Chapter 26

Lori tooka long drink of the lemonade she’d had clutched in her hands when she started the story. The ice was long gone, and the liquid was room temperature. She’d had a lot to tell Rosie, and it had all come out in a stream of consciousness she could barely make sense of herself. No wonder Rosie looked shell-shocked.

“That’s a hell of a story,” Rosie said.

Lori smiled. “It was a hell of a night.”

“So it looks like you’ve always had a vamp deep inside just waiting to come out.” Rosie shook her head. “I never would’ve guessed it.”

“Nor me. But now that she’s out, I don’t think I can shove her away again.”

Rosie frowned. “Do you want to?”

“No, definitely not.” She shivered at the thought of Gabe’s hands on her body. “She made me feel things last night that I’d never imagined feeling.” She sighed deeply. “It was a maelstrom of every sensation possible, every sense coming alive, and then…a perfect peace like I feel at the end of a meditation.”

“I just call that an orgasm.”

Lori laughed. “Whatever you want to call it, it was like waking up after a deep slumber and discovering life’s beau?—”

“Oh my God.” Rosie rolled her eyes. “Are you in love after one night of halfway decent sex?”

“I was in love way before that. Last night just sealed the deal.”

“I was kidding.” Rosie sat up suddenly. “Are you seriously in love?”

“I am,” Lori said, a little taken aback by Rosie’s reaction. “I thought you’d be happy for me.”

Rosie took Lori’s hand. “I am, but I think it’s okay for me to worry about you at the same time. I said you should get back on the horse, not buy the ranch. You’re still healing from the last person who cheated on you.”

Lori withdrew her hand from Rosie’s and stiffened. “Gabe didn’t cheat on me. It was years ago, in another world almost, and you could even make a case that it was justified.”

“Wow, she’s got you drinking the Kool-Aid, hasn’t she? You’d never have considered any cheating justifiable before.”

Lori untucked her legs from beneath her butt and sat up straight. “You don’t believe her story? Have you asked Shay what happened?”

“Shay shut me down when I raised the issue, but we don’t really do much talking when we get together.”

Lori relaxed a little, realizing that Rosie’s reaction was probably linked to her own situation with Shay. “I’m not a fool, Rosie,” she said gently. “I believe she’s telling the truth, and I have to go with my instinct. I ignored it for too long with the lawyer, and that brought me nothing but pain. I won’t ignore it again and risk a chance at happiness. Gabe…fits.” She held out her hand, and Rosie took it. “But I need my best friend beside me too.”

Rosie threw her arms around Lori and pulled her into a hug. “I’m not going anywhere. It’s just…the lawyer hurt you so bad. If there’s anything I can do to keep you from going through that again, I will. Even if it means trying to knock down a woman built like a tank.”

Lori laughed and withdrew from the embrace. “I don’t think you need to worry about Gabe. Her outer shell might be made of titanium, but she’s soft and fluffy inside.”

Rosie’s phone vibrated on the table. She groaned as she picked it up. “I have to go. Fussy clients to handle.”

Lori glanced at her watch with a little relief. Gabe had texted to say she’d be there before eight, and it was already past seven. She wasn’t concerned about Rosie and Gabe crossing paths; she just knew that she needed Gabe inside her the moment she got in the house.

She walked Rosie out and saw Gabe’s truck coming up the driveway. “Before you go, how’s it going with you and Shay?”

Rosie pulled the car keys from her purse. “We’re having hours and hours of incredible sex, just like you two.”

“Okay. And?”

“And nothing,” Rosie said. “It’s no-strings fun with a beautiful, young Angela Bassett lookalike. I’m in heaven.” She winked and headed to her car, which Gabe had pulled up alongside.

Rosie sounded happy enough, but Lori wasn’t fully convinced. “Lunch this week?” she called after her.

Rosie turned. “I’m slammed this week, and you’ve got final prep on the auction. Let’s do dinner next week, okay?”

“Okay. I’ll text you.” Lori watched Gabe get out of her truck and have a short chat with Rosie. She waved as Rosie pulled away in her sleek sports car.

