by Penny Blush
The commotion stopped amid the excessive complaining that eardrums had burst and irreparable hearing damage had occurred.
“ENOUGH!” I yelled, still upside down. “BEAR! Put. Me. Down!”
Reluctantly, Bear tipped me right-side up, placing my feet on the floor and resting his enormous hands protectively on my shoulders. Shrugging his hand off, I stepped between the two groups. Under different circumstances, this scene would have been funny; my five-foot-ten frame dwarfed by the sea of Viking-heighted Giants, who were looking like they had just gotten busted for fighting by their Nanna.
I gave each man in the room the evil eye so that they knew just how pissed I was at their childish behaviour. I walked up to Henry, placing a hand on his arm drawing his attention back to me instead of my irritating ‘personal guard'. I had worked with Henry and his crew before and knew what he was like, Henry is a gentle giant. That is until he got riled up and then his fuse was very short, but he is also quick to calm down, you just need to distract him.
“Henry, I’m okay, honestly, thank you, sweetie. Are you, all right?" I asked stroking his arm.
Memphis growled, Bear huffed, and Jaxon muttered, “Please,” under his breath.
“I’m fine Cupcake,” Henry said, raising a hand to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear.
"Don't you touch her," I thought I heard Memphis' muffled snarl.
Throwing him a look over my shoulder that said I would deal with him later, I turned my attention back to Henry. Having known Henry for years, he treated me more like a daughter than an employer.
"I was just worried about you," he said fatherly. "You know how it kills me when you get hurt."
"I appreciate it, Henry. Honestly, I do," I stepped back to address the rest of the room. "I'm perfectly fine guys so you can all," I glared at my boys, "stand down."
“I will not…”
"Zip it," I snarled at Jax as he started to grumble at me. "Henry, this is my cousin Jaxon and my friends Bear and Memphis. Boys, this is Henry and his crew. I have worked with each one of them for years and trusted them with my life." I placed my hands on my hips putting on my most stern, ‘I am in charge here don't mess with me' face. "You are in MY home, and I will not have any of you starting shit in my home.” Smirking, I looked at Jaxon saying, “Now shake hands and show each other respect.”
“Sure thing, mum,” Jax said rolling his eyes at me for using his mother’s words against him and lightly shoulder checking me before walking up to Henry to shake hands. Just like that, the tension bubble in the room burst.
The workers had gone back to work, and I walked my boys around the apartment giving them a tour and introducing them to the crew members. Bear and Jax were back to normal, even apologising for their shitty behaviour, before asking questions, mucking around and joking with the workers.
Memphis was eerily quiet, following behind us, silently observing.
After a round of man-hug-handshake-backslaps with the guys that included a promise that they could come to the construction wrap BBQ, Bear and Jax left, leaving Memphis and me alone at the top of the stairs.
“I don’t like it,” Memphis was looking at his feet.
“You don’t like what?” I asked softly, crossing my arms leaning against the wall next to where he was standing, leaning on the stair railing.
“You in there, with all those men, alone,” he explained. He raised his hand trailing his fingertips against the exposed line of my stomach at the edge of my tank-top, where it had ridden up slightly. “I don’t like it,” a small smile twitched at the corners of his mouth.
My heart skipped a beat at his words and the feeling of his fingers dipping slightly below the waistband of my jeans.
"You don't have anything to worry about," I said, hooking my fingers through the belt loops of his dark jeans, not looking up. "Just so that you know…." I said, tugging on the belt loops pulling him closer to me and he dropped his forehead to mine, "…. I don't like it when you have to spend hours with half naked women while you tattoo them."
“Noted,” he said a small smile twitched his lips again at my confession. “I have to go,” he whispered with no urgency to move.
“You always do.” I sighed.
“Does it help that I don’t want to go?” He asked, dipping a hand into the back pocket of my jeans bringing me closer.
“Does it help that I want you to stay?” I replied.
