JAMESON: Brothers Ink Tattoo (Brothers Ink Tattoo Series Book 1)

by Nicole James

  He could hear the smile in her voice as she replied. “More than good.”

  Her palms slid over his hands as his mouth suckled at her throat.

  “I didn’t even get a chance to play with your tits,” he teased.

  She giggled, and he felt the vibration through her back. “Next time.”

  He nipped at her skin. “Definitely next time.” Then he pressed a soft kiss to the spot.

  She sighed.

  He pulled out and moved back off her.

  “Don’t go,” she moaned.

  He smacked one ass cheek. “Pack a bag.”

  She twisted to look back at him as he stood at the foot of her bed, fastening his jeans and belt. “What? No.”

  “Not joking, Ava. Pack a bag.”

  “For what?”

  “You’re coming with me to the farm.”

  “I can’t do that.”

  His brow arched. “Pack a fucking bag, Ava. Or so help me, I’ll take you out of here without a stitch.”

  She rose up, glaring at him and knelt, sitting on her heels. “Are you serious?”

  “As a heart attack.” He moved to the side of the bed, took her face in his hands, and pulled her up for a kiss. He felt her arms wrap around his waist and her breasts press against his bare chest, hot skin on hot skin.

  When he broke the kiss, her head still in his hands, she shifted her eyes and looked down at the bed. “Did that really just happen?”

  He took one of her hands in his and held it against his chest. “You feel my heart still pounding? That’s real, and yes, that really just happened.”

  “Stay here with me,” she purred. “Please.”

  “As sweet as it is hearing your sexy voice beg, we’re going.”

  “I’m staying here.”

  She tried to push out of his arms, but he wouldn’t let her. He stared down into her face and clarified in a gentle voice, “What happened to you tonight… I’m pissed off and feeling protective. Don’t push me on this, Ava. It’s happening. Understand?” He knew she saw the rock solid determination to have his way in his expression, and for once, she backed down. “Good girl.” He kissed her nose. “Now grab enough for a few days.”

  “Days?”

  “Yes, no arguments now.” She climbed off the bed, but wasn’t quick enough before he smacked her ass again. “Move, woman.”

  “Ow.”

  “And it’s gotta fit in my saddlebags, so don’t over-pack.”

  Her hands landed on her hips. “I don’t have a bag that will fit in your saddlebag, Jameson.”

  He grabbed up her pillow, yanked the pillowcase off, and tossed it to her. “Problem solved.”

  She rolled her eyes, chuckled, and headed to her closet. “You’re unreal.”

  “Think I just proved to you how very real I am, babe.”

  He heard giggling coming from the closet, followed by a low, murmured, “You certainly did.”

  He grinned.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  An hour later, with Jameson’s firm grip on her hand, Ava was led through the big, dark farmhouse to his bedroom. Maybe she’d never admit it, but that firm grip— and the way he’d come over and taken control tonight—was exactly what she needed.

  She followed him into the room. It was on the second floor, with a huge window overlooking the view. He let go of her hand, and she walked to the window. A full moon shone down on the valley with the mountains in the distance.

  He came to stand behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “I meant what I said.”

  “What’s that?” She turned her head to the side, and he nuzzled her ear.

  “You don’t have to worry about that guy again. I’ll take care of it. I’ll take care of you. No matter what, be it that guy or Rachel or anyone else who threatens you. Understand?”

  “Okay.” He’d never know how much that meant to her.

  “You and me, we’ve been at cross purposes from the start. I just think we don’t understand each other, but that’s gonna change tonight.” His arms tightened. “Can I tell you something?” he asked.

  She nodded.

  “I like this feeling.”

  “What feeling?”

  “You needing me,” he confessed.

  “Can I tell you something?” she whispered back.

  “Anything.” His voice was deep and rumbly in her ear.

  Her hand came up to hold his cheek to hers. “I liked you taking control. I like having someone to lean on. Even if it’s only for the night.”

