He’d suggested it half jokingly, but the more he thought about the idea, the more he liked it. He’d always wanted a tattoo. Just had never gotten around to getting one. And yes, one of those reasons might have been his mother’s certain disapproval. But something about being around Gina made him want to go a little crazy, live a little. And there was no time like the present.
“Well, then,” he said. “How about I let you pick the part that gets tattooed.”
“Really?”
“Really,” he said, dipping down for a quick kiss. “Only one part is off-limits. I plan on using it again in the very near future, and a healing tattoo would put it out of commission for a while.”
“Oh, no worries there. I’ll protect that particular appendage with my life.”
He chuckled and released her. “Good to know. Shall we?”
She watched him for a second and then shook her head. “I still don’t think you’ll do it.”
Which made him want to do it even more. Peer pressure at its finest. “Lead the way.”
“If you insist…”
She took his hand and headed toward the street. He yanked her back right before she stepped off the curb.
“What are you doing?”
She frowned at him, obviously confused. “Um, crossing the street.”
He sighed, exasperated amusement filling him. It probably didn’t even occur to her she was doing anything wrong. “Let’s cross up there,” he said, pointing to the corner.
“But the shop is right there,” she said, pointing to the small building directly across from them. “And the street is clear.”
“Yes, but the crosswalk is up there. And that way I don’t have to give you a ticket for jaywalking.”
Her mouth dropped open a little. “Please tell me you aren’t serious. You’ve never actually given someone a ticket for jaywalking, have you?”
He laughed. “Even I’m not that anal. I warn people when I catch them doing it. The crosswalk is there for a reason.”
She shook her head and pulled him toward the corner so they could cross legally.
Within twenty minutes he’d chosen something completely perfect. Something that would remind him of Gina forever. It wasn’t her name or anything completely insane. But still…he’d think of her every time he saw it. Permanently marking his body with something that would forever remind him of this woman was beyond reckless. And yet…he’d never forget her, anyway. She’d made her mark on him, on his heart, on his soul, whether he liked it or not. And the idea of having something on his body that bore her mark appealed to him on a level he’d never experienced before.
Gina stood at the other end of the shop getting something called a daith piercing. He’d never heard what it was called before, though of course he’d seen people with piercings in that fold of cartilage that curves into your ear. And like everything else about her, it seriously worked. The delicate piercing was actually a lot sexier on her than he’d have imagined.
Rick gritted his teeth against the initial sting of the tattoo gun, but after a moment had grown accustomed enough to it that he could ignore it. And just watch Gina. God, he could watch her all day and never tire of it.
Watch how often her lips turned up in a mischievous little smirk at whatever thought was passing through her head. Watch the way her body moved, strength and vitality visible with every motion. Watch the way the sun lit up all the colors in her hair. Watch the way her eyes crinkled at the corners when she smiled at him. At the way everyone in the room turned to look at her. And how she looked only at him.
His chest burned with sheer male pride. And another emotion he wasn’t quite ready to name yet. Though the fact that he was inking his body with her in mind pretty much said it for him.
Gina came over when she was done with her piercing and tried to peek at his back.
“Nope,” he said. “You’ve got to wait until it’s finished.”
She mock-glared at him. “Why? You know I can’t wait that long.”
“Because I want you to be surprised. Does that hurt?” he asked, pointing at her ear to change the subject.
She reached up like she was going to touch the new piercing but her fingers hovered above it. “Well, it didn’t tickle, but it wasn’t too bad. I’ll tell you what’s really cool, though. I was starting to feel the beginnings of a headache forming and as soon as he pierced me, the ache went away. I had a friend get this done and it’s done wonders for her. Every time she starts getting a migraine she wiggles her piercing around and it goes away. I mean, it doesn’t go away completely, but she goes from having to lie in a dark room for a full day to having a mild headache that she can handle. Totally worth the piercing.”