Neal glanced around the small area with a frown gathered on his brow. “Is Mike still outside? I thought I heard the door.”
“That was Ray.” It wasn’t Cruella’s place to comment on another worker, so they merely passed on the update. “He’s in the breakroom with Mike.”
Neal gave a sharp nod. “Okay, thanks.”
Cruella watched as his other boss strode with purpose to the back. They propped their head up on their hand and let out a sigh.
So much for my first official date with Ray.
Ray tapped his fingers on the breakroom table as Neal poured himself a cup of coffee. They had just sent Mike home and were working out how to cover his shift at the last minute. Neal grabbed a chair and joined him, cradling his mug.
“I can handle reception for tonight, Ray. It’s not that big a deal.”
Ray shook his head. “No way, man. It’s Friday. Who’s going to cover it if you get a customer who wants a piercing?”
Liam had been doing a great job on afternoon shifts and weekdays, but Friday and Saturday nights tended to trigger his anxiety. The unruly crowds coming in were sometimes difficult to corral.
A crease formed between Neal’s eyebrows as he took a sip. “Well… Maybe I could do it for an hour or so, tell any walk-ins I’ll be able to take them later on while I see if I can get Big Boy or…?”
Ray had begun shaking his head halfway through Neal’s suggestion. “No, man. Like, a Tuesday or something, maybe, but it’s the start of the weekend and Big Boy will be as wasted by now as Mike was.”
Neal let out a snort. “Good point.” He set down his mug as he regarded Ray with a pained expression. “I hate to say this…”
Ray shook his head. “No, it’s cool.” He gave Neal a smirk. “Hey, I was the one who pushed for us to buy this place. I knew what I was getting into with owning a business.”
The uncomfortable expression hadn’t left Neal’s face. “I know, but I feel bad. You’ve covered for me so many times when Liam needed me. Especially after the kidnapping.”
Ray patted Neal on the side of his arm. “And I’d do it again. This isn’t anything so dire. Cruella and I can get together another time.” He chuckled. “We’ve already waited a fucking year. I’m sure another day or two won’t kill us.” Ray rose from his chair. “I’ll let Cruella know what’s up. They can go home and I’ll finish out the night.”
Ray tamped down the genuine disappointment that had hit him the minute he’d realized the date with Cruella was off. But it was true. They could make plans for another time.
Cruella glanced up the moment Ray started toward them. They offered him a soft smile, as if they’d already figured out what he was about to say.
Ray sighed, rubbing his neck as he reached the desk where Cruella still sat. “Yeah, so…”
“It’s okay, baby. I figured once Mike left that I’d have to cover his shift.”
Unable to resist the urge to get closer to Cruella, if even for a moment, Ray grabbed the rolling chair and took a seat. “No, that’s not what I meant. I’ll do it. I don’t want you to get stuck doing a double. It’s not your problem.”
Cruella tucked their hair behind their ears. “Actually, I wouldn’t mind at all. I could use…” They averted their gaze for a moment then faced Ray again with a smile. “There are a few things I was thinking I’d like to spend any extra cash on I might get. You know, if a shift or two became available.”
Ray considered the situation. The payroll money had already been budgeted in for Mike, so why not let Cruella have it?
“Sure. As long as you’re okay with it.” Ray chewed his lower lip as he considered their ruined plans. “Since I was expecting to spend the evening with you, I might hang around anyway. I can grab us something to eat, ‘cause I’d intended to take you out to dinner anyway. So, we can share a meal and afterward, it wouldn’t hurt me to get caught up some paperwork, either.” He let out a light laugh. “That never seems to end.” He grinned at Cruella. “And I’ll still be able to give you a ride home so you don’t have to take the bus.”
Cruella’s features brightened. “That sounds like the perfect compromise, I love it.” They cleared their throat. “But I did have a late lunch, so maybe just a salad or something light for me.”
