Shit!
Hiseyes widened, looking down at where the paint palette covered his T-shirt in at least five different shades of pink.
“Oh my God, I’m so…” I went to reach out, my foot slipping on the spilt paint. I stumbled forward, and the only thing stopping me from falling was his tight grip on my arm. “Sorry.”
I blinked up at his grin, a husky laugh erupting from his throat as he stared down at the mess. “Are you okay?” he asked, his fingers warm against my skin. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I did call out.”
Bug’s music was loud, but notthatloud. I must have been lost in my own mind again, my brain doing that thing where it sprints in twelve directions at once while I’m just trying to keep up. Tugging my arm free, I reached to the side, grabbing some wet wipes before trying to dab at the fabric of his shirt.
Which looked like aPowerpuff Girlhad puked all over it.
With another chuckle, the man reached over his shoulder and tugged the entire shirt off in one movement. Paint has seeped through the fabric onto his skin, and only when he stiffened did I realise I was currently rubbing his abs.
My hand snapped back as if I’d been bitten, even as mortification burned my cheeks.
“Do all your guests get the same treatment? Or am I just lucky?” he asked, his smirk dimpling his cheeks.
“I didn’t hear you.” I wanted to choke back my words, becauseobviously. “Wait… how did you even get in here? This is supposed to be a closed studio.”
I eyed the door behind him. I could’ve sworn I’d locked it.
“Oh, I have this.” He reached into the back pocket of his jeans, which caused my eyes to automatically drop to the way his muscles moved on his stomach, and oh my his nipples were pierced. My face prickled hotter, which only made his dimples deepen. “This is you, right?”
He held out a leaflet, the one advertising painting lessons in a desperate attempt to earn some money through art. At least throughmyart.
“I just wanted to know more,” he continued when I didn’t respond, or even react.
“That’s for children.”
“My sister’s ten,” he went on, unfazed. “There’s a rather large age gap between us.”
“It’s also for next Tuesday. Today’s only Friday.”
“I’m just being efficient.” His eyes met mine, a deep brown that reminded me of dark honey. “So, do you have space for her?” he asked.
I went to reply, only for Bug to come barrelling in. “Vi! Tell me everything! How did it go? Please tell me he had a big…” She came to a halt when she noticed my guest, her eyes darting between us. “Oh, hello.”
I turned to find the man still watching me, clearly amused. “Well, don’t keep me in suspense,” he said. “So, did he have a big dick?”
Words. I needed to say words. Instead, I just gaped at Bug like a dying fish.
“And you are?” she asked, her gaze unblinking as she took in his half naked form.
He beamed. “Hi, I’m Ryder.”
“Ah, so yes,” I said finally, clearing my throat. “I have space this Tuesday.”
Ryder dipped his head, his shirt clutched in his hand. “Then I’ll see you next Tuesday.” With a wink, he turned, and I found I couldn’t look away from the way his backmoved, muscles flexing beneath skin marked with a chaotic map of black and grey tattoos.
“Holy shit, what’s happening Tuesday, and can I join?” Bug muttered before she finally returned her attention to me, only to roll her eyes. “You know I’m only joking. Now, tell me everything. How did the date go?”
“You knowexactlyhow it went. He was an egotistical narcissist who only stared at my breasts the entire time.”
Bridget, known by her friends as Bug, awkwardly scratched her nails against her fresh buzz cut. “Wow, there’s no need to be sarcastic.” It wasn’t long ago she had tight braids, and then she’d decided to embrace her natural coily hair until she turned up last week with it all shaved off. “I didn’t choose him for his conversation skills, Vi.”
Luckily her face was all sharp angles and voluptuous lips, so she could pull anything off while I was stuck with thick waves that did nothing other than frizz.
“He ghosted me.Andleft me with the bill.”
