Jay’s POV
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Wearing a red bikini top swaying her hips in front of me as she walks into the tattoo parlour her hand outstretched behind her which I hold onto, I know this is the only person to ground me. The only person to take me to a place where love exists and where it's unconditional for me.
This is something we do, holding hands like this. When we weren't dating, when I wanted her and yearned for her even when she was with somebody else, when I was yet to know her entirely. l would always take her hand. It's a gesture that I kept up because I needed her even when I didn't have her. Now without her hand I feel incomplete, lost.
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I've never needed anybody before, not at all. Her brunette waves that now reach down way past her waist sway along with her. Taylor Elena Gilbert Scott, it's like a dream come true for me. The aftershock from last night hasn't left me, I'm still enraptured by that moment. The moment where she said yes. Yes to me, to forever.
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"Jay" Pete says. It amazes me that he is still here, yet somehow I knew that he would be and I'm glad that he is. He's an amazing artist and these tattoos will be perfect.
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"Pete! Man" I say smiling swiping my sunglasses off of my face and grinning.
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"It has been a while, got a lot to tell you. But first this is Taylor." I say glancing at her as he eyes her clearly seeing her beauty but respectful as he is, he merely looks back at me and winks.
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"She's my fiancée" I say proudly and his eyes widen in shock. I was expecting that. Pete is a decent guy, doesn't mess around. Has had one steady girl for around five years and he just does his art and tattoos and that's it. I was not like that, I was an ass. Not anymore.
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"Tay this is Pete he's a good friend." I say informing her.
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"He did my wave" I say smiling and he comes over and checks it out as Taylor nods. She’s utterly calm and it makes me feel so ready for everything with her, I would expect her to be nervous about getting another tattoo but she’s excited even. She grasps onto my hand and I smile down at her.
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"Nice to meet you" Taylor smiles. Pete smiles back at her, he's a man of little words.
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"What can I do for both of you today, man and congratulations on the engagement. That's great news." He says smiling.
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"We want yesterday's date in Roman numerals, it's our engagement day. Taylor would like it on her ribs and me on my chest. And both of our intials on our engagement finger" Jay says.
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"Nice, can do let me draw it all up for you then we can place them and check that you're all happy with the look of them" Pete says.
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Pete has always been a good looking guy, tan skin from living out here and bleached hair which he keeps shorter than mine. Piercings; nose ring just like Taylor's, except Taylor's is rose gold and it's sexy as hell. He's got a collection in his ear and his tongue is pierced just like mine.
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"Okay so what kind of script would you like for them" he asks.
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"Small, intricate" Taylor says smiling at me and I watch her eyes captivated. I can't believe we're doing this, I'm ecstatic. Living on a high and all’s I can hear is her saying yes to marrying me. Despite the loud music in the tattoo parlour.
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Pete eyes me with a smirk and I know what he is thinking. I must look different, but I also feel different, entirely in the best way.
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"Like this" Pete says and Taylor's eyes glisten.
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"Yes exactly" she smiles at him and I rub her back.
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"Great. So little on the fingers and then maybe medium sized for the date on the ribs kinda like this" he says showing us the sketches as he does them. His hand moving quickly and precisely over the page.
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"Perfect" I say.
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"Okay man let me just get them on transfers and then we can do the placement. Would you like JGS & TGS for you" Pete says looking at me.
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"And TGS & JGS for Taylor" he says asking her.
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"Actually that looks great" I say looking at the delicate scrawl.
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"I love it" she says grasping my hand and pulling me in.
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"Perfect" He says before he double takes looking at me staring at Taylor. My eyes get lost in hers and she holds me like no other woman has.
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"I'm happy for you man" he says and then he walks off smiling, singing the song and busying himself.
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Taylor pulls me into her and I breathe her in kissing her forehead.
"I'm so sure about this Jay" she whispers.
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"I love you baby" I tell her back and she kisses my lips. Every time she kisses me I get lost in the feeling of it. Her lips on mine, taking away all rationale and making me feel heady.
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"So Taylor would you like it under your ring or sitting just above" Pete says returning to us.
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"Just above" she says and he smiles.
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"Thought so" he smirks.
"Right let's get yours sorted first" he says and she goes to sit in the black leather chair.
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Pete places our initials TGS & JGS first on her engagement finger.
