A feeling of something lightly tracing over my chest roused me from my deep sleep. I was so exhausted from last night's events I almost didn't want to open my eyes, but I was curious to see the source of such pleasant feeling. When I managed to look down at what had woken me up I wished that I had the ability to stop time because in that moment I discovered the most beautiful sight more grand than the sun rising in the morning.

Katy, wearing nothing but my sheets, was resting her head against my bare chest and tracing her fingertips softly along the patterns of my tattoos. Her short dirty blonde locks were now in disarray from earlier today and I could see from this angle to subtle rose tint still lingering on her glowing cheeks. Yet another part of her that I loved so much. I watched her carefully and took in the way she smiled as she outlined different ink images on my skin. For many people, my tattoos were something to be intimidated by. For Katy, they were a part of me she adored.

What did I ever do to deserve this woman?

I tried not to move an inch so I could let her continue on, but it was difficult not to squirm when she started placing gentle kisses on my chest. They were feathery light, perhaps because she didn't want to wake me up, but they were strong enough to send shivers down my spine. My eyes slid back shut as I took in the feeling and tried to remain silent but when she reached near my neck a low moan slipped between my lips. Damnit.

She stiffened, then, "Gage?"

With a sigh not ready for her to stop I opened my eyes and looked down at her, her blush in full view now. My God, she was so incredibly beautiful. I couldn't stop myself from running my fingers through her tangled hair taking in how soft it felt.

"Good morning, baby," I greeted and cleared my throat when I realized it sounded thick.

Her cheeks reddened even more, probably from being caught, but still, she replied sheepishly, "Good morning," then her eyes grew wide. "Oh, fudge muffins it's morning."

I wasn't following. "So?"

"So you are grumpy in the mornings."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Well, if you think about it, it was morning right before we fell asleep and I was definitely not grumpy."

"Oh, right," her blush increased. "So no throwing remotes at my head?"

"Not this time."

"Phew! I was scared there for a second."

"That only happened one time because you woke me up a five in the morning."

She shrugged. "I just wanted you to get to work on time."

I released a sigh and continued playing with her hair trying to losses the knots I created from earlier. Even though she was laying on top of me she was still too far for my taste.

"Come here, I need to give you something," I motioned her forward.

Katy leaned up a little questionably, but when she was within reach I captured her lips. At first she stiffened at my suddenness before she slowly relaxed and molded into my arms. When she broke apart her eyes remained hooded but she wore a smile on her lips.

"That's a great gift."

"You'll be receiving a lot of gifts from now on. Here, have more," she giggled when I frantically placed kisses all over her face.

"Gage that tickles! Stop it!" she laughed playfully pushing me away but I wrapped her up in my arms and pinned her down to plant even more kisses, all to hear her laughter a little more.

When I finished a moment later her laughter turned into chuckles. "You're a mess."

"I'm your mess," I kissed her forehead making her smile.

"Yes," she brought her hand up to cup my cheek. "You are. And I wouldn't have it any other way."

"Mmm," I planted another soft kiss on her face and rubbed her hips. That's when I remembered something and asked, "How are you feeling, by the way?"

"Umm, pretty good. Kind of sleepy and a little thirsty but--"

"Not like that, baby," I chuckled. "I mean . . . how is your body? I didn't . . . I wasn't too rough, was I?"

When my question finally sunk in, her eyes widened. "Oh! Oh, no," she tucked a strand of her behind her ears. "You were fine. More than fine really. I'm a little sore but," she looked away with a blush that was so fucking cute, "I'm really happy."

Can you die from being overjoyed? Because I'm about to.

"I am too, Shortcake," I turned her red face towards me and gave her a quick kiss on her nose. A smile erupted on her face at that.

The way she was looking at me now made my heart swell up three sizes bigger. If I had known this is what it was like to be in love I would have searched for Katy earlier. Although, that doesn't change the fact that I am a danger to her. Which reminded me.

"We should probably tell Lamar and the twins what happened at the bakery," I said.

