Page 163 of In Death, Love Survives
“And you’re mine.”
“Thank you for being it for me.”
“I’m the one who should be thanking you.”
A small laugh escapes her lips.
I know the feeling. This is raw and real, something neither of us expected to happen in our lives. Nova and I may have different pasts, but our future is now intertwined.
She sits back on my lap so she can fully see me.
The feeling of her fingers playing with the ends of my shirt distracts me momentarily. Whenever her fingers trace along my skin, I instantly revel in the touch.
“What are you doing there, baby?”
“Touching my love.”
“I like it.”
Our eyes connect as she continues to trace her fingers further up my lower abdomen.
Nova brings both of her hands to the edge of my shirt and slowly tries to lift it over my head. Inch by inch it goes, and I let her keep control of our pace.
I know she’s going to notice my new artwork any moment.
As the shirt goes over my chest, she stills. The tattoo is covered by a bandage. I’ll be able to remove it and shower after this, but I need to wait the right amount of time to do so.
“What happened?” she says.
“It’s just a tattoo, angel.”
She lifts the shirt higher and eventually tosses it onto the bed. As soon as it’s gone, one of her hands is right on the bandage, lightly stroking it in disbelief.
“Why did you get a tattoo today?”
“I needed to feel something.”
There’s a short pause until her hand stills. Nova looks up at me.
“Because of me.”
“Because ofme.”
“What do you mean?”
“I wanted something to remember this love by. That even if you left me for good, I knew that what I experienced with you wasn’t in my imagination.”
Her gaze never leaves mine as she swallows. I watch as her throat gulps again.
“Can I see it?”
“Yeah, we just have to be careful and then put the bandage back.”
“I can do that.”
Nova focuses on the bandage as she lifts one corner and peels it off my skin. Then she does the lower end of the same side before she’s able to fully see it with the bandage pulled back.
“It’s beautiful,” she whispers.
