Exposed Ink Bonus Content

Extended Epilogue

Shane

Six Months Post Epilogue 

“All right, Sour Patch, I’m here,” I say as I stroll into her station at Exposed Ink. “I can’t remember the last time we had a quickie while everyone was here, but I’m down for it.” 

I close the door behind me, and she glances up, raising a single brow. 

“I didn’t ask you to come here for a quickie,” she says with a laugh. 

“What?” I scoff. “Why else would you ask me to leave Colton with your mom on my day off?” 

Since I only work two shifts a week at the station and Kinsley’s tattoo shop isn’t exactly kid-friendly, I’m more or less a stay-at-home dad, which I love. Don’t get me wrong. We had a nursery set up in the back of her shop for when he was little and she had no choice but to bring him in, but now that he’s walking and getting into everything, if Kinsley’s working and I have a shift, Colton is either with her parents or mine—when they’re not traveling. If neither is available, Kinsley will move her appointments around so she can be with Colton when I’m at the station. 

So, when she texted me to drop him off at her mom’s and come to the shop, I assumed it was because she wanted a little afternoon rendezvous. But apparently, I was wrong. 

“We literally had sex this morning,” she says, shaking her head. “Now, sit. I want to tattoo you.” 

Because my wife runs the show, I sit even though I’m unsure where or what she’s planning to tattoo on me. My sleeve was finished a while back, and while I’ve considered doing another one on my other arm, I haven’t set it in motion yet. 

When she grabs my arm, I’m confused since damn near every inch of skin is covered. But I let her do her thing. 

“Close your eyes,” she demands.

I think she’s joking, but when I look at her and see she’s serious, I do as she said. 

The gun turns on, and she starts to ink my skin. I don’t know what she’s doing, but it doesn’t take long before she’s turning the gun off and telling me to open my eyes. 

“That’s it?” I ask, looking at her in confusion. 

But then I glance down at my fresh ink, and my heart stops because right there, on my arm, is a new Sour Patch Baby. 

“Kins,” I breathe, my eyes flitting from the new addition to her. “Are you …” My gaze goes to her flat stomach and back to her eyes. “Are you pregnant?” 

“I am,” she says with a soft, watery smile. “I took a test and then went to the doctor this morning to confirm it. I was going to ask you to come with me, but I wanted to surprise you.” 

We started trying six months ago, and while we knew there was a chance it wouldn’t be as easy to conceive as it had been with Colton, after a few months of her getting her period, I could tell she was starting to get worried. Last month, I told her if all we ever had was Colton and Taylor, I was good with that, but I could tell she was disappointed. 

“Hell yeah!” I reach around her and lift her off her chair, carrying her to the counter so I can set her on it. “How far along are you?” 

“I’m due October 14.” 

“Holy shit,” I say, cupping the side of her face and pressing a tender kiss to her lips. “Next Christmas, we’ll be a family of five.” 

“Actually, take a look at the tattoo again,” she says with a smirk. 

When I glance down at it, I do a double take. I was so focused on the new Sour Patch Baby that I didn’t notice that there are actually … 

“Kins, are we having …”

“Twins!” she shrieks. “Yes! We’re having twins.” 

“Forget using Taylor’s room,” I murmur. “We’re going to need to look for a bigger house.”