I toss everything in my hands into the trash can, then wrench the bag of kibble out of his stiff jaws. “Let me get a damn dish first. You’re behaving like an animal.”
Kelly waltzes back into my office with two clean containers of pad thai. “Good as new!”
“You get started on yours, it’s probably getting cold. I’m gonna feed this hound before he begins eating my desk too.”
I find some old Tupperware in the employee lounge and fill it up for him. I’m not sure how much I’m supposed to feed him, but I assume big motherfuckers need big-motherfucker-sized portions. As soon as the dish touches the floor, he goes to town, gobbling it up.
“Christ, bud. Don’t forget to come up for air.”
The sight of Odin devouring his food reminds me of a piece of wisdom Clyde imparted on me when I first began apprenticing for him in my early twenties. He once told me that eating pussy was an art form, it should start like a butterfly landing on a flower and end like a bulldog eating a bowl of oatmeal.
I pat Odin on the back. Good thing the old man had the foresight to be cremated, because he’d be flopping around in his grave if he learned his advice would someday be used on his daughter.
I expected him to be here early, but apparently he’s taking his oath to dog parenting seriously. I’m proud of him. He strode into Black Rabbit this morning whistling like he didn’t just have his cock pressed between my thighs a mere fourteen hours earlier. My stomach flutters as soon as he makes eye contact and smirks. Darting my gaze away, I scurry into my workstation to get ready for the appointments lined up today. I swear the events of last night are written on my face for the whole shop to see.
He strides down the aisle, heading toward the front of the building, and then I hear him talking to Thor. I can’t hear what they’re saying, but Thor laughs.He’s not talking about me, he’s not talking about me.Even though this is my family business, I don’t want to be known as the girl who sleeps with her boss. Technically, we didn’t have sex—though not for lack of effort on my part.
I never felt intimidated by Logan the way other people were, but I’m starting to get it now. He wields authority at his discretion. Even Odin doesn’t think twice before following his commands.
“Morning,” he says, on his way back to his office. I lift my hand in a wave without looking, and he chuckles, pausing in front of my tattoo bay. “Your client is here.”
“Huh? Oh. Thanks.” They’re early. I was going to grab a new box of latex gloves from the stock room, but I’ve got enough to get me through the next appointment. I’ll grab a new pack afterward.
He nods, then turns into his station that sits across the aisle from mine, and up one, so we’re diagonal from one another. From the right angle, we can see each other if we’re working at the same time. Which it looks like we’ll be doing today.
“I love it,” Jane gushes when I wipe away the excess ink. I’ve been working on her for the last forty-five minutes, inking a sexy merman on her arm.
“Thanks, me too!” I beam, offering a brief smile before returning to the tattoo. I peer at Logan across the way. He’s hunched over his prone client, tattooing the back of their shoulder. As usual, he’s working in silence.
Stop staring.
Tearing my eyes away, I anchor my elbow and continue on. I’ve already outlined the piece and am currently adding miniature sailor tattoos to his chest with fine blue lines. The machine buzzes against my grip. Normally the steady vibrationis enough to put me into a trance so I can zone out while tattooing, but not today. Today, Logan occupies my thoughts.
We made out less than a foot away from where I sit now. I can practically smell his clean, woodsy cologne lingering from the night before.
I wrap my latex-gloved hand around my client’s wrist and adjust her forearm, stretching the skin to get a finer line while adding a simplified ship tattoo to the merman’s chest.
Focus on your work.It’s difficult when I feel his eyes on me; I suspect he’s playing the same game I am. How can I not look at him when he altered my brain chemistry with that kiss?
“We’re almost finished,” I say.
“I love it.”
That makes me smile as I work. I’m very satisfied with this one; all my curves are smooth and clean, the colors are vibrant, the placement on her inner forearm is flawless. Shading even. When I’m finished, I wipe the piece and sit back to inspect my work. Dad was a firm believer inbold will holdwhen it came to any American style. Rich colors and strong linework make all the difference. These mermen are a nod to the mermaids he used to do but with my own little twist. Dad would approve.
I glance at Logan, and for the first time, he looks up at the same time I do. His eyes glow like hot embers, like he’s been tattooing fifteen feet away with the same wicked thoughts in his head. However, it’s his sexy wink that makes me forget how to breathe.
After Jane leaves, I get my station cleaned up and check the notification on my phone.
RedShirtBlackPants11: You won’t replace me.
I roll my eyes.
KellyEverhartTattoo: Fuck off, Jason. You replaced me first.
I can’t prove he’s the one who has been leaving these creepy messages, but it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out when they started coming in the night he got into that fight with Logan. I toss my phone on the counter, then head to the stock room to grab a fresh box of black latex gloves before my next appointment arrives. On my tiptoes, I probe the top shelf for a box of my size. There’s supposed to be a step stool in here, but nobody ever puts it back where it belongs.
“Damn it. Where are they?” It’s times like this I find my short five-two height annoying.