Groaning, Memphis pulled back, brushing a light kiss on my forehead. "I have to go, or I'm going back in there and kicking them all out."
“You can’t do that,” I said, dropping my forehead to his shoulder, my lips grazing his neck as I spoke. “I need them to finish. I have to move out of Jax' place, and I need to get off the couch. I need space of my own, private space. I need a bedroom and a real bed."
“You do. You really, really do,” I could hear the smile in Memphis's voice. "Sleeping on the couch can't be good for your back," he said slipping his hand under my shirt, his fingertips tickling my spine.
“Cupcake!” Henry called out, just as Memphis lips feathered across mine.
“I don’t like that he calls you that.”
“He means nothing by it. I’m like a daughter to him.”
“I still don’t like it,” Memphis smirked, brushing his lips against mine again.
“Cupcake, get you butt back in here, there is work to be done,” Henry called again.
“God, damn it,” grumbling, he kissed my forehead again, “that’s my cue.”
“Yeah, I better go too,” I said sadly, giving him a kiss on the cheek, sure that if I said screw it and just kissed him, even if it was a quick peck on the lips, that would be our breaking point.
“You better get back to work before you get into trouble,” Memphis said, lightly smacking me on the ass.
I stood at the top of the stairs watching him go, leaving me all hot and bothered, and kiss-less. Again! If I don’t get an uninterrupted moment alone with that man soon, I may just snap and cut someone!
Sighing, allowing myself one more dreamy-girly moment, I stepped back into the apartment to an explosion of cat calls and wolf whistles.
“All right you lot. Get back to work!” I called out, unable to stop the smile from breaking across my face as I went back to helping Gayle tile the bathroom.
Chapter 16 Hedge
That was the way of it for the next month, working at Barber Shop Ink in between helping the crew with the remodel of the apartment. My interaction with Memphis was all secret touches, knowing looks and a boat load of pent up sexual frustration that I channelled into getting my place finished.
Henry's crew, as per usual, worked like complete machines getting the whole remodel, including rewiring and upgrading the plumbing, done within a month.
I loved my new home, it was perfect. I installed a guest bathroom a brand-new state of the art chef’s kitchen in addition to an office, a guest room, laundry room and living area. But my pride and joy were my master bedroom and bath.
Just thinking about my new home makes me sigh with happiness. From my king-sized bed, I can lie and watch the sun rise or set over the river through the huge bay windows. My bathroom has a double shower, a large deep soaker tub and a huge mirror over the vanity. With my insurance payout from my burnt-out apartment, I could afford to do everything I wanted to the apartment without having to skimp on any of the appliances or amenities.
I loved my new home, my new job, and the people that I work with, it all made me happy. Things were finally starting to look up for me. I was still waiting for my hairdressing equipment to be returned to me. I missed doing what I loved, but it wasn't the gaping wound that I thought it was going to be. For the first time in what seemed like years, I was truly happy.
With my apartment finished and the wrap BBQ planned for the weekend, I found that I had more time on my hands, allowing me to get back to things that I had neglected during my mope and recovery.
I was back into running, kickboxin
g and martial arts. After my parents died and Davan deployed again, I had a lot of anger, and my emotions were unruly. My aunt had tried to help me work through them making sure that we had plenty of special ‘girl time' together. It didn't help that much, but I did it for her. It was what she needed, she was grieving as well, she had lost her sister after all.
Not knowing what to do with an angry, confused little girl, they let me be, that was until I gave Jax a black eye ‘cos ‘he was looking at me'.
My uncle took me to his friend who ran a mixed martial arts studio, and although he didn't train or have a program for kids, he decided to take me on after watching me flip Jax on to his back then pummel him because ‘he was breathing too loud’.
From the moment, I stepped onto the mats I was addicted. I loved the power, the velocity, the control of the movements and combinations. I would practice for hours. The whole family benefited from the outlet for my pain and anger as well as the discipline and control I learned.
