All I hear is the sound of a hand making solid contact against flesh. I quietly chuckle, seeing Jessa shaking her hand and Jason rubbing his cheek. “You’re a fucking asshole, Jason, but Grant’s right, thank you,” she says and walks back toward me. Jason stands speechless for a few seconds before ultimately turning around to join his friends.
Jessa stumbles slightly and I grab her when she gets close. “Hot, baby. That was hot,” I whisper.
She rests her forehead on my chest and says, “Take me home.” I pick her up like a groom carrying his bride over the threshold and walk us to the car. Not paying attention to our four friends, I place Jessa down in the passenger seat of her dad’s car and then make my way over to the driver’s side. Her head rests on the headrest as she intently gazes my way. Bending my head down, I kiss her soft lips and she closes her eyes, drifting back to sleep.
Chapter 21
Jessa
My eyes open and embarrassment is the first thing I feel. A hellacious hangover is next. Remembering bits and pieces, the puzzle slowly starts to fit together. Did we really run into Jason? And neither of us beat the shit out of him? Confused and tired, I roll over to find Grant sleeping soundly next to me. Not wanting to wake him up, I sneak out of the bedroom, desperate for a bottle of water. Rounding the corner to the kitchen, I overhear my parents talking about me and Grant. Deliberating, I decide a bottle of water is worth the conversation I’m about to have.
When I walk in, I squint at the bright lights and my dad’s boisterous laugh makes me cover my ears. “Uh oh, someone drank too much last night,” he teases, and my mom humorously smacks his shoulder.
I remain silent and walk slowly over to the refrigerator to get my water, trying to conceal my embarrassed grin. The last thing I want to tell them is that we ran into Jason last night. “Did you have fun last night?” My mom comes over and wraps her arm around my waist.
“Yeah, I think I might’ve overdone it,” I tell them. They give me the disapproving parents glare, even though they’ve each had their share of coming home drunk after holiday parties or weddings.
My dad sits down and sips his coffee, holding the paper out in front of him, his black-rimmed reading glasses in place. “Happens to the best of us. I take it Grant was able to find his way back by himself. He’s so scared being a passenger through these mountains, I wonder how he did driving in the dark with a passed-out girlfriend next to him,” he muses, laughing.
Guilt hits me hard. How could I have been so thoughtless? “Well, we made it, so I guess he did okay,” I say, gulping down my water on my way to the coffee pot. Taking my favorite mug out of the cabinet, I pour myself a cup before taking the seat next to my dad.
“So, you ready for this?” he asks. I know what he’s referring to, but I want to make him ask the question.
“Ready for what?” I question, and he stares up at me over the rim of his glasses with a look that clearly says ‘give me a break’.
I lean against the granite-topped island. Bringing the coffee up to my lips, I blow on it, attempting to cool it down. “Okay, let’s talk,” I reluctantly say, letting out a deep breath, “and yes, I love him.” I tell him, thinking that full disclosure might shorten the length of the uncomfortable conversation we’re about to have.
My dad folds up the paper, and my mom takes the stool next to him. Leaning on his elbows, he stares at me for a few seconds. “I’m going to ask you what I asked him. Why Grant?” He leans back in the chair, bringing his mug to his lips. My mom sits upright with her hands around her cup, obviously eager for my answer. All that I can think of is, How did Grant answer?
“I can’t explain it, there’s just something about him, Dad. It’s nothing I’ve ever felt before,” I say honestly and can instantly tell he’s dissatisfied with my answer.
“His was better, but I guess your reason is…alright,” he jokes, and my mom starts laughing before her face turns serious again.
“Jessa, have you been honest with him?” my mom asks, and I nod my head in affirmation. “Has he been honest with you? He was up front with your father, and I want to make sure he was with you, too.” She slowly tips her mug up to her lips.
“Yes, he’s been completely honest with me,” I inform them. I’m happy to see smiles form across their faces. “So, do I dare ask? Has he passed the test?” I lean forward, waiting for their answer, although I think I already know what it is.
