“No, dipshit. I want to ask Becky about getting into vet school. Bout time I start my applications.”
I glanced between her and Owen, who shared a knowing glance. My heart sank. Oh, okay, so Harp’s timeline for leaving was sooner than I realized. Fucking hated that. She’d started a few years ago, and as a fellow piercer, we’d bonded at once. Working together had been seamless, and I knew I wouldn’t find that connection with everyone.
Did Wyatt know she was headed in that direction? Fuck, what was I doing even thinking of him? My thoughts had become so tangled as of late, new feelings emerging that I wasn’t used to. Like the fact we talked every day, and I wanted that to continue. With most of the guys I’d been interested in, the thrill would start to fade and I’d be out by this point, but for some reason I kept circling around Wyatt like I was stuck in his orbit.
“Boo, I’m going to give you the wrong email address,” I teased Harper before I strode away. I’d get her the address, even if I didn’t like the fact she was preparing to move on. The next piercer Owen hired would probably be a jerk who got competitive and bro-ey. Though that vibe wouldn’t last long here.
Nyx was in her stall, sketching on a pad between clients. I coughed when I stopped in front of her, but she didn’t look up. “What do you want, Rory?”
“Your undying affection and praise, to start,” I said, scratching at my leg so I didn’t race by her stall. Maybe a few laps would help tone down this feeling, though.
“Mmm, tall order,” Nyx said. “Pass.”
“Asshole,” I responded, planting myself on the side of her table. “Daddy Owen says I need a babysitter if I want to do the tattoo convention.”
She looked up from her drawing. “Hell yeah. Tell me the dates and I’m there.”
“That simple? You don’t need any…favors?” I waggled my brows.
Nyx fixed me with a hard look. “No one here wants your favors, Rory. And yeah, it’s that simple. You’ve been talking about this for a while now, which tells me how serious you are about it.”
Well, this was dissatisfactory. Straight from one feelings conversation to another. “Gross, Nyx, you’re taken. Stop hitting on me so hard.”
Nyx lifted a brow. “Okay, brat. Tell Owen it’s on.”
I sucked in a sharp breath. I had to work a whole shift like this? I slipped up to the front for a moment, which was empty since the next clients hadn’t arrived yet. Slumping onto the couch, I tugged my phone out.
A text from Wyatt.
Are you free tonight?
My heart started to race on automatic, as if he’d walked right through the door.
Yes.
I hit send before I realized I had my shift here.
I work until nine, though. Will that be a problem?
Fuck, I hoped he’d still want to hang, even though he was more of an early guy than late night. My heart thudded a mile a minute, and I stared at the three dots at the bottom of the screen.
Want to come to my place then?
God, no matter how terrible an idea this was, my fingers moved of their own volition. I’d only ever have one answer.
I’ll be there.
Chapter twelve
Wyatt
Aweek had passed since our kiss, and my mind wasn’t any clearer—at least about Harper and how she might feel.
However, I couldn’t stop thinking about Rory.
He was on my mind twenty-four seven, and I missed being around him, which was crazy, since we’d only known each other for a short stint. Yet the more we texted, the more I craved being around him in person. And having him in my apartment would be the utmost temptation, because my cock had healed enough that I should be able to have sex again. Fuck.
I wanted to get off so damn badly. My balls ached something fierce, but I also clung to the excuse of asking him first.