"I already did," she began to play with my hair.

"You did?"

"Mhmm, while you were sleeping I called to let them know. Which, I don't know if you are aware or not, but you snore."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "I have a deviated septum, so sue me. Boxing is a rough sport."

"Actually I thought it was kind of cute," she grinned. "It wasn't a loud snore or anything."

"You think I'm cute?"

"In certain ways, yeah."

I blinked a few times and said, "My girlfriend is a crazy person," before I rolled off of her.

"I am not!" she flicked my chest.

"I bet you think dragons and ogres are cute, too."

"Gage Rivers! Stop being a butt."

"You like my butt."

Bingo. There's the blush I was looking for.

"You . . . you are getting so off topic."

"You started it," I stuck my tongue out at her childishly.

"Well whatever," she waved me off. "Anyway, I told Lamar and the twins about what happened so they won't come in. Kellie posted on all our social media and websites that we were closed for renovations so nobody would question anything."

"What did you say happened to the store?"

"The truth. That a group of guys came in and trashed the place before taking some desserts and leaving."

I frowned at her. "That's not really what happened."

"It is if you don't add in the extra details. Plus, it's what the security cameras saw and don't worry," she held up her hand right when I was about to ask something, "there is no sound in the videos."

That only calmed me slightly. "I wish you didn't have to do all this."

"Uh-uh don't you start thinking that way again," she laid her head back down on my chest. "It's too early for feeling guilty. All you have to worry about is what you will be doing these next few weeks off."

I made a face although she couldn't see it. "A few weeks?"

"That's how long I think it will take to get the place back in shape."

"But that's a long time. Won't business suffer?"

"Possibly," she shrugged. "But it's almost December now which is one of our slowest months. At least in the beginning it is. It only picks up around the holidays."

"What about Lamar and the twins? Will they still get paid?"

"They will. I can maneuver it around to where they are on paid time off. They've worked enough hours for it."

I let out a long sigh. "This is just all really incon--"

Katy reached up to cover my mouth with her hand. "Shh. What did I say earlier? Don't go down that path. Besides, everything is fine. Maybe this is actually good for us because we all deserve a little vacation."

"But your bakery--"

"Will be fixed," she insisted. "Lamar is already working with our insurance company about reimbursing us for all the damage and on top of that, I have enough money in the bakery's savings to fix everything up. I just have to make a few calls to get everything I need and we will be back to business. I promise."

Of course I believed her, but it still didn't help with the guilt that much. It doesn't have to be like this. She shouldn't have to make any sort of call and try to get the bakery fixed. I knew that Katy smiled when she explained all of this but I also knew how much it was actually hurting her. Most days we had to drag her out of her bakery and force her to go on a break. Even when it was closed she would sneak back in when she thought we didn't know. So this little-paid vacation seems great, especially for Lamar and the twins, but I knew Katy and I knew this was ripping her apart. Therefore the guilt was still very much alive in me.

But right when I was about to ask for the fiftieth time if she was really okay with all of this I heard her ask, "What does this mean?"

For a moment I thought she was still talking about the bakery until I felt her tap an area over my heart. I looked down although I couldn't see.

"What do you mean?"

"This tattoo. It says . . . familia primum?"

She completely butchered the pronunciation but it made me smile. "It means 'family first' in Latin."

"Why Latin? Do you speak it?"

"No . . . it's just kind of a cool language I guess."

"Isn't it a dead language?"

I made a face. "I was eighteen, okay?"

I felt her chuckle against me. "Fine, fine. What about this one? When did you get it?"

I looked down where she was pointing at a detailed image of a sailboat on the left side of my torso. "I think I was twenty."

"Is there a meaning behind it?"

"All of my tattoos have meanings."

"Can I hear them?"

"Of course," I bent down to kiss the top of her head. "Which one do you want to know first?"

"Let's start with the sailboat."

