The Ink Romance Series

by Bridget Taylor

  “Typical.” I rolled my eyes at my lazy pup.

  Grabbing the lunches, I made my way to my Jeep Wrangler. The sun was shining, a slight breeze brought a nice refreshing touch to the skin, and the smell of pine teased my sense. It made me let out a huge sigh, causing me to instantly relax. I loved it here and I adored I was able to come to my house again. I wasn't able to sleep there yet. I couldn’t… I couldn’t bring myself to sleep in my own bed; however, I didn’t even go into my room. There were some days where I stared at the plain white door and the doorknob shone against the light, taunting me to open it. I never could though. I would reach, squeeze, and turn the cold metal knob until I felt as though it was burning my palm. And the ending would always turn out the same.

  I’d let go, continuing to stare at it like it bit me. I guess it kind of did. I didn’t know why I couldn’t just open it. It was just a door, right? Chase wasn’t behind it, but I couldn’t stop seeing the burry room, his blurry face, and his…his hands on me.

  I don't know if I could ever open that door again, but until the day I could, I was going to continue to stay at Kane's, and no matter how much I tried to convince him to sleep in his own bed, he would just shake his head. So, Kane had been sleeping on the couch for the last few weeks, and I've loved the way he had been attentive and caring, but I missed him. I missed his touch. Every time my mind got clouded with Chase, I’d think of Kane, and everything would clear again. I’d think of Kane's rough, calloused hands stroking my body, or his long thick fingers pushing a piece of hair behind my ear. It wasn’t just his rough touches, but the soft ones that made me yearn for him.

  He didn’t know, or at least I didn't think he knew, but when I was lying in his bed and the sheets that were scented with him, wrap around my body, I touched myself. I rubbed myself every single night that I was alone and he was on the couch. I would close my eyes and push two of my fingers inside me, imagining it was his fingers pleasing me, erasing the memories of Chase that taunted me.

  I knew he had to hear me making love to myself because I would make sure of it. I'd moan every time my thumb rubbed against my clit, sometimes moaning his name. I wanted him so turned on that he stomped through the bedroom, yanking off his shirt, showing his broad shoulders, firm, sculpted pecs that flexed with his movements, his deep ‘V' that trailed to his big cock, and his abs made me want to wash my clothes on his body. I wanted him to ravish me, and he never did.

  I hadn’t had Kane in what felt like months, hell maybe it was months, but he never set foot in the bedroom, and it was killing me. But I was starting to wonder if it was because while I kept him at arms-length, he held me close, and he didn't want to have sex with me while my emotions were high.

  They were. And maybe at times they still are, but it was as simple as this, I needed Kane to fuck me. I was horny and I was tired of waiting. Hell, I’d be happy if he was at the foot of the bed, kneeling, jacking his fat cock that made my mouth water, and I was fucking myself with my vibrator as he watched me. Oh, that sounded so hot.

  “Oh!” The shelter and tattoo shop suddenly stared me in the face. When did I get here?

  My thighs squeezed together as my cream flowed out of me with every pulse of my clit. I hit my head against the dark plastic steering wheel, trying to get myself together before walking through the doors with a lady boner.

  Yes, a lady boner. I had to calm down. I couldn’t take him on the counter of the tattoo shop while someone was there.

  Or could I?

  "No, Leslie. Stop it. You're just horny." I cringed when I saw myself in the rearview mirror, wiping the mascara that had smudged underneath my eye. I looked terrible, so I exhaled trying to get myself together. "All right, you can do this. Show this man you appreciate him."

  I want to appreciate his cock.

  “Oh, that’s enough Leslie!” I scolded myself.

  “Ya’ know, they say it’s a sign you’re crazy if you start talking to yourself.”

  I screamed when I heard the voice, making me place my hand on my heart. It was racing a hundred miles per hour.

  “God, Riggs. You scared the shit out of me.”

  “Sorry.” He took a puff of his cigarette and blew out of the side of his mouth. The cloud of smoke floated into the air, swaying until it disappeared.

  “What are you doing here? You don’t come by much anymore even though you live right upstairs and work right next door.”

