Restless Ink

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  Thea let out a breath and stared at the random assortment of board and drinking card games she had. It was a silly way to spend the night and, honestly, for a bunch of tattooed and pierced people, they were all pretty lame when it came to nights out. But as two of their four had children in their homes and rarely had time off, it just made sense for their nights to age as they did. Of course, they all had guys’ nights and girls’ nights where copious amounts of drinking occurred, but tonight would be a little tamer.

  She thought about the bottles of wine and whiskey she’d already set out and grinned. Okay, so tonight might not be that tame in the end, but at least one of each of the couples would stay sober, or they’d do like last time and Lyft it to her house.

  Thea smiled then wondered how, once again, she’d ended up the single one at her own party. And while she loved the idea that her siblings were either married or well on their way to being so, she hated the idea that she’d somehow been left behind.

  She’d spent so long working on her career and her house, that she’d forgotten human interaction. Images of her night with Roger came back to her, and she gagged. Ugh, maybe human interaction was overrated since she had absolutely no desire to ever get back into bed with Roger or his ilk.

  Not that he’d actually called or even texted her since she’d left his house, but still.

  Men sucked.

  Of course, as soon as she thought that, Dimitri came to mind. Well, he didn’t suck. He was always nice to her, caring, and helpful. And now it sounded as if she were describing his golden retriever. But that’s what came with doing her best not to think about his ass, his forearms, or his smile.

  Nope, not thinking about those.

  Instead, she ran back to her bedroom, touched up her makeup and hair since she’d been working and moving around all day, switched into a long, black, racerback maxi dress and shrug, and walked back out into her living room to make sure everything was going according to plan.

  The doorbell rang as she was stirring the meatballs in her crockpot, her mouth watering since she loved them almost as much as she loved cheese and baked goods. She gave them one last stir and went to open the door.

  Shep and Shea walked in, giving her tight hugs that she knew she’d never get tired of. Her brother had lived in New Orleans for years after finding a tattoo shop and crew he fit into like another family. He’d even met his wife down in the big easy. Thea had missed him every damn day and had hated the fact that he’d been down there for so long, having a life of his own.

  Then, last year, he’d come back with Shea and their daughter Livvy, and Thea barely resisted the urge to tuck them all close and never let them out of her sight. She might not be the oldest sibling—in fact, she was the second youngest—but she sure acted like the eldest most of the time.

  “We brought Pictionary,” Shea said wryly, her blond hair in ringlets around her face. She looked like an angel in Thea’s opinion, but she loved her sister-in-law like she was her true sister. Apparently, Shea’s family was horrible beyond measure, but that just meant that Shea was a Montgomery now no matter what. There was no going back—not that anyone wanted her to.

  “Wasn’t there a flying pen incident last time?” Thea asked, her eyes wide, her mouth twitching as she held back a laugh.

  Shep rolled his eyes, his hands full of games and beer. Shea held what looked like bacon tortilla roll-ups and hip-bumped her husband.

  “You were the one that threw the pen if I recall,” Shea said, fluttering her lashes.

  “It was one time, and I don’t want to talk about it. Now can I put this down and take off my coat? I’m roasting in here.”

  Thea just snorted and took the beer from his hands so he could easily handle the other stuff he held. Shea followed Thea to the kitchen where, after Shea took off her jacket and shoes, the two of them started working on setting up the food areas.

  When the doorbell rang again, Shep called out, “Got it!”

  Thea just shrugged. Her hands were full, and it wasn’t like it would be anybody but family anyway.

  Adrienne and Mace came in, their hands brimming with more games and a seven-layer dip. Before they could even say hello, Roxie and Carter were behind them, wine in their hands.

  “Sorry, we didn’t have time to cook,” Roxie said apologetically.

  “But we brought wine,” Carter said, leaning into his wife.

