Page 186 of Always Love You More

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” he says softly. “I just wanna be with you.”

I glance over at him, seeing that the burdens he carries are so obvious in the way he holds himself. It’s been a few weeks since the whole money incident, and he’s been even more on edge.

“I wish I could make it easier,” I whisper.

“You do,” he says. “Sometimes, I just can’t …”

“I get it,” I tell him. “Trust me; I really do.”

“Let’s go in,” he says, forcing lightness into his voice. “Don’t you want your surprise?”

I nod eagerly, pushing my door open and following him inside.

He leads me to his bedroom where I look around for anything that’s different.

“Sit,” he tells me, motioning to the bed.

I drop down, and he stands over me, running a hand through his hair.

“You look nervous,” I murmur.

He stares back at me as if he might say something, but then he just strips off his shirt.

Confused, I let my eyes rake over him, pulling my head back when I see plastic wrap taped to his chest. “You get a new tattoo?”

He nods.

I inch forward, realizing it’s a word, but I can’t make out what it says.

He keeps his eyes on me as he slowly peels off the wrap.

I suck in a breath. “Jamie … that’s …” I look up at him. “Jamie, that’s my name.”

“Yeah, baby,” he murmurs. “I know.”

He steps forward, and I move up to my knees, bringing me eye level with my name written in script over his heart. It’s right above theLoyaltypiece that spans his chest.

“Do you like it?” he asks, his voice achingly vulnerable.

I trace my fingers up his bare chest, circling the tattoo, careful not to touch it. “I love it,” I whisper.

His shoulders drop, stepping into me even closer, and I gasp when he pushes me back onto the bed. I watch as he slowly climbs over me, moving until his hips are straddling mine, his arms caging me in.

“I can’t believe you …” Reaching out for him, I study the tattoo. “This is permanent.”

He snorts.

I smack his chest playfully. “I’m serious. Jamie, this is …”

“It’s what?” he asks, leaning in so close that I can feel his breath tickle my skin.

“Forever.”

“Yeah,” he says. “Well, so are we.”

“Then I want one, too.”

He pulls back. “You want my name on you?”