  “Riggs, you sound like you miss me,” I teased as I opened the back of the jeep, grabbing the cooler of goods.

  Riggs shrugged and blushed, looking away. I forgot how shy he was. I would never have thought this big man who was tattooed from head to toe, six-foot-two, and pure muscle could be shy. He seemed like an assertive kind of guy that would take what he wanted, but now that I got to know him, he is a gentle giant. It just goes to show how one can't stereotype.

  “Well, are you hungry? I brought you and Kane some goodies!" I smiled as I held the cooler up.

  “For me?” His big brown eyes went wide as he hopped off the railing, put his smoke out into the cigarette-butt holder we had in between the shops.

  “Well, duh. I couldn’t bring Kane lunch and not you. What kind of friend would I be? I know I haven’t been around a lot, but I care…” I trailed off as I nervously tucked a curl behind my ear.

  "You consider me a friend?" He cocked his head, and his big black brows pinched together in confusion. He had plump cheeks, but a straight firm jawline and a crooked nose that looked like it had been broke in the past and was never set correctly.

  “Of course I do.” Oh my god, did he think I didn’t care about him at all? Was I that terrible?

  His smile reached his eyes as he came and embraced me in a big bear hug. “Here, let me take this cooler from you, friend.” Riggs smiled at me, happily taking the cooler. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he had more of a pep in his step as he walked through the door.

  “Hey, Kane!” Riggs shouted as Kane looked up from the computer behind the counter.

  His eyes landed on me and the sweetest smile graced his beautiful face. “Well, isn’t this a surprise. What do you have there, Riggs?” Kane came out from behind the counter, bending to kiss my cheek, but I turned my head making our lips meet. Even though he pulled away quickly, it was the best few seconds I’d had in weeks. Feeling his lips was what walking through the front door at home felt like.

  His blue eyes widened with shock. His hair was pulled up in a messy bun, and it made me want to let those raven-colored locks down and run my fingers through it the way he liked me to. I wanted to see his eyes fall shut from my touch.

  “Holy shit, Kane. Look what my friend Leslie brought us.” Riggs looked in the cooler and back at us making me giggle.

  It broke the moment we were experiencing, but the excitement was clear as day on Riggs face, and it made me wonder how many people he had in his life he could count on.

  “Oh yeah? Did you bring us a gift?” Kane strode over next to Riggs to peek into the cooler. He took out a few brown paper bags and a few beers, and lifted his brows at me. “Hell yeah! To what do we owe this pleasure?” He unwrapped the bag and then peeled away the wax paper. I was dancing on my toes. I couldn’t contain the nerves and the excitement I was feeling over something as simple as a sandwich. I’m so lame.

  "Whoa!" Kane looked at my masterpiece with big eyes. The roast beef shone bright between the halves of the sandwich. He took a big bite and half of it was already gone.

  “Oh my god!” he groaned as his eyelids slid shut.

  “This is the best fucking sandwich I’ve ever had, Boss,” Riggs mumbled through the food in his mouth.

  "No kidding. Crazy, what did you do to these? It's the bread, right? Did you make it? No wait, it's the mayo. Is that it?" Kane took a thick glob of it on his fingers and sucked it in his mouth. When I saw those lips wrap around it, I imagined him pulling my clit between those lips giving it a slight nibble.

  I cleared my throat.
"Yeah, it's not a big deal. I wanted to show some appreciation for you and Riggs." I shrugged like it didn't take me twelve hours to figure out how to make damn bread. I’d burnt the first loaf.

  I turned for a moment and out of the corner of my eye, I saw a young man peeking through the window, but when he saw me looking, he turned around and ran away…literally ran.

  “Hey Kane, did you see that?”

  “See what, Crazy?” He was already unwrapping the second sandwich and for some reason, knowing he liked the food I made brought butterflies to my stomach.

  “That guy that was just peering through the window.”

  "Oh, him? He’s been around for a few days. It's just a young kid trying to get the chops to get a tattoo finally. This is probably the closest he has ever been to a shop." He took a big bite of the roast beef sandwich again. "Fuck, baby. This is so good."

