by T Gephart
“Talk to me, Eve.”
“I’ve made so many mistakes.” She shook her head. “Part of me was embarrassed that I was such a mess. I mean, I have had more opportunities than most and in a lot of ways, I still fucked it up.”
Instinct was to tell her she was wrong, but now she was talking I wasn’t taking a chance she’d stop.
She took a deep breath, and like the floodgates had opened, she told me everything. About the choices she’d made and why she’d made them, about how she’d been fighting the shadow of her family’s money—my estimation of her net worth, wasn’t even close—and how despite being a badass and having confidence for days, she’d always felt she had something to prove.
There hadn’t been a chip on her shoulder so much as a boulder.
For hours she talked. About her insecurities. About her idea for her exhibition. About a hotel she was buying—no seriously, my girlfriend had the kind of capital where she could just decide to buy a fucking hotel like it was a game of Monopoly.
She talked until her voice got hoarse, telling me more about herself than I’m sure she was comfortable with. But she did it anyway.
“Aren’t I a catch?” She snuggled up closer, her laugh lighter than it had been before.
“Nothing you could ever say to me is ever going to scare me away.” My arms locked around her. “There isn’t a thing that you or anyone could do that would change my mind. We belong together, Eve. I’m not saying it’s going to be easy, but nothing worth having ever is.”
She buried her head in the crook of my neck. “Good, because I didn’t want to have to tie you up and hold you against your will . . . but I would have.”
“Wait now.” I pulled her head back and gave her a kiss. “I might actually like being tied up. Let’s not rule anything out until we’ve given it proper consideration.”
“Then I will.” She brought my fingers to her mouth and playfully bit them. “And no more holding back.”
“Nope,” I agreed, knowing there would never be another woman for me. “Not for either of us.”
Eve
I PROMISED JOSH THERE WOULD BE NO more secrets between us. I had cut myself open and bled in front of him—not literally because that would be gross—but emotionally every part of me had been exposed.
That was some hard shit.
I’d rather face a million art critics picking apart my fucking brush strokes than risk the man I loved thinking I was a basket case.
Okay, so maybe I hadn’t told him everything.
The L word hadn’t left my lips just yet. And it wasn’t because I was scared. I had reasons for holding onto it just a little while longer. Because when I finally said it out loud, I wanted him to know it wasn’t just a knee-jerk reaction to me jumping off the cliff.
There was something else I hadn’t told him either.
Fine, so maybe my track record for keeping secrets sucked, but I was a work in progress and the ones I was holding onto were for good reasons.
But I needed to tell him everything soon, or I was going to explode.
“Hello, beautiful.” He looked up from his desk, his perfect smile still making me weak in the knees. “You want to get me lunch for old time’s sake?” He laughed, pushing away from his work and wrapping his arms around me.
“Maybe you should be getting me lunch.” I looped my arms around his neck and brought my mouth to his. “You never did get me a parting gift from Ink Addiction. You think at the very least I would get a cake. I gave you three of my very best weeks.”
After our epic chat three days ago, I had resigned as I had planned. I hated leaving the shop, but if I was going to get an exhibition together and get the hotel/gallery up and running, I needed to dedicate every minute I had to it.
Josh completely understood and supported my decision, but it meant we only got to see each other outside work hours the past few days. Except today when I surprised him at lunchtime.
“You want a cake, sweetheart?” His brow arched with mischief. “I’ll let you eat it off me, if that will make you happy. The rest of my afternoon is design work, no clients until tomorrow.”
“Seriously, how is it we never screwed in your chair?” I eyed his fancy tattoo chair with wonder, the thought of me tonguing cake off his abs almost too much to take. Incidentally I knew about his free afternoon, which is why I had picked today for my impromptu visit.
“Health inspections.” He laughed, kissing the top of my head. “So what brings my amazing, talented girlfriend to my shop? Something on your mind?”
