Total pages in book: 30
Estimated words: 27907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 27907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 140(@200wpm)___ 112(@250wpm)___ 93(@300wpm)
I know what she really means, what she’s driving at. She has to sense what this is doing to me and wants me to calm down. She’s asking for the impossible. How can I calm down when another man has his hands on what’s mine?
There’s a twinkle in her eyes, that little gleam I saw earlier. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” I mutter once I’m seated, speaking to her but staring at Billy. He’d better hope his hands stay where they need to be.
“Getting tattooed?” Suddenly, she gasps, reaching for me, and I take her hand. “At the moment, not particularly.” Yes, because he’s getting started, and the way she winces tells me how she feels.
I take her hand gently despite the dangerous heat beginning to boil my blood. At least he keeps his eyes on his work, but of course, he’ll be in close contact with her throughout the process. My eyes are glued to him, following the direction of his gaze, even the way he breathes when he has to lean in especially close as he works on the intricate mandala.
“That’s not what I was talking about,” I mutter, briefly meeting her gaze before my eyes dart back to Billy.
Chuckling softly, she gestures for me to lean in closer. “You know, this is kind of a permanent thing.”
“I know.”
“So maybe don’t intimidate the poor guy so much he makes a mistake.” Her smile is loving, and that, plus the pressure from her fingers around my hand, manages to loosen the worst of my tension. She’s right. I don’t want him marring her perfection because I couldn’t handle myself.
Still, I’m keeping an eye on this guy.
The only thing that keeps me going is reminding myself this is for her. She needs this; she deserves it. Something beautiful to cover up the ugliness. Since I played a part in how that ugliness came to be, I think I can suck it up and grit my teeth through watching a man touch her. I can do anything as long as it’s for her.
She winces, and I stroke her cheek, offering a sympathetic smile. “You’ll get used to it.”
“I usually have a higher threshold for pain,” she grits out.
Yes, because she’s brave and strong, stronger than me. In so many ways, she’s like the lotus currently being placed on her back. She’s been through unfathomable shit but has come out even more beautiful on the other side. She never let it break her, none of it. Even when I made it my mission in life to break her down, she refused.
That’s how I know she can get through this.
“I can’t wait for everybody to see it.” Her excitement makes me smile, even if she’d better hope she doesn’t intend on flashing her bare back to everyone we know. “I bet Scar will love it.”
“Don’t go giving her any ideas,” I warn, and she laughs gently. If I focus on keeping her laughing, I won’t be so concerned about leaving her on display like this. There will never come a time when I’m comfortable letting others see and touch her. She’s too precious for me to allow that.
“Right. I’m sure your dad would freak.”
That gets me snorting because I can see it in my head. How he’d blow his stack if he thought I influenced my sister into having her back inked, even if the work was good. We Rossi men tend to be overprotective of our women.
“How does it look so far?” she asks. “Do you like it?”
“I think it’s a beautiful design.” I might want to tear Billy’s hands off for touching my wife, but I can admit he exceeded my expectations with how he combined his three concepts.
“So long as you don’t go around showing it off,” I warn with a growl. I’m only half joking, something I’m sure she’s aware of. “Very few people will ever know this exists.”
“Anybody who sees me in a bathing suit will.”
Jealousy rears up in me at the idea. “Then we’ll only go swimming on private beaches or when I take you out on a boat.”
“What if I wear a dress cut low in the back?”
Now she’s deliberately throwing out scenarios intended to make me lose control—and she likes it. It gets her off to see me lose my shit over her. “What if you always wear dresses that cover your back instead?”
She rolls her eyes, giggling softly. “If you say so.”
It might not take as long as it seems for Billy to finish since, as far as I’m concerned, time is crawling. Every moment that passes ratchets up my tension a little more. Occasionally, he’ll glance up at me, and each time, it’s to find me watching him like a hawk. His hand shakes, but he steadies it before returning to the work. I catch Aspen watching me with a knowing gleam in her eyes, but she doesn’t understand. She never will.