  Roxie gave him a sad look over her shoulder that she quickly blinked away, and Thea held back a frown. Her sister and brother-in-law were still newly married and so in love it hurt to see sometimes. But even as she thought that, she knew the two were having problems. What those problems were, Thea didn’t know, but she hoped her sister would open up to her soon. Adrienne had mentioned it to Thea, as well as Shea, but the three of them were holding back, hoping the couple could work it out on their own.

  And, hopefully, Roxie would understand that they were all there for her if she needed them. Thea didn’t know if Shep had noticed yet, but her brother was far more observant than she gave him credit for sometimes.

  Whatever the case may be, whatever was happening between Roxie and Carter, was between them, and somehow, the Montgomerys weren’t going to interfere.

  Thea held back a wince. She knew her family, and knew that wouldn’t be the case for long.

  Pushing that thought aside, Thea quickly wiped her hands on a kitchen towel and went out to hug the newcomers and make sure everyone had a drink in his or her hand. She was just kissing Mace’s bearded cheek when the doorbell rang again.

  The rest of them looked at one another, their brows raised.

  “I thought Abby and Kaylee couldn’t make it,” Roxie said.

  Thea licked her lips, her stomach rolling as she put a smile on her face. “I, uh, might have invited one more person.”

  Adrienne’s head tilted. “Molly?”

  “Not exactly.” She turned and opened the door to find Dimitri standing on her doorstep, his hair wild in the wind, his leather jacket perfectly molded to his body, and the smile on his face warming her in places she had no right to feel heat.

  Tonight would require a lot of wine.

  So much wine.

  “Dimitri,” she said with a smile. “I didn’t think you were going to make it.”

  “My brother ended up having other plans. I hope it’s okay I came.” He paused. “I brought cheese.”

  She looked down at the seven kinds of cheese on his plate and was pretty sure she had a little orgasm.

  He’d brought her cheese. All the cheese. She could totally fall in love with this man.

  And where was that wine?

  “You know me and my cheese. Come in. Everyone just got here, and I’m going to have to try all that cheese. I’m just saying.”

  Not the greatest of things to say, but she was beyond flustered. She just wanted him inside her house where he’d be comfortable, and she could try to catch her breath. She had no idea why she was reacting this way now when she never had before when he was married to Molly but, apparently, time and distance had given her a whole new outlook on the man—one she wasn’t sure she wanted at all.

  Her siblings gave her looks behind Dimitri’s back, and she just smiled. The man was her friend, nothing more, and that had always been the case. She was just happy that Molly hadn’t been able to come, or it would have been awkward. Because even though the two of them saw each other often for Captain’s sake, Thea didn’t want that energy and situation under her roof.

  And that meant no thinking about Dimitri the way her mind kept wanting her to.

  Because no matter how many types of cheese he brought to her, she knew he was off-limits, and she and her cheese-loving self, as well as her tingling lady parts, could get the fuck off.

  Okay, maybe back the fuck off would be a better phrase to use.

  Roxie came into the kitchen as Thea unwrapped Dimitri’s glorious cheese plate and held out a glass of wine. “Want to talk about it?”

  “T
alk about what? How I’m going to kick your ass tonight?” Was she talking high and fast? Because she felt like she was talking high and fast.

  “No, I was talking about your new teammate.”

  She frowned. “Teammate? Since when are we playing on teams?”

  “Since Adrienne brought it up. There’s eight of us now. Shep jumped on the chance since Shea usually kicks his ass on trivia and he wants her on his team. Plus, he probably wants to size up Dimitri.”

  “Why would he want to do that?”

  “Because of the lingering looks you and he gave each other over his cheese.” Roxie smiled, her eyes full of laughter. Thea shushed her.

  “Shut up. He’ll hear you.”

  “Meh, he should know what he’s getting into when it comes to being with the Montgomerys.”

  “There’s no being, no circling, nothing to keep a watch out for or size up. Now, once again, shut your mouth and go give Dimitri a beer. He likes the amber ale I have in the fridge.”

  “Of course, you know that.”

  “Because he was married to my best friend, Roxie.”