  Riggs was already working on his second sandwich too and my heart melted for the guy. I wanted to get to know him better. I wanted to make sure he didn't ever feel like he was alone.

  “Oh, I’ve been thinking about it too. I think I want a tattoo,” I said nonchalantly.

  The words made Kane stop eating with the sandwich midair to his open mouth. He coughed and his cheeks turned a funny shade of red.

  “What did you just say?” His voice disguised his lust.

  “I want a tattoo,” I said.

  If I could turn into a puddle, I would have with how Kane was staring at me, walking towards me and brushing off crumbs from his shirt as he grabbed my hand.

  “Riggs, we’re going in the back.”

  Kane didn’t give an explanation and I hoped that this was the moment I finally got fucked.

  Chapter 3

  As we walked into the back room, Kane's strides eat up the floor, causing me to jog just to keep up. Once we reached the door, Kane stopped and squeezed my hand. His breath was loud, making the hairs on my arm stand up. He dug into his worn denim pocket, pulling out an old-fashioned iron key.

  "Kane?" There was a huskiness to my voice I had never heard before, but that was because I had never seen him so out of his mind. He was clumsy when he was usually confidently composed. The sound of keys clanking onto the floor made me jerk, startling me.

  “Just give me a minute.” Kane’s voice was deep and gruff like he was about to let loose an animal.

  I stared at his shoulders, which were rising and falling with every heavy exhalation he took. He breathed so profoundly, the tip of his shirt raised just enough so I could see the red waistband of his boxer briefs. I bit my lip, thinking of that tight hugging material cradling his beautiful bulge. I whimpered.

  "Leslie, whatever you are thinking about, stop thinking it. I can't concentrate enough to unlock the damn door." Kane banged his fist against the substantial piece of wood.

  "I can't help it. I'm just thinking of you wearing those tight little boxer briefs you wear, and I haven't had you in so long. I ache." I pressed my breasts against his back and trailed my hands down his waist until I cupped his butt in my hands. Oh, it was so thick and plump. I wanted to feel the flesh between my teeth, roaring like an animal that won its prize.

  "Oh, fuck me." Kane groaned, and after wiggling the knob a few times, we practically fell inside once it opened. He fumbled his hand on the wall until he flipped the light switch to illuminate the room where he tattooed.

  "Whoa!" I looked around and couldn't believe the work that he had put into the place. Three of the walls were painted charcoal, and the other wall was decorated in a silver foil color. He’d hung his best pieces along the black walls, and big plush leather benches lined the trim for extra seating. The tattoo chair was what caught my attention though. It wasn't your typical black chair. It was all different colors, and I wouldn't say it was colors of the rainbow, but more like every color you can imagine on the spectrum.

  I ghosted my fingers over the material and it felt like the most exquisite leather that money could buy. It would mold to every line of my body if I sat in it, marinating me in the buttery soft material.

  “What’s with all the color?” I asked with awe in my voice.

  Kane snapped a pair of latex gloves on, but before I could ask why, he said, “Well, I didn’t want this shop to be like every other shop. I didn’t want the chairs to look cheap and boring. It can be a long sit getting a tattoo and my clients need to be comfortable. The color, well, I wanted to appeal to everyone. Everyone’s favorite color has to be in there, right?” He chuckled and the sound went straight to my clit.

  There was even a chandelier hanging above the chair, making it look like a celebrity. It made me smile because while Kane didn’t personally flash his money, it showed in his shop.

  “What’s so funny?” He sat in his leather chair that looked more like a throne.

  "I'm just thinking about how this reflects you. You don't flash your money. I honestly wouldn't have even known you had it if you didn't tell me. I mean, yes, you like your designer jeans, but other than that…" I shrugged my shoulders. "It reflects the side of you that you hide. I like to see it. I like to see you proud of yourself and your business. I like that you poured money into it, not just because you had it, but because you wanted it to reflect how you view your craft." My fingers traced little hearts on his glove-covered hands as I suddenly felt shy.

  “Take your shirt off.”

  “What?” I laughed.