“He passed mine the first night,” my dad says and my mom agrees with him. “He’s a good one, and obviously you’re the best one, so we hope it works out with you two. But if it doesn’t, just remember we’re always here,” my dad reminds me, giving me a small smile. Then he stands up, kisses my head, and whispers, “I love you,” before leaving the room.
Relief fills my body. I knew my parents would like him, but it’s nice to know it won’t be a problem in our relationship. After seeing what went down with Sadie’s, that was the last thing I could’ve dealt with.
Walking out of the kitchen, I find Grant all showered and dressed and talking with my dad. They’re laughing about something Grant is showing him on his phone. I pray it’s not a picture of me passed out last night. Hesitantly, I make my way over to them. Grant presses a button and shoves his phone in his pocket, while my dad pretends he’s reading. I don’t bother reminding him that he isn’t wearing his reading glasses. I’ll happily let him think he’s deceiving me.
“What’re you looking at?” I ask them, standing close to Grant.
“Go get dressed, baby,” he says, giving me a nudge toward the door.
I can’t help but feel offended by his bossiness. “Um, what were you looking at?”
“The tattoo you’re scheduled to get in about an hour.” He chuckles and my dad joins in. “So, go get ready. We don’t want to be late.” He presses his lips against my cheek close to my ear, whispering, “I can’t wait for you to find out what I picked. You do like Winnie the Pooh, right?” I step back, narrowing my eyes at him, but I can’t hide the smirk on my face. “Now go.” He pats me lightly on my ass so my dad doesn’t see or hear it.
“Alright, I’m going.” I let my shoulders slump down as if defeated and leave the room.
Grant
This place is easily the most high-class tattoo salon I’ve ever been in. Although that’s not really saying much since it’s only the second. The first and only one until now was when I was eighteen and went with a friend. I thought for sure I was ready to get one too, but I ended up chickening out. I wasn’t exactly happy with the idea of something being branded on me for the rest of my life. Now it doesn’t seem as stupid as it did then. The idea of having something that Jessa picked out or that represents her seems pretty awesome actually. I wouldn’t mind having permanent ink fixed onto my skin to always remind me of her.
Speaking of which, my beautiful girlfriend is currently acting a little distraught over not being in control right now. After I tell Trey’s look-alike that we’re here, I sit back down next to her on the couch. “You do agree that I won, right?” I ask her. She shifts her jaw to the side and bites the inside of her cheek.
“Yes, I agree, but I still don’t like it. I wanted you under the needle,” she says with a smirk, and I’m relieved that she’s just upset that she can’t pick one out for me.
“Alright, you want to make a deal?” I ask her. She turns her body toward me, eagerly waiting. Most likely she already knows what I’m about to say. “Your dad had to pull strings just to get you in, so there’s no way I can get one today,” I say, and her lips turn down in a playful pout. “But, when we get back to Western, I’ll go to Zen’s and you can pick out anything you want.”
She jumps up in excitement and grabs a book from the table, starting to thumb through the pages. “I already know what I want you to get, I just haven’t figured out where it’ll go yet.” As I watch her scan the pages, it belatedly hits me that I just agreed to ink my body. Briefly, I wonder what my mom would think. I know she wouldn’t care as long
as I’m happy.
When Jessa finally spots what she’s been searching for, she points enthusiastically, and part of me thinks I should just take her appointment in order to make her happy. Staring down at the black and grey nautical star, I’m baffled as to why she picked that. “What do you think?” Her excited expression captures me and I want to kiss her, so I do.
I tear apart from her to ask, “Why do you want me to get a nautical star?”
“Because it is supposed to always help you find your way back home. It took you awhile to find where you belong, Grant, but you belong with me and I belong with you. We are each other’s home,” she says, and I’m happy to know she put as much thought into mine as I did hers.
“I like it,” I inform her, and she smiles back at me widely.
Jessa cuddles up to my side and I wrap my arm around her small body, resting my hand on her hip. Moving her shirt up a little, I rub my thumb back and forth across her skin. “So, what am I getting?” she asks, considerably more at ease now that I’ll be getting one when we return home.
