I lifted my gaze and glanced at him over my eye lashes. He did look worried and I suddenly felt guilty, especially with everything that was going on right now.
“I’m sorry I was selfish and I didn’t think.”
He walked around the couch to me, “I know all this is stifling for you, I get it angel. Please just don’t go out again without me knowing where you are.”
I gave a sad smile and nodded as he grabbed my hips to pull me into him. The pain of him grabbing my tattoo had me squealing in pain.
“What the fuck!” He took his hands away immediately looking at me like I was about to shatter into a million pieces in front of him. “What’s happened to you? Did someone hurt you?”
“Not exactly.” I grimaced. It was now or never and I was bracing myself for hurricane Joe.
I pulled the skirt of my dress up slowly, but he soon took over bending down to see the plaster covering the offending tattoo, a plaster my underwear couldn’t even cover, which had him groaning and covering his eyes.
“What have you done?” I started regretting my decision already. “Please tell me you didn’t.” He begged looking up at me then pulled at the plaster to uncover what he’d already guessed was underneath.
“For God’s sake Ella, why? You can’t just get rid of this you know.” He looked so disappointed I felt the naughty school girl rise to the surface again.
“You’ve got my name on you, why can’t I have your name on me?” I crossed my arms in a sulky manner and bit my lip.
“I already had tattoos anyway, and I did that when I was out of my mind missing you.”
“So you regret having my name on you?”
“No, of course not I’m not saying that.”
“What then?”
“Ella, I love having your name on me, it makes me smile every time I see it in the mirror, but you…your skin is perfect, flawless. I didn’t want you putting anything on you. I thought you knew that.” I felt terrible.
“I kinda remembered when it was too late.” I winced. “I wanted to put your name on me, why is that so bad?”
“Look, there’s no point in us arguing about this, it’s done and unless I get you booked in for laser treatment to remove it, it’s not going anywhere. Please just leave it at that, no tattooed knuckles or anything else drastic.”
I made a low laugh and decided to give him my reason for having it on my hip as the final word.
“Hey at least I’ll always have you in my underwear right?”
He threw his head back laughing at that.
“Ella, you really know how to keep me on my toes don’t you. You do know you’re going to be on all fours with me taking you from behind for the foreseeable future whilst that heals? You won’t want anything touching or rubbing against it.”
“Oh…I hadn’t thought of that.” I said brooding and then huffed. “I’m sorry, I’m so stupid.”
“No you’re not stupid Ella, sweet and a little bit crazy insane at times but never stupid.”
He covered my ink over and pulled my underwear carefully back over it, then he stood up and cuddled me, kissing my forehead as he did.
“Well you’re fully branded now sweetheart. I love that I’m always in your knickers Ella, at least I know no one else will be.”
“As if anyone else ever would be!”
36
I opened my eyes on Sunday morning and an overwhelming wave of nausea overtook my body making me dart out of bed and into the bathroom in record time. I only just made it to the toilet before I threw up, how glamourous!
Joe came running into me asking if I was okay. I just shook my head and slumped on the bathroom floor.
“It’s probably the after effects of the tattoo.” I said.