Lavender and Love

"What surgery Ressa?" He reached out and brushed his hand against her bare breast, grinning at her bodily response to his touch.

"Reconstructive surgery." She batted his hand away, suddenly bashful and uncomfortable. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her lips softly. "I mean, all of my treatments are over and if I wanted to, I could. I'm not sure how that would work with a tattoo now, but..."

"Why are you asking now?" he asked. After their night together, they had discussed her insecurities.

Cameron had voiced his wish that he could help her get past them. He had told her he hoped the tattoo would give her more courage to open herself to healing. But the self consciousness remained and she knew it might always be there under the surface.

"I don't know," she said quietly, "it's been on my mind." She sighed as Rob's words and her own self doubts began to creep in again.

"How about this? What made you decide against the surgery, besides the obviousness of treatment?" he questioned.

"Oh. Well, I didn't like all of the emphasis that Rob was putting on my breasts at the time. I also have seen women who have had the surgery. Some of them had a long recovery. Some of them the surgery didn't turn out as natural looking as they wanted it to. Some of them ended up infected. I didn't like the thought of something foreign being in my body, permanently," she rambled.

"But why now?" he pressed.

"You aren't like Rob." She shrugged.

"I sure hope I don't resemble or act like Rob in anyway. But, wait. What do I have to do with this?" His brow furrowed and he became suddenly defensive and squeezed her a bit too tightly. She yelped.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "I hate when we talk about him."

"Um, well." Caressa blushed and looked away. "I just mean that if you and I were together back then and you had thought it was a good idea, I might have had it done."

"Oh Ressa. Why are you even talking this way? You are beautiful and perfect to me just as you are. You are just nervous about completing the circle. Are you worried about the needle again? I'll hold you." He touched his forehead to hers. "You know, tattoos might be permanent, but there are laser surgery options if you ever decide you hate it."

"Am I that transparent?" She smiled shyly.

"To everyone else? I couldn't say. To me? I can read your mind, baby," he chuckled.

"Oh Cam, stop teasing." She half-heartedly pushed him away.

***

"All right honey. Up on the table," Lorianna directed in a swirl of tie-dye skirts as she patted the table. Caressa hopped up and grinned.

"No more crutches?" Lorianna noted as she lit a few fat pillar candles.

"Nope. Most everything else is healed too." Caressa beamed at the woman who was quickly becoming her friend.

"And your heart, hon?" Lorianna asked, giving a pointed look to Cameron who ducked his head out of the room, with a "be right back."

"Did Cam tell you about my relationship woes?" Caressa frowned as Lorianna brought the tattooing supplies over to the table.

"No. I'm in-tune, remember? Cameron wouldn't betray your trust like that," Lorianna assured her.

"Did you see this - us - being together?" Caressa was curious. If Lorianna had seen them together, could that have been the impetus for Cameron finally confessing his feelings? She wasn't sure she liked that idea.

"I didn't see you specifically," Lorianna began. "What I did see was a woman from his past. But that is neither here, nor there. The reason Cameron came to me in the first place was for some guidance on how to forget someone." She looked at Caressa to gauge her reaction before continuing. Caressa nodded.

"All he told me was your name. I thought the woman in the vision was an ex-girlfriend who was coming into his life to heal his heart amidst your decision to marry that asshole, to put it bluntly. I actually didn't realize you were the woman from the vision until the night of the tattoo session when he introduced you as Caressa," Lorianna told her honestly.

"It all came together in that moment. The woman he was trying to forget was the same woman who would heal his heart."

"I know it's hard, but you need to stop questioning his motives. The universe has given you a gift. I suggest being open and willing to accept it," she suggested. "Cameron is a rare breed. I think you know that, though. Don't you?" Lorianna asked.

Caressa nodded and mouthed "thank-you" to Lorianna as Cameron returned with a bottle of water.

"I thought you might need a drink again." He handed her the bottle.

"Thanks. Hold my hand?"

"Of course." He took her hand in his and let her squeeze as tightly as she wanted. She was brave and only winced a few times.

***

Caressa once more stood in the mirror, but this time she wasn't alone. Cameron stood at her side. His hand tenderly traced the outline of the tattoo, careful not to touch the fresh color.

"It's stunning and I feel different, somehow. I feel lighter and not so afraid," Caressa said softly, unable to tear her eyes from the artistic creation before her. "Thank you, thank you, thank you."

"That's the power of healing through love," Lorianna whispered, before gathering her supplies and quietly leaving the couple alone. She could tell when she was an intrusion.

