by Gary, Codi
Nothing he was doing was meant to make her heart pound, her stomach knot, or her eyes close; it was all in her head. Her body didn’t know that, though. All it knew was that there was a pair of very rough, strong hands causing some very private areas to throb and dampen. And he wasn’t even aware of the quivery feelings he was eliciting from her. If he had even the slightest clue that his touch was making her hornier than a rabbit, he would have probably teased her about that too.
The instruments of her hormone-induced trip to crazy town stopped their innocent exploration, and he said, “Now I’m going to get started. Try not to tense up.” She heard the sound of snapping latex behind her and a whining buzz.
He ran his hand over the small of her back again and she closed her eyes, enjoying the sensation but knowing that just behind it there was a rapid-firing needle. She felt him lean closer to her and his breath rustled the small hairs that curled along her nape as he whispered, “Are you ready?”
“Yes. I’m ready,” she said. The first prick felt like she’d been burned, and she bit her lip, trying to hold back her cry as her back caught fire with pain. “Owowowowow! Okay, when does the not-painful part kick in?”
“It’s different for everybody. Just try to relax.” Bzzzz went the little gun again and Katie tried to suck it up, but her eyes teared.
Stupid nearly midlife crisis!
All she felt was pain. Pain . . . pain . . . pain! It seemed like she’d been sitting there for hours when in reality he’d barely begun.
“I can’t believe you don’t use some kind of numbing agent,” she griped loud enough to be heard over the tattoo gun.
The gun clicked off, and she heard Chase sigh followed by the clink of the tray, the snap of his glove, and his steps behind her. She turned to glance over her shoulder to see where he had gone, winced as her lower back stung and faced forward again. Suddenly, a bottle of whiskey was being held four inches from her nose. “Take a couple of swigs.”
She eyed the rim dubiously and asked, “Really? From the bottle?”
He grinned at her. “That’s good Scotch. I don’t share that with just anyone. Plus it’s not just one of the oldest forms of anesthesia. It’s also an awesome sterilizer. And just to reassure you, I’m clean. I swear.”
She blushed and took a swig, the liquor burning her throat. “Smooth.”
Laughing, he went back to his work, gloves snapping and then that irritating buzzing again. She took another drink of the vile brew, hoping the foul taste and burning throat were worth it.
A moment later she heard the gun click off. “Why don’t you tell me what prompted the list? It’ll distract you from the pain.”
Or just make things worse, sharing my humiliation with a virtual stranger.
But what could be more humiliating than him reading every stupid thing she’d never done and always been too scared to do?
Trying to take her mind off her tender back and said, “I got dumped about eight months ago. We’d been together almost seven years.”
“So why the list now?”
“I just got his wedding invitation in the mail yesterday.”
The bzzzz-ing stopped and Chase slid round on his wheelie stool to look at her face. “Is it the same girl he cheated with?”
“How did you know he . . .”
He waved his hand. “Because he’s an obvious douche bag. Only a giant douche sends his ex-girlfriend a wedding invitation, unless they were friends for a long time before or after. Is that the case?”
Katie smiled for the first time since yesterday. “No, we haven’t talked since he left. And yeah, he was pretty much a douche during our whole relationship. I was just the only one who didn’t notice.”
“Then I’m really glad I shared my whiskey with you. Sounds like you needed something stronger than a sissy girly drink.” He slid back behind her and said, “That’s how it usually is. You don’t see how fucked up a relationship is until you’re out.”
“It wasn’t all bad. We really were happy, most of the time.” She didn’t know why she was defending Jimmy, but the whole situation made her feel stupid. How had she not realized how broken their relationship was? How had she not seen that he had one foot out the door and his boots under someone else’s bed?
Chase interrupted her descent into self-loathing when he said, “Any guy who doesn’t marry you after three years isn’t going to. My mom taught me that.”
She took another gulp of whiskey and it no longer burned, just increased the warm sensation in her tummy. “Gee, I’ve never heard of the three-year rule; please teach it to me.”
“After my dad left, my mom had a lot of boyfriends,” he said loudly over the gun. “Some even lasted longer than three years, but once she brought up the word marriage, they were gone. Then she’d lie in her bed for a week or two, crying, and start all over again. By three years you should know everything there is to know about a person, or close to it. And if you know everything and you still can’t take the leap, then you need to get out.”
“What about love at first sight? Or people who fall in love and get married after six months? Do you really think they’re going to last?” she asked, starting to feel a little tipsy.
“As long as they go into it with their eyes open, knowing the other person’s flaws and loving them anyway, who am I to judge?”
Katie, feeling loose, asked, “What are your flaws?”
“Why? You want to know if I’m your perfect match?” he asked, and Katie could hear the humor in his voice.
She scoffed. “No, I was just curious.” Taking another gulp, she marveled as pain-free warmth spread through her limbs, and prodded, “So what are they?”
More whirring behind her until he finally stopped and said, “I’m stubborn as hell.”
Katie rolled her eyes, even though he couldn’t see her. “Most people are stubborn.”
