Restless Ink

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “Are you ready to head home, or do you want to hit a bar or something?” Adrienne asked as they pulled on their coats.

  “I need to head home since I promised the babysitter I’d be back by eight,” Abby answered. “Sorry.”

  “You know Mace said you could bring her over to hang out with Daisy if you want,” Adrienne said as she wrapped her scarf around her neck. “He’s already at home, you know? That way, you can stay out as long as you want and not have to worry about a sitter.”

  “Mace would be the sitter then, and I’d still pay him, even if he said he wouldn’t take the money,” Abby put in.

  “Think about it, at least,” Adrienne said. “Or know that if you can’t get a babysitter, one of us is here.”

  “Heck, our parents would love it, too. They try to get as much time with Daisy and Livvy as possible. They love babies.” Thea grinned as she said it. “I think they’re waiting for the rest of us to have more kids, but now that Mace and Daisy are in the picture, it takes the pressure off of us.”

  Roxie coughed. Thea couldn’t tell what was wrong with her sister, but she noticed that the other woman had gone pale.

  “Everything okay?” Thea asked.

  “Oh, yeah, I’m fine. I could do with a drink. Carter is at home, but I know he had a few piles of paperwork to get through. So maybe if I’m home by nine, that’ll give him enough time, and then we can have the rest of the night together.”

  “A drink sounds good to me,” Thea said. It wasn’t like she had someone waiting at home for her. She wasn’t going to call or text Dimitri, no matter how much she wanted to. Instead, she was going to talk to him tomorrow and possibly see him for a date. Nothing too scary or momentous.

  And if she kept telling herself that, she’d totally believe it.

  * * *

  They said their goodbyes to Abby and headed over to the bar next door to Kaylee’s studio. Kaylee herself couldn’t make it since she had a later event but told them all to have fun as they strolled to the other building. Soft guitar music drifted out of the open door, and Thea glanced at the sign next to it on the sidewalk claiming it was open mic night.

  “This could either be amazing or horrible,” Adrienne said under her breath as Roxie laughed.

  But Thea didn’t laugh, she couldn’t, not when she heard that voice.

  She knew that voice, dreamed of that voice. Oh, hell, that voice was one that kept her awake at night and sent delicious warmth between her thighs.

  “Is that…?” Adrienne’s voice trailed off, and Roxie sucked in a breath.

  Thea just blinked as they stopped right inside the door, the three of them standing stock-still, their mouths dropping open.

  Dimitri sat on a stool in front of the crowded room, his fingers strumming the guitar as he crooned a song about love and loss with that deep growl of his.

  And when he lifted his head, and his gaze met hers, he didn’t pause, didn’t break his concentration, but she knew he saw her, understood that he wanted her there from the glint in his eyes. Realized that this meant something.

  And she knew…she knew she was lost.

  And so damn screwed.

  Chapter 13

  Dimitri wasn’t sure how he kept playing when he saw her there, but he made his fingers move, made the song come from somewhere deep inside him, and just sang. When he got to the end, he closed his eyes, putting everything he could into the lyrics, then let out a breath. The room went silent.

  He opened his eyes as the cheers and applause began and smiled at the crowd, thanked them for their time, then packed up his guitar. Some called out for another set, but his turn was over, and he knew damn well he wouldn’t be able to sing with Thea in the room.

  He didn’t think she’d known he was there, and wasn’t sure she even knew he sang at all since it hadn’t been something he did often in recent years. Molly hadn’t been a fan of his music since she liked pop tunes and classical, and that wasn’t something he was interested in. Plus, going to dive bars for open mic night had really never been her thing, so he’d quit doing it. He’d had too much on his plate with work and going to all of Molly’s functions, that playing for himself like this had gone by the wayside.

  Like so many things he liked to do.

  He’d willingly given them all up because he’d thought he loved Molly enough to make it all worth it. But it hadn’t been until he was on the outside looking in that he realized how much he’d given up when Molly hadn’t done the same for him.

