Paper Cranes (29 page)

“Ugh, sure?” Jo questioned.

“Call it a test run for when we are in the Bahamas,” I winked.

“What you got planned?” Lisette asked.

“Just a little surprise for Lee,” I grinned as I yawned again.

“I love surprises, but I think someone needs to get some sleep,” Lee snuggled up to my side.

I can always tell when I’ve overly exerted myself. Some days I have really highs and really low energy wise. Today we were running around so much, I knew when I would crash, I would crash hard. I hated to be a party pooper, but I could barely keep my eyes open anymore.

A
fter an amazing dinner with our friends the night before, we asked JoJo and Gage if they could watch Jackson and Daisy so we could take a walk down Magazine Street. We wanted to see how they would do with the two. If they could wrangle both Jackson and Daisy at the same time, then they would be fine with just Daisy. I had a few tricks up my sleeve, wanting to do them before we headed to the Bahamas in two weeks’ time.

I clutched Lee’s hand tightly; something I was growing extremely fond of. As we walked the still busy streets, Lee questioned the determination in my eyes.

“Where are we going? You seem to be in a rush there, Dove.”

“We have two appointments we need to make tonight, Daniels,” I winked, “so hustle your cute behind.”

“Well if you insist,” he states as he grabs me by the hips and flings me over his shoulder. “Now where to, ma’am.”

“What…are…you…doing…you…caveman!” I laugh as my voice is bouncing around from his jostling strides.

“I’m going to run you straight into Bourbon Street if you don’t tell me where to go,” he said breathlessly. The task seemed easy on him.

“You…are…a… freak…of…nature!”

“I’m taking you to the red light district then. Hope you’re prepared for crack heads and venereal diseases!”

“Hell…on…Heels…you…ass!”

“The all-female tattoo and piercing place? He slowly came to a stop, just shy of the building.

“Damn, you really know how to stir up bodily organs!”

“Are we getting tattoos?” He seemed excited.

“Yep! Well, at least I am. You can if you want, but I don’t have any. This seemed like as good of a time as any,” I raised my eyebrows.

“This is fucking great. What are you getting?” he questioned just as Jackson would have.

“You’ll see.” I chuckled.

“You know, I wasn’t joking when I said I’m total okay with you getting my name on that perky little butt of yours,“ he waggled his eyebrows.

“Although I adore you, no chance in hell.”

As we approached the building, the marquee sign glowed an electric red outside. The sign was a red-hot heel with flames flickering behind it. As soon as we walked through the door I was completely in love. The floors were checkerboard while the walls were a bright shade of red.

“Hiya, we have an appointment with Brandy at seven,” I told the colorful girl working the front desk.

This girl had beautiful blonde haired, all dolled up like a pinup girl. She had a sweet cherub face with bright red lips and a diamond Marilyn piercing. Ms. Perky tits had on an adorable red and white striped sailor shirt and blue high-waisted shorts. Instead of fishnets, like I had assumed, she had a tattooed garter belt with tattooed lacey thigh highs. Like the perfect pinup, she had the perfect line tattooed from the edge of her thigh highs down the back of her legs and ended at her ankles. At the tip of her ankles were tiny bows to match.

“Hi, Sweetpea. Names Gidget. She’s just now finishing up, doll. Look around or have a seat. I will need you to fill out a few forms too. Will the two of you be getting tattoos, or just you, sweetheart?” She was the epitome of Sandra Dee if there ever was one.

“Just…”

“Both of us, please,” Lee jumped in, “on one condition.”

“Oh hell,” I gulped, “What?”

“I pick yours, you pick mine. Can be any size, but nothing bigger than our hand, deal?”

“You realize I don’t like anything about this plan,” I chuckled.

“Yeah, well, it’s called trusting someone enough to know they would never permanently put something horrid on your body, not to mention taking risks. So, trust me, Dove.”

“I can’t believe I’m even remotely considering this, but sure, why not.”

I must be a complete moron right now. Was I really going to allow Lee to pick out something that would be permanently on my body forever? I guess so. I had officially lost my damn mind.

Gidget came over with clipboards to fill out paperwork, as she took our I.D.’s to scan and copy.

“Perhaps you should sit over there and fill out your forms, while I sit here,” I smiled, “that way we won’t be tempted to see what the other person chose. Deal?”

“Deal,” we shook hands on it.

Even though I knew exactly what I was going to have tattooed onto Lee, I was still intrigued to see what he had in store for me. As he made his way to the other side of the room, I could see he was browsing the wall of tattoos. Pointing to a dancing devil, he turns to me with raised eyebrows.

“Hmm, naw,” he scrunched his nose, shaking his head.

Similarly, I stood perusing my side of the tattoo-covered walls. I ran my fingers across several pinup ladies before stopping on a topless cowgirl.

Raising an eyebrow, I turned toward Lee. Shrugging his shoulders, he wasn’t exactly appalled by my choice. I shook my head in amusement as he returned his paperwork to Gidget. He began talking to her in a low voice so only they could hear.
What was he up to?

