“I’m sure I’ll think of something.” We all hum at Parker, because if anyone can come up with something crazy, it’s definitely her.
Lifting her left breast, she shows off her new ink just over her ribs, perfectly matching the ones on our pecks. Three bottlenosed dolphins intertwined in a ring, their bodies shaded in soft grays with just a hint of sparse blue, their eyes alive. And in a genius move, Shade was somehow able to give a personal glint to each one. It’s clear that the middle one is Grinder, whereas I’m on the left and Parker on the right. I don’t know how I know this, it’s just a fact.
“I love the infinity loop at the bottom.” I’m taken aback by the awe in my voice. This isn’t just a tattoo, this is a promise inked on skin and the infinity sign threaded through the tails of the dolphins is significant, it ties them—us—down with no end in sight.
“Yeah.” Grinder wraps an arm around Parker’s waist, his big hand on her belly, then reaches his other hand around to my inkless peck, hugging us to him. “We’re anchored in perpetual unity.”
I don’t know I’m crying until I feel the first tear drop on my own arm, hand wrapped around his wrist, holding on to dear life. Parker joins us and, for a moment, we’re looking at each other and ourselves in the mirror, touching, contemplating, cementing.
This is our new life and I’m okay with it.
When we leave the shop, we each go to our respective vehicles with strict instructions to follow Grinder. Apparently, he’s full of surprises tonight.
The drive is short and when we park in the empty lot of the local aquarium, I frown. It’s late, well past nine at night. To be honest, I’m starving and a nice dinner after the trauma of a tattoo—okay, I’m being dramatic, but it’s starting to cook a little over my skin—sounds really freaking good right about now.
“Pretty sure the aquarium is closed, Diego.” I use his real name on purpose, like I’m being serious because, yes, I’m hungry.
“You know nothing, Spencer Holt.” With his helmet under his arm and his other hand held out for Parker to take, he walks up to me and kisses the breath right out of my lungs. Damn, I’ll never grow tired of that. “Trust me.”
Yeah, famous last words.
“I’m huuuuungry, though.” I could kiss Parker right now. Her pout speaks to my soul.
“Same.” Like, by a lot.
Dangling a set of keys from his fingers, Grinder jogs up to the side door and opens it without a worry in the world. Are we breaking and entering? Shit, if we’re caught, I’ll have a felony on my record and won’t be able to practice medicine, ever.
“Diego, I can’t break the law. They don’t give out medical licenses to felons.”
“Shhh, quit stressing. One of our club friends works here. It’s all above board with rules and regulations that we have to follow and blah blah blah.” Of course the rules bother him, he’s never followed one in his life. “Now, come inside, then tell me you love me.”
We follow Grinder through the maze of the aquarium. The main lights are out, but the bluish glow from the water tanks is enough for us to see where we’re going. It’s mesmerizing, almost mystical, as we walk by the different sized jellyfish just going about their lives.
“This is so fucking cool.” I can hear the awe in Parker’s barely audible declaration.
“So fucking cool.” It’s difficult to describe it any other way.
All of that is forgotten when we turn the corner and I have to blink a few times to make sure what I’m seeing is actually there.
The room is like a sunk-in amphitheater with underwater pools visible on all sides. In the middle is an elaborate picnic with blankets and pillows set up haphazardly, all basking in the low shimmer of faux candles lined up on the top stairs. With the blue from the water and the moving shadows, it feels like we’re deep in the abyss of the ocean floor. Except we can breathe, and talk, and apparently, we’ll be eating at some point, thank goodness.
“When did you do all this?” Parker is doing a slow spin and I understand why. It’s impossible to take in every aspect without looking at it from all sides. The beauty, the attention to detail, the overall mood, it’s magical.
“While you were out.” It’s all he says, shrugging like it’s no big deal. “Sledge and Shade helped.”
“This is…I don’t even have words for it.” I speak so low, I’m not even sure they’ve heard me, but I should know better. The acoustics in this empty, sunken, room are on point.
“Look!” We all turn at the sound of Parker’s excited voice and the sight before us is what breaks me completely. In the largest of the four basins, three dolphins are swimming, playing together, running after one another. The biggest of the three turns on its back, swimming upside down while another swims right above him. Then they switch it up and the third dolphin comes into play.
We just stand there, staring, taking it all in, appreciating this privileged moment and committing every second to memory.
“Come on, let’s eat.” Diego takes our hands and leads us to the picnic, and as we take our seats, he announces, “The lube and condoms are in the basket over here. I’ve got some disinfectant for after. I promised I’d clean up real good.”
I almost choke on the grapes, one of them nearly lodging in the wrong pipe.
“We’re not having sex here.” Not a chance in hell. There must cameras all over the place and nowhere in my life plans did I suggest making a CCTV clip of me getting my brains fucked out in an aquarium.
“Aren’t we, though?”