Ray worked to keep his expression impassive. He’d never seen Cruella eat lunch even once the whole time they’d worked there. They would take their break, but spend the time in the breakroom flipping through a fashion magazine or reading on their e-reader. But never did they have more than a cup of coffee or some of that cucumber-infused water he couldn’t wrap his brain around.
“Sure, whatever you’d like.” Once they got to know each other better, he’d work up the nerve to ask them about it. All he cared about was that they were healthy and not starving themself due to an eating disorder.
“Thank you, hon.”
Cruella met his gaze and the flutters in his stomach that appeared whenever their eyes locked told him something very important about his feelings. It didn’t make any difference whether they were going out or if he might get lucky. All that mattered was they were spending the time together.
For the first time they could remember, their shift had flown by. Leaning against Ray’s SUV, Cruella glanced sideways at Ray as he chatted with Neal and Liam while they locked up. Even though it was midnight, Cruella was amped up—not ready for the night to be over. To say goodnight to Ray. He caught their eye and gave them a grin. Definitely not ready.
Cruella wrapped their dark blue, vintage suede car coat tighter around them as a chilly breeze whooshed by. Ray looked in their direction again, then frowned. He seemed to be making his goodbyes, and Neal and Liam waved at Cruella as Ray trotted toward them.
“I’m sorry, I should’ve had you wait in the truck.”
Ray wrapped an arm around their shoulders, tugging them into his side as he pressed the unlock button on the key fob. Cruella let themself melt against Ray’s solid frame, cursing how swiftly the moment passed once the door was open. With a sigh, Cruella moved from his embrace then climbed into the vehicle.
Once they were on their way, Cruella sucked in a breath to give Ray the speech they’d practiced while waiting. Before they could start, though, Ray spoke up.
“So…” His fingers tightened on the wheel. “You’re probably way too tired to grab a drink on the way to your place, right?”
Cruella pressed their lips together to keep a laugh from escaping. “Was that supposed to be an invitation, hon?”
Ray gave them a lopsided grin before returning his gaze to the road. “I’m not very good at this, am I?”
Cruella squeezed Ray’s thigh once before letting go, not missing how his Adam’s apple bobbed in response. “You’re fine. I was just about to ask if you wanted to do something. I’m not ready to go home yet.”
Ray wiggled in his seat. “Cool. Where would you like to go?”
How brave am I? “What would you say to grabbing a bottle of wine and relaxing at your place for a bit? I don’t really want to sit in a crowded, loud bar. I’d rather be somewhere we can talk.”
“Sure. Awesome.” Ray licked his lips and gripped the wheel tighter. “If I drink too much, though, it probably wouldn’t be a smart idea to drive you home right away, you know, until some time passes.”
Cruella let their hand drop onto Ray’s knee then lightly caressed his thigh. “No. Not smart at all. I should probably stay the night. Would you let me crash on your couch?”
Ray cleared his throat. “Y-yeah. You can crash wherever you want.”
The tinge of arousal that had plagued them all evening blossomed into a full stiffy. “Good to know, hon. Good to know.”
Chapter Seven
The keys to Ray’s apartment, mailbox, truck and the shop jangled from his Vampira key chain. Ray focused on keeping his breathing even so he wouldn’t blurt out something ridiculous. He didn’t want to make Cruella already regret their decision to spend the night with him.
That means what I think it means, right?
As he gestured for Cruella to go first, he wondered if he should slow things down. Not that his cock was interested in such crazy talk, but Cruella was too important for him to rush their burgeoning relationship. Ray didn’t need any more hook-ups under his belt. And even if he wasn’t done with flings, what he felt for Cruella went way beyond casual. He swallowed hard. Pondering how far it went wasn’t something he dared to consider.
Yet.
Cruella hugged the bottle of merlot Ray had purchased for them as they stood in the middle of his open living room, taking in the surroundings. After dropping their large tote bag on the floor beneath the coat hooks, they smiled as they regarded Ray’s keyring—he’d tossed it onto the console table that took up most of his small entryway, where he always dumped his keys, wallet and mail.
They approached Ray and he tensed. Instead of moving all the way into his personal space, they fingered the enamel-covered metal adornment.
