Steam and Ink

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “They won’t make it out here until morning because they’re busy and we’re in the middle of nowhere. I’m to leave it unlocked so they can get in and put it in neutral or something. I don’t know how it works. I’ve never had my car towed before.” Now what the hell was I going to do? I was stranded at the Neon Cowboy with Mr. Sexalicious and my dirty thoughts.

  “I’ll bring you back to your car when I’m done eating. I guess you’ll need a lift home too?” he asked, sipping his drink as he eyed me.

  I smiled at him. Though I hated the thought of him going out of his way, and I wasn’t that comfortable with a stranger knowing where I lived, I couldn’t say no. “I’d appreciate it, if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all, Suzy. I can’t just leave you here and walk out the door. I got ya, babe.” He turned his stool toward me and leaned into my space. “Where do you want me to take you after we leave? Home?” He quirked an eyebrow, waiting for my response, and held me in place with his hard stare.

  Home? Whose home was he referring to? City looked to be the type that had different women falling out of his bed every morning…or maybe he kicked them out before he fell asleep. His fingers brushed against the top of my hand and my internal dialogue evaporated.

  “Where. Do. You. Live?” The laughter he tried to hide behind his hand made it clear that I’d sat there longer in thought than I had realized.

  I cleared my throat. “I need to unlock my car then I need a lift home. I live about fifteen minutes north. Is that okay? I mean, I don’t want to—” He put his finger over my lips and stopped me mid-sentence.

  “Doesn’t matter, I’ll take you anywhere,” he said with a sly grin that made my pulse race and my body heat. He licked his lips, and I stared like an idiot. My sex convulsed at the thought of his lips on my skin. What the fuck was wrong with me? Every movement he made and word he spoke turned sexual, as if permeating my brain. I needed to get laid; this man was not hitting on me, was he?

  “You want some? I can’t eat it all,” he said as the plate was placed in front of him.

  I shook my head and picked up my drink, trying to cool my body off from the internal fire caused by City. The cool, sweet strawberry slush danced across my tongue and slid down my throat.

  I swirled the red straw in my mouth, trying to occupy my mind. His arms flexed as he lifted the burger to his mouth, forearms covered with tattoos. The left arm had various designs woven together—a koi fish, a tiger, and a couple of other nature-themed pieces that seemed to move across his skin, and his right arm had a city skyline. I wanted to touch his arms and run my fingers across his ink. He looked big everywhere, and my gaze drifted down his body and lingered at his crotch. I wondered if his motorcycle and tattoos made up for shortcomings elsewhere, but I couldn’t believe a man like him was tiny. There was no way in hell he had a party…

  “Pickle?”

  I blinked and moved my eyes away from his crotch to his eyes. Pickle? He held it and motioned for me to take it.

  “No. Thanks, though. You eat it,” I said, feeling like he was reading my mind. God, I hoped he didn’t see me staring at his crotch. I sucked down the rest of my drink, wishing now that it did have alcohol in it. Maybe then I wouldn’t feel so embarrassed. “I noticed your tattoos. What’s the one on your right arm?”

  “That’s the Chicago skyline,” he said, as he took another bite.

  “You from there?”

  “Born and bred, baby.” He grunted and continued to chew. I couldn’t take my eyes off his mouth. Watching him eat was erotic to me; his lips moved as he chewed, and he sucked each finger in his mouth to clean off the juices that flowed from the sandwich. Damn. It had been too long since I’d had sex—when eating becomes sexual. Houston, we have a problem.

  Ray of Sunshine

  City

  I could’ve easily started her car, but I didn’t want to. Her beauty caught my eye and I wanted to know more about her. Shit, I wanted to fuck her. I couldn’t just drive away and leave her out there to fend for herself. I’m a dick usually, but I couldn’t just leave her there.

  She looked helpless as I almost drove by her. When the lights of my bike shone on her, dirty thoughts flooded my mind. She had on “fuck me” heels with a short-as-hell skirt and a lacy white tank top that instantly made my dick hard. Her hair fell across the top of her breasts and sparkled in the light. It was golden, and I wanted to pull it while my cock was buried deep inside of her.

