Inked by an Angel

by Allen, Shauna

  His eyes flew to hers. “Kyle? Have you heard from her? She’s all right?”

  She gave a small, knowing smile. “Yes, son. She was here. She came to check on you.”

  He breathed his first truly deep, relieved breath that day and relaxed back into the pillow. But, wait . . . “You said was here. Did she go?” He needed to see her. He wanted to lay eyes on her to make sure that she was alive and well for his own peace of mind.

  His mother sat down next to his bed looking decidedly nonchalant, but he was sure she had something up her sleeve. “I’ll check in a minute. I have some things I want to talk to you about first.”

  “Mother.”

  She maintained the eye contact with a sigh. “Listen, Jedediah, I know this may not be the best time and place for this, but I really think it’s important. Especially given what you’ve gone through and . . .” She rubbed her thumb across his knuckles as if to soothe him through what she had to say. “And now that I’ve had a chance to get to know Kyle a little bit, well I don’t think we can put this off any longer, sweetheart.”

  His heart began to pound painfully. “Put what off, Mom?”

  “We had a nice long chat, Kyle and I. Once we got over the panic when they called the Code Blue to your room, anyway. The rude nurses at the front desk wouldn’t let us through until everything was settled down.”

  “That was a mistake.”

  “We figured that out soon enough.”

  He raised a brow. “What did you talk about and what does this have to do with anything?”

  She crossed her legs and assumed her perfected Mother pose. “It was a woman-to-woman thing. But, what I will tell you is that I believe that girl has feelings for you that are much stronger than friendship. She deserves the truth from you and either your heart in return or a gentle heartbreak. But don’t keep her in the dark, Jedediah. It’s not fair to her.”

  “Where’s all this coming from, Mom?” He studied her reddened eyes. She’d never been one to nose in on his love life.

  “Sweetheart, I’ve sat back and let you take care of me this past year and a half or more since your father died—”

  “But that’s my—”

  “Wait! Let me say my peace,” she interrupted. “I know you think it’s your job. And I know you love me and I also know you’re angry with your father for leaving us and for what he did to me, in particular, by dying.” She leaned over and brushed a kiss to his knuckle. “I’m sorry I couldn’t be stronger. I was a wreck.”

  He couldn’t deny the truth of her words as the pain roared back as fresh as the day they buried his dad.

  “But,” she continued, “I need you to understand something. I loved your father. I still do. I’m not angry with him for dying.” She caught his eye. “You need to let it go. Move on with your life.” She brushed her thumb along the back of his hand. “And, for what it’s worth, I hope it’s with Kyle. I think she’s great. I hope you do, too.”

  He blinked. What could he say to that?

  But she was wrong about one thing. He’d actually forgiven his father a long time ago. And he wasn’t ever particularly angry. He was frightened that he could cause someone that kind of pain. Especially someone he loved. Or that they could do it to him first.

  His mom stood. “Now. Would you like me to go see if Kyle is still here, sweetie?”

  He glanced up. “Please.”

  A few minutes later, a soft knock sounded on the door. He turned his head as Kyle peeked in.

  “Your mom said you wanted to see me?” she said in a soft, hesitant voice.

  He met her eyes. Her face was a welcome ray of sunshine in his dreary world. He held up his hand. “Took you long enough. Get the hell over here, baby.”

  She didn’t need any more encouragement than that. She rushed through the door and over to his side to take his hand. He yanked her onto the bed, and with her halfway into the bed, halfway out, he wrapped his arms around her and held tight.

  She held on just as tight. Tighter even, as she snuggled into his chest and pressed her face into his neck and wiggled up further into the bed. “I hope we don’t get into trouble,” she whispered as she finagled her way around his IV tubing.

  He whipped back the sheet so she could join him under the covers and silently cursed the damn dress he was still wearing. Thank goodness she didn’t seem to mind. “I don’t care what they say, darlin’. I’m just glad you’re finally here.” He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, eyeing the nasty purple bruises blooming on her flesh. “Are you all right? You weren’t hurt badly, were you?”

  She caressed the koi fish on his forearm. “I had a slight concussion and some bumps and bruises, but I’m fine now. You’re much worse off than I was.” She stretched up and kissed his chin. “I was so scared I’d lost you, Jed.”

  Something in his gut clenched as he realized he’d had the exact same thought minutes ago about her.

  She reached down and tapped the thick cast. “Oh, my goodness, Jed. Your leg.” She looked up at him. “Does it hurt?”

  “No,” he lied.

  She linked their fingers. “Well, at least it wasn’t your arm. So you can still work, right?”

  He wished she’d quit wiggling. It was beginning to make other parts of his anatomy hurt. “Yeah. As soon as they let me outta here.” He loved that she was trying to find the bright spot in all this for him. But she didn’t need to do that because she was the bright spot.

  “When will that be?” She brushed her lips to his cheek.

  He caught a hint of soap. A different scent for her. Where was her usual perfume? “Not sure.” But he couldn’t really concentrate as she continued to press butterfly kisses along his jaw and neck.

