Chapter 29: D A R I O
Hera casually let my hand go once she reached her vehicle and I died a little inside. I didn’t want to let her go. I took my seat inside the jeep next to her and I reached into my coat pocket and retrieved one of the joints I took this morning. I lit it and took a long drag before I passed it to Hera. I didn’t expect her to smoke much of it since she’s been turning it down all day, but she surprised me again when she took the cigarette from me and filled her lungs with the cannabis. I exhaled as I watched Hera suck on the joint.
The fog surrounded me and I was grateful for its return. Hera passed back the cigarette and we both silently took turns absorbing the herb until the joint was gone. I threw the roach out of my window and stared out of the windshield as I relaxed in my seat. I started to realize this is the first time Hera and I have actually been alone. I could feel her staring at me, without moving my head towards her I asked,
“Boró na se voithíso? Í koitázeis aplós?”
*“Can I help you? Or are you just looking?”*
Out of the corner of my eye I saw Hera bite her lip, and her eyes the deep ocean blue. My cock went crazy in my pants and I shuffled in my seat. Hera asked,
“Do you, uh, have you been to America before?”
I turned my head towards her and stared into her eyes, which have returned to green blue, before replying,
“I’m in America at least twice a year. I have family here.”
“Where at?”
“New York.”
“I’ve never been.”
“You live here in America and haven’t been to New York?”
Hera was quiet when she shook her head. She looked so innocent with her full lips slightly parted and her big green blue eyes staring back at me. Hera was absolutely breathtaking. I finally said,
“It’s very interesting. I’ll take you.”
Hera looked down and as she was lost in thought, her eyes went icey again. I wanted to stop whatever was going on inside her. I put my hand on the hand Hera had resting on her console and asked,
“What’s wrong?”
Hera tilted her head and with a blank stare she asked,
“I’m fine. Why would you think something is wrong?”
Hera stared at me with her icy eyes waiting for a reply, but I couldn’t tell her how I knew. I didn’t want to creep her out. Hera kept her gaze on me and I stayed staring at her, I wanted nothing more than to kiss her.
When she realized I wasn’t going to respond, she turned her head and looked out her window. It was driving me crazy that she wouldn’t tell me what made her eyes do that. The back door to the jeep opened and Keegan and Ambrosio climbed in. Keegan touched Hera’s shoulder to get her attention off the window and asked her how long we’d been out there. Hera looked back at her and replied,
“We just came out here for a smoke, we were just about to head back in.”
Ambrosio rubbed his hand on his nose then said,
“Oh shit, were you guys not done?”
I chuckled and shook my head and Hera snapped her head towards me and with wide green and blue eyes asked me,
“Did you want any more?”
I flashed her a smile and shook my head. Hera started up her jeep and looked in her rearview mirror and asked Ambrosio,
“Where to now?”
Ambrosio leaned forward in his seat and touched me on the shoulder, I looked back at him and he asked,
“Eíste kourasménoi í eímaste kaloí na synechísoume?”
*“Are you tired or can we continue?”*
I nodded my head and an evil grin split across Ambrosio’s face and he turned to face Keegan as he leaned back in his seat. Without taking his eyes off Keegan he replied,
“Leo’s expecting us.”
I heard Hera mutter something under her breath. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her as she pulled onto the street. I glanced in the back and saw Ambrosio and Keegan going at it. I knew Hera was going to be annoyed so I tried to ask her,
“Poios eínai o Léo?”
*“Who is Leo?”*
She just glanced at me and replied,
“Tha deíte”
*“You’ll see”*
After a short drive, we were pulling up to a tattoo parlor. Ambrosio jumped out of the jeep before I had time to get out to open his door. He nearly ran inside, dragging Keegan behind him. Hera chuckled and shook her head as we both silently walked into the shop.
Once inside, I saw Ambrosio holding the hands of a small, very tatted, Mexican man then giving him a kiss on each cheek. I saw Hera chuckle then she introduced me to the small tatted man, Leo. I shook Leo’s hand then he turned and something to Hera in what I assumed was Spanish. Hera responded in the same language and Leo reacted by being surprised and smacking Hera’s ass. I watched as her firm ass rippled to his light blow. I glanced at Ambrosio to see if he was bothered by this display, to gauge if I, too, needed to be bothered. But of course, Ambrosio was too busy cleaning the inside of Keegan’s mouth with his tongue. Leo called Hera something in Spanish and they both laughed as Hera blushed.
Ambrosio only looked up long enough to claim the first open chair. I saw Hera stand on her toes and look at the long hallway past Leo and asked if another artist was available. Leo asked if she wanted him to check, and asked her what kind of tattoo she wanted.
“I’m ready for my sternum.”
Leo gave Hera an evil grin and I didn’t like it. I watched him walk down the hallway and knock on a door. He quickly peeked in and I heard a loud feminine voice come from the room Leo was sticking out of, agreeing to Hera’s terms. Leo walked back to his private room with Ambrosio and Keegan, while he spoke Spanish to Hera again.
When Leo closed the door behind him, it was just me and Hera. She motioned for us to sit on the couch and I obeyed her. She took a seat next to me and I wanted to do anything to be close to her. I leaned into Hera and asked her,
“Aftós o ánthropos miloúse ispaniká?”
*“Was that man speaking spanish?”*
Hera smiled at me and nodded her head. I saw her look me over and glance at the time piece tattoo on my hand. She pointed to it and asked,
“Échete álla tatouáz?”
*“Do you have any other tattoos?”*
It was my turn to nod this time as I shrugged off my jacket to show Hera my favorite piece. The black and white portrait of Zeus on my inner bicep. I could tell she was impressed as she ran her fingers over it. I tried to conceal my goosebumps after her electric touch.