  Dimitri didn’t want to think about that, however, because Molly wasn’t here. She was his past, not his present, and sure as hell wasn’t his future.

  The woman staring at him like she hadn’t seen anything like him before, however…she was someone he wanted more of in his life. The fact that she stood between her sisters, all of them looking comically surprised at what they’d just witnessed, made it even better.

  He made his way around the crowd as the next person got ready on stage. He liked Tamsin, the singer who came on after him, and she had a bigger following than he’d ever had—or would. That meant the crowd would be focused on her, and Dimitri could focus on a certain Montgomery.

  “Hey there,” Adrienne said with a rough laugh. “You pulled a Giles there, didn’t you, Dimitri?”

  Roxie started giggling at the reference, but Dimitri only had eyes for Thea. “Giles?”

  “From Buffy,” Thea explained, her voice hoarse.

  “That show with the vampires?”

  “Yeah,” Adrienne answered. “Some of the crew goes looking for Giles, and they find him playing music like you were just now, and he’s all hot and growly and totally surprises all of them.”

  Dimitri finally looked at Adrienne, shaking his head. “Hot and growly?”

  “Well, yeah,” Roxie put in. “I mean, it was the first time I noticed him as the hot guy with the broad shoulders and that deep British accent. Before then, he was the staid librarian that aided Buffy during all the apocalypses. He was never a hot guy. You know?”

  Thea rubbed her hand over her face, and he noticed the flecks of dry paint on her skin. The three of them must have been at their Brushes With Lushes night and had evidently just finished. Now that he thought about it, Kaylee’s studio was nearby, so them coming in tonight made sense.

  Still, though, he couldn’t keep his eyes off Thea, and from the way the other women were giving each other looks, he knew he wasn’t being anywhere close to subtle about it.

  “So…Giles?” he asked softly.

  “Giles.” Thea licked her lips, and Dimitri did his best not to think about that tongue and where he wanted it.

  “You know what? I’m going to head home and see how Mace is doing,” Adrienne said quickly.

  “Oh, yeah, Carter probably misses me.” Roxie bounced away, waving over her shoulder, and Adrienne practically skipped behind her, leaving Dimitri alone with Thea.

  The fact that Thea hadn’t said much, but the two of them were still standing in the middle of the walkway staring at each other spoke volumes. He needed his coat, needed to get the rest of his things before he headed out of this place, but he could only think about the woman in front of him and how much he wanted her…how much he needed her.

  And not just for sex.

  It was never just about sex when it came to Thea Montgomery.

  He realized he wanted to know what she thought about him up there, how she felt about his little hobby that he hid and kept to himself. She might have said the word Giles, but what exactly did she mean by that? Did she like it? And why the hell was he just standing there thinking stupid things and not pulling her close for a sweet way to say hello?

  “You…you play guitar?” she asked, blinking quickly. “How did I not know you play guitar?”

  He reached out and ran his knuckle down her jaw, unable to stop from touching her any longer.

  “I guess there are a lot of things we don’t know about each other.” He paused. “But I’d like to figure them
out. What do you say?”

  She shook her head, and his heart deflated until she took a step closer, put her hand on his chest, went on her toes, and brushed her lips against his.

  “I think my teenage self is remembering exactly how I felt when I saw Giles all hot and growly, and I think you should come to my place because I really want to kiss you again. What do you say?”

  He let out a breath and forced himself not to adjust his rigid cock straining the zipper of his jeans. He might end up with teeth marks there—and not from Thea—but it would be worth it for this moment alone.

  “Giles does it for you, then?”

  “The Giles effect is an enigma and a fantasy for many.” She smiled as she said it, and he kissed her hard before tugging on her hand.

  “I need my coat, and then I can follow you to your place. You okay to drive? I know there was probably wine at your paint thing.”

