secundis. It means ‘carry on and preserve yourselves for better times’. I had Eric tattoo it for me last night, after the shop closed.”

“I like it. The meaning, I mean, and it looks good on you, too.”

He ran one hand down his side, his fingers passing within a bare inch of the new ink as they skimmed over the larger text that spelled out Alice’s name. “I got this tattoo just after Alice and I got married. And this one…” he touched the Latin script that sprawled across his left ribcage, “not long after she died.”

Thus passes the glory of the world. The words echoed through Karen’s mind as she thought back to her first night with Jed.

His fingers still hovered over the black letters. “But this tattoo is more about my grief than her. I always meant to get another one to honor her. I just – I couldn’t bring myself to do it. It seemed so final, like if I put a memorial in my skin, the fact that she was gone would be irreversible. I knew that was true, but I didn’t want to see a reminder every time I looked in the mirror.”

She nodded as something inside her cracked, aching for him.

“I don’t feel that way anymore.” He met her eyes, and the intensity in his dark irises made her heart skip a beat. “I feel different about a lot of things, lately.”

She nodded again, because her throat felt a little too tight and she didn’t know what to say, anyway. “What made you choose those words for your tattoo?”

“I read it somewhere – thought it seemed fitting. Alice would’ve liked it, I think.”

“It came from a book?”

“Virgil. The ancient Roman poet. He wrote the line ages ago. Guess he knew what he was talking about.” He touched his side again, letting his fingertips skim the fresh lettering. “Not long ago, his words wouldn’t have meant anything to me. They would’ve seemed like a joke. Now that I can see the wisdom in them … I don’t ever want to forget them.”

“I think it’s a great tattoo,” she said, placing one of her hands against his palm and entwining her fingers with his.

He was still meeting her eyes, and the depth of his gaze made her words seem shallow. Her emotions were a whirlwind, though, half-threatening to send a tear or two sliding down her face. The tattoo on Jed’s side was evidence of a metamorphosis that pulled hard on her heartstrings when she contemplated it.

“I’m glad you think so,” he said. “And Karen…” He gripped her hand, exerting pressure that wasn’t quite gentle.

“Yeah?” She was still naked, but his attention never wavered from her eyes. Likewise, she couldn’t look away from his, not even to let her gaze wander over his new tattoo again.

“I know what love is,” he said. “I know that nobody is promised anything, either. Not even one more day, or one more breath. So I have to tell you now, while I have the chance – I love you.”

Her breath froze inside her lungs, then rushed out in a sigh she couldn’t contain as his words began to settle in.

“I know I was stubborn at first. I was afraid I was wrong for you, afraid my love would hold you back. I didn’t want to hinder you.”