Page 114 of A Heart Worth Finding
“Yes you are,” Jack and Jessica said in unison.
“Alright, love birds,” Drew said. “Here we go.”
Jack knew the moment the needle touched down on Jessica’s flesh, because her hand gripped his a little tighter.
“You okay?” he asked quietly.
“Yes,” she said, though her teeth were gritted. “It just stings a bit.”
“You’re doing great,” Drew said encouragingly. “We’re actually almost done. I love these little guys because they’re so quick.”
Jack glanced down to where Jessica’s arm was splayed over Drew’s knee, surprised to find he was indeed nearly finished with the tattoo. He watched as Drew scratched out the little sun rays, then wiped the ink away to make sure it was all filled in properly. After a few more swipes of the needle across Jessica’s skin, Drew straightened and said, “Ta da!”
Jessica tilted her head to study her fresh ink, then turned her face up to Jack, grinning.
“It’s perfect,” she said. “Don’t you think?”
Jack bent until his mouth hovered over hers, then pressed a kiss to her lips. “Yes.”
“Good,” she said. “I do, too. And now it’s your turn.”
Jack couldn’t hold back a groan, and Jessica pinched his side.
“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this, Fuller,” Jack grumbled to his teammate as he stretched out on the chair Jessica had just vacated. It was warm from her body, and Jack couldn’t help thinking how he wanted that warmth to surround him all the time.
And then he decided he couldn’t entertain that line of thought, otherwise Drew and his friends were about to get an eyeful of his fully erect dick. Instead, he focused on the pain he was about to endure, forcing his thoughts away from getting Jessica naked.
“Where do you want yours at?” Drew asked him.
“Same spot,” Jack said.
“We dared you to get matching tattoos,” Aiden said. “That doesn’t mean you have to get it in the same spot. Drew was right, bro, it is kind of girly.”
“It’s not girly,” Jack said. “I call Jessica ‘sunshine.’ We met in Mexico. Feels pretty appropriate if you ask me.”
“I’m just saying you could hide it if you wanted.”
“I don’t,” Jack responded, and Aiden clamped his jaw shut, clearly understanding from Jack’s tone that they were done arguing.
Exactly as he had done for her, Jessica stood on Jack’s right and held his hand in hers.
“Ready?” Drew asked.
“As I’ll ever be.”
As an athlete, and a hockey player at that, Jack had a reasonably high pain tolerance, and getting his first tattoo four years ago hadn’t bothered him much, despite the fact that he’d gotten right over his scapula. This one, which was situated in anadmittedly sensitive part of his arm, was relatively painless in comparison.
Although, not entirely painless. There were a few spots where Jack clutched Jessica’s hand a little tighter, though mindful of her delicate fingers. But for her, if these few moments of pain meant he got a permanent reminder of their love story, a memento of their time together that no one could ever take away from them? Well, he’d endure far worse than this.
For Jessica, he’d do anything.
NOW: April 11, 2024
“Man, I wish Icould come with you guys,” Berkley said with a pout. “I never got to go to a Frozen Four.”
“Babe, I took you to Vegas for All-Star Weekend three years ago. What more do you want?” Brent said from across the kitchen, where his head was buried in the refrigerator.
“Yeah, against my will.”
