Masked Attraction

Chapter 56: Dragon Tattoo

I blink awake. Looking around I notice Bash's bareback facing me. I must have ended up falling asleep at Bash's place. I never slept over before. Nothing happened, but it still feels surprisingly intimate to wake him up to him beside him in bed. I stare at his muscled back and my fingers unconsciously begin to trace his dragon tattoo that is still a mystery to me. His muscles begin to move softly underneath my fingertips and he rouses turning over to me.

"Good morning gorgeous," he mumbles his eyes opening peacefully.

"Good morning handsome," I respond and he crookedly grins. I sit up excitedly. "I know you like just woke up, but can you tell me about your tattoo?"

He squints at me and rolls his shoulders. "My dragon tattoo?"

I nod and drop to rest my head on his chest. He starts running his fingers down my spine giving me chills.

"It's not that exciting," he replies.

"Tell me," I say feeling his voice rumble against my head.

"Alright but don't feel guilty."

"I won't," I press on.

"Okay, it was your summer before senior year. I was getting ready for college and I was starting to feel depressed I was leaving you. I knew I would come home every weekend to see you but it wouldn't be the same. Then about a weekend or two before I was officially leaving you told me you kissed Jackson Welder. "

I peek up at him under my eyelashes. "I remember that. That was my first kiss."

"Yeah," he looks down at me his voice heavy with irritation, but he wraps his arms around me hugging me tighter to his chest. "Well, I knew that too. And I knew I had done way more than that, but it hurt to see you all red-faced and grinning about kissing some other guy. I realized you were eventually going to end up doing a lot more than that especially if I wasn't around. I felt completely mad thinking about it." He pauses scrunching up his eyes.

"I was about to steal some liquor from Matt's stash when I forced myself for a drive. I passed a tattoo parlor and somehow ended up in the seat pointing to a dragon and that was that. I didn't think much about it, I just needed a distraction."

I am speechless. "Wow, Bash. I didn't realize."

"Yeah. If only I knew there was a chance you could have liked me back. I am a complete idiot sometimes."

"You're not an idiot Bash."

He smiles. "Thanks for lying."

I laugh and we both sit up. I trace his tattoo again with a small smile and he grabs my hand with a small kiss. "Come on let's go. I'll take you to class."

I nod in agreement.

***

"You know I been keeping up with mindfulness meditations. They are becoming very helpful when I am stressed," I say rambling on as we toward my classroom building.

"That's awesome Emma. So I think I need to come clean. I didn't get any extra credit for when we did it together." He leans away from me like he is afraid of my reaction.

"What? Did they not give it to you? Because I will be your alibi and even talk to the professor for you."

"No, not exactly. I kind of made up the extra credit part of it."

I stare blankly at him until it registers in my mind.

"You did what!"

He raises his hands up in alarm. "It was an actual extra credit opportunity! If I applied for it, I could have gotten a 1-credit course but the deadline was back in September."

"Oh my gosh. You're such a jerk." I turn away from him.

He grabs my hand. "Emma, I am sorry. When you told me you were all stressed and having an anxiety attack I wanted to help. And I would get to spend more time with you even it didn't work. So win-win."

"I really hate you sometimes."

"Hey, I don't about you but I've been feeling very calm lately." He twirls a piece of my hair.

I roll my eyes. "Don't lie to me again."

"For now on I will be open and honest no exceptions. If I fail you have the right to kick my ass."

I stick my pinky out, "For feelings and everything."

"Deal," he loops his with mine and then kisses the top of it and I hold back my smile. I walk into my classroom door going to kiss him goodbye, but he follows me in.

"Um Bash, when you take me to class. You don't have to walk me to the seat."

"Nah, I am tagging along today."

"What do you mean? This isn't even one of your classes."

"So? I want to spend more time with my girlfriend."

I bite my lip as my face reddens. "Alright, but don't distract me."

"I won't," and he throws an arm around my shoulder kissing me on the cheek. Yeah, like that isn't distracting.

***