Run Wild Horses

Chapter 39

Just try to quit smokin' and reel back the drinkin'
Don't always tell her everything you're thinkin'
And dance her when she needs dancin'
You get up and go to work, get up and go to church
Crawl up in that bed right next to her and listen
Instead of having all the answers
Then he slapped him on the back and said
"Son, you can do it there ain't nothin' to it"

Ryan's POV

"So what do you think?"

I looked down and smiled. The tattoo on my inner thigh pinched a bit, but I could handle it. This was nothing compared to the one on my knee. Bobby, the tattoo artist had nailed the shade of blue perfectly. It was the exact shade of Sam's eyes. I was taking a huge leap of faith by having something so personal and symbolic permanently inked onto my body, but the blue eyed tiger staring back at me just felt right. A tribute to my blue eyed tiger.

Two hours earlier

"Do you take walk ins or do I need an appointment?" Sam announced cheerfully as we walked into the tattoo shop.

"Sammie." The burly, tattoo and piercing covered forty something year old man broke out into a big grin, suddenly looking more teddy bear than menacing. "It's about time you show your pretty face around here again." They exchanged a brief, but tight hug. "Sheree, look who decided to pay us a visit." He called out to the back of the shop.

A slender, heavily tattooed bleached blonde, about the same age as the man entered the waiting area of the shop, also breaking out into a big grin as she hugged Sam. "Our favorite customer is back." She said excitedly.

Sam then introduced me to the couple, Bobby and his wife Sheree, explaining this was the place where she had gotten all of her tattoos

"We always got time for you Sammie." Bobby grinned at her. "Is your boyfriend here wanting some work done?" Bobby looked at me.

"If you have time, yeah, I'd like something done." I replied.

"Bobby can take care of you hun. Sammie, come on back with me." Sheree smiled at Sam then back at me. I was led to the back with Bobby while Sam went with Sheree.

Now, here we are, two hours later, I could not be more pleased. Bobby did an amazing job.

"It's perfect. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you so much." I told Bobby.

He grinned again. "You are very welcome. I'm so glad to see our girl Sammie looking so happy. Take good care of her."

It was easy to see that both Bobby and Sheree were very fond of Sam. As rough looking as the both of them appeared on the outside, they clearly had hearts of gold. Besides, Sam just drew people to her like a magnet. In our visit to her hometown, it was easy to see she was well known and loved in this little town. That wasn't all that unusual though, because back in North Carolina, everyone she met fell in love with her.

"I promise I will." I said, meaning it from the bottom of my heart.

Surprisingly, Sam wasn't quite finished having her tattoo done. I thought for sure she would be done before me. It was just a small cardinal on the inside of her wrist.

To kill time, I took out my phone and went to my Instagram. "Topping off a great off week in Louisiana with some fresh ink."

I didn't even bother looking at the comments because I knew everyone would be asking to see it. I wasn't sure I wanted to reveal it yet, if at all because it was personal. Besides, Sam had not even seen it yet.

Finally, Sam was done, proudly showing me the cardinal inked on her right inner wrist.

I laughed. "That took over two hours?"