  Her sister gave Thea a sad look then kissed her on the cheek. “Got it. For now. But we’re still playing teams, or we’ll be here all night playing Pictionary because Shep holds a grudge.

  Thea laughed then, wine in one hand, and went to bring out Dimitri’s cheese plate—after stuffing a slice of buttery brie into her mouth.

  Dimitri tilted his beer toward her. “Thanks. You remembered.”

  “It’s my favorite too, so I had it.”

  “I know.” He smiled. “Now, let’s see how the Montgomerys play.”

  “You’re going to regret you said that,” Mace said with a laugh.

  Carter visibly shuddered before crossing himself.

  Thea just grinned. “Game on, partner.”

  Chapter 5

  Thea knew she’d had one too many glasses of wine by the time her family walked out of her house to their waiting drivers. All of them had opted to use Lyft rather than drive, and for that, Thea was grateful. Hell, she was glad all she had to do was clean up before going to bed. No one had made too much of a mess, and everyone had helped clean up some of it already, but she just wanted to sleep.

  Of course, one person had stayed behind to help her, and now she was sure she’d had too much wine. She was tipsy, not drunk, and much too warm to make any good decisions. So, she wouldn’t make any.

  “You don’t have to stay, Dimitri.”

  “I’m helping you clean. You might be able to push your family out because they’re going to host soon, but you can’t push me out.”

  She narrowed her eyes at him. “How drunk are you? Should I be calling you a Lyft, too?”

  He shook his head. “I had a few beers and will schedule my own Lyft. I like that we all did that instead of trying to risk it. Makes me happy that you all think ahead.”

  “We don’t drink together that often anymore and, apparently, that final game of Twister sent us all over the edge.”

  Dimitri snorted. “I still think you cheated on right foot yellow.”

  She gasped. “Liar. I didn’t cheat. You fell. You don’t have the moves to twist, Dimitri. Just let it be known.”

  “Cheat.”

  Her face warmed, and she went right up to him, tilting her head back since he was so much taller. “What? I could beat you again, and we both know it.”

  He held up the board and casually flicked the spinner. “Prove it.”

  “Just the two of us? I don’t think so.”

  “Bawk.”

  “Did you just…did you just make a chicken noise at me?”

  “I’m sorry, I can’t hear you, all I hear is clucking. Bawk.”

  She lifted her chin, then stripped off her shrug so she wore only her maxi dress. She needed space to move, and it wasn’t easy to play in a dress to begin with, but she was no cheat. She ignored the way Dimitri’s eyes followed her movements, thinking the warmth she felt had to be the wine, nothing else.

  “Fine. Game on.”

  Dimitri just smiled, and soon, the two of them were standing on the floor mat, laughing like loons as they tried to twist. Having him spin for the two of them wasn’t easy, but she’d be damned if she allowed him to call her a cheat.

  Only, when she went for left foot green, her leg twisted with Dimitri’s and they both went down. He tried to move so he took the brunt of the fall, but her dress got in the way, and she ended up on her back, her dress hiked up to her thighs, and Dimitri nestled between them.

  She stiffened, her breath going ragged.

  “Shit,” Dimitri muttered. “Shit.”

  She didn’t say anything, couldn’t say anything. She could only feel him, feel the wine in her system. She wasn’t drunk enough to make a mistake, but not sober enough to move away from him either.

  And when his breath warmed her cheek, she did the one thing she shouldn’t, she tilted her head ever so slightly, so their lips brushed.

  And then, she was lost.

  Chapter 6

  Dimitri knew this was a mistake, knew Thea knew it was a mistake, but he didn’t pull his mouth from hers. Instead, he deepened the kiss, taking her mouth with his as her lips parted with a gasp. He rocked against her, knowing he shouldn’t, but doing it anyway. When one of her legs lifted a bit higher so her calf rested on the back of his thigh, he held back a groan, angling his mouth more so he could deepen the kiss.

