Temptations (Tattoos & Tears Book 1)

by Amiee Louise

  “Tell me you don’t want this; tell me you haven’t been thinking about having my cock buried deep inside you,” he whispers. I let out a soft moan as his fingers gently tease my slick, aching folds. He leans closer to me and kisses me deeply and passionately on the lips. I grip his shirt desperately. He responds by pulling me closer to him, gently tugging on my hair. Suddenly, there is a presence at our table, and the waiter clears his throat.

  “Ahem.”

  Sam pulls away from the kiss, completely unfazed by the presence of the waiter. He removes his hand smoothly from under my dress and reluctantly moves back from me. I am panting with desire and feel my face flush with embarrassment at being caught in such a compromising position. I can’t look him in the eye as the waiter sets our meals down on the table.

  “Is there anything else I can get for you both, Mr. Newbolt, madam?”

  Sam shakes his head. “No, thanks, mate. We’re all good. Just one thing, though? Could you make sure we get no more interruptions, please? If we need anything, we’ll let you or one of your staff know. Is that OK?”

  The waiter looks sheepish. “Erm, yes, Mr. Newbolt. I’ll take care of it personally,” he stutters.

  “Cheers, mate.”

  The waiter walks away with his eyes cast down on the floor. We both tuck into our meals in a comfortable silence, but I can’t keep my eyes off him. The way the muscles in his arm tense as he lifts his fork to his mouth, the way his eyes sparkle as the soft candlelight hits them. He is pure male perfection; this man mesmerizes me, and I have no idea why. I have never been this way around a man before, not even Callum. I feel a connection with him, and he makes me feel safe like no man has before. I think he is right: I can’t walk away, either.

  8

  Peyton

  We finish our meals, and both agree to skip dessert. He settles the bill by placing a few notes on the table. He is the perfect gentleman. A warm fuzzy feeling settles in my stomach, and I am not sure whether it is butterflies from just being around him or the effects of the champagne. He escorts me out of the restaurant with his hand at the small of my back and holds open the door for me. His bodyguard is waiting outside the door for us, and he hands Sam the keys to his car.

  “Thanks, mate. Sorry I haven’t introduced you. Peyton, this is Cole, my security guy, close friend, and occasional chauffeur. Cole, this is Peyton.”

  He tips his hat and smiles infectiously. I smile back, and we shake hands.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Peyton.”

  His voice is a deep baritone and reminds me of a British Barry White. I smirk to myself at the thought.

  “Pleased to meet you too, Cole.”

  He nods and smiles. I instantly like him—for guarding Sam and for being such a gentleman. I am so used to working with men at the shop and being around men in general. I am treated as if I am one of the lads and it is a refreshingly welcome change to be treated like a lady.

  “Do you need me to escort the lady home, Sam?”

  Sam smiles and shakes his head, not taking his gaze away from mine.

  “No thanks, Cole. I’ll take her myself.”

  Sam winks at me, and I look away from him, unable to hide my shyness. Cole raises his eyebrows questioningly and nods.

  “Do you need anything else, Sam?”

  Sam shakes his head. “No thanks. You go home to Amy and Addison, make sure you give them both a big kiss from me. I’ll text you in the morning if I need anything, mate, and tell Addison Uncle Sammy will see her really soon. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

  Sam pats Cole on the back and winks.

  “Goodnight, Sam, Peyton.”

  He tips his hat to both of us and walks towards his car, which is parked on the opposite side of the road. Sam unlocks his car and opens the passenger-side door for me. I get in and am instantly hit by the warmth and safety of his car. He goes around to the driver’s side and gets in beside me. He starts the ignition, pulling away from the kerb and into the sparse night-time traffic. I lean back in my seat and look over at his profile under the street lamps. I am enamoured with this man, and he only walked into my life a matter of hours ago. I need to hold back, be cautious, and not rush into things, but as soon as he is close to me, all my thoughts are completely scattered. I lean my head back in the seat and softly sigh.

  “Hey, are you OK, babe? You seem deep in thought.”

  “Yeah, I’m fine, just thinking about this—us.” I gesture around us. “You literally walked into my life just a few hours ago, and you’ve completely turned my life upside down. In a good way.”

  He smiles his dazzling smile again. “That’s good to know, babe, I feel the same”

  Before I know it, we are pulling up outside my flat. He pulls up at the kerb, unclips his seatbelt, and turns to face me.

  “So, am I going to see you again?”

  I bite my lip, and before I know what I’m saying, I blurt out, “Do you want to come up for a coffee?”

  He laughs, and I bite harder on my lip. God, I have turned into a walking cliché.

  “Yeah, sure, why not?”