“You’re not. You give in to everybody.”
His words stung. If he hadn’t been jabbing a needle in and out of her back, she would have gotten up and let him have it. Instead she snapped, “I do not! I just pick my battles.”
“I’ve been here less than six months and I haven’t seen you really hold your ground on anything.”
She turned her head enough to look over her shoulder and said, “I’ll have you know, I told Mrs. Andrews we were keeping your booth where it was, next to the kissing booth, and that was that.”
He raised his eyebrow at her. “Where did she want me moved?”
The angle was hurting her neck, so she turned her head forward again. “She didn’t want you to have one at all. Thinks tattoo parlors bring around a bad element.”
Chase was quiet after that, only the sound of the tattoo gun echoing in the parlor. When the gun finally went silent, she felt him dabbing at her back. “All done.” Handing her a small mirror, he helped her stand up. “Here, can you see it?”
Katie looked at her spanking new tattoo, and part of her was excited and exhilarated that she had done it. But the small, sober part of her brain screamed, What did you do, you idiot?
“Just keep a piece of plastic wrap over it for the next three days until it heals,” he said.
Katie heard his coolness and knew something was wrong by the look on his face, but couldn’t really recall what she had said to upset him. She set the whiskey bottle on the counter and the room was a bit hazy around the edges.
Lightweight.
Had it been the thing with Mrs. Andrews? Why would a guy like Chase care what some small-minded woman thought? Still, if that was it, she didn’t want him feeling bad, especially since she shouldn’t have said it in the first place.
“Look, I’m really sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have repeated that conversation,” she said.
He picked up the tray and his eyes were glacial. With a tone just as cool, he said, “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and said quietly, “Those were her words, not mine. I don’t a
gree with her.”
He gave her a little half smile. “I appreciate that. Not all people share your high opinion of me.”
The whole conversation was awkward and uncomfortable, and she wanted out of it. “How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, turning his back to her as he went into the back.
She stood there for a minute, not knowing what to do or say to make things better, before pulling out several bills from her purse and leaving them on the counter. She felt awful about hurting his feelings, but she had drunk too much whiskey too fast and wasn’t in control of any of her finer brain functions. Even if she could figure out the right thing to say, she couldn’t stop the irrational urge to giggle, and somehow she didn’t think that would make her apology sound very sincere. Better to wait until tomorrow, when she had all her wits about her.
Katie pulled her pants back up, but when she tried to button them, they dug into her back, making her suck in a sharp breath of pain. So with halfway-zipped pants and a little wobble in her step, she walked out the door and pulled out her cell phone. The warm summer air hit her face but did nothing to sober her. She dialed Steph and cursed when it went straight to voice mail.
There was no way she was driving, even if it was just around the corner. Katie passed by her 4Runner and kept walking down the side streets toward home, her thoughts lingering on Chase. He was weird; there, she said it. One minute he was sticking his nose into her business, then showing up to apologize and two minutes after that he was offering to help her complete her list. It was frustrating to admit when they went at it verbally, he was quick-witted and kind of funny. He acted tough, nonchalant, and carefree, but one negative comment from someone he didn’t even know had shut him down. He was like a big, hot slice of cake with all kinds of yummy layers to savor.
Picturing that cake, she realized she’d forgotten to go grocery shopping. Crap. That would teach her to let Chase Trepasso distract her. It wouldn’t happen again, no matter how good a kisser he was.
Chapter Three
* * *
CHASE HADN’T MEANT to take his frustration out on Katie, but it was the same thing everywhere he went. People too high up on their fucking horses thought that tattoo artists were lower than dirt, and it pissed him off.
He came out from the back of the shop and started, “Look, I . . .” but Katie was gone and there was a wad of crumpled cash on the counter. Cursing, he shoved the bills into his wallet and went to turn off the lights. She was in no condition to drive, and if one of the hard-ass Barney Fifes in blue decided to pull her over, she’d be screwed.
Admiring his motorcycle’s beauty in the evening sun, he swung his leg over to sit astride the powerful vehicle. He had a Chevy Blazer he drove when the roads were bad or he needed to haul something, but the chopper was his pride and joy. He saw Katie’s SUV still parked on the side of the street and started the chopper up. He flipped the motorcycle around and was surprised to see her up the street, walking unsteadily.
“Let me give you a ride,” he yelled as he pulled up alongside her.
Stopping and turning to face him, she asked, “I thought you were mad at me?”
He was surprised she’d even picked up on his irritation. “No, I’m not mad.”
“Really? ’Cause you seemed like you were teed off . . .”
“I’m not mad,” he snapped, and, at her hurt look, took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Just come on. I don’t like you walking home by yourself.”
“It’s still light out, and really, it’s not far,” she said, and she was right. It was past nine, but the sun hadn’t fully set yet. He had a feeling though, that wasn’t what was stopping her.
“God, will you stop being so stubborn and get on the damn chopper?” He pulled in front of her and cut the engine. “Look, just let me take you home. It will make me feel better.” She seemed to be weighing the dangers as he reached out to grab her hand. “Trust me.”
