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Marianne had walked or driven by the tattoo shop many times in the past several weeks. It was relatively new and she had seen the owner, or she assumed the tall, dark man to be the owner. He was a rather frightening looking individual, but there was something about him that she found oddly intriguing. She had been thinking about a tattoo for a while, but now she had finally decided to go into the shop and just do it instead of talking herself out of it.
She came into the tattoo shop, a tiny bit nervous, but she had shoved that feeling down deep. She had secretly wanted a tattoo for as long as she could remember. Granted, butterfly wings were not that unusual for a girl, but she wanted them to cover her whole back. Her smile was a bit wicked as she thought of how much Roland would hate it. The ass. One of the reasons she had never gotten a tattoo was because of Roland. They had met during her first year in college and it had been a whirlwind romance, but now, four years later, she had learned the romance and love had only existed on her half of the relationship.
She stepped into the shop, looking around. There were no other customers here at the moment. The only person in the shop was the tall, thin man that she had seen and assumed to be the owner. He had spiky black hair, sleevework tattoos and a bottle of cola next to him as he leaned against a glass counter that held photos of tattoo designs. He had a book laid out on the counter and was reading. For some reason, she was surprised to see him reading. Bad boy types, which she had pegged him as, were not usually associated with being book worms.
When she walked in, he glanced up with suspicious blue eyes. “Can I help you?” He gave her a once over and quickly dismissed her as one of those who thought they wanted a tattoo, but were only here on a dare.
Marianne looked around and then back at him, noticing a slight accent. “Yeah, I was hoping to get a tattoo.” The man stood up straight, showing off an impressive height as he came around the counter with a smirk that immediately made Marianne want to belt him in the face. “Oh, really, tough girl? What you want, a unicorn?” He wrinkled his nose in a sneer.
Marianne wrinkled her nose right back and narrowed her eyes at the insulting way he called her ‘tough girl,’ but she put her hands on her hips. “No.”
The man leaned against the counter again which did little to diminish his height. “So what are you looking for?”
Marianne snarled, “Butterfly wings.” He immediately snorted, but she added, “That cover my back.” He raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting such a big order. “That’s going to take more than one visit, tough girl.”
Marianne smiled. “It’s cool”
He gave her a grin. “Are you serious?”
Marianne glared at him. “Completely.”
He snorted again, but with a wicked smile. “Alright, let’s get started then.” Over the course of the next several weeks Marianne and Bog, which was what he went by, worked on her tattoo. Bog told her that when he was completely finished with her tattoo, he would give her his real name. But for now, Bog was fine.
The first night when she simply took off her shirt with her back to him, Bog thought he might just fall over. As a tattoo artist, he had seen other women, but something about her was different.
Over the next few weeks, Marianne would come in, strip off her shirt minus bra and lay on her stomach with only a quick glance over her shoulder. Bog would try to maintain a disinterested look, but she was making it nearly impossible. They had set up a schedule for her visits, which Bog found himself looking forward to more than he should for a man who had sworn off relationships.
Marianne, on the other hand, was having the exact same issue, her heart speeding up as the time for her tattoo visit would approach. During the period that Bog had set aside just for her, the shop would be empty but for the two of them. They would talk as he worked, creating a pair of the most beautiful butterfly wings in a brilliant purple and lavender, a perfect reflection of the woman he was getting to know.
At one point, Marianne was laying there with her cheek resting on her hands and music was playing that she could not quite place, but she was enjoying it as he worked. Bog’s long fingers were very gentle as he worked his skill with the inking gun. He managed somehow to keep the pain at a minimum.
“What music is that?” Marianne glanced over at him without moving her head too much. Bog was folded over her back working on some detail, so he did not meet her eyes as he murmured, “Actually, that is my band.”
Marianne blinked in surprise. “You have a band? Wow, you guys sound really great!”
From her weird sideways view of him she saw that Bog smiled. She liked the way his profile looked with that long, pointed nose, unshaven jaw and a charming smile. After a few quiet moments Bog murmured in a barely audible voice, “Would you like to come see us play?”
Marianne glanced at him and even from her weird perspective she could see Bog’s cheeks where flushed.
“I would love to!”
Bog stopped what he was doing and looked at her. “Really? Uh…Okay, great umm…pick you up here around 7p.m.?”
Marianne grinned. “Sounds great!” He went back to work silently, but he grinned, continually biting his bottom lip to try to control the grinning. The night of the date that was not a date (at least that was what both of them keep telling themselves) was a beautiful fall evening. Marianne waited outside excitedly. When she saw Bog coming out of the shop locking the door, she thought her heart might just leap out of her chest in happiness at seeing him, which made her mind tell her heart to stop being an idiot and get back to its normal routine.
Bog was dressed in all black and he grinned as he looked her over. Marianne’s short hair was stylishly unstyled and she had worn a skirt that showed off her stunning legs, and while he loved the outfit, he worried about those legs on his motorcycle since he did not have a car. “You mind riding a bike?”
Marianne grinned. “You got a helmet?”
Bog shrugged. “Of course.”
She got on the back of his bike, wrapped her arms around his waist her bare knees and thighs pressed against his legs and they took off. His band was brilliant and Marianne had one of the best times of her life since she ended her relationship with Roland. On the way home, she hugged his waist tightly, laying her head on his shoulder. Bog smiled, feeling happy, something he had not felt in a long time.
They stopped at his shop, Bog helping her off the bike again, but instead of her landing on her feet she stumbled against his chest. Her hair was sticking out a bit from the helmet, but she looked cute, adorable as he gazed down at her. Her hands on his chest were so small and delicate. Marianne found herself shivering slightly with anticipation.
Before either one of them could talk themselves out of it, they both leaned in to kiss, hitting their noses.
Marianne winced and laughed, making Bog laugh before he could worry he had hurt her. He gathered her close, lifted her off her feet just a little and they kissed, a chaste kiss that quickly turned heated, leaving them both breathless when they pulled away.
Marianne grinned. “I guess this was a date.”
Bog chuckled not letting her go and agreed. “I guess it was.”
“Wanna do it again?” Her eyes twinkled and Bog laughed. “Definitely.”
They stayed there for a long time, kissing until Bog pulled back with a rare goofy grin as he looked down at her.
“Wanna come in for a drink?”
Marianne bit her bottom lip as she gazed at him, brown eyes soft. “You got some beer?”
Bog laughed. “Scottish ale, only the good stuff.”
Marianne laced her fingers with his and pulled him toward the shop. “I will be the judge of that!”