“Kat? You ready, babydoll?” a striking woman with a Betty Davis hair cut called. She had a septum piercing, but her arms were full of colorful artwork.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” I said with clenched jaw.

“This your first tat?” Brandy asked as we made our way to her station.

“How could you tell?”

“You’re shakin’ like a leaf on a tree, sweetheart.”

“Want me to hold your hand?” Lee asked.

“Yes, please,” I said, unashamed of my sudden fear. Perhaps this wasn’t the best idea after all.

“Where are we putting this?” Brandy questioned.

“On my back, between my shoulder blades I guess. That way I can cover it up if it’s atrocious,” I giggled.

“You can lift your shirt up, almost over your head, or take it off except for your bra.”

“I think I’ll just go ahead and take off my shirt.”

“Now we’re talking!” Lee joked.

“Oh shut up and give her your damn design,” I scolded him. Although, I wasn’t exactly turned off by his humor.

Removing my shirt, I took a seat on the giant examination table covered in plastic. Lying face down, I was surprised the table had a cutout for my face. Upon further examining, it was more on the lines of a massage table. Either way, it was comfortable as hell.

“I know this is going to sound weird, but I need to shave your back,” Brandy said.

“I wasn’t aware there was anything to shave,” I giggled.

“Everyone has tiny baby hairs. It’s a clear surface. Even if we think there isn’t any there, we still do it as a precaution.”

“I won’t argue with you there,” I agreed. “I have to warn you first though. Sometimes I have tremors or muscle spasms in my arm and back. If they get to be too much, let me know and we can stop.”

“No worries at all, sweets. I’ve had plenty of situations like this.”

I felt a weight had been lifted from my shoulders. I was terrified to mention it, but she had a right to know. Especially if she asked me to settle down. I didn’t want to have to be rude, although I really did have a hard time being evil.

After she washed, scrubbed, and cleaned the surface, she laid the stencil for my pending artwork.

“Look okay to you,” Brandy asked Lee.

“Perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

“Okay, kiddo, you ready to do this?”

“Bring it!” I finally relaxed, yet still reached for Lee’s hand.

The buzzing of the gun fired up as I felt Brandy lay a glob of something on the section she would attack first. As soon as the needle hit my skin, I got my first glimpse at how crazy this idea really was. The initial sting of the needle slowly subsided as the vibrations began to kick in. In a way, it felt sort of soothing. Ink therapy if you will.

Every once in a while, Brandy would hit a sensitive spot, forcing me to squeeze Lee’s hand a little harder than necessary.

After only thirty minutes under the gun, Brandy turned the machine off.

“All done, babes,” she said, slathering my back in goo.

I could hear the pull, tug, and ripe of the saran wrap. Lightly placing the opaque wrap on my back, she taped it up, ready for her next victim. Popping off her rubber gloves, she put on a new set to clean, and prep for Lee.

Crawling off the table, I motioned for Lee to come over. Before he took a seat, Brandy sterilized the chair, work station and replaced all of her equipment.

“It’s beautiful, Dove,” he whispered into my ear before kissing my cheek.

“Take a seat, lumberjack,” Brandy asked as she patted the chair.

“I kind of like that,” I raised my eyebrows.

“You know me. I like to play with wood.”

“You are so hilarious,” I said as I playfully shoved his shoulder.

“Where do you want this tattoo?” Brandy asked.

“I think his left peck, over his heart. Yeah, that sounds good.”

“Do you have the design?” She asked.

“Yes, but I want to do something really quick.”

Pulling my cami from under my arm, I walked over to Lee. Wrapping the fabric across his eyes and I tied it tight.

Raising a middle finger in front of his eyes, “Can you see what I’m doing?”

“No but I’m kinda digging this kinky shit, Dove.”

I handed over the design to Brandy. She looked wide-eyed at me, laughing a bit.

“Are you sure you two are just dating?” She chortled as she laid the stencil on Lee’s chest.

I wasn’t sure where she was going with that comment, but it made my face flush bright red. I couldn’t look Lee in the eyes either since he had been blindfolded in preparation.

“Affirmative,” I confirmed the placement, “You better not look, sneaky!”

“I have no intention of peaking. I want it to be as much of a surprise as yours.”

Lee didn’t have a whole lot of hair to remove on his chest, contrary to what his beard said. Watching Brandy as she laid the stencil, I stood proud at my choice. Although I had wanted it for myself one day, seeing it on Lee made it look even better.

“Want me to hold your hand, pumpkin,” I mock.

“Aww, that’s the first term of endearment you’ve ever used for me,” he roared with laughter.

“Seemed only fitting given the tattoo I picked out,” I chuckled under my breath.

“Is that so? Got a Chucky fetish, do we?”

“Far from, you’ll see soon enough.”

“We ready?” Brandy asked.

“Let’s hit it.”

Lee took the pain a lot easier then I had. Never once did he flinch, squirm or squeal. He was more relaxed than anything. I guess it was to be expected with all his other tattoos covering his arms.

Brandy skated through the process in twenty minutes, easy. She squirted antibiotic foam and wiped his down good.

“That’s the best part right there,” he mumbled.