Brady peered at his arm while I worked, which I found interesting. Although tattoo needles aren’t long compared to the ones used for injections, I noticed over the years that many people didn’t enjoy watching the process.
“Like what you see?” I teased.
“It’s interesting,” Brady said. “Your lines are so smooth compared to the old ones.”
“Many, many years of practice. I take pride in what I do. Nobody’s perfect, but I try to get as close as possible.”
Brady grinned. “Well, the lines you put down so far are perfect to me.”
My heart fluttered. If only he knew how perfecthewas to me.
Soon the heinous heart shape was surrounded by the center of the daisy. Now came the petals. They fanned out in all directions, effectively disguising the shaky lines of the heart. I had to focus deeply for the petals, since they required me to pull multiple long, clean lines—and I wouldn’t accept anything less than perfect for Brady.
He watched intently as I worked. It endeared me how curious he was about the process, even though this wasn’t his first time. I didn’t know how much he actually remembered about his initial shady experience. That brought out a burst of rage within me every time I thought about it. I hated the idea of some other alpha artist's hands on my mate, especially for something as intimate as a tattoo...
A frown must’ve etched into my face because Brady cocked his head and asked, “Are you okay, TJ?”
“I am. Sorry, I keep thinking about your first tattoo experience,” I admitted.
Brady shot me a sympathetic smile. “It’s okay. It’s over now.” He grinned slowly. “But I gotta say, I like you siding with me.”
“Always,” I said instantly. A protective growl snuck into my voice. “If I was there that night, things would’ve been different.”
Brady’s eyes widened and a soft blush dusted his cheeks. “Hah, yeah, for sure. I wish you were.” A melancholy note entered his voice. Once again, I got the feeling he held the full story back. I wanted him to feel comfortable sharing it with me, but I didn’t push it. He’d tell it on his own terms, on his own time.
As I finished pulling the lines on the biggest petals, Brady let out a wistful sigh. “You know, I know you’re jabbing me with needles and all, but this is kinda nice.”
I smiled at him, catching the happy glint in his blue eyes. “You think so?” I asked.
“Maybe it’s the spa-like atmosphere tricking me out of the pain, but yeah.” Brady chuckled. “I could almost fall asleep in this chair...”
My brows raised. “You’re that comfortable?”
“Mmhm.” Brady wriggled his shoulders, getting cozy. “You’re a big part of it, too.”
My brows shot up even higher. “I am?”
Brady nodded. He leaned his head against the cushion while casting a fond glance at me. It wasn’t a trick of the light or my imagination. That warmth in his gaze was unmistakable.
My instincts reared up, lighting up my chest like fire. My fated mate was literally in my grasp, submitting to the pain and pleasure of this intimate ritual... I yearned to tell him the truth about what I was, and how destiny had matched us as true mates.
But Brady was a human. He didn’t know shifter customs. If I suddenly dumped this on him, he’d probably run out the door and never look back.
On the other hand, I couldn’t lose Brady. There was no way I could end this tattoo session without confessingsomethingto him.
“So, TJ,” Brady said. “You know more about me than I know about you. Tell me about yourself.”
Dammit. Cursed with an opportunity to spill the truth, but I sensed it wasn’t the time. Instead, I fell back on the usual tale I told clients if they bothered asking about me.
“Not much to say,” I said, shrugging. “I’m the sole owner and artist of Heraldry Ink. I’ve always loved art, so the idea of permanently putting it on skin appealed to me. There’s a lot of technical skill involved that’s different from traditional mediums, too.”
Brady looked intrigued, but also amused. “That’s great, TJ. I meant more like... about your personal life?”
“You should’ve specified,” I said playfully. “There’s even less to say about that.”
“How so?”
“I’m not a very interesting guy. What you see is what you get.”