With the extra time on my hands, I was starting to spend more time at Barber Shop Ink during business hours, mostly just hanging out getting a feel for the place. Memphis and I had decided that I wouldn’t work full time until the remodel of my apartment was finished. He didn't want me to split my focus between the two, and now that the remodel was complete I would be working full time from Monday, and I was quietly excited.
I had the rest of the week to myself to do whatever I wanted, which made me happy because there were still some of my belongings that needed replacing, things that I couldn't do without and needed.
It was a rare slow day at the shop, and Memphis was showing Bishop, who specialised in traditional Japanese tattoos, how to draw an American Indian wolf girl tattoo. I was leaning over the tattoo bed watching Memphis effortlessly draw each line, shadow and highlight bringing the beautiful image to life. The bell above the shop door dinged, but as Cassidy was at the reception desk, I didn't bother looking up.
"Can I help you?" I heard Cassidy ask.
"Goddess, you keep that exquisite ass on display like that, and it's gonna get spanked, you know that, right?" A slightly accented voice said as the sound of heels cracked across the tiled floor.
I knew that voice anywhere, not moving from where I was I looked over my shoulder. Smiling broadly, I couldn’t help the mischief that spread through me, I dropped lower on the tattoo bed, popping my ass further in the air.
“Come get some Mumma!”
CRACK! “Oh, My God, I love this ass.” CRACK!
“OH-MY-GOD!” I shot upright, rubbing the sting out of my ass cheek.
“What? You love it!” She said, crooking a finger at me, “now come here and give me some sugar.”
"Tabby my love, how are you?" I giggled wrapping her up in a hug.
Tabby was one of my oldest friends as well as my supplier of vintage clothing and the most fabulous heels you have ever worn. I had no idea where she got her sexy as hell heels from, but they were so unbelievably comfortable they felt like you’re walking around with clouds on your feet.
“Amazing, as always,” Tabby stepped back, holding me at arm’s length so that she could look me over. “Oh God, I have missed your sexy ass.”
“Not as much as I’ve missed you!” I hugged her again, although we spoke often, it had been over nine months since I had seen her in person. “So, do you have what I need?” I asked excitedly, rubbing my hands together.
“Oh, honey pie, you know I’ve got what you need,” Tabby said suggestively, noticing that every male eye was on us. She looked at me and winked before walking over to the tattoo bed that I had been leaning on, pushing on it testing its durability. “So, do you want to do this here, or is there somewhere more…private?”
Tabby’s not so subtle tease of the boys was interrupted by Jaxon.
“Tabatha my Queen,” he exclaimed by way of greeting.
“Jaxon, my sweet Prince,” Tabby cooed.
Jaxon knelt in front of her, taking her hand kissing her knuckles. Out the corner of my eye, I saw Cassidy watching their melodramatic interaction intently. Interesting…
“Why must you torture my poor devoted heart by staying away so long?” Jax sighed, clutched his heart.
Ladies and Gentlemen the Oscar goes to…
I grabbed Tabby’s hand, leading her towards the door for the stairs that led to my apartment.
“Oh, my God, you two are ridiculous. Tabby, my love lets go upstairs before Jaxon does something stupid like propose marriage… Again."
Cassidy looked at me quickly before turning back to the computer. If I hadn't been paying attention, I would have missed the look of hurt and confusion that quickly danced across her face. I knew that Jaxon and Cassidy had more than just a ‘friends' relationship, but what that was, I didn’t know. But if I had to guess, they are both being stubborn and stupid ignoring what was right in front of them.
My cousin is an idiot, who apparently can't see what's glaringly obvious. Cassidy is in love with him. Blinded by a unique brand of stupidity all his own Jaxon couldn't see how his little looks, touches, and comments affect Cassidy. Either that, or he does, and he’s just too dumb to do something about it. I didn’t know Cassidy well enough to make an accurate assessment, but my guess is that she is head over heels in love with him. She has been more than obvious with her feelings and that Jaxon is too oblivious to notice. I love my Cuz, but he’s a complete idiot who doesn’t deserve her.
