Guarded Heart (Dubicki's) (16 page)

She collapsed against him as they both lay together trying
to catch their breath.

Chapter 23

For two weeks they had a hard time leaving Jesse’s
apartment. They were there so much that they’d had to go get Carissa’s cat Cal
and bring him with them. The passion that they felt for each other was just
insatiable as they embraced their newfound love and made up for the time apart.

“So, what do you want to do today?” Carissa asked Jesse as
she kissed him good morning.

“Well, as tempted as I am to spend another day here with
you, I think we should get out a little. Next week I start physical therapy,
and, with any luck, in a few weeks I can start going to the gym to do some
light practice with Pablo. It might be a long road to recovery, but I’m willing
to do the work. I don’t like thinking of the time we’ll be apart,” he said as
he hugged her to him.

“I don’t like that thought either, Jesse. So let’s just live
in the moment today.”

“I want another tattoo,” he told her.

“Hmm, I like that idea. I think your tattoos are sexy,” she
said as she methodically kissed each one of his tattoos.

“Why don’t we get one together?” he asked her.

“What? I don’t’ have any tattoos, Jesse. You know that!”

“Carissa, that’s the point. You’re my woman. It’s too early
to think about a ring. I love you, and I want to be with you for a long time.
But we’ve agreed that we’ll get there one day at a time.” She nodded her head
as he continued, “I know that you would never have any serious ink. But I like
the thought of us getting matching tattoos.”

She raised her eyebrows to contest.

“Small tattoos. Just small tattoos. How about we each get a
small heart with the word “fighter” in it? Because you’re last name is Hart.
Get it?”

He grabbed her to him and kissed her. He knew she’d probably
not be into it, but it was worth a try. If he couldn’t put a ring on her finger
just yet, he’d find a way to show that they belonged to each other.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Jesse’s voice brightened with excitement.

“Yes. I like that idea,” she said as she reached her face up
to kiss him.

“Okay, let’s go.”

“Jesse, what place will take us both at once, today?”

“Well, I may have gotten us appointments when we reconciled.
I knew we’d have to wait for my guy, and I felt like I was on top of the world
that day. Besides you and fighting, the other thing that I think about often is
ink. What kind of ink I have, and what kind I’m going to get.”

He smiled into her forehead as he kissed her. “Let’s go. Our
appointments are in an hour.”

She laughed as they both quickly dressed and went to get
their new ink.

Three hours later, they both emerged from the tattoo parlor.
They each had a brand new tattoo on opposite hips. She didn’t want hers to be
seen by anyone else. Although the point of that exercise in the first place was
for her to have a public identifier for him, he liked the idea that he could
see it and no one else could. She was stepping out of her comfort zone to get a
tattoo for him, and he liked that she was willing to step into his world, even
if just a little bit. To him, she was as hot as ever, no matter what.

Since they were out in the suburbs for the tattoo, they
decided to take an afternoon drive out to Lake Minnetonka. Jesse knew she loved
houses. She’d spent countless conversations telling him about all the houses
she’d dreamed she’d have as a kid. He couldn’t wait to take her around the
nicer area of the lake and show her some of the prestigious homes.

They settled for a late brunch at a lakefront restaurant.
Carissa had learned that Bloody Marys were one of her favorite drinks, and
breakfast was one of her favorite meals, and he only wanted what she wanted
right then.

As she savored her first sips of her beloved Bloody Mary,
they debated the kind of house they’d raise a family in someday, imagining the
two of them and Violet in it.

“Do you want to live in the city, or the suburbs? I love it
out here. How can anyone not want to live on the lake?”

“I love it, too. But I have to say that my roots run deep in
the city. That was the city I was born in, raised in, dream in, love. It would
be hard for me to leave it,” he said.

“I know. I guess we’ll figure it out when we get there.
Lucky for me, there are fabulous houses here no matter where you turn,” she
grinned as she took another long sip of her drink.

“Agreed,” he said as he marveled at the thought of how rich
his life was with her in it. “I have one more question for you, Carissa.”

Her eyes grew big. He wasn’t sure if it was in surprise or
terror. He almost laughed at how opposite she was to other women her age.
That’s why he loved her. He wasn’t ready to let her off the hook yet, though.
Her reaction was too priceless not to play with a little.

“Carissa, the night I met you, my life changed. I’d never
seen someone so beautiful, and I knew right then that I had to have you in my
life. I’m blessed to be with you, and I hope to be with you for a long time to
come.”

Carissa gulped, afraid to hear what was next. She wasn’t
sure what she was going to say. She wasn’t ready to be engaged, even though she
wanted to be with him. So much was happening at once.

“Carissa Lynn Hart… will you move in with me?”

He smiled as she visibly relaxed in the realization that the
question was not of a more serious nature.

She laughed with relief as she said, “Jesse Dubicki, I love
you. Of course, I’ll move in with you.”

THE END

About the
Author

Lisa Andres lives near Minneapolis, Minnesota, with her
boyfriend and three cats. In addition to be a psychic, medium, and author, she
is a voracious reader who loves good stories. Lisa is a graduate of McNally
Smith College of Music; she sings and plays the piano. When she is not playing
with a band, she is usually out seeing one. She is currently working on her
next book,
Indigo Warrior - A Guide for Indigo Adults and Children
.
Guarded
Heart
is the second book in the
Dubicki’s Series
. The first book,
Dubicki’s
,
is available in both print and digital editions.