Mile High by R. K. Lilley

Author:R. K. Lilley
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: R.K. Lilley
Published: 2012-11-01T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

The tattoo was etched directly over the clean slab of his right shoulder blade. And, like the man himself, it was exquisite.

I stood, brushing close to him to study it intently. Tears ran liberally down my cheeks, embarrassing but irrepressible.

It was a portrait of my face, my hair flowing out to shape into lilies that formed a perfect frame, as though it were a painting. He had taken one of my self-portraits and etched it permanently into his skin. It was the sweetest, craziest, most romantic thing I’d ever witnessed, and I didn’t know what to make of it. I loved the tattoo on sight, though, loved having my painting turned into something so wonderful. Even the lilies used to frame the portrait had been copied from my work, I recognized. I was suddenly glad that I had spent so much time on the paintings he’d used, trying to get all of the details just so.

James was shooting me expectant looks over his shoulder, his face as happy and carefree as I’d ever seen it. “Well, what do you think?”

“Oh, James,” I said, my voice catching. “It’s exquisite. It’s more colorful than any tattoo I’ve ever seen. I’ve never seen one that looks like this. It’s more like a painting than a tattoo. Why does it look so different?”

“I didn’t use any black ink for outlining. I used lighter colors for that. And with James’s dark skin, I was able to use white ink for the skin color, which gave it a very painting kind of feel. He’s one of the best canvases I’ve had the pleasure of working on. I’ll have to thank you for helping me finally get my hands on him. Obviously, you inspired his sudden interest in ink.” I hadn’t seen her approaching until she spoke, but the tattoo artist, Frankie, was suddenly beside me, pointing out details of the tattoo on his back, standing nearly as close to him as I was. I stiffened.

I knew it was illogical, and unreasonable, but realizing that another woman had done the tattoo, one he was obviously fond of, made me a little crazy. That red haze I was beginning to recognize as jealousy was now a pernicious film over my vision.

“Can I cover it now, James? Have you finished the show and tell?” Frankie asked him, sounding sassy but playful, her smile very warm on him.

He grinned at her, still looking over his shoulder, letting me look my fill.

I still studied the incredible portrait. I wanted to run my fingers over it, but even with my limited knowledge on the subject, I knew it was too new for touching. My hand gripped the top of his shoulder instead, as I leaned in very close and studied it intently, trying to ignore the woman standing too close, and too familiarly, beside James and I.

I was smiling in the picture, a slight, sort of enigmatic smile, my eyes heavy-lidded and mysterious. She had even matched the blue of my eyes astonishingly well.

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