People in love are so stupid. I wonder how long these two have been dancing around each other. Just man up and admit that you're hot for each other already!
What is it about being in love that makes you lose your brain?
Not that I am in any position to give any love advice of any kind. I'm still locked in an epic lust fill game of kiss-chicken with the world's sexiest Mountain Man! My last boyfriend had been banging my boss behind my back for God knows how long and I didn’t even notice. Talk about blind!
Tabby stopped at the base of the stairs calling out, “Jaxon my prince, could you please be a lamb and get the boxes out of my car and bring them to me?”
“For you my Queen, anything,” Jaxon replied, swooping into an exaggerated bow.
"Let's go before I have to slap you both," I said, shoving her up the stairs.
Chapter 17 Memphis
It’s been three months since Hedge started working at Barber Shop Ink. The date also happens to coincide with the commencement of the worst case of blue-balls in the history of the world.
I am confident she is trying to kill me. You can die from blue balls, right? It’s a thing.
I can just see the headlines now:
Local businessman, the owner of Barber Shop Ink, Memphis Blue, has tragically passed away this week. The coroner’s report confirmed that Mr Blue suffocated under the weight of his enormous blue-balls. The person responsible for said blue-balls, Miss Hedge, no last name, is said to be both elated and devastated at the news. Elated that she won the ‘kiss Mexican standoff’ and devastated that she was so pig-headed and wouldn’t give in and kiss Mr Blue herself, initiating what would have been a three-day (minimum) fuck-fest. Miss Hedge, no last name’s vagina is also said to be devastated by the loss.
After Davis’ shitty timing in the kitchen, I took Hedge upstairs to check out the apartment. After convincing her that my Pops did not, in fact, haunt the place, I stood against the wall just inside the doorway, watching her walk around the empty apartment. She looked so happy like I'd just given her keys to a penthouse.
Her big, wide, midnight blue eyes took in the apartment, that was just a big empty hall with a sink and small stove making up the kitchen with a toilet and shower for the bathroom, but still, she had a smile that lit up her entire face.
"I know it's not much, and no one has used it for a while, but it’s got to be better than sleeping on Jax’ lounge,” I said with a slight shrug, "and as I said, you can have it rent free, that is if you want it? No pressure."
Why she would want to li
ve in a dusty hall with shitty amenities I don't know, but at least it would be hers, and as a side bonus, she would be close. I mean, I would see her every day at work, but with her living above the shop there was potential for our paths to cross more often and then maybe we could finally find out where things could go.
“Are you sure? Well then, definitely I’ll take it, thank you,” she said, looking at me again with a big smile.
Then once again, things got all hot and heavy, with us practically dry humping against the wall, arguing back and forth about who the hells turn it was to ‘start’ the kiss. It was fun and hot as hell, but I wanted more. I had just made up my mind to break the stalemate and just kiss the shit out of her when I was once again cock-blocked by fucking Jax.
I left Hedge alone in the apartment and stomped downstairs back to the shop, adjusting my unhappy cock, cursing Jax to hell and back the whole way. That was twice now the prick had interrupted things between Hedge and me, leaving me feeling hard and on edge. I wanted to smash Jaxon in the face.
You would think with her working for me that we would have been able to snag more than a few minutes here and there alone, but Nooooo! All this sneaking around like school kids, excessive eye-fucking, brushing past each other just to get a brief touch of each other shit was pissing me off.
Not that I had any real claim to her. We hadn't even kissed, actually-properly kissed, let alone had a meaningful discussion about what may or may not be going on between us. But I mean, come on, seriously, I cannot be the only one who feels the intense attraction between us. The way the atmosphere sparked when we were near each other, I'm surprised that none of the guys have called us out on it yet. It’s not like we are fucking on the reception desk, but we also haven’t been that discrete.
Hiring Hedge was the best thing that has happened around Barber Shop Ink for a while. Not that I would ever tell Jax that ‘cos he’d be crowing about it for years.
