Page 178 of Mine Again
“No, you wouldn’t have. You wouldn’t have survived the morning had you done something so barbaric.”
He laughs again, and the sound vibrates through his chest and into my cheek.
“Besides,” I add, yawning into his skin, my heavy eyelids closing, “nobody would even see it there. You just said it was to scare off other men.”
He full-on growls. “Nobody will ever see what’s beneath your clothes.”
I huff, suppressing a smile. “Caveman much?”
“Unashamedly.”
There’s a long pause, and I’m slipping more and more toward sleep. But one last thought drifts through.
“How did you learn to do tattoos?”
“YouTube videos,” he says flatly. “My personality suits focus and attention to detail. I found it therapeutic.”
That makes my eyes flutter back open.
“So… you’ve done all of these yourself?” I gesture toward the butterflies on his chest and arm.
He nods, the motion brushing his chin against my forehead.
“Of course. I won’t let anyone else mark me with your symbols. They’re for me alone.”
I sigh, amused and still on the edge of dreaming.
“I’m not sure whether to be impressed or horrified.”
“I prefer you go with impressed.”
“Hmm, I’m sure you do,” I mumble, too tired to tease him properly.
Luca turns off the lights, and the room slips into velvety darkness. I melt closer into his body, nestling into the heat of his chest. His arm curves around me, pulling the sheets higher so my entire body is covered.
A yawn escapes before I can stop it.
“Are we really married?” I murmur, sleepy-soft as I hook my leg over his.
“Sure are,” he says, brushing his lips against my hair.
My hand finds his in the dark. I let my thumb drift over the bare skin of his ring finger.
“Then why aren’t you wearing a wedding ring?”
“Because you weren’t awake to put it on.” His voice is gentle. “I’m waiting for you to slip it onto my finger. Only you have that right.”
My heart does a slow, drowsy flutter. I barely manage a small smile.
“I’ll tattoo my name on your finger too.”
“Please do. And we’ll have another wedding,” he promises. “A proper one. The one of your dreams.”
His fingers thread with mine as if he means to hold on even in sleep.
I let the rhythm of his breathing and the steady thump of his heart beneath my ear pull me under.
The last thing I’m aware of is his warmth wrapped around me, and his fingers still laced with mine.