  He used the arm he had wrapped around her waist to press her harder against him and grip her hip possessively. When she found his ear with her mouth and gently tugged on one of his earrings with her teeth, he bit back a groan.

  “Am I hurting you?” she whispered in his ear.

  “No.”

  Her breath was hot and moist against his skin. “Do you want me to stop?”

  “No.”

  “Good.”

  She disentangled their hands and cupped his face to bring his lips to hers. She ran her tongue along the inseam of his mouth first, then dipped inside and deepened the kiss as if it was their homecoming. And, he supposed, it was.

  Between kisses, she murmured sweet nothings that didn’t register to him as he basked in the warmth of her. She felt so right in his arms. In his bed. In his heart.

  The door to his room swished open. He pulled back and looked down into Kyle’s face. Two sides of his heart were at war without him realizing what had happened.

  His nurse cleared her throat. “You must be Kyle?”

  Kyle jumped up like she’d been shocked by electricity and he let her go as she scrambled from the bed. “Yes, ma’am. I’m sorry.”

  The nurse smiled sweetly. “It’s okay. I know Mr. Gentry was worried about you. I’m glad that you’re not hurt. But I thought he said you were his friend?” She tilted her head and looked pointedly at Jed.

  He shrugged and yanked the sheet over himself. “Did you bring my Jell-O? I’m getting hungry.”

  “I sure did.” She pulled off the foil lid and handed him a plastic spoon. “Hope you like orange. It’s all I’ve got.”

  He took a big bite. “It’ll do.”

  “You need any pain medicine?” she asked.

  He shook his head. He didn’t want to be groggy again. “I’ll live.”

  “Okay. Let me know if you change your mind.” She made a cursory glance at his machinery doomaflichies and left the room.

  Kyle sat down in the chair next to his bed and waited while he ate his liquidy snack. She seemed at a loss of what
to say, which was fine with him. He needed time to think. His heart was thundering in his chest as he tried to deal with the realization that something was happening. He just didn’t know what to call it.

  He glanced down at the koi fish on his arm. He’d been down this road before. He would not screw up like that again. Not for any woman.

  He looked her in the eye and thought about his mother’s words.

  “I believe that girl has feelings for you that are much stronger than friendship. She deserves the truth from you and either your heart in return or a gentle heartbreak.”

  The trouble was, he didn’t do gentle. But he could save her.

  “So, listen, Muffet,” he started, steeling himself against the pain that was sure to come.

  She sat up straighter in her chair as if sensing the change in his mood.

  “I’ve been thinking,” he continued, “this thing between us is never gonna work out.” He glanced at her. “As much as I’ve enjoyed getting to know you. We’re just too different. You understand, don’t you?”

  She simply stared at him. “Why are you doing this?”

  “Because I don’t want to hurt you.”

  She stood, shock and disbelief coloring her face. “Well, you’re hurting me now.” She paused a moment as if hoping he’d say it was just a joke. When he said nothing, she turned to go. “You know, Jed, we may be different, but I’m not the one with the problem with it. You are.”

  “Muffet . . .”

  She pulled open the door but turned back to him on her way out. “Well, while you’re working out the many differences between us, I’ve got one more for you.” Her eyes filled with tears as she heaved an erratic breath. “I’m in love with you, jerk.”

  Chapter 20

  Two days later, Kyle sat at her desk at Gentry’s studio and wondered if it had all been a dream. But the faint bruises on her arms confirmed it had all been horribly real. She had indeed been in a terrible accident and was lucky to be alive. And she’d either been stupid enough or brave enough, depending upon how you looked at it, to tell Jed she was in love with him. The word around the studio was that he’d been discharged home from the hospital the day before, but he’d yet to come by work. Was he avoiding her? Or was he simply not up to it?

  She glanced up as Michael strolled by whistling under his breath. He was such a dear, sweet, angelic man. Why couldn’t she fall in love with someone like him? Someone who wouldn’t break her heart at every turn?

  She flinched when her cell phone rang loudly. She grabbed it and flipped it open without checking the caller ID. “Hello?”

  “Hey, girl!” Bethany’s chipper voice sang out. “How’s it goin’? How was your trip?”

  “Oh, hi.” Boy, it was nice to hear a friendly voice. “Well, the trip was good and bad.” Bethany obviously had no idea about the accident. She had to fill her in.

  “Oh, my God! But you’re all right?”

  “Yes. I was just a little banged up, but I’m good now.”

  “Wow. And Jed?”

  Kyle relived seeing him crunched into the backseat again momentarily and her heart stopped. Oh, how she wished she could just not love him. “He was hurt worse. His leg is broken and he had a pretty bad concussion. But they finally let him go home yesterday.”

  “Poor guy. I’m glad it wasn’t worse.”

  She closed her eyes. “Me, too.”

  “Listen, Kyle. I think we need to get together and talk. I have some stuff to fill you in on, too. Are you free Monday night?”