Honestly, I was still surprised I had held out as long as I had but I didn’t want to ruin his surprise. Josh was more intuitive than any person I knew, and he always had a sense when I was holding back. It was one of the things I loved about him the most, his ability to know me. But it made occasions like this extra difficult, which is why I was glad I could finally come clean.
See, what he didn’t know was, on the day we’d both spilled our guts and decided we belonged together, I had intercepted a message that was intended for him. Okay, maybe it was less intercepted and more stolen, but there was no reason to get hung up on semantics.
And in my panicked madness of not being able to find Josh—insecurities completely messing with my head—I had wrongly suspected it had been a woman. Possibly an ex-girlfriend who’d come to her senses and discovered that yes, Josh was the most awesome man alive. That shit would not fly. Not while I still had breath in my body. Did I mention I had been more than a little irrational?
But like a few instances where I’d assumed, I had been wrong.
Like really, really wrong.
And in a weird and twisted way—sort of like how I’d met Kitty when she was blowing my boyfriend, but not quite so twisted—it had been fate that I had got the note instead of Josh.
“So, I have an idea.” I bit my lip, both excited and terrified at the same time. “Something I decided while I was away at my parents’ house about something I wanted to give you. A surprise.”
“That’s two somethings, and you look nervous.” His hand dropped to my ass and squeezed. “You want to tell me what it is?”
“Your tattoo. The crow.” My finger circled over the cotton of his T-shirt that hid the offending monstrosity on his shoulder. “I want to give you a do-over.”
“Wow. Okay.” I saw his face pale a little, a slight flicker of fear flashed through his eyes. “Maybe we should get you to practice a little first. Holding a machine isn’t as easy as it looks.”
“Do you trust me?” I gently pulled his arm guiding him to his big fancy chair that a few moments ago I had considered defiling.
“Of course I trust you, baby.” He allowed me to push him down into the chair, his butt hitting the cushion. “And if you really want to do this, I’ll let you, but I need you to really think about it. A regular tattoo is difficult, a cover up? Eve, that’s seriously advanced.”
“I have thought about it, Josh.” I walked over to a box of black gloves and pulled them on. “I really want to give you this tattoo.”
“Okay.” He scrubbed his face, shaking his head for a minute before turning his eyes back to me. “Then let’s do this.”
“Seriously, dude, you really are a sucker.” Dallas waltzed in, shaking his head and taking a seat on a stool. “Didn’t you learn from the last time?”
Of course, I had told Dallas my plan. I mean, I had to tell someone and figured it would be easier if I brought him in from the beginning. Plus he knew Josh’s tattoo so he could give me a second opinion if I needed it.
“I’m not a sucker, asshole.” He flipped off Dallas and stripped off his shirt. “But seeing as you’re here you can help. You can be Eve’s assistant.”
Oh. Shit.
He was going to actually let me do it.
Was he insane?
“Are you sure?” I looked at Josh, my heart beating so hard in my chest I was positive it was going to crack my rib cage.
There was no hesitation.
“How about I do it instead?” Tommy poked his head through the open doorway, not able to hide his huge grin.
“Tommy Vaughn?” Josh leapt out of his chair, looking between me and Tommy in confusion. “T, what are you doing in town?”
“Got here Sunday night,” Tommy threw out his hand, smacking Josh across the shoulder. “I left you a note, but someone else decided to call me instead.” He tipped his chin at me, his smile inching wider.
Okay, so Monday, when I’d called T ready to give her a piece of my mind, I had been pleasantly surprised that T was actually short for Tommy. And that Tommy was a man who had no designs on my boyfriend. It was a double win.
What I also found out through the course of the conversation was that Tommy—a tattooist from Las Vegas—had been voted one of the best artists in the entire country. He and Josh had met a few months ago at a convention and Tommy had promised to check out Josh’s shop if he happened to come to New York. And guess what. Tommy happened to be visiting New York.