  Thea was the one who groaned, and he slid his hand up her side, bracing himself on his forearm so he didn’t put his full weight on her. As it was, his too-hard cock pressed firmly against the heat of her. With her dress riding up the way it was, he knew the only thing separating them was the scrap of her panties and his pants.

  He kissed her harder, rocking into her as she arched for him, her hands sliding up and down his back with increasingly sure strokes. When he gently bit down on her jaw, she gasped, whispering, “Dimitri,” and he knew he had to pull back. He was barely able to catch his breath.

  “We need to stop.” He swallowed hard, his forehead against hers.

  “I know.” Her hands didn’t stop moving, though. And when her thighs tightened as he rocked again, he kissed her once more, knowing they were making a mistake yet not stopping himself. His head was full of lust and booze, and though neither of them was drunk enough for them to take advantage of one another, they were both tipsy enough to make the wrong choices.

  But a choice this seductive wasn’t one he could walk away from.

  So, he didn’t.

  Instead, Thea tugged on his shirt. He leaned up so he was kneeling between her legs and pulled his Henley over his head. Then he licked his lips at the sight of her, all curves and sex…and his, if only for the moment.

  He leaned over her again, sucked on her bottom lip, then reached for her dress. “Off.”

  She arched her back, giving him the space he needed so he could pull the long dress over her head. Then he just about swallowed his tongue at the sight of her light pink nipples, hard and tight on full breasts that practically begged for his tongue.

  “No bra?” he rasped.

  “Didn’t work with the dress.”

  “Jesus.” Then, he was over her again, his mouth on her breasts, sucking, licking, cupping. She ran her fingers through his hair, tugging when he bit down on her nipple, flicking his tongue over the rigid tip to soothe the sting. When he lifted his head to blow cool air over the pink point, she shivered, moaned. So he did the same to her other nipple, going slow and steady even though all he wanted was to sink into her.

  This is such a damn mistake.

  He pushed those thoughts out of his head and kept licking her skin, needing her taste. Wanting more, he moved down her body, leaving bites and kisses along the curves of her stomach and hips, lashing a long lick up the line of her hip bone.

  “Di—Dimitri.”

  “You like?”

  “I…I can’t think.” Then she spread her legs, and he took t
hat as an answer. She wore a black cotton thong that, for some reason, was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen in his life. She was all curves and smooth skin, and he wanted to eat up every inch of her—and, damn it, he just might.

  When she placed her leg over his shoulder, he smiled. His Thea wasn’t shy, and he was a damned happy man. Then he lowered his head, pressing a kiss over her panties, finding her hot, and the cotton drenched.

  So damn sexy.

  He pulled her panties to the side, blowing cool air over her pussy, her folds wet and clearly needing his touch. So, Dimitri lowered his head, licking and sucking, flicking her clit with his tongue. She made small whining sounds, and he knew she needed more. So, he leaned up, ignoring her confused glance when he stopped and tugged off her panties. She helped him by moving her legs out of the way, then he went back to eating his woman out.

  He ignored the possessive quality of his thoughts, knowing it had to be the booze talking, even if he didn’t feel buzzed anymore. At least not on beer.

  He sucked and licked, using his fingers to tease her as he tasted her, and when he breathed cool air again, he made her come.

  She gasped, arching her back with her hands on her breasts, playing with her nipples as she came.

  It was singularly the most stunning image he’d ever seen in his life.

  And as she was still shaking in his hold, he gripped her hips and flipped her over onto her stomach.

  “Jesus, Dimitri.”

  “I love your ass. So thick and bitable.” He palmed both globes in his hands, molding, spreading her cheeks so he could see all of her.

  “A girl doesn’t want to hear that her ass is thick,” she breathed.

  “Your ass is mine tonight, Thea. So let me play.”

  She looked over her shoulder, her brow raised. “Uh, what do you mean by that?”

  He dipped his finger between her crease, grinning as she sucked in a ragged breath. “I’m not going to fuck you here, but I’m going to make you scream my name.”