“Sure.” She opens the door and ushers me out. “Listen, doesn’t matter what your friend thinks, doesn’t matter how much time has passed. When the time is right, you’ll know it. Just make sure it’s on your terms. You need to jump back on that saddle and scratch an itch? Scratch away. But only if you’re ready. There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline, and God knows, there are plenty of good vibrators out there. Hell, a well-placed showerhead can do wonders for a girl. Right, Jen?”
My steps falter as I enter the reception area. I forgot that anyone else was here, but the last thing I expect is the very tall, very hot, very tatted-up man perched in the delicate pink chair behind the counter.
“You know it, Jaz.” The chair groans as he pushes to his feet and plants a chaste kiss to the top of Jasmine’s head.
“Wow, I, um…” I stutter, my cheeks flaming at the fact that I’m having this conversation at all, let alone with a strange man right there.
“Sorry. Jensen Bunnsgaard,” he says, thrusting his hand out for me in greeting. “Hope the pit-master treated you all right.”
“Um, yes?” My voice lifts at the end, making my response more of a question, as the giant Viking of a man’s soft hands encase mine in warmth.
“Knock ’em dead.” He pats Jasmine’s hip, shifting her to the side so he can move past her.
“Your friend took care of everything else online, so have a great day,” Jasmine says. I reach for my wallet, but with a wave of her hand, she adds, “She took care of the tip, too, so I’ll see you next time. Oh, and, Chloe?”
“Yeah?”
“Jen took the pictures back there—the ones you were commenting on in the treatment room.”
My gaze bounces back and forth between them, and Jasmine hands me his business card.
Jensen chuckles, holds the door for me, and tosses a wave over his shoulder as he saunters into the tattoo shop next door. Guns ’n’ Bunns, Ink.
FOURTEEN
Miles
In the weeks since we did everything we couldnotto discuss Chloe’s shower, she and I have spent more time together. Being with her and Jake is easy. Relaxed. Natural. The look on her face when I told her she should go run errands and Jake and I would have guy time, I thought she’d fall over. I’m not sure why. We’re dancing around our attraction to one another and I know for a fact she’s caught me staring at her ass more than once. Like now.
“Who knew the thought of going to the grocery store all by myself would hold such appeal?” Bottles rattle in the fridge as Chloe closes the door with a swing of her hip. “Any requests?”
Without looking up from his game, Jake answers, “Cookies, chips. Um, those frozen burrito things and Mountain Dew.” His mouth is open, tongue sticking out to the side, as his fingers fly over the controller of his game system.
“Pfft, we’ll see. What about you?” She looks up at me from the notepad she’s jotting her list on.
She’s bent over, elbows resting on the counter, ass looking fucking perfect. The only thing I want is to flip up the little skirtshe’s got on and run my tongue up the back of her legs. Hell, I’d settle for pushing her hair to the side and nuzzling the back of her neck. She’s got me tied up in knots.
“Miles? Anything you want from the store?” Her teeth scrape her lower lip, and her eyes sparkle like she knows exactly what I’m thinking.
“Some beer? Do you have popcorn? Movie snacks?” I lean over the counter next to her, mimicking her pose.
She jots a few more things on the list and then tilts her head, meeting my gaze. “Are you sure this is okay? I can take Jake with me.”
I smile and nod. “Take your time. Grab a froufrou coffee drink or something.”
“Thank you for this. Really. Just make yourself comfortable, and I’ll be back in no time,” she says.
I watch as she stands and rips the page off her notepad before sticking the rest of it in the drawer next to the fridge. With her back turned for those few seconds, I grab the pen, addbouquet of flowersto the bottom of the list, fold it in half, and then tuck it in her purse.
Chloe grabs her keys and pulls her purse over her head, the strap settling across her body and into the valley of her breasts. She is so fucking beautiful. Classy and sexy when she goes to work. Cute and sexy when she runs around on weekends, doing her errands. Casual and sexy when she hangs out at home. Just fucking sexy.
“Jake, be good for Miles,” she calls into the other room. “Text if you think of something else.”
As she goes, Chloe trails her fingers across my back and down my arm. She’s been reaching for me more. Touches like this, that are sweet, familiar.
Chicken skin breaks out on my legs, and I mumble, “Will do,” as she coasts out the door.
I am a lucky bastard that she has welcomed me into their lives so easily, and I need to show her how much that means to me. How much she and Jake mean to me.
