When I told her what I wanted to do, she put her hand on my forehead. "Who are you, and what have you done with my sister?"
I batted her hand away. "I'm someone who is done hiding. I want the world to see."
Anna smiled at me, pride clear on her face. "Then let's do this."
Anna and I slipped out the back, unnoticed, and twenty minutes later, a cab was dropping us off at a tattoo parlor in a questionable part of town. The cab driver had assured us that they were the best in Philly, and were open late most nights. Considering that they were situated across the street from what looked to be a biker bar, I thought their late hours was probably a smart business move.
A bell in the door chimed as we opened it. Anna's eyes lit up as she took in the photos of skin art around the room. As we both examined a photograph of a woman with a cascade of stars trailing up her side and bursting across her chest, Anna told me, "I can't believe you're doing this." Slinging her arm over my shoulder, she added, "My baby sister is growing up."
Rolling my eyes, I shrugged her arm off. As I turned toward the front counter, Anna brightly exclaimed, "I should get one too." Bending over, she pointed to her ass. "Griffin's name, right here. Then he can kiss it whenever he pisses me off."
"You would be bending over all the time then."
Anna gave me a highly inappropriate grin, and I quickly changed the direction of the conversation. That was one mental image of Griffin I did not need to have ingrained in my head. "Maybe you should wait until after Maximus arrives to get a tattoo."
Anna sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I suppose that would be a good idea." She laughed. "Guess I should try being responsible every now and again."
I laughed with her, rubbing her burgeoning belly. "Wouldn't hurt."
Her fingers cupping the child in her womb, Anna groaned, "God, I hope he arrives soon. I'm so sick of being pregnant!"
I was about to ask my sister if she was finally going to fly home, or to our parents', when an attractive man came out of the back. Every square inch of his arms was covered in colorful tattoos that reminded me of Evan's. He had gauges in his ears too, just like our D-Bag drummer. "Just don't give birth in my lobby, please."
Anna smirked at him as he extended a hand to us. He had a tattoo on the meaty part of his thumb that read No Regrets. I couldn't have agreed more with the sentiment, and I considered getting that tattooed somewhere on me too, but not tonight. I had other plans for tonight.
"Name's Brody. What can I do ya for?"
After shaking his hand, I pointed to the inside of my right wrist. "I want my husband's name, right here."
Brody nodded. "Popular spot. What's the lucky man's name?"
My grin burned brighter than the sun. "Kellan."
When Anna and I left the shop, my wrist covered in a thick bandage, I reconsidered ever getting another tattoo. A needle digging into your flesh over and over wasn't exactly a wonderful experience. And I was sort of a wuss about pain, anyway. It was far, far down on my list of favorite things. Truly, it was miracle that I'd sat through the entire procedure. The second that machine pierced my skin, I almost shot into the air and vanished out the door. I think I would have, if the tattoo had been anything other than Kellan's name.
We had another show in Philly tomorrow, so Anna and I took a cab back to the hotel instead of returning to Wells Fargo Center to finish up the concert. Anna was tired, and I just wasn't in the mood for listening to the thunderous reaction of Kellan and Sienna closing out the evening with the passionate duet that had started this whole mess. So Kellan didn't worry when he couldn't find me, I texted him and then lay down in our bed to wait for him, wearing only my underwear and a light T-shirt.
I was more exhausted than I realized and fell asleep not long after setting my head down on the pillow. A body sliding into bed with me stirred me back to life. His skin was cool and a little damp, and he smelled like the citrus body wash that the hotel provided. He must have hopped into the shower before hopping into bed. I shivered as his chest pressed against my back and his arms and legs wrapped around me. "I'm cold," he murmured. "Warm me up."
Wanting to help him out, I flipped around and cocooned him with my body. Pulling his head into my neck, I kissed his cheek. He groaned in delight. "You're so warm . . ."
I smiled as I ran my hands over his chilly back, warming him with friction as well as skin. His lips brushed over my neck, and the temperature of my skin stopped slowly decreasing as desire kicked in. His mouth found its way to the electric spot at the base of my neck near my collarbone, and I suddenly felt red hot. Instead of pressing against his body to warm him up, I started pressing against his body to rev him up. It didn't take long.
Rolling me to my back, he settled himself on top of me as he worked his lips across my throat and up the other side of my neck. In my ear, he husked, "I love it when you make me hot."
He pressed his h*ps into mine for emphasis, and a low moan escaped me. He was ready for me. The hard length of him being teasingly out of reach was enough to fully ignite me. I'd had such an emotional day that a satisfying release was exactly what I needed right now. Kellan too, probably.
Feeling frantic, I found his mouth and started clawing at his boxers. Kellan didn't question my enthusiasm. He just went with it and started tearing off my clothes. I felt like crying out with every place he touched me-his mouth over my chest, his hand sliding down my hip, his finger sliding over my sensitive core. Back arched and breath needy, I was ready for him to claim me. He was ready too. Breathing heavy, he angled his h*ps so that just the tip of him entered me. I grabbed the pillow under my head with both hands. Knowing how much he loved it when I begged him, I exhaled, "Yes, God, please . . . yes."
I was expecting him to plunge deep inside of me. I was expecting to scream out in ecstasy. I was going to clutch his h*ps and encourage him to take me hard and fast instead of his usual slow and steady. I needed him to work me over, to satisfy the ache escalating with every second.