Gabe jogged toward her and scooped her up to kiss her. “God, I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you.” She inhaled Gabe’s fresh scent. “You smell great.”

“I showered at the garage.” Gabe lowered Lori to the ground and slipped her hands around her waist.

“And you’re early.”

“Shay kicked me out on account of my ‘stench of desperation,’” Gabe said, using air quotes, and grinned. “Is early okay? I should’ve called. Rosie didn’t leave because of me, did she?”

Lori shook her head. “She had clients to deal with. What did she say to you, by the way?”

Gabe chuckled. “She told me that if I don’t treat you like the queen you are, I’ll have to deal with her wrath.”

“And you kept a straight face?”

“Yes, I did. I take all threats to my life very seriously.”

Lori raised her eyebrows. “Even when they come from a five-foot-nothing woman who weighs less than you bench press?”

Gabe tilted her head. “Especially then. A scorned woman’s best friend is probably more lethal than the scorned woman herself.”

Lori grasped a handful of Gabe’s T-shirt. “Enough about Rosie. I need a reminder of how good you feel inside me.”

Gabe swept Lori into her arms and carried her toward the house. “Your wish is my command.”

Lori held tight and felt the scarred map of bumps and grooves through Gabe’s shirt. She tingled inside with the thought of tracing her tongue over Gabe’s skin and getting to know every beautiful inch of her.

She smiled and kissed Gabe’s neck, grateful that she’d found the strength to open her heart once again.

The tattoo artist, Zed, placed her iPad on the countertop and swiveled it around for them to look at.

Gabe whistled. “That’s a beautiful design.”

Lori still hadn’t told her what the original symbol meant, and Gabe didn’t push for it. When she’d first seen it, she’d wondered if it was the ex-wife’s initial. Maybe the mysterious woman was a Kate or a Kristen. But Gabe figured it didn’t matter since Lori was covering it up anyway.

“I love the way you’ve incorporated the heather flowers around the butterfly,” Lori said. “And the colors you’ve chosen are gorgeous.”

Zed smiled. “Thanks. And thanks for trusting me with that. Most people who came into my last studio either had a very distinct and narrow vision or they chose off-book images I’d already designed.”

“Where was your last studio?” Lori asked.

“Vegas. But I got bored of tattooing Cirque performers, so I moved here.”

“Really?” Gabe couldn’t imagine growing tired of working on bodies like theirs.

Zed laughed. “Nah, I’m kidding. I came back for family reasons.”

“I’m glad you did, but I hope everything’s okay with your family.”

Zed shrugged. “What are you gonna do? Family is family, right?”

Shay huffed from her seat behind them “Truth.”

Gabe looked at Shay then at Lori’s side profile and smiled. She’d found her family, and she’d do whatever was required to keep it safe, including relocating two thousand miles away.

“You’re happy with the size too?” Zed tapped away on her iPad then turned it back to Lori. “Use your fingers to change it, but you can’t go much smaller than it is already, or I won’t be able to keep that level of detail in the wings.”

Lori pushed the tablet back toward Zed. “I think it’s a perfect size.”

“I’ll print it out, and we can put the stencil on your hip for you to get a feel for it in place, okay?”

“Okay.” Lori turned to face Gabe after Zed went into the back of the shop. “Do you like it?”

Gabe caressed her cheek. “I love it, but that shouldn’t matter. I get the feeling your original tattoo was for someone else; you should get this one because you love it and you want it.”

Lori leaned closer to Gabe’s ear. “But you’re going to be up close and personal with it a lot,” she whispered.

Gabe moaned quietly. “And I’m going to love every time I get to kiss it,” she said, “but it’s your decision.”

Lori pressed her hand on Gabe’s chest. “I know that but thank you for saying it anyway.”

“It’s bad manners to whisper in company.” Shay stood and bumped Gabe against the desk.

“You’re not company; you’re family.”

Shay rolled her eyes. “When I said that you should get more in touch with your emotions, I didn’t mean you should spray them all over the place like a dog marking its territory. You can keep some of the sentimentality to yourself.”

