Death of a Bachelor

#17 Tattoos on his back

She couldn't stop staring at the glow-in-the-dark stars on her ceiling, which brought back memories of her childhood home. The warmth of her bed gave her a comforting feeling of being truly at home. The fresh, new smell of her comforter helped her relax, as she lay there she remembered how she used to fall asleep under a similar ceiling, feeling safe and secure. The familiarity and smell of her bedroom made her feel nostalgic, and she couldn't help but smile as she reminisced about the past.

Her gaze shifted to her old stuffed toys, neatly arranged on a shelf. She looked around her room, noticing her old paintings stuck to the walls. The window, partially open, let in a gentle breeze that made the curtains sway softly. She remembered how she used to sit by that window for hours, daydreaming and watching the world outside. Her attention quickly turned to the door as it opened, revealing Lewis stepping inside, wearing only a towel wrapped around his waist. Water beads dripped from his hair onto his face and body. Simone, caught off guard by his sudden appearance, she quickly sat up from her lying position and covered her eyes with her hands.

"what the f*ck!"

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to intrude, I thought you were still in the living room" Lewis quickly turned around, Simone slowly peeked through her fingers, her face turning a shade of pink. She quickly noticed the tattoos on his back and the sight was mesmerizing. Simone eyes traced the detailed lines and patterns on his back, her breath catching in her throat. Lewis, sensing her gaze, glanced over his shoulder and offered a sheepish smile.

"It's an old tattoo. Got it a few years ago" he explained

"excuse me, I'm not looking!" her eyes widened and turned her back to other direction giving him some privacy while he dressed.

"you can look and touch it" Lewis chuckled, running a hand through his wet hair.

Simone's face heated up and her heart pounded. She closed her eyes, trying to calm her racing thoughts. "shut up Lewis" she muttered, her voice barely audible.

Lewis quickly dried his hair and body, put on his track pants before approaching her, his footsteps soft on the carpet "It's just a tattoo, Simone" he said gently, his tone teasing yet kind.

"Are you fully dressed?" she asked, jumping in her seat when she felt Lewis' warm hand on her shoulder. She quickly moved away and faced him with her fist raised. "Put your shirt on!" she demanded, glaring at him but he just laughed, shaking his head, and ignored her as he threw himself onto her bed.

"Whatever, track pants are fine" he murmured, hugging the pillow. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring the subtle hint of strawberry that lingered on the pillowcase. "smells so good" he whispered, which made Simone even more annoyed.

Angrily, Simone opened Lewis's suitcase and threw a t-shirt in his face. "I swear Lewis If you don't wear that, I will kill you!" she threatened.

Lewis sat up, leaning back against the headboard. "Okay, okay, relax! I'll wear it now...Mommy" he replied with a grin, which only served to frustrate Simone further.

Her cheeks flushed with annoyance as she folded her arms across her chest, trying to maintain her stern expression. "I'm serious, Lewis! and don't you dare call me Mommy!"

Lewis chuckled, pulling the white t-shirt over his head and settling it into place. "There, happy now?" he teased, raising an eyebrow at her. "You know, you're kind of cute when you're threatening me."

Simone rolled her eyes ignoring what he just said. "You can't sleep in my bed." Lewis looked at her in confusion, meeting her gaze.

"You can sleep there" she pointed at her couch "or here" she added, pointing at the carpet.