“I drew the sketch while I was away. I worked out a way where we could use the texture of the wings to cover the existing tattoo, and there’s enough negative space around it.” I nodded to Tommy who handed me back the sketch I had emailed him after our initial conversation. “I just needed an artist who was good enough to pull it off. Because, as much as I love you, I can’t be the one to put it on your skin.”
“What did you say?” Josh’s head whipped around, his eyes not even looking at the crow I had drawn.
Well. Shit.
The right time I was waiting for to tell him I love him? Yeah, I guess it was kind of now.
While he had his shirt off.
With an audience.
“Guys, can you give us just a minute.” I turned, hoping Dallas wouldn’t make a big deal of it and Tommy didn’t think I was a complete nutcase asking him to walk out when he’d barely walked in.
“Yep. No problem.” Dallas nodded to Tommy, the two of them walking out of the room and shutting the door.
“I.” I placed the sketch on the chair and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Love you. I love you so much, Josh.”
“God, I love you.” His hands moved to my jaw, cupping my face as he kissed me. “So much.”
“Well, that kind of worked out for the best.” I laughed, my hands moved down the ripples of his beautiful colored chest. “Would have sucked if you had another tattoo on you from an ex.”
“Yeah, that’s not going to happen.” He kissed me again. “But I am super excited to have yours. Let me see the sketch.”
I let Josh inspect my version of the crow while I went and got Dallas and Tommy. They both walked in and got busy setting up.
Dallas prepared the transfer while Josh got situated in the chair, his face so excited you’d think he’d just been given a puppy, and ice cream and a year’s supply of free cable.
“You good, dude?” Tommy pressed the stencil onto Josh’s shoulder, the purple lines on his skin the same ones I’d drawn on a piece of paper.
It was so surreal, my work being on someone’s skin forever. It wasn’t something I had on my bucket list, but now it was happening, I was secretly thrilled.
“All good.” Josh gave him the thumbs up as he laid on his side, ready to get inked.
“I still can’t believe you got Tommy Vaughn to tattoo Josh.” Dallas shook his head, talking about the man like he wasn’t in the room. “This shit is so unfair.”
“She was very convincing.” Tommy smiled, continuing with Josh’s black outline. “I just couldn’t say no.”
“Yeah, been there, done that.” Josh laughed. “It really is easier if you just agree.”
“I’m right here, you know. And for the record, it didn’t take a lot of convincing.” I rolled my eyes, not at all annoyed.
“To be honest, I wanted to see these two storm clouds fucking.” Tommy stopped the machine for a second and laughed. “I’m so glad we’re fixing this for you, even if it’s not my design.”
“You know if you want to toss out one of your designs, I’m happy to take one for the team.” Dallas raised his hand. “Dude, I’d let you tattoo my dick if you wanted.”
“Ewww, Dallas.” I popped him as hard as I could in the arm.
“Seriously, D, you need to put it away.” Josh chuckled trying not to move. “All it’s ever done is get you in trouble.”
“Thanks for the offer, but I’ll pass.” Tommy smirked as he continued.
I’d only ever watched one tattooist up close, and that was Josh. I’d checked in on Dallas from time to time but never sat and observed. Part of me felt I didn’t want to share it with anyone other than Josh, the feeling in the room almost too personal. But strangely as I watched Tommy work, it didn’t feel the same way.
He was incredibly precise. His hand moved with skill and purpose from the darkest black to almost translucent, all in the way he worked the needle. And as it started to take shape, it looked even better than I envisioned, the original crow slowly being hidden underneath.
But the spark wasn’t there.
Watching Tommy didn’t excite me. There was no chill up my spine as the machine buzzed, and it was safe to say my earlier questions about whether it was isolated to one particular artist were confirmed.
It was Josh.
And only Josh.
“So you getting some ink any time soon?” Tommy lifted his head and smiled. “Being around them usually gives you the itch.”
I shook my head. “I don’t think so. But you never know.”
I wasn’t ruling it out entirely, but if I ever did it, there’d have to be a purpose behind it.