“It’s a surprise,” I tell her, just as the girl calls her name. Thank God it isn’t some guy doing her tattoo. Since I had already e-mailed over what I was looking for, the petite blonde with green streaks in her hair has it ready to go at her station. Jessa peers over at me curiously and I chuckle at her.
“So where do you want it?” I ask her and confusion consumes her face. “I picked it but I’ll let you choose where it goes.” I sit in a chair that the blonde brought over for me, and we wait patiently for Jessa to decide.
“Can I see what it is first?” she asks and I nod my head to Carly, the tattoo artist. She smiles, revealing the outline of the lotus flower. “A flower,” she sighs and disappointment floats across her face.
“Are you upset that it’s a flower?” I ask her and her eyes meet mine. Those hazel eyes are so easy to read; I can clearly see that she doesn’t understand my choice.
She wavers back and forth before finally speaking, “It’s just, flowers can be so cliché,” she admits.
I scoot over to her, and Carly stands up to give us some space. Taking both her hands between mine, I reveal, “It’s a lotus flower, baby.” Her blank expression shows me she still doesn’t know what that means.
“It means you survived. That you struggled through a terrible time in your life, but you broke through and overcame it, becoming even more beautiful. That’s what this represents. You had a rough couple years, but look at you now…a spectacular, beautiful lotus flower.” I sit back, hoping like hell she understands now. She wraps her arms around me, straddling my chair.
“God, how’d I ever get you? Thanks for all the thought you put into it, babe. Sorry for reacting the way I did. I thought you just picked something pretty to put on me.” She kisses my lips, and I can’t fight the urge to insert my tongue. Carly comes back over too soon and clears her throat. We pull away from each other and Jessa takes her spot. “You pick, Grant. You won the bet, where do you want it?” she questions, turning the tables around on me. I’m sure Carly is ready to throw us out at this point.
As my eyes glide up and down her body, I try to think of my favorite spot. Or at least a place she would be able to show people anyway. I pick the left side of her ribcage, slightly under her breast. Carly asks her to lie on the table and Jessa starts lifting up her shirt, while my eyes shift around the room, making sure no one’s looking. Don’t they have a screen partition or some shit to put up while they tattoo her?
Jessa watches me as I search the room for prying eyes and giggles, grabbing my hand and trying to relax me. Automatically, my focus switches to her. She’s the one getting the tattoo, and although she already has a couple, this is her first one where I’m with her.
Carly finishes placing the outline on Jessa, just where I want it. She takes the gun and needles out of the protective wrap. Hearing the buzzing makes me nervous for Jessa, but she sits there calmly with her eyes shut as Carly inserts the needle into her skin. It continues to hum as Carly’s steady hand follows the traced lines, making sure it’s perfect. After the outline is finished, Carly tells me it’s time for coloring. We hadn’t discussed that. I ask her to do it in a blue hue since it’s my favorite color and she nods, standing up and walking away. “You okay, baby?” I ask and Jessa smirks with humor.
“I’m fine, Grant. I just like to daydream while I’m getting them done. It helps me remain calm.” She puts her head back down on the table. When Carly returns, Jessa starts asking her how long she’s worked here and telling her that her dad’s been coming here a long time. He knows the owner, Craig, and Carly exclaims how much she adores his daughter.
As the two girls talk while Carly gets everything ready, I observe everyone else in the parlor. It’s jam-packed and I’m surprised we were able to get an appointment today. I guess Jessa’s dad really does have strings to pull around here.
An hour later, Jessa’s done, and although the tattoo isn’t as beautiful as her, it’s pretty damn close to it. She admires it in the mirror and her eyes fall on me, standing behind her. Smiling, she turns around and places her hands on either side of my face. “I love you, Grant Bishop,” she tells me and places her lips on mine. Trying to be mindful of her tattoo, I pull her in a little closer, so I can feel her thin frame against me. We continue to explore each other’s mouths until hoots start echoing throughout the shop. Once I pull away, Jessa’s face has a nice shade of pink to it, as does mine, I’m sure.
