She jumps up in excitement and grabs a book from the table, starting to thumb through the pages. “I already know what I want you to get, I just haven’t figured out where it’ll go yet.” As I watch her scan the pages, it belatedly hits me that I just agreed to ink my body. Briefly, I wonder what my mom would think. I know she wouldn’t care as long as I’m happy.

When Jessa finally spots what she’s been searching for, she points enthusiastically, and part of me thinks I should just take her appointment in order to make her happy. Staring down at the black and grey nautical star, I’m baffled as to why she picked that. “What do you think?” Her excited expression captures me and I want to kiss her, so I do.

I tear apart from her to ask, “Why do you want me to get a nautical star?”

“Because it is supposed to always help you find your way back home. It took you awhile to find where you belong, Grant, but you belong with me and I belong with you. We are each other’s home,” she says, and I’m happy to know she put as much thought into mine as I did hers.

“I like it,” I inform her, and she smiles back at me widely.

Jessa cuddles up to my side and I wrap my arm around her small body, resting my hand on her hip. Moving her shirt up a little, I rub my thumb back and forth across her skin. “So, what am I getting?” she asks, considerably more at ease now that I’ll be getting one when we return home.

“It’s a surprise,” I tell her, just as the girl calls her name. Thank God it isn’t some guy doing her tattoo. Since I had already e-mailed over what I was looking for, the petite blonde with green streaks in her hair has it ready to go at her station. Jessa peers over at me curiously and I chuckle at her.

“So where do you want it?” I ask her and confusion consumes her face. “I picked it but I’ll let you choose where it goes.” I sit in a chair that the blonde brought over for me, and we wait patiently for Jessa to decide.

“Can I see what it is first?” she asks and I nod my head to Carly, the tattoo artist. She smiles, revealing the outline of the lotus flower. “A flower,” she sighs and disappointment floats across her face.

“Are you upset that it’s a flower?” I ask her and her eyes meet mine. Those hazel eyes are so easy to read; I can clearly see that she doesn’t understand my choice.

She wavers back and forth before finally speaking, “It’s just, flowers can be so cliché,” she admits.

I scoot over to her, and Carly stands up to give us some space. Taking both her hands between mine, I reveal, “It’s a lotus flower, baby.” Her blank expression shows me she still doesn’t know what that means.

“It means you survived. That you struggled through a terrible time in your life, but you broke through and overcame it, becoming even more beautiful. That’s what this represents. You had a rough couple years, but look at you now…a spectacular, beautiful lotus flower.” I sit back, hoping like hell she understands now. She wraps her arms around me, straddling my chair.

“God, how’d I ever get you? Thanks for all the thought you put into it, babe. Sorry for reacting the way I did. I thought you just picked something pretty to put on me.” She kisses my lips, and I can’t fight the urge to insert my tongue. Carly comes back over too soon and clears her throat. We pull away from each other and Jessa takes her spot. “You pick, Grant. You won the bet, where do you want it?” she questions, turning the tables around on me. I’m sure Carly is ready to throw us out at this point.

As my eyes glide up and down her body, I try to think of my favorite spot. Or at least a place she would be able to show people anyway. I pick the left side of her ribcage, slightly under her breast. Carly asks her to lie on the table and Jessa starts lifting up her shirt, while my eyes shift around the room, making sure no one’s looking. Don’t they have a screen partition or some shit to put up while they tattoo her?

Jessa watches me as I search the room for prying eyes and giggles, grabbing my hand and trying to relax me. Automatically, my focus switches to her. She’s the one getting the tattoo, and although she already has a couple, this is her first one where I’m with her.

Carly finishes placing the outline on Jessa, just where I want it. She takes the gun and needles out of the protective wrap. Hearing the buzzing makes me nervous for Jessa, but she sits there calmly with her eyes shut as Carly inserts the needle into her skin. It continues to hum as Carly’s steady hand follows the traced lines, making sure it’s perfect. After the outline is finished, Carly tells me it’s time for coloring. We hadn’t discussed that. I ask her to do it in a blue hue since it’s my favorite color and she nods, standing up and walking away. “You okay, baby?” I ask and Jessa smirks with humor.

“I’m fine, Grant. I just like to daydream while I’m getting them done. It helps me remain calm.” She puts her head back down on the table. When Carly returns, Jessa starts asking her how long she’s worked here and telling her that her dad’s been coming here a long time. He knows the owner, Craig, and Carly exclaims how much she adores his daughter.

As the two girls talk while Carly gets everything ready, I observe everyone else in the parlor. It’s jam-packed and I’m surprised we were able to get an appointment today. I guess Jessa’s dad really does have strings to pull around here.

An hour later, Jessa’s done, and although the tattoo isn’t as beautiful as her, it’s pretty damn close to it. She admires it in the mirror and her eyes fall on me, standing behind her. Smiling, she turns around and places her hands on either side of my face. “I love you, Grant Bishop,” she tells me and places her lips on mine. Trying to be mindful of her tattoo, I pull her in a little closer, so I can feel her thin frame against me. We continue to explore each other’s mouths until hoots start echoing throughout the shop. Once I pull away, Jessa’s face has a nice shade of pink to it, as does mine, I’m sure.

She sits back down so Carly can cover the tattoo with ointment and a bandage. After I pay and Jessa compliments Carly to death, we finally leave the tattoo shop.

“Do you like it?” I ask, praying to God she does. Her reaction when she saw it finished appeared genuine, so I’m crossing my fingers.

“Are you kidding? I love it! It means even more to me since you picked it out.” She starts walking backward in front of me, while continuing to talk. “Are you really going to get one when we get home?” she questions, cocking her eyebrow as though she doesn’t believe me.

“I told you I would and I’m a man of my word,” I remind her and she giggles.

“That you are,” she says. “Now that this one’s done, we’ll have to think of a new bet.” She looks mischievous as she taps her finger against her lips.

“Do I even want to know what’s going through that gorgeous mind?” I ask her.

“Probably not,” she laughs. “Gotta keep you on your toes, Bishop,” she says with a playful tone. I walk faster to catch her. Grabbing her hips, I draw her into me and capture her moist lips again. When that cold metal runs along my tongue, it’s like home to me.

Chapter 2 2

Jessa

Saying good-bye to my parents will be so difficult. I have always hated leaving them, but now that I live so far away and can bear being back here, it’s harder than it’s ever been. My mom planned this whole goodbye dinner for us, but all it accomplishes is making me sadder.

Of course, my family plans a night of eating, games, and fun. Laughing most of the night helps keep the dread of tomorrow’s goodbye at bay. After my parents go to bed, we all decide to get in the hot tub. Most of them, including Grant, have never been in a hot tub when it’s twenty degrees outside. I’m bummed I can’t go in because of my tattoo. Grant tries to stay out on account of me, but I tell him I’ll dip my feet in while wearing a parka.