“Need help?”
Before I can answer, he’s brushing up behind me. He grabs the box from the top shelf and lowers it in front of me and drops his lips to my ear. “You look really good today.” His voice is low—predatory.
Trapped against the shelf, my pulse races. I suck in a breath. “If you fluster me and I botch someone’s tattoo, I’m sending them your way so you can explain why my ink is crooked.”
“If you can’t pull a clean line, that’s on you,” he says playfully. “I can’t be held responsible for your shoddy work.”
A nervous laugh escapes me. “Aren’t you supposed to be my mentor? I can feel your eyes on me out there. It’s distracting.”
“Yes, and as your mentor, I get to study you. I notice every shake of your hands and every slip of your needle.” I hear the smirk in his voice as he continues, “And I’ll teach you how tokeep going even when those hands are trembling so much you can barely hold the machine.”
I swallow. The way his intense gaze follows me around the shop is thrilling. I’m impressed by how much my senses pick up on his proximity. The tension we share—even from a distance—is scorching. Like tortuous foreplay.
“Does that mean you’re going to put a move on me today the way you did last night?” I’ve been wanting to ask him more about that kiss.Was he caught up in the moment? Was it premeditated? Was it even real, or did I imagine the whole thing?
“No.”
The rejection stings the smile right off my face.
“Not yet,” he adds.
We’ve been friends long enough that he should know how much that kiss has been occupying my thoughts, how I’ve been overanalyzing it. The only relief I’ve found is the way his eyes have been undressing me all day. He deserves a little payback.
“Might do you some good.” I rotate the box of gloves in my hands. “Overworked and underfucked is bad for your prostate.”
He huffs out a laugh. “Chaos.”
I smile. He says the nickname like a warning.
“What?” I shrug. “It’s important to take care of your health. We can lock the door so nobody sees.”
He jerks me tight against his front, and I let the box of gloves fall at my feet. Wow, he’s strong.
“If you don’t stop flirting with me like this, I’m going to lay you down and invite them to watch.”
I bite my lip.
He spins me to face him, then slides a palm under my shirt, snaking it up my side until his thumb is just brushing the underside of my breast. Cunning eyes pierce mine like he’s already conquered me. The knuckles on his other hand caressthe underside of my chin, tilting my face up to meet his. “And when I finally hold you down and break you in, I’m going to show you the difference between playmates and soul mates.”
His words knock the air from my chest.
He simply smiles, then backs away. “Have a good afternoon, Kelly,” he says. “Oh, and I need you to come in on Monday. I’m on your books.”
He’son my books? “You want me to tattoo you?”
He turns on his heel and walks out, throwing a “Yup” over his shoulder and leaving me standing there with my arms at my sides, a box of latex gloves at my feet, and a thrashing heart in my throat.
Hours after the accosting he gave me in the supply closet, I’m cleaning up my station after a busy day. I spray disinfectant on the counter, sweeping the towel over the surface. Logan casually leans into the opening of my bay and tells me his request for the tattoo he has in mind. It nearly has me doubling over in laughter. But he’s not joining in.
The smile fades from my lips. I turn, narrowing my eyes in disbelief and shaking my head; there’s no way I heard that right. He’s kicked back in my client chair with his feet up, threading his fingers behind his head, as if he was simply asking about the weather.
“Absolutely not,” I scoff. “Are you fucking nuts?”
Casper huffs out a laugh from across the aisle. Besides me and Logan, he’s the only one left in the shop. He’s sketching out a commission for his new client Anna. Casper seems pretty jazzed about whatever idea they came up with together.
My eyes refocus on Logan. I lean back against the countertops, gesturing to him with open palms. “Why would you even want that?”
“Because it’s permanent.”