“Love her. It’s not the same as the one on your arm, but similar.”
Ray nodded. “Yeah, the one I had done on my arm I modeled after Julie Strain’s characterization.”
Cruella tilted their head with the hint of a smile on their lips. “You did Neal’s Bette Davis too, right?”
“Yeah, as Margo Channing from All About Eve.” Ray held his hands out to take the wine. “Was that where you got the idea for the one I did on your shoulder?”
Cruella let out a soft laugh as they followed him to the kitchen, the lilting sound rare, but one that made Ray weak in the knees whenever he heard it.
“Oh no, I didn’t notice his until after. A drag queen I used to be friends with recommended you for renditions of famous people. I’d wanted Joan Crawford’s Mildred Pierce inked on me since I was thirteen.”
Ray dug around in the cutlery drawer for his wine opener. “Used to be friends?”
Cruella tossed their hair back as they glanced away and Ray sensed he’d touched on a sore subject.
“If you don’t want to talk about it, that’s cool.”
Cruella furrowed their brow. “No, this is good, why I wanted us to come here instead of going to a noisy bar.” They ran a scarlet-tinged fingernail up his arm and he shivered from the touch. “I don’t need atmosphere to spend time with you, baby. Just us, alone. That’s all that’s necessary.”
Ray worked extra hard to keep from stumbling over his words. “Same here. How about I let this breathe for a bit while I go change?” He bit his lip, hoping he wasn’t being too forward. “Would you like to borrow a T-shirt or sweats or anything so you’re more comfortable?”
The ghost of a smile remained on Cruella’s lips and Ray marveled at how he was the only nervous one in the room. He hoped like hell he wasn’t coming off to them as if he were a big goofball.
“That would be great, hon. Thanks.”
Only a short hall connected the living area to the bedroom, with the bathroom in-between. His apartment was one of the older ones in the city, so it had a bit more room. It was also one of the few on his block that hadn’t been converted into a condominium. His décor was a hodge-podge of his horror film interests combined with old Hollywood kitsch. A few of his award-winning drawings were framed and hung on the wall of the living room. He’d worked hard to make something of himself with no help from his family, so he was proud of what he’d achieved.
After briefly rinsing off—since he felt as though he sweated more than most men—he threw on one of his Comic Con tees and black sweats, then grabbed a purple tee and a pair of sweats he’d accidentally shrunk in the dryer. They’d probably still be too big for Cruella, but they were the best he could do.
When Ray returned to the living room, he found Cruella barefoot, only their black leggings and their red stretch mini remaining on. Their black shrug and the car coat had been laid across his easy chair—which meant the only place left to sit was his long, brown leather couch. Ray’s fingers curled in the soft fabric of the clothing he’d brought for Cruella to change into, his gaze fixed on the way their hair cascaded down their back in loose waves. They were flipping through his collection of vinyl and had plucked out one of his favorite sixties surfer albums. They seemed to be examining the song listings on the back of the album sleeve.
Ray cleared his throat so he wouldn’t startle them. Cruella glanced up and smiled.
“You have an interesting collection. I hope you don’t mind that I took a peek.”
Ray shook his head. “No, of course not. If there’s anything you see that you want to play, just let me know.”
“I will, hon. But if you don’t mind, right now I want to keep all my attention on you.”
Cruella made their way toward him with purposeful yet graceful strides. He tensed, wondering if he was about to be grabbed and kissed. When Cruella reached him, they held out their arms. Ray blinked a few times as he stared into Cruella’s kohl-lined eyes, the striking green mesmerizing him as he waited for what would happen next.
“Are those for me?”
“Is what for you?” He couldn’t stop staring.
Cruella let out a soft laugh. “The clothing?”
He looked down at the T-shirt and sweats he’d brought for them. Jesus. Quit acting like an idiot.
“Oh! Yeah, totally. Here you go.” Ray extended the pile of clothes to Cruella. “The bathroom’s just off the hall.”