  I breathe a sigh of relief and open the car door. He gets out, locks the car, and is at my side in seconds. We go into the foyer of the building, up one flight of stairs and I open the door to my place. I kick off my shoes and the door swings shut. Before I turn on the light, he presses me against the wall. He kisses me deeply, his tongue probing my mouth, gently sucking on my bottom lip. He grabs both of my wrists in one of his hands and lifts them above my head, pinning me to the wall, holding me in place. His other hand slides under my dress and strokes my inner thigh as he did in the restaurant. His lips move from my lips down to my neck, planting a trail of frantic kisses down my neck to my collarbone. I instantly feel slickness between my legs—my pussy is throbbing for him. He slides his hand from my inner thigh and finds the edge of my knickers. I am relieved that I decided to wear my sexy underwear tonight and not my magic, flesh-coloured, pants! He pushes my knickers aside and finds my slick folds begging for his fingers to touch me. He slides a finger inside me, and I moan with pleasure.

  “Jesus, you’re fucking soaking, babe. I knew you were wet for me in the restaurant,” he whispers huskily. I’m trembling with white-hot desire just from his touch.

  “Oh, God, Sam!”

  He is lazily sliding his finger in and out of my wet pussy while I whimper.

  “Fuck, you feel so good.”

  I feel my knees start to buckle underneath me. He scoops me up into his arms with ease and carries me across the flat.

  “Which one’s your room, babe?”

  I point to my bedroom and giggle as he carries me to the door. I push the door handle down, and he carries me inside. My bedroom is a modest size with a large king-size bed dominating the room, with a black, feather dream catcher hanging above my bed. I have two, black-lacquer bedside tables on either side; the walls are decorated with purple leopard print wallpaper, black carpet and a series of arty tattoo prints that my dad took, pictures of Ruby and me pictures of my family and friends hanging in black frames on the walls. The window has a wind chime hanging in the centre and blackout blinds to block the sun and the prying eyes of our neighbours.

  He drops me down onto the bed and collapses on top of me. We are both laughing, completely comfortable in each other’s company, and he suddenly stops and gazes at me. He strokes a strand of hair away from my face and kisses the corner of my mouth.

  “God, you are the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. I can’t believe my luck. When I walked into the shop today, I thought I was just going to be tattooed and go about my life as normal afterwards. I didn’t plan on meeting the woman of my dreams.”

  Blushing, I manage, “You’re amazing.”

  He kisses me gently on the tip of my nose and sits up. I get up from the bed, suddenly feeling completely overwhelmed by the whole situation.

  “Erm, I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.”

  He laughs. “As
if I would.”

  I pad across the floor to the bathroom and shut the door. I lean my head against the door and feel unexpectedly besieged by the way Sam is making me feel. I never have sex on a first date, and I never bring men back to our flat. He is making me break all my rules, but it feels so … right. I move over to the sink and look at my reflection in the mirror. My face is flushed; my blue eyes are wide and glossy.

  “Get it together, Peyton, there’s a gorgeous man waiting back there for you.”

  I give myself a pep talk, take a deep breath, and drag a brush through my mussed hair. I open the bathroom door and stand in the doorway of my bedroom silently observing him. He looks so at home and gorgeous. He is in my room waiting for me, and I suddenly feel like I can’t do this. I just can’t. I really like him, but our lives are poles apart. Our personalities are so similar, but our lives couldn’t be more different.

  I give myself a mental shake, you deserve this man, Peyton, you’ve waited so long for a man like Sam, and he is not Callum. Stop being so bloody pathetic and get your shit together. I take a breath, about to step back into the bedroom, and I watch as he runs his hand over my faux animal print journal. My private journal full of my thoughts and memories. He picks it up from my bedside table, and two photos fall out and onto the floor. A picture of Callum and me and our first scan picture. He bends down to the pick them up, and I feel a sense of overwhelming panic rise in my throat. As soon as he picks them up, I know he is going to make an excuse and walk out. I gasp and put my hand to my mouth to stifle my shock as he examines the photos. His eyes become hard, and he growls as he looks at the picture in front of him. He looks up and seems startled to see me standing in the doorway.

  “I’m-I’m sorry. I was just—”

  I hold my finger up, and I start to feel bile rise up in my throat. I feel like I am going to throw up. My instincts kick in, and before I know what I am saying, I am telling him to leave.

  “Go,” I manage to whisper, and he looks puzzled.

  “Peyton, babe, please.”

  I shake my head, my eyes brimming with tears. I will not cry in front of him. He does not need to see me like this. The aftermath of what Callum did to me— I will not put him through that.

  “Sam, just go,” I say, louder this time through clenched teeth. “Please, just go.”

  He moves closer to me, and I back away.

  “Peyton, babe, it’s just me, please,” he says, pleadingly, and by the look in his eyes, he doesn’t want to walk away. He doesn’t want to leave me here like this, but I am fiercely determined. I don’t want him to see me this way; I can’t let him see me like this.

  “Sam, please just get the fuck out!” I scream and the flat door slams. I hear Ruby’s heels clicking across the floor.

  “Peyton? Is everything all right, babe? Has he hurt you?”

  I pause, and Ruby grabs Sam’s shirt.

  “If you’ve fucking hurt her, I swear to the baby Jesus I will make sure you won’t ever pro-create,” she snaps. Ruby is fiercely protective of me. She looks from him to me at this very fucked up situation unfolding in front of her.