She sits back down so Carly can cover the tattoo with ointment and a bandage. After I pay and Jessa compliments Carly to death, we finally leave the tattoo shop.
“Do you like it?” I ask, praying to God she does. Her reaction when she saw it finished appeared genuine, so I’m crossing my fingers.
“Are you kidding? I love it! It means even more to me since you picked it out.” She starts walking backward in front of me, while continuing to talk. “Are you really going to get one when we get home?” she questions, cocking her eyebrow as though she doesn’t believe me.
“I told you I would and I’m a man of my word,” I remind her and she giggles.
“That you are,” she says. “Now that this one’s done, we’ll have to think of a new bet.” She looks mischievous as she taps her finger against her lips.
“Do I even want to know what’s going through that gorgeous mind?” I ask her.
“Probably not,” she laughs. “Gotta keep you on your toes, Bishop,” she says with a playful tone. I walk faster to catch her. Grabbing her hips, I draw her into me and capture her moist lips again. When that cold metal runs along my tongue, it’s like home to me.
Chapter 22
Jessa
Saying good-bye to my parents will be so difficult. I have always hated leaving them, but now that I live so far away and can bear being back here, it’s harder than it’s ever been. My mom planned this whole goodbye dinner for us, but all it accomplishes is making me sadder.
Of course, my family plans a night of eating, games, and fun. Laughing most of the night helps keep the dread of tomorrow’s goodbye at bay. After my parents go to bed, we all decide to get in the hot tub. Most of them, including Grant, have never been in a hot tub when it’s twenty degrees outside. I’m bummed I can’t go in because of my tattoo. Grant tries to stay out on account of me, but I tell him I’ll dip my feet in while wearing a parka.
Once everyone’s in, I can’t help but feel bad for my man, who has to sit all by himself while the other couples cozy up with one another. I position myself behind him with my legs on either side of his broad shoulders and knead his back. The other three couples all intertwine themselves in each corner. Brady and Sadie to our left, Dex and Sam on our right, and Trey and Kailey in the opposite corner.
I’m amazed at how fast Dex and Sam have bonded, but I seriously doubt it’ll become anything more after we leave. They both like their carefree single lives. However, I think Kailey and Trey might have something. She might be the first girl th
at could possibly tame the infamous Trey Michaels. I even hear Trey on the phone earlier, changing her flight so she could ride home with us. The fact that he’s trying to continue their time together tells me this isn’t just some fast lay for him. Since being here, I haven’t been able to talk to him much, so I only know what Grant has told me.
When my eyes land on Brady and Sadie, a couple I used to be envious of, it makes me happy to have this man sitting between my legs now. It’s hard to imagine that someone could be envious of our love. But as selfish as it sounds, they should be. Grant and I came together this week and we’re closer than ever. Our secrets are out and we’ve faced most of our insecurities, trying to put them behind us.
He brings his hands up, slowly sliding them up and down my calves. I bend down and kiss his soft blonde hair. I suddenly feel his head move away from my lips and the water jostles under my feet, bringing me out of my thoughts.
Grant stands in front of me. “Take me to bed,” he jokes, and laughter erupts from the hot tub. Before he can say anything else, I hop up and grab him a towel.
“Take the pussy to bed, Jessa,” Trey hollers, but we ignore his comment, walking inside.
Once we’re in my room, he decides to jump into the shower while I change and crawl into bed. When Grant comes out, he wraps his arms around my body and I sigh deeply, feeling safe and secure.
“Sleep, beautiful, we have an early flight in the morning. Since we’ve had to hold ourselves back so much this week, I plan on having you naked most of the night tomorrow,” he whispers, and I curl into him a little more. How is it possible he can make me wet just by his words? Then he seals the deal when he says, “I love you, Jessa Harrison.”
The next morning, Grant nudges me awake. Why we picked an early flight, I have no idea. I remain silent as I walk to the bathroom and turn the water on. Taking a shower, it really starts to hit me that I have to say goodbye to my parents and sister…again.
Let Me In (The Invisibles #2) Page 22