“She’s perfect the way she is,” Josh answered turning to face me. “There isn’t a tattoo that would do her justice.”
He caught me staring and smiled, the same smile I remembered from when I’d first walked in. He was so incredibly perfect, my eyes hurt. And he was all mine.
I reached for his hand and he didn’t hesitate to link his fingers with mine, and that’s how we sat while Tommy worked.
Slowly, everything in the periphery faded into the background and it was only the two of us in that room.
Just the way it had always been with us.
And the way it would always be.
Josh
“GOD, I’M GOING TO PUKE.”
Eve wouldn’t stop pacing, her hands locked on her hips as I sat watching. “Tell me again why I invited those jackasses to come tonight?”
“Because you don’t care what they think,” I reminded her. “And because they are doing their jobs and like it or not, while you don’t need them, Art Addiction does.”
My beautiful, smart, talented and ridiculously wealthy girlfriend had bought her hotel. Put her money where her mouth was and bet everything on black. And if things hadn’t been awesome enough, she’d decided to call it Art Addiction, as a nod to the shop and I guess to me as well. I had told her she didn’t have to, that she should name it whatever she wanted, but she insisted her mind was made up. And the thing about Eve was, once she decided something there was very little you could do to change it.
Secretly I was fucking ecstatic and incredibly proud for whatever small part I played in it.
She had done an amazing job of pulling her pieces together, her Midnight Moments—the dream-esque watercolors with sharp focal points—looked amazing. And when construction started next week, she was going to do an outstanding job on the hotel. Oh, and in case I hadn’t mentioned it, it was exactly two blocks from my shop and apartment. Seemed like Santa was handing out presents early this year.
“You’re right.” She smoothed down the front of her tight red dress with her palms. “It will be good for business.”
“Hey, can we come in?” There was a voice from the doorway. “We know the owner.” Heather smiled as she walked in with her husband, followed by the rest of her posse. Lana and Dave, Kristen and some guy I hadn’t met, then finally Kitty who was surpr
isingly dateless.
“Hey!” Eve screamed excitedly, taking turns to hug everyone.
“This is so great.”
“I love the space.”
“Your pieces are amazing.”
All of them fawning over her as they took in the view.
It was good to sit back and watch her have her moment; it was something she’d worked hard for and she had every right to enjoy it. All that praise had been hard earned, and I knew after tonight she was going to be getting a lot more of it.
“Hey, asshole.” Dallas tipped his chin, walking in to join the growing crowd. “How does it feel to be the second most famous artist in the room?” He smiled and waved to Eve. “Incidentally, she’s prettier than you too.”
“You are one hundred percent right my friend.” I cupped the back of his neck and shook him. “And I couldn’t be happier if I tried.”
Kitty sidled up next to Dallas, the smirks on both of their faces answer enough as to why they both arrived stag.
“No fucking in public,” I warned both of them. “This is Eve’s night and if either one of you screws it up, you’ll have me to deal with.”
“Yes, yes.” Dallas waved me off as his other hand did something to make Kitty giggle. “We’ll be on our best behavior.”
Yeah, not likely.
Still, at least our location offered a lot of rooms, most which still had locks on the doors. I’d hoped one of them was smart enough to use them.
“What are you doing over here by yourself?” Eve found her way back to me, her friends helping themselves to drinks at the makeshift bar.
“Just waiting for you.” I wrapped her in my arms and kissed her. “Can I steal you for a few minutes, I have a hotel warming present.”
“Is hotel warming even a thing?” She narrowed her eyes, looking at me skeptical.
“If I say it is, then it must be. Come on, I’ve stashed it up stairs.” I pulled gently on her arm as I led her to the staircase.
When Eve had been getting ready earlier, I took the time to come to the hotel and deliver my gift in preparation for tonight. Of course it wasn’t as badass as the gift she’d given me. The Eve Thorton original inked into my skin by Tommy Vaughn wasn’t something I thought I’d ever be able to top. Not unless I figured out a way to reanimate Rembrandt.