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"Take a look and pop your ring on and check you're happy and then we can ink it" Pete explains.
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"It's gorgeous, look Jay" she says to me smiling. I love it when she wears that smile.
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I take her delicate finger and have a look.
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"It's perfect just like you and I love how it shows just above the gold band" I tell her.
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"Okay I'm ready" she says turning to Pete.
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"Not your first one I see" he says eyeing the treble clef and then looking away.
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"Nope this one is quite fresh though" she says to him.
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"Taylor plays the guitar, piano and sings" I say to clarify and do I sound proud?
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"Awesome" Pete says preparing everything.
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Taylor takes a seat and he begins work. She flinches a little to begin with but after a few minutes she's talking all about music and guitars to us and I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. I hold her other hand and she squeezes it lightly.
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"Okay so the rib? Did you want the other side or same as your clef" he asks her as he's finishing up.
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"Other side please under my heart" she says and looks up at me. I smile at her. I was going for the same, just over my heart on my chest.
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"Have a look in the mirror, at all angles." He says once the transfer is on her ribs. This one is going to hurt her a little more.
"How did you find the last rib tat you got?" He asks her.
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"Niggly and a bit painful" she admits and I sit next to her.
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"It looks great though, I'm happy with the placement" she says sitting back down.
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"Okay lay back for me" he says and I hold her hand in my own.
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I hear the needle go and I wait for her to flinch but she doesn't. She squeezes my hand and breathes in, deeply and steadily. Taylor turns her face to look at me and we maintain eye contact throughout. It's intimate, I love looking into her eyes.
After an immeasurable amount of time Pete breaks our concentration on one another. I look over at him and I can tell that he is shocked by my behaviour.
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"Looks awesome." He comments looking at Taylor, wrapping the new tattoos with a fresh gauze. She smiles and stands up by my side.
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"Let me clean up everything then Jay it's your go" he says all business.
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“Can’t tempt you into a new piece of art too?” He asks. Pete knows how much I love tattoos, it’s something to think about however and I tell him I’ll consider it.
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After holding her in my arms and talking in her ear, making her laugh and smile. Feeling her fingers through my hair and me pulling her hands to me to inspect her new tattoo under the clear wrapping. I kiss her hand and then Pete reappears telling me it's time.
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After the placement is done for both and Taylor has inspected them which I particularly enjoyed I'm sitting in the familiar tattoo chair awaiting the piercing burning hot pain of the needle. The one I'm accustomed too.
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I sit back and relax.
"Light up man it's all good" Pete says to me.
I light up two cigarettes and pass one to him he nods and takes a deep pull before resting it in the ashtray. Taylor watches me with that expression on her face, the one that completes me.
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I hear the buzz and await the piercing touch of the needle. I've had a few tattoos it's safe to say. This one is the one I'm most sure about. This one is completely non selfish, the others I got because I liked them. Because I wanted them. This one however I'm getting to signify us and to forever memorise this moment. This feeling of devotion and excitement of life to come.
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Once my finger is done, I take a look and for some reason the permanence of this situation hits me. Taylor is with me, me. Jay the monster. I've revoked the name. I suddenly feel like I'm responsible, like I can make sure that she is happy for the rest of her life.
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"When you hold hands they match" Pete says and I can't hear him that well, I'm focusing on her all of the time. My Taylor, to have and to hold.
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"Hey can you add something to my date" I ask him looking away from her.
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"Course" Pete says he's the epitome of chill, he lounges back all ears ready to listen.
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"To have and to hold. Real small underneath" I say as Taylor kisses my lips and I smile. Pete chuckles because it’s so far from the guy I used to be. Hitting up girls and inviting them over for sex, discarding them when I was finished.
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He gets to work smiling and Taylor holds my hand again.
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"That's nice" she says watching him ink me up.
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"To have and to hold I like that" she comments.
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"I won't let you down." I say to her and smiles from ear to ear. She rubs my hand and I keep her eye contact till the end of the tattoo.
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After taking some pics for his portfolio I pay for the whole lot. My money is hers as far as I'm concerned. We are literally engaged. And then we head out into the searing hot Australian heat and back to the vintage car.
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Once I get her in the car, I notice she's eyeing her tattoo and the ring sitting proudly above it. And I smile to myself my girl to have and to hold for the rest of our lives.
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