Cruella accepted the items, leaning in to place a kiss on his cheek as they did. “Thanks. I’ll be right back.”
For a few minutes after Cruella disappeared, Ray couldn’t move from the spot where he stood. It was as if all those months of waiting and wishing and fantasizing about them made the fact that Cruella was with him in his home, changing into something more comfortable, that much more unbelievable.
I have a chance with them.
It had sunk in. They were on an honest-to-God date.
Ray mentally shook himself out of his trance and went about pouring the wine and bringing the stemware to the chrome and glass, oval-shaped coffee table in front of his cushy sofa. After setting them down, he perched on the edge of one of the cushions, resting his elbows on his knees and clasping his hands in front of him as he waited. God, I must look like the least relaxed person on the planet. He didn’t think he presented a very sexy picture.
Ray glanced around the room, wondering if he should dim the lights or something. They said no music. He spotted the jar candle that smelled of apple cinnamon on the bar counter of the kitchen. It was the closest thing he had to candlelight. But what if they don’t like that scent and it makes them gag? He dropped his head in his hands, marveling at how worked up he was managing to get over the smallest of things.
“Do you have a headache, hon?”
Ray yanked his hands away as he straightened. “No! I mean, I’m fine.” He gave a shaky laugh. “Just wondering if there was anything else I could do to make you comfortable.”
“Aww, you’re the sweetest.” Cruella crossed the short expanse of the room, the waistband of the borrowed pants descending dangerously low as they moved. Their hip bones jutted out, a tempting bit of pale skin taunting him between the top of the sweats and the T-shirt that Cruella had tied in a knot just below their ribcage. Ray bit his lower lip.
That navel. An inny, teardrop-shaped, hairless and fucking adorable. He wanted to dip his tongue right inside.
Cruella lowered themself onto the cushion next to him—within reach, but not close enough to touch. They angled their body toward him, tucking their feet under them as they draped an arm over the back of the couch. Ray mentally slapped himself and made an inner solemn promise that he’d quit staring at them like a horny, virginal teen. He reached over and picked up the two wineglasses, then offered one to Cruella.
“Here’s to getting to know each other better.”
Ray offered up a toast and Cruella touched their glass to his with a smile.
“Let’s hope it’s much better.”
> Ray attempted to ignore his hardening cock and took a sip of the smooth red wine instead.
Cruella playfully smacked Ray’s knee. “Go ahead. Ask.”
Ray swallowed hard then set down his glass before he spilled it everywhere. “Ask…?” He wasn’t sure if he was slick enough to follow Cruella’s banter if they got too clever. He tended to be pretty straight-forward, albeit tongue-tied on occasion.
“You wanted to know why I wasn’t friends anymore with the drag queen who gave you a rec.”
Oh, right. “I take it there’s a story there?”
Cruella gave a small shrug. “We all have stories, hon. This one isn’t very pretty.” They held his gaze. “But I’m guessing you’ve known for a while now that things weren’t all that great for me when I first came to the shop to get inked by you.”
“Yeah. I knew.”
He wanted to touch, to reassure, but didn’t think it was his place yet. The last thing he wanted to do was be grabby while Cruella was reliving a painful moment and opening up to him.
“Hey.” Cruella took control instead and leaned forward to squeeze his arm before letting go. “I’m okay. Don’t feel as though you have to drown me in sympathy. I have no regrets. I’m stronger today because of standing up to that asshole.”
Ray nodded. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to imply you couldn’t handle it on your own, I know you’re strong. It just pissed me off so much that you were being hurt.”
Cruella took a drink of their wine then set it down next to Ray’s. “I have an idea.” They regarded Ray with a bit of a twinkle in their eye. “Let’s play Truth or Dare.”
Ray shot up his eyebrows. “Seriously?”
Cruella broke out in a musical laugh. “Well, the idea is to keep this sharing session from getting too serious, but yes, I’m serious about playing it. Whaddya say? You already asked a question, so I’ll answer it. Then it’ll be my turn.”
Kink Aware (Kiss of Leather Book 9) Page 5