  I pretended to come to her rescue and try to help, but I wanted to keep her as long as I could. I’d have one of the guys at the bar tow her car back to her place.

  I could see fear in her eyes when we walked in tonight. They were large like saucers, her mouth hung open, and she looked around the room like she’d never been in a bar before. The guys here could be assholes, especially when a beautiful woman enters the room. Bear was always a total prick, but he did have a point. I wanted to fuck her and I wanted it dirty.

  “How about I buy you a real drink? Just one. You aren’t driving tonight, so what’s the harm?”

  I watched as she chewed her lip. “I guess you’re right. My week’s been crappy. I could use something…stronger,” she said, blowing out a puff of air, causing her hair to move.

  “Well, let’s change that. Bad date?” I asked. I looked at her shoes before moving up her entire body and stopping at her face. “How can I make it better?”

  Her lips parted and her chest heaved as she sucked air in quickly. “It’s not so bad anymore. Tonight started out great, I went out with a girlfriend of mine, but it’s just my friggin’ car that put the icing on the cake.”

  Friggin’? Did grown women really use that word?

  “I’m sure the car is no big deal,” I said as I motioned for the bartender. “Know what you want?”

  “Martini. A sweet one, please.” She polished off her virgin daiquiri. She didn’t swear and barely drank liquor; she wasn’t like most girls I knew—even her clothes weren’t as sexy as I’d expect for a girl her age.

  “What can I get you, honey?” Sandy asked.

  “Sunshine here will take a sweet martini, Sandy. Anything you can make flavored, preferably.” I looked over at Suzy. “Right?”

  “Yes, thank you.” She looked out of place in a bar like this, but I wanted her at my side. She appeared to be a good girl with a clean mouth, but I could tell her mind was littered with filthy thoughts. She looked at me—no, stared at me—watching every movement and studying my entire body. She wanted me as much as I wanted her, even though she didn’t want to admit it or couldn’t. “You come here a lot, huh? Everyone seems to know you.”

  “The guys and I hang out here a couple nights a week after work, and it’s close to my house. It’s just a place I like to come to relax and unwind a bit after a long day.”

  She licked her lips, and I swear to fuckin’ Christ my cock twitched. I adjusted myself, trying to stop a full-on hard-on from catching her eye. I watched her legs as she shifted in her seat, rubbing them together before crossing them. I had her and I knew it, but the trick was to not scare her off.

  “What do you do, City?” She glanced at her hands, trying not to look at me.

  “I’m an artist. You?” I left it at that—sounded classier than “I’m a tattoo artist.” I was an artist at heart, but my canvas was human skin.

  “Teacher. What kind of artist?”

  She didn’t look like any schoolteacher I’d ever had. I wouldn’t have been able to pay attention in class with her walking around in heels and stretching to write on the chalkboard. “Tattoo,” I said as I pointed at the artwork on my arm. “You have any?”

  “Tattoos?” she asked as her eyebrows rose and her eyes grew wide.

  “Yeah, by the look on your face I’d say the answer is ‘no.’”

  “Oh no.” She laughed. “Needles scare the heck out of me.” Grabbing her drink, she gulped down half the martini without even blinking.

  “Do you swear?” I asked as she set the
glass back on the bar.

  “What?” She gaped at me.

  “Do you swear? Simple question. You’ve said ‘heck’ and ‘friggin’’ so far, but nothing dirty.”

  “Oh, um, yeah, I swear.” Her cheeks turned pink and a small smile spread across her face. “I’m just used to watching my words with the kids around all day.”

  “Prove it,” I said, staring in her sapphire eyes.

  “What? Why?”

  “’Cause I need to know if it’s in you. Are you all good girl? Or is there something more underneath dying to come out?” I hid the smile and laughter that were so close to breaking free from my lips. The pink of her cheeks spread across her face. I knew I’d embarrassed her, but fuck, I needed to know if I stood a chance.

  “Yes, I swear. What do you think I am? I’m not a child, City.” She glared at me as she raised the drink to her lips and wrapped them around the rim. Fuck. I wanted those lips wrapped around my dick, taking me deep and sucking me off.

  “Never said you were, babe. Do you drink besides tonight?” I asked, now smiling because I knew she was upset. I liked the fire I saw in her eyes when I pointed out her good-girl qualities—she obviously didn’t like being labeled.