"She's gifted, isn't she?" Cam acknowledged.

"Yes. I think I'm ready to come out of hiding and face the world." Caressa took his hand and placed it over her heart and then put hers on his. "I'm ready to love."

"I love you too." His lips brushed lightly across the flower blooming on her breast before he secured the bandage over it and took her into his arms. Caressa melted into him as he lifted her gently and eased her back onto the massage table, covering her body with his. He brought her hands up to his lips and kissed them, gazing lovingly into her eyes.

"Where did Lorianna go?" Caressa asked.

"Far far away." He grinned as he caught her lips in his and tugged gently, moving his hands up to explore her soft curves. When his thumb skimmed her side, she giggled.

"Too soon for a ride?" He wiggled his brow suggestively.

"Here? Now? In someone's tattoo studio?" Caressa wore a shocked expression, which turned into a whimper as his lips brushed against hers.

"What better place to lose your inhibitions?" Cam challenged, dipping his head down to seize her nipple between his lips before moving over to the other side. He placed a feather light kiss on the outline of the tattoo and she trembled.

"You're wicked Cam." She arched and lifted her legs so he could remove her shorts, tossing them onto the chair to join her shirt.

"Have you tried out any of that lavender stuff that Lorianna gave you?" he asked her.

"Not yet. Why?"

"I know I can't touch the tattoo area, but would you like a little massage?" Not waiting for her answer, he picked up a bottle of lavender massage oil off the counter. He started at her toes, eliciting a gasp and giggles.

"Cam, I'm not one to turn down a massage, but I'm too sensitive right now from the adrenaline of the tattoo," she explained. "When I settle down a little, I'd love one. Maybe at home; yours or mine, where I can be nice and comfortable."

"Lavender is supposed to be soothing. It could help calm the adrenaline down. Besides, it seems a waste of a perfectly good massage table," he coaxed.

"True. But, I think I need to work the adrenaline out more than I need to calm it down. It's a great idea. But, I'd rather be on fluffy bed where I don't have to feel like someone will walk in on us any minute." She smiled up at him.

"How about we use some of that adrenaline to our advantage then?" He winked.

"If part of that advantage involves making me come, yes please!" She grinned.

"I aim to make you come with more than just my mouth this time," he vowed.

"That's a hefty task," Caressa teased as he slid her panties aside to cup her pussy with the palm of his hand.

"It's a promise." His fingers plunged into her wet heat as his thumb rubbed her clit. She wiggled under him.

"Too." Gasp "Sensitive!" Biting her lip and pushing at him, Caressa squirmed out from beneath him and unzipped his jeans, reaching in and freeing his cock, which sprung up. He watched as she shimmied up his body.

"And this is my promise." She slid her panties aside and eased down onto his length, giving a little wiggle. "Good thing I'm back on the pill," she grinned.

"I'm wicked?" Cameron growled, moaning as her heat enveloped him.

"Fuck me, Cameron," she demanded. "Say those dirty words you've always wanted to say to me." She bounced on his cock.

"I love you." He laughed when she glared at him. "Oh okay. Show my cock what it's been missing all of these years, you naughty girl." He crossed his arms and folded them under his head to enjoy the most erotic vision of his fantasies.

Satisfied, Caressa undulated in circles around his cock, squeezed her eyes shut, leaned forward, and worked her clit against the friction of his jeans. Cam gripped her hips with his hands and thrust upward.

"Youaresuchabadinfluence." Caressa milked his cock.

"You love it," he grunted.

"I love you," she screamed out on a wave of climactic pleasure as Cameron joined her, gushing inside her pulsating walls and pulling her trembling body onto his. She heaved a blissful sigh, snuggling against him.

"Mm, I love you too Caressa, always have. Let's leave this tattoo studio so I can show you just how much." He winked and scooped her off the table, throwing a blanket over her nakedness, slamming open the door, and strutting past a startled, but smiling Lorianna.

"Ah, the healing powers of Lavender and Love," Lorianna mused to herself as she doused the candles and tidied up the room, flicking out the light as she peeked out the window at the two souls in love, kissing and stumbling their way to the car.

~~~~

I'd like to thank Liquid Matthew, Juan Vato, and H.I.S. for their wonderful feedback and editing suggestions. You guys/girl are all awesome! I also have to thank my friends who read the story and supported me on this emotional journey.

Thank you estragon for believing in this story enough to copy edit it for me. It was a delightful and welcome surprise!