  “I’ll be okay,” she squeezed his hand as they walked. “I didn’t even finish my first and only glass since we were all talking and painting and everything that comes with a night with the Montgomery girls and Abby.”

  “Abby came?” Dimitri asked as he pulled on his coat from the back room. “I’m glad. I don’t know her all that well, but she’s really nice when I stop by her tea shop.”

  “She’s great, and I’m glad she’s getting out more, you know?” Thea rocked from foot to foot. “It is weird that I just asked you to my place? Shouldn’t we do our date tomorrow like we talked about and just…I don’t know…part ways tonight?”

  She practically whispered the last part, and he held back a curse. He didn’t want her to feel like she was doing something wrong or that they were rushing, but he also didn’t want them to second guess every part of whatever this was between them because they were worried about all the ties that bound them together.

  He set down his guitar case next to them, ignoring the others milling about, and leaned down to cup her face.

  “We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. All you mentioned was kissing thanks to the Giles effect or whatever the hell you called it. Remind me to watch Buffy with you at some point so I can actually understand the reference.”

  Her lips quirked in a smile, exactly like he’d intended.

  “I know we had plans for a tentative date tomorrow thanks to Captain and my grading, and we can still do that. Or we can take the time we have now if you still want to and maybe have a drink at your place. I only say your place because you’re not only most comfortable there and you suggested it, but it’s also bigger than my shoebox apartment that still smells like the old tenant.”

  She leaned into his hand, and he smiled, loving the way she didn’t shy from his touch in public—or anywhere for that matter. They were still so new to this, still trying to figure out what they were to each other and how they could make it work—whatever it was—but this was a step. It had to be.

  “I guess we can do a mini-date tonight. I have to work tomorrow, and one of my staff thought she might have to stay home tomorrow anyway if her kid doesn’t get over his cold. Babysitter issues or something. That means I’ll have to work a double on Saturday. Which is fine, but it’s not the easiest thing. If that’s the case, I’d have to cancel anyway.”

  “That sucks that your staff member’s kid is sick. But you’re a good boss in that you understand.”

  “I have to be. I trust my people with my dreams and livelihood, and that means they need to be able to rely on me, as well. But that also means while I try to schedule breaks for myself, sometimes I don’t get to choose when I work. I have to be everything, you know? But Colorado Icing is my baby, and I’m okay with that.”

  He kissed her temple, then leaned down to pick up his guitar. “I get it. I put my students before almost everything in my life except maybe Captain. Most of my weekends are spent on lesson plans and grading and learning the new program the state dumped on us last-minute. The only reason I’m out tonight is that I know I’ll spend all day tomorrow working on all that paperwork since Molly is taking Captain to some event.”

  He rolled his eyes as he said it, and Thea blinked. “An event. With Captain?”

  “Don’t get me started. But it’s some charity for a local shelter, and Captain will get love and attention, so I guess that’s okay. One of her fellow board members, Hoxton—yes, that’s his real name—is actually really good with Captain and will probably spend the whole day with him while Molly does whatever she does best and earns money for the committee. So, I’m okay with it. It just sucks.”

  “I know. And I still hate that you don’t have much time with him.” She frowned. “Would it be weird if you hung out at my house sometime with him? That way, you can work if you need to, but you’re still with him? I don’t know how Molly would feel about that, but it’s not like it’s your fault the apartment doesn’t allow pets.”

  He could have fallen to his knees right then in gratitude that she would even offer that. And when he said as much, she snorted.

  “It’s for Captain. Not you. I love that dog.”

  He thought it was a little bit about him, too, but he didn’t say so. “I love that dog, too. And I might just take you up on the offer since hiking is getting hard with all the snow storms we’ve been getting, and it’s only going to get worse after the new year.”

  “Then let’s see if it works out.” She paused. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

  He played with the ends of her dark hair. “And if I want to be more than friends?”