  “Sometimes. I’m just responsible. I don’t drink and drive. My dad used to be a cop, and it was drilled into my head at an early age.” The words she spoke hit me like a ton of bricks. Drunk driving was the one thing in the world that caused my blood to boil.

  Good-girl teacher with a cop father? Just my luck. “Nothin’ wrong with that. Virgin daiquiris aren’t always your thing, then?”

  “Why? Do I have to be a drinker? I mean, does it make me less of an adult?”

  “No, Suzy. Just trying to get a feel for who you are—what you are.”

  Her shoulders slumped and she seemed to relax a bit with my words.

  “Want another drink? You downed that one quick.” She’d surprised me with how fast she polished it off, so my question about her drinking had been answered, but I wanted to watch her get a little pissed.

  “One more and then I’m done,” she said.

  “You order your drink and I’m going to go talk to my friend over there real quick. He’s a mechanic. I’ll see what he can do with your car tonight.” Standing, I motioned to Sandy and pointed to Suzy.

  “Okay, don’t leave me alone here too long.”

  “Promise, two minutes, tops.” I walked away from Suzy as Sandy approached. The vultures would swoop in soon enough in my absence.

  “Bored with Sunshine over there, buddy?” Tank asked as he kicked back in his chair as the others laughed. Tank’s smile was wide, and the laughter only encouraged him further. “I can step in if you’d like. I wouldn’t mind spending the night with that sweet flower.”

  I sat down in my usual seat next to Bear. “You can fuck off tonight.” I pointed at Tank. “I don’t need your shit.” Tank just grinned. I knew he was fucking around, but it pissed me the fuck off. I’d known Tank for years, and although he could be a pain in the ass, he had a heart of gold.

  “Easy there, City. What the fuck crawled up your ass and died?” Bear said.

  “Nothing, man, long day. Sorry, brother.”

  “Sweet on that girl, huh? Never knew you were such an uptight dick, let alone overprotective of a woman,” Bear said.

  “I’m not, but fuck, the shit that comes out of your mouth just pisses me off at times.”

  “Sorry. Just fuckin’ with you.”

  “We’re cool.” I slapped Bear on the shoulder, hoping to change the mood. No matter what assholes the guys could be, they were still my friends. They always had my back. “I need a favor, Tank.”

  “Name it.”

  “Her car’s down the road and isn’t starting. It’s an easy fix to get it moving again, but there’s some other issue with it. Think you could take care of it for me and drop it by her place tomorrow?”

  “Sure. Whatever you need. You want me to just get it running or fix it for her?”

  “Fix it and I’ll pay for the repair. Don’t let her pay for anything. Just drop it in her driveway.”

  “Gotcha, kid. I’ll need her keys,” he said as he popped open a peanut and threw the shell on the floor.

  “I’ll get them to you before we head out. Thanks, man.” I stood quickly, needing to get back to Suzy. I’d already been gone too long.

  “Night. Enjoy the Sunshine. Don’t get burned,” Bear said. Motherfucker.

  A man stood over Suzy, invading her personal space, as she backed away as far as possible without falling off the stool. He looked greasy, with long, straggly hair, a dirty top, and stained pants, and he was covered in old, faded tattoos. I’d seen the motherfucker here before, and it never ended well. He always creeped women out, and someone always tossed him on his ass after he had one too many.

  “Excuse me,” I said as I stood behind him and waited for him to turn his attention toward me.

  “What?” he asked without turning around.

  “The lady doesn’t want to talk to you.” I squeezed my hands into fists and tried to keep my temper down for Suzy’s sake.

  “I didn’t ask your opinion.”

  Her eyes were wide, and she slowly shook her head at me. The anger was clearly evident on my face. I felt like I was breathing fire at this point.

  “Get the fuck away from my girl or it won’t end well for you.” I crossed my arms over my chest and stood there, unmoving. If it weren’t for Suzy I would’ve laid the motherfucker out by now, but she didn’t seem like the bar-fight type of girl.

  He squinted at her and looked pissed off, but what the fuck did I care? “I don’t see your name on her, dick.”