Why that worked Chase didn’t know, but she took a deep breath and climbed on behind him. He liked the way her arms wrapped around his waist and the feel of her breasts pressed against his back. Patting her hands comfortingly, he said, “Hang on.”
Starting the chopper back up, Chase headed down the street, following Katie’s directions as she shouted them. When he pulled in front of her house and parked in the drive, she released her death grip on his waist and scrambled off. He rubbed his ribs where her fingers had dug in and couldn’t help grinning at her as she tried to shake off her obvious terror.
“First time on a motorcycle?” he asked.
The little smile she gave him was just a small lift of her lips, but he thought it was sexy as hell. “Yeah, sorry, I just can’t seem to help it. It just doesn’t feel right to have nothing between me and everything else. How do you keep from getting bugs in your teeth?”
“Actually, one time, I went to pick a girl up for a date and the whole night she acted weird. I couldn’t figure out why.” He started chuckling as he continued, “When I went to kiss her at the end, she literally started gagging and finally told me that I had a smashed bug on my face.”
Katie’s sweet laughter joined his. “I’m guessing you didn’t go out with her again?”
He shook his head. “I was eighteen and angry. I just roared off, and when I saw her around, I ignored her. Another flaw I guess. I don’t like to be made a fool of and I don’t let people treat me like a joke.”
Katie cocked her head and said, “I don’t really think that’s a flaw.”
He shrugged. “Let’s just say it doesn’t make me popular with most people. I’m not really a filter kind of guy. You piss me off, I’m not going to pretend it’s all fine and dandy. Guess that’s one way we differ.”
He saw that flare again, the one he noticed every time she had something to say but held it in. It started to cool and he grabbed her around her waist, pulling her to him. “Don’t. Don’t hold it in with me. I’ve got a pretty thick skin: I’m sure I can take whatever you wanna dish out.”
When she didn’t respond right away, he figured she was going to bottle it up anyway. Instead she blurted, “I am not spineless. I was just taught to always put my best behavior out there and not just say whatever comes out, no matter how much I may want to sometimes. I can have an opinion without being rude.”
“Fine, so if I was to ask myself inside for a nightcap, what would you say?” he asked.
She seemed to be struggling with her answer. Her mouth started to open but snapped shut again before she could get anything out.
“You want to tell me to go to hell?” He said, smirking. It really was fun to fluster her.
She shook her head. “No. I want to tell you that I don’t have any alcohol and I didn’t get to eat dinner. I meant to go to the grocery store because I have no food in the house, but you distracted me! Coming by my work to embarrass me, and then again with that kiss . . .”
“Hey now, you came by my work and distracted me. As for the kiss, you wanted me to. And that was a good kiss, an amazing kiss. And it’s definitely something that we should do again very soon.”
“No! No more kissing. I shouldn’t have asked you to kiss me,” she said.
“Actually, it was more like a demand . . .” he said.
“The point is, it was wrong and . . .”
Abruptly, her protests stopped as he slipped his hands up and under her jaw to lift her blue eyes to his. “We are two single, consenting adults, and if you want to keep kissing me, let me be clear”—he brought his mouth closer to hers—“the feeling is completely mutual.”
Chase went in slowly, giving her every opportunity to stop him, but she didn’t. When his lips finally covered hers, she opened her mouth, their tongues meeting and melding together. He started to wrap his arms around her waist, but, remembering her tattoo, slipped his hands down to her ass instead, squeezing it and using it to press her against his aching cock.
Gasping, she yanked away from him. “What are we d
oing? We hardly know each other.”
“I thought we were getting to know each other really well,” he said.
The look in her eye told him the momentary lapse in judgment was over. He shoved his hands into the pocket of his jeans and said, “I’m not going to apologize, if that’s what you’re hoping for. You want me, just like I want you.”
“I don’t even know you!” Her voice hit a shrill note and the neighbor’s dog started barking.
Chase shook his head and said, “Unless you want to be the hot new topic for the masses tomorrow, you should probably keep your voice down.”
Her eyes darted around frantically and she hissed, “Please leave.”
“I thought you were hungry. I could come in and we could order a pizza?” He gave her his best innocent smile and held his hands up. “I promise I won’t try anything else.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea,” she said, hesitating slightly.
He was going to take that as a yes. “I think it’s a spec-fucking-tacular idea. You go inside, I’ll go get food.”
Not giving her a chance to protest, he took off on his chopper and headed toward Hall’s Market. Hopefully he got back before cautious Katie had a chance to take the reins again.
THIS IS CRAZY. Absolutely certifiable. He isn’t even your type.
Okay, so she didn’t really have a type. She had only really ever been serious with her high-school boyfriend and Jimmy. All the other dates had been setups, or men she’d known forever and didn’t want to hurt their feelings when they asked her out. Chase wasn’t like any of them, though. He did what he wanted, despite how much other people’s low opinions might bother him. She envied that.
