“I bet that’s not the only thing you’d like to ride,” Calista teased.
Harlow picked up a decorative couch cushion and threw it at her, narrowly missing the glass she held in her hand.
“Hey, careful.”
Harlow smiled. “There is that,” she said with a sigh, and it made Calista look at her with wide eyes.
“You didn’t. Get out!” Her friend put the drink down and rubbed her hands together in glee. “Oh my God. You did. You hussy, you. I love it!”
“I did. He did. It was incredible, Callie.” Harlow clasped her chest and fell back against the couch. “And I’m scared because I’m beginning to have some serious feelings for the guy. I’m not sure he can return them. I mean, he told me he wasn’t sure he could give me more than the night we had, and it was like I was possessed with the need to be with him at least once. You know, I just kept thinking, I needed to let go, live in the moment, and have a little fun for once. I always put everyone else before myself, and, well, this time it was different. I went for it.”
“It’s about time.” Calista beamed. “You were well past due to get laid. I was afraid your lady bits might have shrivelled up. A born-again virgin, perhaps. And those cobwebs needed a good poking to clear out or something.”
“Oh, shut up.” Harlow sat up. “I do not have cobwebs, and nothing shrivelled up, weirdo.”
“I know.” Calista winked. “I just like teasing you. On a serious note, I’m happy for you.” Harlow reached over and held her hand.
“You’re a good friend, Callie. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Calista squeezed her hand. “But let’s back up for a minute. What happened after dinner?”
“We went back to his place. He has a really nice loft apartment with these huge industrial windows. Everything is one big open space. It’s rustic and modern. Anyway, pretty much right off, we made plans to finish my tattoo. I have an appointment on Friday at six-thirty.” Harlow continued, “We’re sitting there having a beer and suddenly, I got nervous because I remembered he also said he wanted to see me draw for him. I totally suck. That worry on top of the chemistry I felt brewing between us…I couldn’t help it. I got up and admired one of his paintings. I tried to warn him I wasn’t any good, and he somehow put me at ease, and we sat back down, side by side, and he taught me to draw a sunflower. It completely surprised me that I actually drew something discernable with his instruction, and I felt elated. It was such a small accomplishment, but there it was. In the heat of the moment, I hugged him. The hug turned into a kiss and the kiss led to—other things.”
“Incredible things, as I recall,” Calista said.
“They were. It was.” Harlow’s shoulders dropped, and she looked down at her lap. “I haven’t spoken to him since, and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Wait a minute. You’re seeing him on Friday, right? Did you make any other plans?” her friend inquired.
“Friday night, after the tattoo, he’s taking me out on his Harley.” Harlow looked up and smiled.
“That’s good. So why are you going crazy?” Callie smiled back. “He clearly wants to see you again, or he wouldn’t have offered you more of his time after the appointment. My guess is, he hasn’t called yet because he’s crazy busy at the shop. Pick up the phone and call him yourself, if you want to hear his voice. You’re a grown, independent woman. You don’t need to wait around for a man to make the first move.”
“You see? That’s why I love you.” Harlow nudged her playfully. “I’m going crazy with all kinds of what if’s and insecurities because he is so out of my league. He’s experienced and I’m—not. And here you are telling me how it is and talking sense.”
“I knew I was good for something,” Calista laughed. “You lucky girl.”
“I’m not sure luck has anything to do with it.” Harlow raised her glass to toast. “Here’s to taking chances after so much heartache and hoping it all works out in the end.”
“To taking the leap,” her friend cheered. “If anyone deserves a happy ending, you do.”
“One day at a time, with no promises,” Harlow muttered, then took a big sip.
***
It was getting late, Calista had left about an hour earlier, and Harlow sat on the edge of her bed with the phone in her hand.
Here goes nothing.
She eyed Toby’s business card beside her and dialed. It rang a few times, and just as she was about to hang up, he answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey, Toby. It’s me.” She cleared her throat. “Harlow. I didn’t wake you up, did I?”
“No. I was just working on a sketch,” he replied. “How are you?”
“I’m good. I was just sitting here and thought of you, so I decided to call.” She exhaled. “Is this sketch for you or a client?”