  “Rubes, please, he hasn’t hurt me, I just want him to go. Please make him leave,” I plead, and she loosens her grip on his shirt.

  “You heard her; you need to leave now, Sam.”

  He holds his hands up in defeat.

  “OK, I’m going, but we need to sort this out. This isn’t over, babe. I’ll call you tomorrow, or I’ll come to the shop.”

  I shake my head. “Don’t call me, and please don’t come to the shop. I’ve got nothing more to say. I don’t want to see you again.”

  He hangs his head.

  “Fine, have it your way, I’ll go.”

  He looks me straight in the eyes, silently begging me not to do this. However, I have no choice. He moves closer to me, and I go to back away. He tenderly takes my wrist and pulls me into his hard chest. I take his scent in for the last time, and he leans down.

  “Please, don’t do this, Peyton,” he whispers in my ear, and his warm breath tickles my cheek. He brushes my hair from my face, and he kisses me so gently on the lips I want to cry. It takes everything I have not to break down in front of him. The truth is, for the first time in a long time, I feel whole and safe. I pull away knowing this will be the last time I will see him. My eyes glaze over at the thought, and before I have hold of my emotions, a tear rolls down my cheek. He wipes it away with the pad of his thumb. I can see it in his eyes that this is hurting him too and he shakes his head dejectedly.

  “Goodbye, Peyton.”

  He kisses my forehead, walks out of my flat, and out of my life. I hear the door close, and as soon as it closes, I break down on the floor in floods of tears—I can’t stop them from falling. Ruby sinks to her knees beside me and rubs my back. Silently comforting me, knowing that I’ll open up and tell her what happened when I’m ready. I sob hard into her chest, and just knowing that she is there for me is enough to make the tears subside.

  “Babe, do you want to tell me what the fuck happened?”

  I look up at her with a pained look in my eyes; she nods in understanding and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, instantly reminding me of Sam and the same tender gesture. It has me in tears as I think of him and what I have thrown away.

  “I fucked up, Rubes,” I sob.

  “Shhh, it’s going to be OK, babe, I promise.”

  I sob well into the night, and I’m so exhausted as the tears subside, I fall into a deep dreamless sleep.

  9

  Peyton

  The next morning, I wake way before my alarm goes off, and the events of last night immediately rush to the forefront of my mind. I automatically feel embarrassed and humiliated at the way I acted in front of Sam. I pull back the duvet and get out of bed. I am up so early that I can’t hear the sound of Ruby’s morning routine. I decide to go for a morning run to clear my head. Changing quickly into my jogging bottoms, a t-shirt, my hoodie, and jamming my feet into my trusty Reebok trainers, I check my phone as I pull my hair up into a messy ponytail. I have one text message from Sam, and my heart leaps as I see his name on my phone.

  I’m so sorry

  Please call me I have to know you’re OK

  S xx

  I toss my phone on the sofa not wanting to be reminded of him. I put my earphones in and go out of the front door. Walking out into the street, the fresh air mixed with the beat of my iPod is a welcome distraction from the melee in my head. I start with a gentle jog around the block, and as soon as I hit my stride, I am pounding the pavement through Regent’s Park. The city seems so quiet at this early hour, and it is strangely calming. I run for what seems like an age before stopping near a bench to catch my breath. I bend to stretch my legs out.

  “Looks like we both had the same idea this morning, babe.”

  I look up to see Seb’s smiling face jogging towards me. He looks fresh for first thing in the morning, wearing long black shorts—highlighting his muscular, tattooed legs—a black sports jacket, a grey vest underneath and black Nike trainers. I am happy to see a friendly face. As soon as he stops inches away from me, I feel the overwhelming urge to blurt out what happened and break down in front of him. I take a breath of fresh morning air to quell the tears.

  “Yeah, I couldn’t sleep; I needed the distraction, to be honest, babe.”

  I plaster a fake grin on my face, and he laughs.

  “Last night … exhausting then?”

  I laugh and cock my eyebrow at Seb’s attempt at subtlety. You’re about as subtle as a sledgehammer, Henry!

  “Nothing happened, shockingly enough.”

  Seb looks concerned, and he brushes my arm.

  “Do you want to go for a coffee and talk about it, babe? Starbucks my shout?”

  As tempting as his invitation is, I know that if Seb finds out about what happened, he would want to go and rip Sam’s head clean off his shoulders. I don’t want to have to break up a fight between the men in
my life.

  “No thanks, babe, I’ll see you at work in an hour or so.”

  Seb nods, and by the way he looks at me, I know he understands—he knows not to push me when I’m in one of my moods.

  “As long as you’re sure you’re OK, babe. You know I worry about you. You mean the world to me, and you’re like my baby sister.”

  We both smile. I’m grateful for his compassionate words, and that he feels so strongly towards me.

  “I’m fine, honey; we’ll chat properly when I get to the shop, I promise.”

  “See you later, darlin’.”

  With those words, he resumes his run, and I resume mine. I run for half an hour more and then make the twenty-five-minute journey back to the flat. Ruby is just emerging from her shower in her bathrobe as I let myself back into the flat.