"Okay," I thought back to it. "I got that one after I dropped out of college and--"

"Whoa, wait! You went to college?" she looked up at me in surprise.

I pursed my lips. "Why do you sound so shocked?"

"Oh! No. That totally came out the wrong way. I didn't mean you don't look like someone who would go to college. You could totally go to college if you want to! Nobody has a college look you know? I mean the twins definitely don't and--"

I covered her mouth with my hand. "Katy, I'm joking."

"Sorry," she mumbled behind my hand before I released her.

"Anyway, I dropped out because it was too expensive. The only reason why Violet is at University of Miami is because she got a full ride since her ACT score was so high. I was never a good test taker so that was out of the cards for me. Instead I went to work for Paxton but he said before I joined his shop I had to get my license. So I worked as an apprentice under this one guy for a while who doubled as a sailor and took me on his boat a lot. He was a great guy and I wanted to remember my time spent with him so I got this for him."

Katy smiled. "That was nice of you."

"Yeah, well," I shrugged. "I did what I could."

"Did it hurt?"

"The tattoo? It didn't feel great. Especially since it took a couple of hours to do, but it wasn't the worst."

"Which one hurt the most?"

"The one going down my spine," I gestured to my back.

"Oh," she looked amazed then her eyes went to my bicep. "What about this one? Did it hurt?"

"Nope."

"Is that a bear?"

"It is," I looked at it. "I got it because grizzly bears are really strong animals. Something I aspire to be."

"An animal?"

"Strong," I gave her a pointed look.

"Oh, right. I knew that," she cleared her throat before continuing. "Umm . . . what about this one?"

"It's a willow tree for Mom," I looked at the tattoo on my lower left arm. "And this one," I showed her the oak tree on my lower right arm, "is for my Dad."

"Wow." Katy ran her fingers carefully along the branches of the oak tree before she asked, "Were you close to them?"

"Not as much as I wanted to be," I answered honestly. "But I remember this one time when we were all together to redo the front of the house. Mom was pregnant with Violet at the time so she couldn't do much, but she watched as we planted different flowers and trees. I picked a willow tree for Mom and Paxton picked an oak tree for Dad. They loved it, although they never got to see the trees fully bloom."

Katy frowned. "I'm so sorry."

I shrugged. "It's alright. I mean, it's not, but it could have been worse. At least I had my time with them."

"Yeah," Katy's eyes appeared far away for a moment before she looked back down at my torso. She pointed to my rib and asked, "Is . . . that a half-naked woman?"

My lips went into a straight line. "Paxton dared me to."

Katy rolled her eyes. "I will never understand siblings."

We continued for another half hour going through all my different tattoos, small or big, and sharing their unique story. Sometimes Katy would laugh, sometimes she looked like she was about to cry, and sometimes she beamed with joy. With each tattoo, I was sharing a part of me with her that I never thought I would. By the end of it, I was completely exposed and vulnerable, but I didn't mind.

"Where was your first tattoo?" she asked leaning up to look at me.

I paused rubbing my fingers along her back. "You really want to know?"

She nodded once and I formed an idea. I took her hand and placed it flat on my chest, "It was right," I started to push her hand down my chest passing over other tattoos before her eyes grew wide as we went further south. When her hand reached my waistline she looked really surprised and I smiled. Right before he hand went over a sensitive area I quickly turned it back around and placed it on my shoulder blade, "here."

"O-Oh," her voice came out a little shaky and she cleared her throat. I was laughing wildly in my head at her reaction. "I see. The uh, outline of Florida."

"To remember where I'm from, " I released her hand with a smirk. "You seem a little flustered, are you okay?"

"Yep! Absolutely fine. Although I think I'm going to get some water real quick," she started to get out of the bed. "Do you want anything?"

"I do. But not water."

"Oh, okay. Are you hungry?"

"Absolutely," I reached around her torso to pull her back into bed placing her directly under me. "But not for food."

I frotted up against her to let her know exactly what I meant and smiled when she gasped. My little tease from earlier really got me excited more than I thought it would and now I'm ready to repeat last night's adventures.