Gabe shrugged. “Sorry, buddy. The floodgates are open, and the hinges are busted.”

Zed popped her head around the shelving unit that separated the reception area from the tattooing area. “Do you want to come back?”

The three of them followed Zed, and Lori laid back on a tattoo bed covered in plastic wrap while Gabe and Shay pulled up chairs on the opposite side of Zed so they didn’t get in the way.

“Could you push your sweats down to about mid-thigh for me?” Zed cleaned and shaved the old tattoo and the surrounding area, then she placed the printed stencil on Lori’s hip. “Do you want to go check in the mirror and make sure you’re happy with it?”

Lori stood in front of the mirror holding on to her sweats. When Shay tilted her head to the side to clearly get a better look at Lori’s ass, Gabe punched her arm. “Cut that shit out. You’ve got the best friend, remember?” she whispered.

Shay turned to look at Gabe. “I haven’t got anyone. I’m a free agent.”

“Lori isn’t, so keep your eyeballs to yourself.”

Shay grinned. “I’m just appreciating what you’ve got, Gabe, but if it offends you, I’ll stop. It’s not like she has eyes for anyone but you anyway.”

“I’d rather you didn’t act like a horny teen, that’s all.”

Shay held up her hands. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Lori turned to them both, thankfully oblivious to the conversation. “I love it.” She got back on the bed and gripped the edges. “Let’s do this.”

Two pain- and tear-filled hours later, the three of them went back into the reception area.

“We’re going for dinner. Do you want to join us?” Gabe asked while Lori was at the desk paying and collecting a bagful of aftercare products.

“No, thanks,” Shay said. “You two need some alone time; you’re practically combustible together. And I’m staying here a while.”

Gabe glanced toward Zed. “Isn’t she a bit on the masculine side for you?”

Shay shook her head. “Why would you go there? I told you I had a consultation after Lori’s appointment.” She touched the shoulder that had taken the brunt of the lightning strike. “I’ve wanted to get this turned into something for a while. You knew that.”

“Oh, yeah. Sorry, I forgot.” She tapped her head. “Seems like there’s not much room in here for anything but Lori right now. I’ll see you at the garage tomorrow.”

“Staying out all night again?” Shay chuckled. “We might get someone else to move into your room.”

Gabe grinned. “Don’t be such a lesbian. I’m not U-Hauling yet.”

“You should know we’ve got bets on when that’ll happen. And it will happen.”

Lori slipped her hand in the back pocket of Gabe’s jeans. “I’m all set. And I’m starving. Where are we eating?”

“What are you in the mood for?” Gabe asked.

Lori wiggled her eyebrows, and Shay groaned.

“See what I mean? I’m no one’s third wheel.” Shay opened the studio door and ushered them out. “Have fun, you kids.”

Outside on the sidewalk, Gabe blinked against the evening sun that was low enough to almost blind them. She slipped on her shades and pulled Lori into her arms. “So, what do you want to eat?”

“You.”

Gabe laughed. “I like the sound of that, but I can be dessert. What about real food?”

“I want you on your back as soon as possible, so let’s get takeout from Tix Pi and go home.”

“Home?” Had it only taken four days for Lori’s place to become home? Gabe wondered which of her buddies would have guessed closest.

“Did you want to go to your place? We could get enough for everyone, but I’m definitely not sharing dessert,” she said and winked.

Gabe shook her head. “That’s not what I meant, and no, let’s go back to the Sanctuary. We can take Max for a walk before…y’know…”

“Ah, I get it. Home… Did I freak you out?”

“Nope, not at all. It’s just something Shay said about U-Hauls.”

Lori wrapped her hand around Gabe’s neck and kissed her so intensely, it felt like the soft promise of their future.

“I’m in no rush. We’ve got forever, don’t we?”

“We do.” Gabe draped her arm over Lori’s shoulder, and they headed toward her truck. She’d never really thought of a forever before, never tried to grasp the concept, especially one with someone. But Lori had changed that.

Lori had changed everything.

And now Gabe couldn’t wait to get started on building that forever with the woman she loved more than she’d ever thought possible.