It dawned on Rick that he was about to hold the door open and welcome a woman into his life. He was on the verge of telling her to make herself at home and prop her feet up right smack in the middle of his heart and soul. He was about to surrender to the possibility of a relationshipwith a good woman who deserved only goodness in her life.
Rick smiled to himself, amused by his own big-time whoops moment. Seven years of hard absolutes had begun to soften the morning Josephine Sheehan walked off the sidewalk and entered his grooming salon. By now, Josies pretty face and easy laugh had begun to chisel away at every wall hed ever built around himself.
Rick watched Josies happy smile fade. He reached up and stroked one of her cherry-red cheeks. Tell your friends about me whenever youre ready, if you ever decide you want to. Its completely your decision.
She frowned. Youre having second thoughts. I can tell.
Her question took him by surprise. You mean about you and me? About us?
Yes.
He laughed at the irony, shaking his head emphatically. Josie, there are a thousand thoughts racing through my brain, but none of them are second thoughts about us.
Rick pulled her down to his chest. He opened his fingers wide and spread them though her curls, capturing the back of her head in his grip. His mouth found hers. It was like a secret language, the way his lips spoke to hers, how she responded, coaxing him and soothing him at exactly the right intervals. It was a language hed never known, one hed never had any interest in learninguntil now, with Josie.
His hands explored her tender neck, shoulders, back, and wound their way down to the rounded globes of her butt. She was so warm everywhere, so silky and solid, that his hands couldnt get enough of her. He found himself kneading her flesh while his kisses escalated.
Rick realized that Josie was tugging at his shirt buttons, her kisses growing wild. He knew she wanted to feel skin on skin as much as he did, but it was a moment he also dreaded, because the instant the shirt came off the kissing would stop. He was sure of it. There wasnt a woman in the world who wouldnt be shockedif not outright horrifiedby the tattoo on his torso.
He gave her bottom a friendly pat and put his hands on her shoulders, slowly pushing her away. Josie let out a mewl of protest when their lips parted, then she reached for the buttons on Ricks shirt again.
He sighed, knowing the moment was unavoidable. He allowed her fingers to pop one button at a time. The cotton of his shirt slowly opened, revealing everything he had been and everything he still was. /Oh./ Thats all Josie said as the image was revealed. She stayed silent as she shoved the shirt off his shoulders, untucked it from his pants, and threw it to the floor. For a long moment, she studied the image permanently imbedded in his skin, saying nothing. Eventually, she raised her wide eyes to his. /Holy freakin shit,/ she whispered, her gaze darting from the tattoo to Ricks eyes and back again, several times. She let out a long breath of air and her shoulders fell.
I thought this might ruin the mood, Rick said, fully stretching out on the bed, arms at his sides, giving her a complete view. There was no point in trying to minimize the impact. He lay still, letting her study him. I guess its a little late to be asking, but are you okay with tattoos?
Josie bit her lip the way she did whenever she was carefully choosing her words. I knew you had a tattoo, of course, she said quietly. A little bit of it shows above whatever shirt youre wearing. And I thought it looked interesting, but I just… well… I had no idea…
Rick smiled sadly. Remember that globe-trotting past I mentioned?
Josie nodded.
This is a little souvenir I picked up in Asia. It started in India, continued in Sri Lanka, and got its finishing touches in Thailand.
A small frown wrinkled Josies brow. Its incredible, really. The colors.
Its so complex. But its kind of, I dont know, intense. Maybe even intimidating.
Youre quite good with words, Josie. But I think youre trying to be kind.
Its just plain scaryyou can say it.
When she looked up at him again, Rick saw clean, simple understanding in her eyes. Again, no judgment. No sense of condemnation. And certainly no fear. We all do things we wish we hadnt, she said softly. Im sure if Id ever been anywhere more exotic than Petaluma Id probably have done something wild, too.
Rick laughed. My wild Josie, he said tenderly, reaching for her hand.
Her fingers felt soft and small cradled in his. I just dont want to scare you away.
You havent, she replied immediately. She brushed the curls from her face.
Rick believed her. There was something reassuring about the steadiness in her lovely gray eyes. The thing is, I wouldnt want to get rid of it now even if I could, he said. Its a reminder of lessons learned, I guess. And Ive done a lot of research on the symbols over the years, and I realize its like a road map of my life. I think those tattoo artists knew more about my destiny than I did.
But your accident Josie said haltingly. I can see the scars on your arms, but there arent any marks on your tattoo.
Rick laughed. Funny how that worked out.
Without a word, Josie crossed her arms over her waist and pulled off her shirt. Next she unhooked her bra at its front closure, displaying a pair of full, pink breasts. With the same calm sense of purpose, she reached forward and undid the fly of Ricks pants, then pulled them low on his hips. It was a move Rick knew would expose every small detail of the tattoo.
Slowly, Josie crawled across the bed, all that silky firm flesh for him to gaze upon, and climbed over him. She gently lay down on her side, put her head on his stomach, and, with her fingers, traced the journey of the two winged serpents as they snaked their way up the left-center of his body, a passage through a map of the seven prime chakras, the energy centers of the human body.
She caressed the elaborate lotus symbols that marked each chakra, her touch curious and respectful. She brushed her fingers along the length of the serpents bodies, the lighter one representing his spirit and the darker one his psyche. She laid her hand on the two sets of dripping fangs.
Rick wondered if someday hed be able to share the entire tale with Josie, the story of how the battle of his inner serpents had nearly killed him.
Josie, he whispered, his hands stroking her soft curls.
Yes? She didnt look up at him. Her fingers continued their expedition up and down. They brushed his skin from the first chakra at the edge of his pubic hair up to the seventh chakra just above his left collarbonea journey that took her from the most base to the most evolved elements of the self. He felt himself growing hard again. There was something so maddeningly innocent about this woman. She was smart and intuitive, but she was kind. Hopeful. It was like all the worlds harsh bullshit hadnt ripped away her innocence. And though he wasnt quite sure how shed remained that way into her thirties, he was drawn to that quality, perhaps more than anything else about her. He wanted to be near her goodness. He wanted some of that for himself. He wanted /her/ for himself.
Youre a very special woman, Josephine Sheehan.
He felt her hair tickle his hip as she nodded. Youre special, too, she said. Then she laid her cheek against his belly and gently kissed him, right on his second chakra. I want to make love to you, Rick. Right now.
His breath went shallow. He buried his fingers in her curls. I want that more than anything, but Josie raised her eyes. Yes?
Only if youre ready.
She laughed. She pulled herself up along the side of his body, giggling and kissing along the way. When her eyes were level with his she hovered over him. She put her lips on his and gave him a kiss so hot and sweet he feared hed explode before he even got inside her. He wasnt exactly used to this.