But he didn't take me. He shifted to my side. I groaned as the aching shifted to the edge of painful need. I kissed his chest and threw a leg over his hip. I would take him if he wouldn't take me.
Kellan seemed distracted, though, as he held both of my hands. "Kiera?"
I ignored the question in his tone as I got him back into position. It was tricky, since he wasn't letting go of my hands, but I weaseled my h*ps over his and shifted down so the tip of him was back where I needed it.
Kellan let go of one of my hands to still my h*ps from pushing down on top of him. His hand shifted so that his thumb slid against the thick bandage of the wrist he was holding. "What is this?" he whispered, voice tight.
I groaned as I forced more of him inside me. I'd forgotten all about the tattoo once his hands and mouth had started riling me up, and it was about the last thing in the world that I cared about now. "It's for you," I moaned, successfully pushing myself onto him.
Kellan hissed in a quick breath. I thought his hand on my hip might move me away, but he pulled me into him instead. "Oh God . . . what is it?"
Our joint hands laced fingers while our h*ps began to move. I could barely focus on his question as he filled me, absorbed me. I clutched him to me as short, erotic moans filled the air. "Your name," I murmured, when I could speak.
"What . . . why . . . ? Oh God . . . God, Kiera . . . you feel so good . . ."
Forgetting his question, he groaned and clutched me tight. Our lips found each other's and all coherency was lost as our bodies pressed and pulled against each other in a steadily increasing tempo. I could feel my crest approaching, and my short, quiet bursts of sound turned into long, needy cries. It hit me like a wall, and I squeezed Kellan tight. A deep, satisfied groan left him as he cli**xed.
Panting, he rolled onto his back, pulling me onto his chest. "What . . . ?" he asked.
Giggling, I sat up on his now-warm chest. "What, what?"
Swallowing, he took a moment to collect his thoughts, then he grabbed my hand so he could examine my bandaged wrist. "What did you do?"
Sitting up, I turned on a small lamp by the nightstand so he could see exactly what I'd done. He cringed in the sudden brightness, then his eyes widened and his jaw dropped open as he understood just what the bandage was hiding. As I carefully peeled it back to reveal the shiny ink staining my skin, his face grew even more disbelieving.
As we both stared at the swollen, glistening letters of his name upon my flesh, Kellan was silent. I started to think that maybe he hated it, and he just didn't know how to tell me, but then he looked up at me. Eyes shining, he murmured, "You know that's permanent, right?"
Smiling, I reattached the gauze and told him, "You know you're permanent, right?"
He looked away, like he found that hard to believe. Then he looked back at me and smiled. "Yeah, I know."
I feigned surprise. "You're not going to argue with me, call me absurd?"
He cupped my cheek. "Well, I still think you're absurd, but I'm not going to argue with you about spending the rest of your life with me."
I lifted a brow in challenge. "Because you know I'm head over heels in love with you."
Kellan smiled. "Yes."
"And you know you're a good man."
He hesitated, then nodded. "Yes."
"And you know you're worthy of being loved."
He frowned, and I thought here was the point where I'd lose him, but after a long moment his lips evened. "Yes." His voice didn't even quaver, and pride shot through me.
I leaned in to kiss him, but Kellan pulled back. "And you know you're sexy, intriguing, adorable, and the only person I'll ever be in love with. You know you're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."
I saw the dare in the depths of his midnight eyes, and my peaceful smile grew wider. "Yes, I do."
"Good." Flashing a triumphant grin, Kellan finally let our lips connect. "I love hearing you say I do." I giggled and he added, "And I really love your tattoo."
Grabbing his face, I pulled him back down to the mattress. "Good, because I really love you."
Chapter 23: Backache
The next morning started peacefully enough, but I knew it wouldn't last, not with my imminent exposure on the horizon. But as the sunlight streaming through the open window beside me caressed the bare patches of skin that Kellan and I showed as we lounged in our tangled, tousled sheets, that future concern seemed a far-distant event, one I didn't need to worry over just yet. Wanting to purr with contentment, like the fluffy cat I used to own as a child, I shut out the world and focused on the man in front of me. He was all that mattered anyway.
Kellan seemed equally content as he traced the tender rectangle covering my wounded wrist. I knew we both had things we needed to do today, and we would eventually have to get up and deal with the gossip explosion that was probably already happening, but a few more minutes of quality time wouldn't hurt anything. And I had a feeling this might be the last peaceful moment we had for a while.
That thought was confirmed for me about ten minutes later. Like reality was throwing a wet blanket over our serenity, my cell phone started going off, and Kellan's went off a few second later. I inhaled a deep breath as I locked gazes with Kellan. We both ignored the ringing for a moment, then Kellan whispered, "Why did we get cell phones, again?"
Laughing, I kissed his nose. "I suppose we should answer those. The photos must be out by now. People are probably worried." I cringed, wondering if my parents had seen the pictures yet. Dad was going to flip if he saw a picture of his daughter being called a whore.
Kellan sighed, then nodded. He started to turn away, but I cupped his cheek. Ignoring the incessant ringing in the room, I looked deep into his eyes. "Whatever happens from here on out, I want you to know that I don't regret anything. Being with you, loving you, experiencing this with you . . . it's all been worth it, and we'll get through this together." I smiled. "We're a team. It's us against the world."