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rising during the lull in supernatural activity in recent months. The team was able to get to know each other more personally, day in and day out without the imminent threat of being eaten or worse, hanging overhead. Those emotional floodgates were now exceedingly close to breaching. She looked from his beard down across his right arm, well-lit under the fluorescent lights. It was covered from shoulder to wrist in roses, intricately detailed in black and white shading.
    “I've never asked you what your ink actually meant, have I?” she asked.
    “No, but you've certainly burned a hole in me staring so many times.”
    She bumped his arm. “Whatever, you ass. Like you've never stared at me before.”
    “Only that hat you wear all the time, cougar queen.”
    Her eyes had to be the strongest part of her body, always getting a workout around him. From the rolling of course, not the gawking. At least that is what she had convinced herself of. “So, going back to this tattoo of yours.”
    “The roses,” he said softly. “They were Momma’s favorite flowers. Back during the days I traveled alone, I would close my eyes thinking on the past and I swear I could smell their sweet scent - as if I were standing right there on the front porch of the house we lived in. Silly as it sounds, those nights felt a little less cold because of that. I got this tattoo after a while, as a reminder that Mom is always with me and that I would never have to close my eyes again.”
    Something was certainly awakening between the two of them. Gage had never seemed vulnerable before, yet here he sat opening up. Adrienne didn’t know if that was for the better or worse. Regardless, she continued.
    “That’s amazing, Gage. My mom nearly killed me when she found out I had a tattoo, even after explaining it had something to do with her.”
    Gage quickly perked up. She had ink? How was this so? If he hadn't noticed before, that meant it was hidden, very well hidden.
    “I had no idea ya had tattoos, Ady,” he said, not so casually searching her visible skin.
    She raised a finger. “Tattoo. Just one.”
    “You'll have to show me sometime you rebel, since I showed you mine,” he said, leaving his mouth open with a hint of those perpetually white teeth. “Oh and don’t get Momma wrong. The sentiment is great but if she saw me today, all inked up like a thug, I probably wouldn’t be her favorite son anymore.”
    “You have a brother?”
    “Nope, only child. I'm her favorite and only,” he stated matter-of-factly.
    A little laugh escaped her smile.
    “I’m sure she would still care about you, Gage,” Adrienne said faintly as she found a prominent vein which rose above the detailed ink work. With a finger, she traced the ridge across the bloom on his imposing shoulder.
    That felt unexpectedly good. He labored to hold his eyes open, but his feelings were amplified with them closed. The artificial glow slipped away, wrapping him in a momentary blanket of nothing but her touch.
    The vein road-mapped into his bicep, which she rode without hesitation, detouring along the way to other floral sights across his arm. This was simply incredible, a nurse’s wet dream that was quickly becoming her own. She was soon back on the main highway, riding down into the dense cluster of petals on his forearm.
    They laughed again when she reached his wrist, lifting her finger before both fell into a pit of silent stares. Thoughts began to mount as their heartbeats started to climb.
    Should I try to kiss him? No. That wouldn’t be right. But if I did, maybe it would feel right…
    Why have I never noticed how gorgeous she is? That hair, my God… Those lips… Fuck my life.
    Adrienne, would this really work? He’s like a brother to you. But just look at him.
    Gage, do you really want to go through with this? You know the life that we live. Love leads to one thing. Pain.
    “What is taking him so long?” asked Gage, breaking the hushed exchange that threatened to