  This was a pivotal turning point in their relationship, and they both realized it. Things were changing between them.

  He stepped back, taking her hand and drawing her back with him. He stopped next to the bed, and his hands lifted to her blouse, his fingers working the buttons free. She lifted her hand and traced a tattoo that ran down his arm.

  His eyes followed the motion, and then lifted to hers.

  She smiled. “I’ve wanted to do that for the longest time.”

  “I wish I’d known that. Maybe we would have gotten to this point a whole lot sooner.”

  Her eyes dropped back to the tattoo.

  “I’ll let you trace every one of them if you want, babe.”

  She grinned. “I’ll take you up on that.”

  “But not right now. I’ve got something else in mind.” He reached the last button of her blouse and pulled the placket open. Their eyes held as he pushed it back off her shoulders. “We rushed this earlier. I want to take my time with you.”

  He slowly undressed her piece by piece and then, true to his word, he took his time, lavishing every part of her body with attention. His mouth moved over her skin from her mouth to her neck, to her breasts. He gave them extra time, reminding her with a teasing voice that he’d neglected them the first go around.

  When he had her moaning and writhing, he moved on down her belly. He paused, giving special attention to the tattoo that curved over her hip. It had been several weeks since he’d given it to her, and it was now completely healed. She watched as his head dipped, and he traced along the edge with his tongue, following it over the curve of her hip and back up to her last rib. Then he dove straight for her bellybutton, his tongue toying with her new piece of jewelry.

  He grinned up at her. “Look at you, my little wild thing, all pierced and tatted.” He put his mouth back to her skin, his tongue drawing a pattern.

  She trembled at his tickling touch, and he lifted his head, his eyes connecting with hers. The sexual heat burning in his eyes had her writhing beneath him. It didn’t take him long to get the hint, and a sexy grin split his mouth as he slid lower. “Don’t worry, baby. We’ve got all night, and I plan to see you’re well taken care of.” Then he grinned that Cheshire grin. “Repeatedly.”

  He slid lower and his mouth closed over her. Her head went back at the sensation of his tongue gliding over her again and again. His big hands pushed her thighs apart as his shoulders moved between them, spreading her wide and open to him. He took his sweet time, bringing her to one orgasm that stretched into another, until she was begging him to take her.

  He slid up over her body, his knees pushing her thighs open, and thrust into her in one powerful move. She gasped, and his mouth closed over hers, silencing any noise but her moan of pleasure. His big body began to move, and her arms slid up his back, clutching him to her. She felt the muscles rippling beneath her palms as his skin grew damp with sweat.

  His pace increased as he drove into her, slam after slam until she was bucking beneath him. His eyes held hers, and then he took her wrists, pulling her arms from around his neck to press them into the pillow on either side of her head. His fingers laced with hers.

  “This means something, Ava. You mean something.”

  His body kept on thrusting as they stared into each other’s eyes.

  “Jameson.” Her head went back, and she felt his mouth latch onto her throat, and still he kept thrusting furiously. His mouth moved to her ear.<
br />
  “I’m gonna come. You want it?”

  “Yes,” she moaned.

  His hands tightened around hers, and a moment later he drove into her, and his body went rigid. His breathing was heavy in her ear, and then he was slowly gliding in and out. Once. Twice. He collapsed down on top of her.

  She could feel his chest moving as his breath rasped in her ear. She smiled, wrapping her arms around him and holding him close. He’d opened up a whole new side of himself tonight, and she reveled in it. It had taken them so long to get here, to this place where all the walls were broken down. Finally being here with him meant all the more to her.

  She felt him start to pull away, and her arms tightened, stopping him. She turned her head, her lips pressing kisses down the side of his jaw, across to his ear. She whispered, “Don’t go. Don’t move.”

  She felt his weight settle back down, and his hips flexed. She grinned feeling him still hard inside her and moaned. He must have heard the smile in her voice, for he lifted his head to grin down at her. “Goddamn, girl.”

