One year later

“Gio, why are you being so secretive about my tattoo? Shouldn’t I know what you’re putting on my body permanently?” Riley demanded as she attempted to peek over her shoulder while she reclined on the chair in her tattoo bay. Giovanni had reclined it back but not completely flat as he wanted to make sure the tattoo would flow the way he’d envisioned it. Licking his lips, he tasted lemon and something earthy, as he looked at Riley with her hair tumbled over her shoulders as though she’d just woken up.

“This is your first tattoo, Mrs. DeRose, and I want it to be special and a surprise. Trust me.”

Riley snorted. “Just be glad I’m letting you put one on me at all. Now, why all the damn secrecy?”

Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pushed her back over so she was reclining on her side again. He gripped her thigh, repositioning her the way she was before she’d turned her head. “Wife, if you keep fidgeting, my hand might slip and I’ve no desire to mar this beautiful skin of yours. So, be still!”

With a grumble, Riley stayed in position and Giovanni pressed the pedal on the tattoo machine to get back to work.

He needed the line work to be perfect. This was his wife and everything about her needed to be as perfect as she was. Given how much she loved tattoos, he couldn’t believe that she had waited this long to get one.

At the show in Dublin, Riley had admitted that she did want one but wasn’t sure how her family would handle it given how adamant her father had been when he’d found out she’d been working in a tattoo shop in college. Thankfully, her grandparents had been nothing like her description of her father and had been incredibly welcoming.

When they’d found out that Giovanni was the reason their granddaughter was standing on their doorstep, they’d immediately treated him as one of the family. In fact, after one too many Guinness, which Giovanni didn’t think he could ever get used to, her granddad had escorted him outside for a man to man discussion on what his intentions were for his grandchild. After Giovanni expressed his desire to marry Riley, the old man had been quick to bless their union, wishing them both a lifetime of love and happiness.

Thorn Tattoo had exploded in popularity since the shop had been featured in Inked and their incredibly brief honeymoon in that very same VIP suite was the last time the two of them had been able to spend any time together other than to sleep.

As a wedding present, Antonio had gifted them each one-third ownership in the shop making them all equal partners and he’d left them to deal with the shop while he chose to engage in other business pursuits.

Granted, they still argued about how to do things with Riley insisting that they look at the long-term benefits for their major decisions. When their arguments would continue out in the tattoo bay, one of the guys was quick to lament about mom and dad fighting in front of the kids, which usually made Riley laugh while Giovanni would scowl at the offender.

One of their discussions involved extending their hours and shifting to seven days a week but that would have entailed bringing in another manager to train, and if that person didn’t work out, they’d be stretched thin with the two of them working upwards of seven days a week. With their already long hours, he was going to be damned if the only time he could spend with his wife during the day was when they passed each other in the hall at the shop.

At the moment, Giovanni was appreciative of the fact that he could work in peace while the shop was closed and he particularly liked the fact that his wife was naked from the waist down, which did make tattooing her difficult when all he wanted to do was pleasure her until she came apart in the chair. He was already looking forward to her next tattoo as he contemplated a placement that would leave her completely naked.

Grabbing the spray bottle with water, he wiped away the excess ink and sat back to look at the design. When Riley had first expressed her desire for a tattoo, he’d immediately imagined putting something spectacular on her hip. He wanted to choose something that fit the gentle curves of her body and moved with her.

When he was alone in the office, he researched the meaning of different flowers while he imagined what they would look like inked on her body. Looking at the design, he couldn’t be happier. Opting for a watercolor type image, he made sure to use high contrast with a black base.

The field of dandelions had movement as they curved along her hip giving the impression they were blowing in the wind. While he’d worked on many difficult pieces over the years, this one held the most meaning for him and he really hoped she’d like it. Smiling, he finished cleaning it off.

“Okay, you can see it now.” Before he could say anything else, Riley had scooted off the chair and rushed over to the full-length mirror. Turning this way and that, she looked at her hip frowning.

Giovanni watched her carefully unsure if he should be worried. “What is it?” Biting her lip, she seemed reluctant to say anything until he prodded her. “Riley?”

“I think it’s great, it’s just that, shouldn’t the dandelion in front have some seeds left on it so people can tell what it is?”

Pulling his gloves off, Giovanni stood up and joined her in front of the mirror. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he turned her so the tattoo was visible in the mirror.

“One, given where it is, no man will ever see this tattoo except for me. Ever.” He looked at her as she bit her lip in amusement and waited for her to nod in acknowledgement. “And two, it’s said that if you can blow all the seeds off a dandelion with one blow, then you are loved with a passionate love. If some seeds remain, then your lover has reservations about the relationship.”

Turning her so she faced him, he wrapped his arms around her again, drawing her in close. “And you, Mrs. DeRose, are loved with a passion that knows no end. I have no reservations about you, this relationship, or us. I love you.”

Riley stared up at him, tears shimmering in her eyes. Jumping up, she wrapped her legs around his hips clutching his shoulders. Giovanni steadied her and she cupped his face in both her hands looking at him with love. A smile blossomed slowly on her face and she tilted her head to kiss him. When she pulled back, he shifted so her back was pressed against the wall and he deepened the kiss. Separating again, they both took in long breaths and Giovanni was glad that no one else had the keys because he didn’t see them leaving anytime soon.

Still breathless, Riley smiled at him. “Have I told you yet today that I love you?”

Frowning, Giovanni pretended to think about it. “Only at breakfast and that was hours ago…..”

What he planned to say was forgotten when she rained kisses across his face punctuating each kiss with a declared “I love you,” followed by how much she loved her tattoo.

Chuckling, he stilled her moving head with another deep kiss. When he broke it, they were both panting again.

“I love you, too, Riley. Passionately. Forever.”