  "You wanted a tattoo? I'll give you one, just something that isn't as permanent. In order to do that, I need skin, Crazy. Shirt. Off!" he ordered flicking his index fingers up and down.

  Oh, this was going to be fun.

  Not taking my gaze off his heated blue eyes, I grabbed the hem of my shirt, slowly lifting it until I heard his breath hitch. When the black shirt was finally off, I threw it at him, relishing in his love-struck face. I knew what he saw. I was wearing a lavender-laced strapless push-up bra, and it made my boobs look amazing. It was another reason why I wore it, in hopes I'd seduce Kane and have my way with him.

  "You have got to be the most beautiful thing I've ever seen." Kane's eyes stripped me as he looked me up and down. I wasn't feeling naked before, but now I felt raw and bare to him.

  My smile slowly faded as I caught the intensity of his stare, suddenly feeling like a mouse caught in a trap.

  I loved it.

  I wanted him to hunt me. I wanted him to stalk me. Everything Chase had done to me, I wanted Kane to replace.

  "Sit your beautiful ass down in this chair. I've never met anyone that has been able to render me speechless so much before." He tapped the chair, signaling me to get my ass over there, so I jumped like a fire lit my rear and did what the sexy man told me to do. I tried to slowly walk to him like the women do in the movies, but I should have known I couldn't. When I put one foot in front of the other, I tripped sending me flying face first into the chair. Bracing myself for impact, I squeezed my eyes shut, but strong arms wrapped around me, catching me from the impending fall.

  “Open your eyes, Crazy.” I could hear the humor in this voice, making my cheeks flame with embarrassment. Gosh, I couldn’t believe I just did that.

  “Hey, don’t hide from me. Let me see your green eyes.” The light touch of his fingers lazily rubbing my cheek made me open my eyes. I could see him flicking his attention to my lips and back to my eyes like he wasn’t sure he knew what to do.

  “Do it,” I begged. Hell, I’ll get on my knees and plead, it had been so long.

  “Leslie.” He shook his head making those raven colored locks dance over his shoulders.

  "Please, Kane. Kiss me. I need it. I need you…" Tears graced my eyes while hope filled my veins. I ached for his touch. I always had, but ever since Chase, I needed him more. Maybe it was because I trusted my body with him, and that part of me had lost its way. Chase took it from me, and I needed it back. I needed to remember what it was like not to be scared of my own shadow. I missed his hands groping me, owning me, and taking me. He took me with respect
, while Chase fractured my spirit.

  "I don't want to scare you, Crazy." His eyes closed as if he was battling himself not to take me.

  "You don't, Kane. Don't you understand that? You make me feel safe. I'm never scared with you." I cupped his face with my hands, not wanting to give him any more time to think, and slammed my lips onto his. I moaned at the first second that passed as the feel of his lips over mine made them tingle. It was slow at first. Deliberate. Careful. Loving. It was everything until he pulled away.

  “You aren’t ready,” he rasped.

  Tears fell as I pushed him away and crossed my arms over my semi-nude chest. "Do you think I'm tainted now? Do you not want me because of what Chase did?" I could feel my bottom lip tremble, which never meant good news. I was about to blow. It meant the ugly dimples appeared on my chin and my bottom lip twitched. It happened when I was trying not to cry.

  "What! No. How could you think that? Does this feel like I don't want you?" He pushed himself against me, grabbing my hand and yanking it down to his bulge. I gasped. His cock was rock hard, traveling down his inner thigh. "Does that feel like I don't want you? Because you need to know something, Leslie. Ever since meeting you, I've had a hard-on always everyday for multiple hours. I can't get relief until I'm jacking it and moaning your name. But recently, I haven't even done that because I told myself when I cum again, it will be when I'm allowed to take you." The soft button part of his nose rubbed against my chin before moving his way up to kiss my lips.

  “Take me. I give you permission.” My chest heaved as he hands explored my stomach, stopping just below my breasts.

  “Not. Yet.” He pulled away, but placed his hand in mine as he led me to the colorful chair. “Sit down, I’m going to lean the chair back until you’re lying flat.”

  I nodded, wincing when my hair pulled on the leather. The light was bright as it shone in my eyes.