  She chuckled and dug her heels into his ass cheeks. “What?”

  “You want round two, it’s gonna take me a minute.”

  She reached down and smacked his ass. “Round three. You’re losing count.”

  His brows shot up, and his hands closed over her wrists, pinning her again. “You lookin’ to get rough, I can spank an ass, too.”

  She burst out laughing and wiggled her body. “Guess that would kill a minute or two while we wait.”

  She felt his body shake with his laughter as he rolled and took her up on her offer.

  ***

  Hours later, they watched the moon rise through the window. He lay behind her with his elbow in the pillow and his head in his hand. Her back was to his chest and his other arm was around her waist.

  “You feel safe here?” His mouth nuzzled her head.

  Her hand came up to touch his forearm. “Very safe.”

  He pressed a kiss to her temple. “Good. I want to talk.”

  She frowned, staring out the window at the moon. “What about?”

  “Before tonight, what other encounters have you had with this guy?”

  She stroked his forearm again as he waited patiently for her to answer. “He was standing outside near the shop one night when I left. I got stuck at the corner light.”

  “What happened?”

  “He approached my car. Rapped on the driver’s window. Scared the crap out of me.”

  “What did you do?”

  “The light changed, and I drove off.”

  “Did he follow?”

  She shook her head. “No. But one night a motorcycle followed me home. I don’t know for sure, but I think it was him. He drove on down the street. At the time I thought I was being silly and paranoid.”

  “Did you ever see him near your house?”

  “No.”

  “When did the vandalism of your door happen?”

  “The other night. I came home after work, and it was there.”

  “Anything you’re not telling me?”

  “No. That’s it.” She paused. “Well, I did have one other visitor.” She felt his body go tense behind her.

  “Who?”

  “Before you, there was another man who was going to be our headlining bachelor. When he found out he’d been replaced, he came over one night to confront me.”

  “What happened?”

  “He was just angry. Told me I could forget about his help with the charity from then on.”

  “Who is this guy? What’s his name?”

  “Jameson—”

  “Who is he?” he snapped.

  “His name is Dr. Ashton. He’s a surgeon here in town.”

  Jameson was quiet.

  “You’re not going to do anything are you?”

  “Nobody messes with you, Ava. Told you that.”

  “He’s harmless, Jameson.”

  “No man is harmless, Ava. Don’t ever forget that.”

  “Now you’re scaring me again.”

  He pressed a kiss to her head. “Sorry. Get some sleep, babe.”

  He settled in behind her, pulling her against his body, and she welcomed the embrace, loving the way he held her close and the heat of his skin on hers.

  “Can I tell you something?” she whispered.

  “Anything, babe.”

  “When I first laid eyes on you, I was so drawn to you.”

  He chuckled. “Could’ve fooled me.”

  “Shush. I’m being serious.”

  “Sorry, proceed.”

  “You push me to do things I wouldn’t normally do… to see things in a different light. You make me excited about things I didn’t know I would be excited about. You live your life on your own terms. There’s something very appealing about that.”

  He was quiet a moment and then said, “Just don’t ever let me push you too far, Ava. Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  He kissed her temple. “Get some sleep, angel.”

  Eventually, they both drifted off.

  ***

  Hours later, Ava woke up. She glanced at the illuminated time on the bedside clock. 4:00 a.m. Jameson was curled around her with his arm slung over her waist, his hand splayed against her belly.

  She could get used to this; She loved the feel of his hard body behind her, the protective pose, his body heat warming her and the comforting sound of his rhythmic breathing soothing her back to sleep.

  She never thought she could feel this way with him—so relaxed and content. Not with the man who’d fought her and pushed her and driven her mad all these weeks. Yet here she was, lying in his arms, happier than she could remember being. She didn’t want this to end. She didn’t want this magical moment to ever end—Jameson pressed up against her, no fights or problems or worries, no bets or dares or games between them.