“A client,” he said. She swore he sounded like he was amused. “It’s of a dragon, and it’s going to take the length of one arm when I’m finished with it. Just getting the details in there.”
“It sounds beautiful,” she said.
“Speaking of…what are you up to?” Toby asked.
Harlow giggled. “Did you just imply that I’m beautiful, Mr. James?”
“There is no implying needed. The guys don’t call you Hottie Harlow for nothing.” The deep timber of his voice gave her shivers, and she laughed as soon as she registered what he had said.
“They do not.”
“Oh, but they do.” He was amused with this conversation. She could tell. He sounded lighter, happier, even. “Although I may have started it.”
“So, you think I’m hot, do you?”
“I think I proved that the other night,” he said.
“And then some.” She sighed. “Are we okay? The other night was amazing, and you were incredible, but I don’t want anything to be awkward between us.”
“We’re golden, honey. I promise,” he assured her. “I’m looking forward to that ride.”
“Me too. I can’t wait. You know as soon as I walk into Misfit, I’ll be all flushed, right? Just fair warning.”
“For what?” He chuckled.
“You said the guys call me Hottie Harlow, and now I know it.” She giggled. “Walking in was bad enough without knowing. It’s like a candy store in there.”
“Uh, you lost me there,” he said, sounding confused. “We don’t sell candy.”
She laughed louder. “No, silly. You are the candy. Hot guys as far as the eye can see. Between you, Rebel, and Carson, it’s no wonder the girls line up to get ink.”
This time, he laughed with her. “It’s good to know you think I’m hot, too. The other guys…not so much.”
“I think I showed you that the other night, didn’t I?” She felt cheeky and went with it.
“Fuck me. Did you ever,” he recalled. “I may need a repeat performance if you’re up for it.”
“So, you’re not a one and done then? Good to know,” she said. “I’d like that.”
“I normally am, but with you, I can’t seem to get enough,” he admitted, and she wondered if it cost him to do so.
“I appreciate your honesty. You’re a good man, Toby James. One with many talents.”
“Thanks,” he replied. “I try.”
“You’re welcome.” Harlow yawned. “Sorry about that. I guess I’m a little tired. Calista came over tonight, and I had a couple glasses of wine.”
“Sounds like a good time,” Toby said. “I’ve got to finish the dragon, and you need sleep. We’ll talk soon, yeah?”
“You have my number, and I obviously have yours, so yeah, we’ll talk soon. Night, Toby.”
“Sweet dreams, Hottie Harlow.”
Chapter Eighteen
Dear Harlow:
My boyfriend only cares about getting himself off in bed. I love him, but I have needs too. How should I handle this?
~Unfulfilled in Minnesota~
*
Dear Unfulfilled:
Be blunt, and if he can’t give
you what you need, dump him.
Good luck,
Harlow
***
Harlow
Harlow sighed in relief as she walked into the air conditioned lobby of Misfit Tattoo. It was Friday, the Friday, when she was going to finish her tattoo then go out with Toby. She had butterflies in her stomach at the thought of the finished product on her skin. It meant so much to her: a permanent, beautiful mark that represented life and death intertwined, but it also represented her daughter, in a way. Her precious little girl’s memory, that was. It also hid a few of the many scars she struggled with. Then there was Toby—a conundrum of a man she couldn’t seem to resist with his sexy good looks, big heart, dedication, and loyalty. But she was also drawn to his darker side. She could recognize the internal struggle inside his gaze, as if he understood her sense of loss and grief. A kindred spirit with whom she also had a deep connection. It might have been her need to help people, including herself, that made that draw more enticing because everyone has those demons inside somewhere. He was just another fellow broken soul who she happened to be falling for fast and hard. Some of the excitement she endured by being there today was also for the man himself.
They’d been busy with work but had talked several times over the week since she’d made the first move by calling him. She looked around at the few people seated in the lobby looking through books, cleared her throat, and pasted a big smile on her face as she approached Rebel and Dee, who looked quite cozy together behind the counter. “Hey, guys. I’m sorry to interrupt.”
Rebel winked, and the beautiful receptionist blushed. “Nice to see you, Harlow. I’ll just let Toby know you’re here.” He walked backward, addressing Dee. “We’ll talk more later. You can count on it.”
