Back to Me (Carolina Rebels 1)

MY EYES FEEL like they’re about to pop out of their sockets. Noah struggles to reach into his pocket to pull out the ring box. He pops it open and brings his gaze back to mine. My heart is going crazy, feeling as if it’s beating erratically, suddenly stopping, and then ramping back up.

“Meredith Quick, will you marry me?”

Why is he even asking? I already have a wedding to-do list! Of course I’m going to marry him! It was stupid of me to tell him he has to ask first.

“Mere?”

I look down at the ring. The ring he bought when we were two dumb teenagers. Well, one of us was dumb. Looks like Noah was smarter than I was.

“Mere,” Noah repeats, his impatience taking over, but it causes my eyes to snap up to his.

“Of course I will,” I finally answer.

He grins and wastes no time sliding the ring onto my finger. “You had me worried for a second there.”

“You caught me off guard, and then I thought it was stupid of you to ask since we’re obviously getting married. This is why you propose first.”

Noah rolls his eyes at me before leaning forward to kiss me. I feel that kiss all over my body. It brings a shiver out of me. There is no doubt in my mind that between the events of the day and the fact that he has a one-game road trip coming, once we get back home, he’s going to want to do nothing but fuck.

“Let’s get this tattoo over with, so we can go home.”

He grins. “I like how you think, Meredith Quick.”

Noah opens the door and I get out, ignoring the look of disdain an elderly woman gives us while her husband gives us a toothless grin. Even though this is my idea, Noah takes my hand and leads us inside. The guy told me since the job was so simple I wouldn’t need an appointment. They weren’t lying either.

It’s reassuring to see how clean it is, too. This entire thing has had me worried. The pain from my shoulder is one thing to deal with. Voluntarily doing something that will hurt is somehow different. That’s why I’m nervous. While we wait for the tattoo artist to come talk to us, I have to fill out paperwork and let them copy my ID, which reminds me that I need to update my driver’s license.

“Hey, you’re Noah Ramsey, right?” the guy who walked up to the counter to talk to us asks. He’s not completely covered in tattoos, or at least based on his thin white T-shirt. The only ones I can see are covering his arms.

“Yeah, that’s me. My girlfriend here wants a tattoo.”

He reaches out to shake our hands. “Name is Jay. I’ll be inking you.” He turns back to Noah. “I was stoked to hear about you coming to Carolina, and you’ve been playing well for us.”

“Thanks. Always nice to meet a fan.”

“I’m definitely one of them. What do you want?” he asks me.

“His name in his handwriting right here.” I point to where I want it.

His eyebrows shoot up and he glances between us. “I’ll risk pissing you both off, but considering what you’re wanting, maybe I’ll be okay.” He looks at Noah. “Is she Meredith?”

Noah laughs. “Yeah, it’s her.”

“My girlfriend is going to be so disappointed when I tell her this.” Jay looks to the receptionist. “Her paperwork done?”

“Yep,” she answers, smacking some gum.

I zone out, barely pay attention as Noah talks to Jay as he writes his name so a stencil can be made.

“Mere, you don’t have to do it,” Noah tells me while we wait for Jay to get his work station and supplies together.

“It’s going to hurt.”

He laughs. “Well, yeah. It’s not too bad, though.”

I reach up and tug on his hair. “Don’t laugh at me.”

He grabs a chunk of my own hair, pulls it to tilt my head back, and then kisses me. “Don’t tug on my hair.”