Page 92 of Rock Giant

He wriggled his arm free of her grip so that he could wrap it around her, then bowed a bit so he could plant another kiss on her head and inhale the scent of her hair.“A bit, yeah.”

“Is that why you did it, Paul?Hitched yourself to me because—”

“No.”

Nor had it been anything to do with mixing alcohol and mushrooms, or the threesome with Ronnie and that beech tree.If he was entirely honest, he couldn’t say what it was that had definitively made him step in and give himself to her, and ultimately, it didn’t matter.Whether it was a gut thing or a spiritual thing, or just a moment of insanity, he wasn’t sorry for it.He’d do it again, every time, without a qualm.

“How much longer can I keep you?”

She consulted her phone for the time.“A bit longer yet.They won’t miss me.Are you sure your guys won’t miss you?”

“Fuck ’em,” he said with a shrug.“Let’s get those tattoos.”

CHAPTER 26

Jodi Castle

“You got a tattoo?”

“Yeah, do you like it?”Lee grasped Jodi’s hand to take a better look, though it was hard to see beneath the protective wrapping.

“Cats, right?It’s cute.”

She gave him an enthusiastic nod.The first tattoo parlour hadn’t done walk-ins, nor did the second one, but the owner had recognised Rock Giant and wasn’t about to leave a well-known heavy metal bassist standing in his foyer.Sure enough, when they’d been directed through to the studio, Black Halo were among a gathering of metal legends sprayed onto the walls life-sized, or almost life-sized.Wall Rock Giant was three inches too short.Paul had sketched out what he’d wanted for the guy, who’d agreed it was simple enough that it could be done right away.His design comprised three narrow bands around his wrist that were joined by a trinity knot.She hadn’t needed to see him finally snipping off the ribbon they’d been handfasted with to know what the ink signified.

She’d tried to be mad about him permanently inking it onto his skin but failed.It was hard to dismiss that much conviction, especially when she’d given him no reason to hope for the future he wanted.Didn’t matter, he claimed, he remained committed to her anyway.What girl wouldn’t be a little swayed by that?

He'd saved that grubby ribbon too.Coiled it carefully around his fingers and then stowed it in a pocket, muttering something about a treasure box.It made her curious to learn what else was stowed in Paul Reed’s treasure box.

Meanwhile, she hadn’t set out to get inked.Nothing in the various design brochures she’d browsed while Rock Giant was in the chair called to her.It wasn’t until she’d seen his design that the idea had come to her.

It was probably a mistake.The lead weights in her stomach certainly implied so.

People wouldn’t understand.

Nash wouldn’t.

While the handfasting didn’t hold the same significance to her as it did to Paul, it did mean something.

There weren’t many people in the world who put themselves out for her.Paul Reed was one of them.She wasn’t sure why.It obviously wasn’t just about sex, because she’d categorically told him that wasn’t on the cards, and it hadn’t chased him off.

The tattoo… Her tattoo consisted of three thin knotted bands that formed a bracelet around her wrist, along the top of which were silhouettes of three tiny cats in different poses.Why the fuck shouldn’t she mark the intersecting of their lives if she wanted to?It was her skin.Her… their history.Considering the changes it had brought about, it was worth marking.

Rock Giant had nodded his approval.Lee wasn’t making a fuss, so that was a good start.He was kind of her test case to see what the response would be like from the Ghost Boys.

“You’re back.”Nash entered the backstage room along with Balin, the two of them tucking into burgers and fries from a fast-food joint.Usually, she perked up at the sight of her future hubby, but he looked decidedly unwashed, unshaven, and unsavoury after their sound check.He was still dressed in the same clothes he’d fallen asleep in at the crack of dawn and that he’d worn on stage the night before.He needed a shower.Ketchup dripped from his burger and landed on him mid-chest.

“Fuck!”

“Here.”Jodi held out a tissue to him.He looked at her through decidedly bloodshot eyes, but took it and daubed ineffectually at the mark, before swearing again and pulling the shirt off and chucking it onto the seat beside her.

“Where the fuck have you been all afternoon?”

While his tone was light-hearted, her shoulders still hitched.He took a perch beside her and continued to tuck into his meal.Jodi’s tummy rumbled.

“I did the shopping and then explored a bit.I wasn’t needed here, and you were busy.I didn’t think it’d be a problem.”

“Except I did need you.”