  “What’s going on over here?” Bear said behind me as I grabbed the bastard by the collar, getting ready to pound his fucking face into a bloody mess.

  “This asshole is bothering my girl. I think he needs to be taught a lesson.” I tightened my grip on the material that hung from his body.

  I could see his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. I knew Bear would seal the deal, and the fucker would move on without me having to punch his fucking lights out. “Sorry, guys. You should be more careful about leaving your property unattended. Next time it may not be here when you get back. Would be a shame for something to happen to this beautiful creature.” The fucking bastard smirked.

  My fist landed against his face before I realized what I’d done. The fucker deserved far worse than a punch to his jaw. He was a sleazy-ass motherfucker bothering someone that obviously didn’t want to be touched. “Get the fuck out of here! Now!” I yelled as he lay on the floor holding his jaw.

  “Let’s go, asshat. Time for you to leave.” Bear picked him up and pulled him toward the door with his feet dragging across the wood planks. “Don’t fucking show your face in here again if you know what’s good for you.”

  I shook my hand as pain shot through my fingers. I knew I’d feel that punch for a couple of days, but it was worth it to lay that scumbag out and get him away from Suzy. “Are you okay?” I asked her as I flexed my fingers and studied her face.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for saving me, again.” She smiled at me and looked at my hand. Her smile faded as she saw the way I moved my fingers. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, bastard had a bony-ass jaw, is all,” I said, shaking out the last pain in my knuckles.

  She reached out and held my hand. “Sandy, can we get some ice over here?” she asked over her shoulder as she stroked my fingers and rubbed my knuckles with her soft, warm hands. I wanted to close my eyes and relish the feel of her skin against mine. I wanted to touch her. I ached to kiss her, but this wasn’t the place.

  “Really, that’s not necessary. I just want to make sure you’re okay, Suzy.” I didn’t stop her from touching me. I could feel the heat from her skin even after her fingers had moved on to another part of my hand. My hands always hurt from working for hours on designs, so the fist to the jaw didn’t help them feel any better. I to
uched her cheek with my free hand, and she moved into my touch and searched for the contact. “You are okay, right?”

  “Yeah, that guy was creepy, but he didn’t hurt me. Thank you for coming back when you did.”

  “Sorry, I should’ve paid attention and shouldn’t have left you. I didn’t offend you with being possessive and calling you my girl? ”

  “Oh, no. I’ve never had anyone say that about me, ever.” Her lips turned down as she concentrated on my hands. How could no one ever call her “my girl”?

  “Hey.” I held her chin and forced her to look at me. “Every girl should hear those words in her lifetime.” I didn’t smile. I wanted her to know I was dead serious.

  “Yeah, well, I haven’t.” She let go of my hand and turned away from me, pulling out of my grip.

  I didn’t think I’d ever used those words when speaking of a woman, except Joni. A sharp pain hit me square in the chest as I thought of my ex, the only woman I’d ever loved. I had a reaction to Suzy like I did when I met Joni, and seeing another man bothering her made me see red. I wanted to protect her, unlike I had with Joni. I cleared my throat and shook my head, trying to rid myself of my lost love. “Well, it’s not too late for it to happen. I didn’t think I’d be sitting in a bar tonight talking to such a beautiful woman, but here I am. Your story has yet to be written.”

  “I’ll never give up on my fairytale,” she said as she let go of my hand and picked up her martini, swallowing the last drops. “Is it hot in here?” She pulled on her tank top, moving it back and forth to cool her skin. Every time the material moved away from her flesh, I’d get a peek of breast, and I had to force myself not to stare.

  “Want to take a ride on the bike to cool off?” I asked. I wanted to feel her body against mine again, hugging my hips with her thighs, her arms wrapped around me.

  She rubbed her forehead. “I’m feeling a bit lightheaded. I shouldn’t have had two drinks.”

  “I’ll make sure you don’t fall off the bike. Just hold on tight and I’ll get you home safely.” I touched her knee, wanting to see if she’d pull away from me, but she didn’t. The skin was soft and smooth, and I wanted to run my hands up her thighs and watch her head fall back in ecstasy. I wanted to take her home and have my way with her, but I couldn’t just ask her.