  She squeezed Jameson’s arm still wrapped around her, and even in his sleep, he moved in tighter. She smiled. Heaven… right here on earth.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Jameson stood in the kitchen, leaning back against the sink under the window, a mug of coffee in his hand, a pair of dark gray sweats hanging low on his hips. He sipped the hot brew, thinking about last night and how things had changed between himself and Ava. He’d never in a million years have guessed they’d have the sexual chemistry that had flared between them last night. It was off the charts hot.

  In the light of day he couldn’t help thinking maybe it was a line he shouldn’t have crossed. He was her boss, after all. How would that look? And here he’d gone on to her when they first met about how he didn’t date women who worked for him. Made a point of it. Last night sure made a liar out of him.

  They’d had a deal. This arrangement was supposed to be temporary. Nothing more. He’d get his parking spots, and she’d get a headliner for her Gala. He’d get what he wanted; she’d get what she wanted. Nothing was ever supposed to come of this. He wasn’t supposed to start liking her. He wasn’t supposed to start caring about her. But as he’d watched her sleep this morning, he couldn’t help but think… She’s changing everything.

  Liam came in and moved to the coffee pot. As he poured himself a mugful, his eyes shifted to Jameson. “Max told me what happened last night. She okay?”

  “Yeah, just shook up. She’s okay now. You get her sister home okay?”

  Liam nodded as he returned the carafe to the burner and turned toward him. Leaning one hand on the edge of the counter, he brought the mug to his lips. With it poised to drink, he added, “Heard it was one of Ryder’s crew. How’re we gonna handle that?”

  “We?”

  “We’re brothers, right? Got each other’s backs don’t we? And we all like Ava. She shouldn’t have to deal with this shit. Not because of our shop.”

  “She shouldn’t have to deal with blowback on anything to do with Brothers Ink.”

  Liam took a sip. “Agreed. So what’s the plan? We come down on anyone in th
at club, we’ll have the whole lot on us.”

  “I’ll deal with it.”

  “The hell you will. Not alone.”

  Jameson shook his head. “I’ll deal with Ryder. He’ll deal with the problem.”

  “You sure about that?”

  “Absolutely. Ryder likes his ink—our shop, specifically. We’ve done all his work, haven’t we? I doubt he’s gonna let this bullshit fuck that up. Besides, she sits on the city council. Any shit goes down with her, that’s media attention he does not want. I guarantee.”

  “You dealing with him today?”

  “He’s out of town till the end of the week.”

  “Ava lives alone, from what Steffy told me. You gonna keep her out here till then?”

  “She’s got a stubborn streak. That may be a problem.”

  Liam chuckled. “Hmm, who does that remind me of?”

  “Shut the fuck up, asshole,” Jameson replied with a grin.

  “So how you gonna protect her if she won’t stay?”

  “I figure I can keep her here at least until Monday or Tuesday.”

  “And then?”

  “I got that trip I’ve got to make to Denver. Guess she’s goin’ with me.”

  Liam huffed out a laugh. “How’re you gonna pull that off?”

  “It’s business. I’ll just make her go.”

  His brother chuckled again. “Right. I’ll buy a ticket to see that show.”

  Jameson shoved his shoulder.

  Max came in, and having heard the end of their conversation, added, “I don’t think Jamie will have any trouble convincing her.” He grinned over at Jameson. “Walls are thin, Bro.”

  “Christ,” Jameson muttered, shaking his head. Then his eyes drilled into Max’s. “You say anything to her, you’re dead.”

  “I wouldn’t dream of embarrassing the lady.” He put his hands up in surrender. “You, on the other hand, are a different story.” He dropped his arms and made a thrusting motion.

  Jameson threw a paper towel roll at him, wooden stand and all. The roll came loose, rebounded off Max’s bicep and bounced to the floor. He tried to make a grab for it and came up with the wooden dowel holder. He promptly moved to Jameson and wrestled him into a chokehold with it as Liam dodged out of the way, attempting not to spill his coffee.