However right when I bent down to place kisses along Katy's jawline to speed up the heat I heard her say, "Umm . . . Gage?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you, oh, pause for like five seconds?"

I stopped to lean back and look down at her. "You okay?"

"I'm fine! But my, uh, bladder isn't," her blush was spreading all the way down her neck and she wouldn't look at me directly in the eye.

Oops. I was so into this I forgot that she might have certain needs to take care of. Quickly I rolled off of her to let her slip out of the bed.

"Sorry," I mumbled and watched as she walked around looking for a shirt off the floor. Seeing her completely exposed and bending over to pick up something was not helping my own personal problem down under in the slightest.

Thankfully she quickly grabbed a black silk robe off the floor to cover her tiny frame with before she sauntered off to the bathroom. When her back was turned I read the words 'Steel Gage' written on the back and about fell off the bed. From surprise or excitement, I wasn't sure. Because although I didn't want her a part of that life, I couldn't deny she looked amazing in my boxing robe that fit her more like a dress. Almost too amazing.

With a groan I rolled flat onto my back and tried to will away the image of her perfect naked body moving around in the morning light, her breasts free from any constraint and her hips swaying--that's it I need to take a walk.

But right when I was about to roll out I heard my ringtone go off nearby and looked to see my phone on the floor. It must have fallen out of my pants pocket last night. I quickly snatched it up and checked the ID to see it was Jason. Well, there goes my hard-on. But then I realized why he might be calling and worry started to build up. I quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Gage? What the fuck, I've called you like seven times!" Jason roared.

"You did? I didn't hear my phone go off at all."

"Well I did," he let out a long sigh. "I got your text last night, but it was a little too late."

I flinched. "Are you okay?"

"I'm . . . breathing."

"What did he do to you?"

"Let's just say I got the message, okay? That's why I'm calling. I booked you for a match tomorrow night and the next day as well."

By this point, Katy came out of the bathroom with a smile but it dropped slightly when he heard me say, "Two matches in forty-eight hours?"

Quietly, she slipped out the room. Probably to give me privacy, although I didn't really need it.

"You need the money to pay him back. Money for your loss and money for the night."

"Yeah, I guess but . . . that's pretty risky. What if I get injured from the first match and I'm not healed by the second?"

I heard Jason sigh. "You already know I'm not going to tell you what you want to hear. You have to get this money and you have to do whatever it takes unless you want him to come back."

I looked up to see Katy re-enter the room now holding two glasses of water. Her bright eyes never left me as she sat back down on my bed and handed over a glass to which I took gratefully: Always taking care of me. And I will always do the same for her.

"I understand," I placed my hand on her thigh still holding the drink. "It won't be a problem. Who are the matches with?"

Jason continued to fill me in on everything I needed to know before we made plans to meet up at the gym later on. We had some serious work to do even if my opponents don't sound terrible, we still were not going to underestimate them.

"Okay, I'll see you then," I confirmed before hanging up and tossing my phone to the side. I let out a long sigh and took a long sip of the cold drink. I could almost feel a headache coming on already. This was not how I planned the day to go, but I guess I should have known.

"Was that Jason?" Katy asked.

I looked up at her. "It was."

"You have two matches?"

"I do, so I can pay Sparrow back."

It was so surreal saying that out loud to Katy but it didn't seem to faze her at all. Instead, she gave a slight nod before taking a sip of her drink and asked, "Can I come?"

Immediately I replied, "Absolutely not."

"Not even to support you?"

"This isn't like a normal boxing match, Katy. This is underground. It's bad. There are terrible people there sometimes including the Flock. And I don't want you near them. You really shouldn't support me in this anyway."

"But what if something happens to you?"

"I'll have Jason."

"But what if--?"

"Katy," I cut her off a little too harshly making her flinch. I backtracked immediately already feeling regretful for what I did and softened my tone. "Listen, baby, I've done this for months, I