“Thanks, Rebel. It’s nice to see you again, too.” Harlow waved, then arched a brow at her colorful friend with curiosity. “So, you and Rebel, huh?”
“When there’s something to tell, I’ll let you know.” Her friend held up a hand and fanned her face as if to imply there definitely would be a story to tell later.
“You go, girl!” Harlow giggled as Dee gave her a high five. “Hey, what’s Mel up to? I was hoping to say hello.”
Dee pointed behind her. “She’s in back doing a Prince Albert.”
“A Prince who?”
“You’re hilarious.” Dee chuckled. “It’s a piercing on a guy’s…” When she pointed to her crotch, it was Harlow’s turn to blush.
“Well, okay, then.” She cleared her throat. “That sounds painful.”
They both turned to the sound of Carson’s voice coming from the hallway in the back. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t two of my favorite women.” He winked and strode toward Harlow until he stood in front of her. He grabbed her hand and continued. “Excuse me. Is your name Earl Grey? Because you look like a hot-tea!”
She was speechless. Literally, she had no idea how to respond to that. Where did he come up with this stuff? Instead, she went with her gut and laughed like usual.
“I can’t believe you get laid with those lame-ass come-ons.” Dee shook her head. “Must be your pretty face.” She patted his cheek.
“My pretty face and hot bod. Not to mention my many talents. I’m also a sucker for a pretty smile, and those lines work every time.” He flexed his arms and blew them both a kiss before he called out to his next client. “Max, my man. You’re up, dude.”
They both watched him walk back with his canvas in tow, and Harlow sighed. “I’m seriously going to look forward to the day he meets his match. At least, I hope I’m still around to witness it. Underneath that playboy exterior is a great guy, and she’ll be one lucky woman.”
“Agreed,” Dee replied. “Since we’re on the subject of good men…yours is coming as we speak. Oh, and if all works out as we’re all hoping, you’ll be around a while.”
“I hope so,” she whispered for Dee’s ears only.
“What an amazing sight to behold.” Toby pulled her behind the counter and into his arms. “Hey, gorgeous. It feels like it’s been too long.”
“We just spoke yesterday. Miss me already?” She stepped back and smiled.
“You know it,” Toby said. “You’re my last appointment of the day, so let’s get this show on the road. Shall we?” He gestured for her to follow him down the hallway. “We’ll finish your artwork and I’ll be able to have you all to myself. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”
“You did miss me.” Harlow was elated at the thought. “The feeling is mutual.”
“Good to know, baby.” The moment they crossed the threshold of his station, he slammed the door to give them privacy and was on her in an instant. Her back was pressed against the door, and the heat of Toby’s body surrounded her. His mouth immediately sought hers, and it was heaven on earth. They were both breathless when he pulled away reluctantly. “We’ll have to continue that a little bit later because if I don’t stop now, there’ll be no turning back.”
“Something else to look forward to.” Harlow smirked and took off her shirt. “You ready for me?” She hopped up on the tattoo table, lay on her side, and got comfortable.
“More than you know,” Toby replied. She squealed when he smacked her on the ass as he walked by. It only took a couple minutes for him to set up, and the familiar buzz of the tattoo gun filled the room. “Whatever you’re doing, keep it up. The tatt looks like it healed up really well,” he said.
“I washed it every day and liberally moisturized.” She shrugged. “I can’t wait to see the finished product.”
“I bet. No regrets?”
Harlow shook her head. “Zero. I guess my initial problem was fear of the unknown—finding someone I trusted enough to get it right and allowing myself to take the leap. Thanks to Calista, Melody, and you, here I am. You came along, listened to the idea I had, and made it better with your crazy, incredible talent. Now, here we are, finishing it, and it’s truly incredible. I can’t thank you enough.”
“No thanks are needed. Trust me when I tell you, the pleasure has been all mine. It makes it that much better when it means something to the person you’re giving your art to.” They were silent for a minute before Toby continued with a question. “Have you known Calista a long time?”
“We met just before Lily’s first birthday, actually.” Harlow smiled as she recalled the memory. “She was my neighbor, and she turned out to be a really great friend, as you can tell. My first here in this city. Before her, I mostly kept to myself. I only lived here a couple of months, and I was settling into a new job at St. Paul’s in their Family Services Department.”
