Page 94 of Out Of Time

“I’m done keeping track of my losses Remi. I thought I would do one last tally mark, but this time, to signify my wins. I have you, I have this beautiful house, the beach, and my whole life ahead of me. I’m ready to lay my losses to rest.”

Remi climbed into his lap, straddling him, kissing him like this was the only way she knew how to celebrate him. His arms wrapped around her, holding her close as he kissed her back. At first, the kiss was rushed and messy, but realizing they had all the time in the world, it slowed to something sweet and reassuring.

A kiss can say so many things.

Tonight, it said, I’m proud of you.

As their lips slowed and his grip on her loosened, Remi pulled away just enough to take in the sight of him up close and personal. His beard and mustache were so perfectly trimmed. His hair thick and well-kept. His eyes were green and heavy. His cheeks flushed by just their kissing alone—the beauty of dating a ginger. He was handsome and wonderful, and she didn’t know how this man of few words had transformed into the one giving her the best conversations of her life, but she wouldn’t question it. No one questions the way the waves tease, threatening to move forward onto the shore only to pull back just when youthought it might touch your bare feet in the sand. So, she wouldn’t question how she got so lucky with Max.

Once her client, now her lover.

Life was weird and wonderful, and for the first time in a long time, Remi wished her mother were here to see this, to see her in love, successful, and thriving.

“So, how does this work?” she asked, eying the tattoo gun and fresh cap of ink.

“Just press the needle to my skin like a pencil.”

“What if I press too hard?”

“You won’t. It’s easy to grasp how deep you are the second you touch the needle to my skin.”

“Why can’t you just do it? You did all your other tattoos,” she asked.

“I’m not left-handed,” he teased.

“It’s a simple line.”

He leaned in and kissed her, pushing her hair behind her ears. “Exactly.”

Remi shook her head with a playful grin and leaned across the bar to get the tattoo gun. She turned it on, the buzz tickling her hand, then dipped the needle into the black cap of ink. Max sat back in the chair and lifted his arm above his head, his strong body elongated, his ribs exposed, the muscles in his arms stretched. She felt something stir deep in her stomach. Something about this exchange was so intimate, so sexy. His trust in her—it made her want him more than ever.

“Okay,” she said. “Here it goes.”

His eyes locked on hers. “To celebrating the wins,” he said.

She leaned in and kissed his cheek before bringing the needle to the soft skin of his ribs. Drawing the gun down, she felt the buzz and pull as she watched a single line appear there.

A tally mark.

A forever of wins.

It was a Wednesday and Remi woke up to her phone buzzing on her bedside table at 4 a.m. She reached over, trying to grab the phone without waking Max. They slept at her house last night after watching the game at the local bar. Max had been incognito in a hat and sunglasses as they watched the Condors advance to the second round of the playoffs after absolutely destroying the San Jose Threshers in the first round.

“Hello?” Remi answered.

On the other line one of her cleaners, Miriam, responded, “Hey, Remi, I can’t come in today. Sebastian is running a fever, and my mom is out of town. I don’t have anyone to watch him and there’s no way I can send him to school like this.”

“Yeah, yeah. Family first,” Remi said. This was her golden rule as a small business owner.

“I know it’s your light day. I’m so sorry to do this,” Miriam said on the other line.

“No, it’s fine. The house I clean on Wednesdays is flexible,” Remi said with a smile, looking over at Max, whose housewasher Wednesday morning house. He looked up at her throughsleepy, hooded eyes and mouthed, “Everything okay?” She patted his shoulder, gave him a reassuring smile, and went on. “Keep me posted. If you need tomorrow off as well, I can cover it between me and Maria.”

“Okay, thank you, Remi,” Miriam said.

“No worries, girl. Go take care of your baby.”

She reached over and put her phone down on the bedside table right before Max pulled her into his body, nuzzling his face into her neck.

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