  She looked up at him, so much emotion in her eyes, he could only understand a fraction of it, though he had a feeling they mirrored his own. “We can be both. Friends and…friends with what we’re trying. Right?”

  He leaned down and touched his lips to hers, a bare whisper of what was to come, of what could be. “Right?”

  And he had a feeling that no matter what happened between them, this friendship would be exactly what he needed.

  What they needed.

  No matter what.

  Chapter 14

  Dimitri sucked in a breath as Thea licked up and down his neck. This wasn’t like the first time, and it probably wouldn’t be like the next time. First, because there was going to be a damn next time. Secondly, because he’d already had a taste.

  Now, he’d get his next helping.

  Then again.

  And again.

  And again.

  “Who knew playing guitar could do this?” He pressed Thea against the front door, and she shivered.

  “I didn’t know I had a kink. It’s a damn sexy one.”

  “Kink away.” He bit down on her shoulder, then paused, leaning back to look her in the eyes. “Just don’t call me Giles when I’m inside you and you come on my cock.”

  She snorted, leaning her head against his shoulder. “Yeah, not so much. Now get naked with me, because I need you. Now. Don’t make me call you Giles.”

  He grinned, then went back to licking her neck. When her fingernails dug into his back, he groaned, the sharp sensation in his skin sending shivers of pleasure down his spine. Then he slid his hand between them and under the waistband of her jeans over her panties. She sucked in a breath, and as he pressed a bit firmer against her heat, cupping her, she arched into him.

  He wanted her. Craved her. And now he was going to have her.

  “You’re already wet for me.” He couldn’t move around too much without taking off her pants, but he wanted to tease, wanted to make her squirm. “I’m not even inside you yet.” Pat. “How wet are you going to be after my mouth is on you?” Pat. “Are you going to drip down my chin? Pat. “Are you going to let me fuck you hard tonight, Thea?” Pat.

  “I’m always wet around you it seems. That’s the problem.” She licked her lips, and his dick twitched.

  He was just able to trace his middle finger along the swollen edge of her lower lips. “You’re swollen. Wet. And ready for me. And I need to taste you.”

  “You wil
l. I want that head between my legs, but first…” She wiggled away from him, and he removed his hand.

  “First?”

  “I need your dick. I’ve had this dream where I’m on my knees, and we’re both dressed but I’m taking you right to the edge. Can I play?”

  He swallowed hard, and without answering, undid his belt. When she grinned and went to her knees, he couldn’t help but think of every sweaty dream he’d had of her recently. Her on her knees in front of him was better than any fantasy.

  And when she pulled his cock free and licked the tip, he knew she was better than a dream. He ran his hands through her hair, closing his eyes when she licked up the vein on the underside before hollowing her cheeks to bob along the tip. His balls tingled, and his dick stiffened even more when her tongue slid along the slit at the tip.

  “I need to come inside your pussy, not your mouth. Not tonight.” He tugged at her hair, and she leaned back, her eyes filled with triumph.

  “I’m going to swallow, you know. Because I want to. Just saying.”

  He grinned then lifted her up so she stood in front of him and he could kiss her. He wrapped her hair around his fist, tilted her head to the side, and took her mouth.

  “We can do that. But first, I need to fuck you. Tuck my cock back inside, Thea.”

  She met his gaze at the order—and yeah, it was an order—before doing just as he asked. When her breath caught, he knew she liked it.

  “I’ll let you order me around this time, Dimitri. Just this once.”

  He reached around and gripped her ass, picking her up. Her legs went around his waist, the heat of her core scorching against his straining dick.

  “You can order me next time.”

  “Promise?” She licked her lips.

  And because it was an invitation, he leaned over and bit down on her lower lip. Hard. “Promise.”

  He carried her to the bedroom, and after he’d set her down, he stood back and slowly stripped off his shirt.

  “Take off your pants, shoes, and panties. Leave your shirt on.” He winked as he said it, stripping off his shoes, jeans, and boxers so he was completely naked.