“Where was Lily while you were working?” Toby asked.
“She was with the Coles. They’re a friend of the family, of my mom’s, actually, and they were happy to help out whenever they could. They adored the both of us.”
“That’s good. Do you still keep in touch?” he asked.
“Unfortunately, no,” she admitted, ashamed to say so. They were good people. “After Lily passed away, it took a long time for me to recover, both physically and emotionally. Hell, I think I’ll always be a little broken. Let’s face it, losing a child is just something one doesn’t ever get over. It’s too tragic.” She shook her head and took a moment to gather her thoughts. “I was a shell of the person I used to be, and I kept to myself. Sometimes, I thought it was easier to just push people away. The less people you had to care about, the less it would hurt if something were to happen again. I couldn’t cope. Know what I mean?”
“I know exactly how that feels,” he said but didn’t elaborate.
“I somehow knew you would.” She sighed. “But Calista was a force to be reckoned with. No matter how much I pushed, she pushed back. It didn’t feel like it at the time, but it was kind of a godsend, and she was the rock I needed to lean on until I pulled myself together. The fact is, we need people, especially through the tough times. It’s human nature, even if it’s just to talk out the issues we hold inside. It took a whi
le for me to figure that one out, by the way.”
Toby snorted. “Did it, now? Don’t they teach you that when you study psychology?”
“In theory, I guess. But it’s a different ballgame to practice what you preach. Think of it this way. Would the person you lost want you to dwell on the grief and live miserable and alone for the rest of your life? Or would they love you enough to want to see you move on and succeed? In order to do that, you need to let people in, talk about it, and go through all the steps you need to grieve so you can get better for yourself and become a stronger person. Loving someone is a blessing, and although I’d give anything to have my daughter back, that’s just not my reality anymore. Though I am grateful for the time we had and that I was once blessed to be her mother, even if it was only for a short time.”
“Remarkable,” Toby said. She drew in a deep breath while he went over a particularly sensitive spot on her skin. “You’re a strong person, Harlow Ross. Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise. It’s one of your many qualities, which I admire.”
“Uh, thanks.” She winced as he began working across her ribs.
“Can I ask what happened with Lily’s father? You’ve never really mentioned him.” Toby paused to dip the gun in ink and wiped the spot he was working on with a paper towel before his needle met her skin again.
“There’s not much to tell.” She cursed. “Shit, that hurts.”
“Sorry,” he said. “Do you need a break?”
“Maybe just a minute.” She sighed when he pulled away. “Lily’s father was someone I met in my last year of University. We were together only a few months when I found out I was pregnant, and it didn’t go so well when I told him the news. His name was Scott, and he was a pre-med student looking forward to starting a residency at Stanford Hospital. I thought he was incredibly smart and good looking, and we were both young and having fun, until we weren’t.” She shrugged while staring at the wall in front of her. “I once thought we had the same goals. Anyway, I found out I was pregnant a few months into the relationship, and he freaked out. He accused me of entrapment, made it seem like I had done it on purpose because I wanted to nab a doctor to secure my future, which was preposterous. I was working toward my degree in psychology. I didn’t need him or anyone else to secure anything. I was doing fine on my own. We got into this huge argument and broke up. I was devastated, but I was determined to prove him wrong. He avoided me for the rest of my time at school, and I endured the gossip and pitying looks the whole time. By the time I was in my third trimester, I had graduated with honors. So, there you go. Suck it, Scott!” She wiped a tear from her eye and laughed humorlessly. “Then he found out when our little girl died, he must have heard about it on the news or something, and I swear, it was the first time since my last year in university I heard his voice again, but his apology came too little too late. He was never in her life. He didn’t want to be. But despite that, I invited him to the funeral to say goodbye, if he wanted to, and the asshole didn’t even bother to show up. Can you believe that? I mean, why call me to begin with? I was going through enough at that point. That was the first and last time I heard from him in years, and I hope to God it’ll be the last. He’s evil and cruel, and I hope karma bites him in the butt.”
Forever With You (Misfit Tattoo Book 1) Page 9
