Dyed In the Wool

5

*****WARNING*****

It was mid afternoon and a large portion of our group were floating down the lazy river that ran the perimeter of the park.  Our large group had broken up, and a few of us were here, separated by both people and various distances.  We had spent most of the morning climbing the stairs to go down all of the large water slides the park had, and apparently were know for.  After lunch, a few of us decided to try our hand at riding the lazy river, some stayed at the wave pool and others rode the slides more.

Ryan's hand held mine securely as we floated down the river, passing under the carefully planned shaded areas.  Every so often when I would feel myself dozing off, he would give my hand a slight squeeze waking me up.  He seemed to know and needed to make sure I was awake, safe from the possibility of drowning.

"You've been awfully quiet." He commented, letting go of my hand to grab hold of the hand hold on my tube, pulling us closer.  "What are you thinking about?"

Shaking my head, I adjusted my sunglasses before placing my hand on his arm stroking his arm.  "When did you know that I was worth it?"

"Worth what?"

"Worth it all? Like worth the time and energy, and a tattoo?"

He laughed loudly earning some looks from the strangers around us.  "I don't know Gem."

I rolled my eyes, as I traced the tattoo that he had gotten to surprise me with on our one year anniversary that sat just above the start of the inside of his wrist.  It wasn't much, but it didn't have to be because it was such a well thought out meaningful piece of work.  "I'm being serious."

He didn't answer, but moved his hand back to securely clutch mine.  "The first night you stayed the night with me, we were on tour remember? We had stopped in Nashville and we were staying in the hotel room just down from the venue.  I think we had only been together for maybe 6 months and it had been such a hassle to get you to stay the night because you didn't want to take off from work the next day." He chuckled, remembering the fight I put up.  "When you finally caved and we had finished all of  the room service, we laid cuddled on the bed, you were half asleep and you mumbled you loved me. That's when I knew you were worth it."

"But you didn't say you love me till months later."

He nodded, but smiled.  "Because I wanted to have this done," he emphasized patting his tattoo, "before I told you. And I wanted to hear you say it again."

I was quiet because I remember the day that he said it.  It weeks shy of our anniversary and we were celebrating early because they were touring in Europe the actual date.  He had planned this elaborate evening.  There was dinner, dancing, a movie and ice cream.  It was an amazing time, so thoughtful and something that he would never have wanted to do himself.  All of it the most cheesiest yet sweetest thing ever.

After dinner, we walked along one of the streets in downtown and he stopped me, and pulled up the sleeve of his jacket.  He told me he wanted to show me something, and a freshly done red Gerber Daisy with an G laid intricately along with his other ink.

I was speechless, never in a millions years would I have thought he would have done something like that for me.  As we walked further along he had explained he had designed it after talking with my sister and a few of the friends I had made in Pennsylvania.  It was perfect.  I couldn't even describe to him just how perfect it was.  So instead I pulled him into a kiss.  I was the first to pull away because I had something up my sleeve that I was so nervous to tell him.  That night I told him I had left my job in Nashville and was moving to Pennsylvania.