  The bell over the studio door rang and Kyle looked up. A nice-looking blond man walked in with a large case in his hand and smiled in Noble’s direction. She watched as he set down his burden and the two men shook hands.

  “Kyle?” Bethany interrupted her inspection of the man.

  “Uh, Monday? Yeah, sure. I think I can do that. What time?”

  She heard Bethany flip some pages of paper, probably a little pocket calendar. “How about seven-thirty?”

  “Sounds good. Meet at the bakery again?”

  “Yup. I’ll save you some more goodies.”

  “Of course.”

  They hung up and Kyle’s gaze returned to the man with Noble. He was obviously not a customer, but he obviously fit in very well here. He was dressed casually in dress jeans and a button-down shirt, and she saw hints of tattoos peeking out behind the buttons on his chest and forearms.

  He propped his case up on Noble’s workstation and opened the lock. He glanced her way and offered her an award-winning smile. “Hi,” he said in a deep, naturally gravelly voice, “you coming to check out the newest products in our lineup this year?”

  “Excuse me?” she said as she rounded the desk and headed his way. His charm was irresistible.

  Noble watched her approach with hooded, unreadable eyes.

  He held out his hand, which she noticed was also tattooed across his fingers. “I’m Blaine Christianson with Toxic D’s. I don’t believe we’ve met before. Are you new here?” He studied her with gorgeous amber eyes and a kind, interested smile.

  She accepted his handshake. “Sort of. I’m Kyle O’Neill.”

  “Are you an artist? I’ve got some great new colors of Iron Butterfly here.”

  He thought she was an artist? She was strangely flattered. But, she had no idea what an Iron Butterfly was. “Uh . . .”

  Noble started rifling around in the case and pulled out some metal object for inspection. “She does numbers.”

  Blaine propped his hands on his hips. “Really? You’re a CPA?”

  “I am.”

  He actually looked interested. She peeked over into his magical case of colors and curiosities. Fascinating. “What’s this?” she asked, picking up a strange piece.

  Blaine smiled. “They use that for piercing things . . . like nipples.”

  “Oh!” She dropped it back into the case and stepped back. Enough curiosity for her. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Christianson.”

  “You, too. Kyle, is it?”

  “Yes.” She turned to head back to her desk. She heard Blaine murmur something to Noble before he followed her.

  “So listen, Kyle,” he began as she sat back down, “I was wondering. Do you work strictly for Gentry’s as their private employee? Are you freelance? What’s your gig, if you don’t mind me asking?”

  She peered up at him. He was unlike anyone she’d ever met before. Like Jed on happy pills. “No, I don’t mind. I guess you could say I’m freelance, though I pretty much work exclusively here at Gentry’s. Why do you ask?”

  He ran his hand through his short, well-groomed hair. “Well, it just so happens that we’re looking for someone at our local office.” He glanced around. “And you seem to be uniquely qualified having worked in the industry, so to speak. We’re a pretty casual office, but we have a large customer base, both locally and on the Internet, so you’d be responsible for quite a bit. I don’t think you’d be able to keep up your freelance work.” He shrugged. “If you’re ever interested, come on by and apply. Let ‘em know you talked to me.” He handed her a business card.

  “Thanks. I’ll think about it.”

  “You do that.” He offered her another charming smile then pivoted and strode back to show Noble some more products.

  She booted up her computer and got to work. She was waiting on a few more documents for Jed’s audit, so she moved on to logging in Michael’s expenditures for latex gloves, cleansers, sterilizations products, needles, sharps containers, ink . . . oh, now she saw it! Iron Butterfly was a brand of ink. She smiled to herself. She supposed she was uniquely qualified.

  She had learned over her time at Gentry’s to appreciate not only her own skills, but those of the artists around her and the customers with their many, many stories. Because they all had
one when they put something indelibly on their bodies forever. This time out on her own had started out scary—petrifying, really—but it had become an adventure. And she’d ended up learning so much about herself. Primarily, that she could do it on her own. That her dreams were worth something. That she was worth something.

  She looked up and caught Michael’s eye. And just like that, the decision was made. It was easy. She gave him a small smile and set about making the arrangements to sever all ties with Gentry’s for good.

  Kyle went home with her head held high. Michael had made it hard on her with his begging and pleading, but in the end, she convinced him that it was best for her to move on. But he wouldn’t accept her apology.

  “No need to be sorry, Miz O’Neill. You gotta do whatcha gotta do, I guess.” But he’d given her big, puppy dog eyes and she knew he didn’t mean it.

  She’d made some calls and arranged for a temp to come in from an agency to help Michael and Jed with their books first thing Monday morning. Then she typed up a resignation letter for Jed. Well, three, actually, before she felt like she got it right. She didn’t want it to sound like she was running away from him. Which was only partly what she was doing. She needed to get away from the pain he was inflicting on her, true. But more importantly, she wanted this opportunity to spread her wings and take on another new challenge. She was ready.

  Now, she let herself into her dark condo and sighed. She made her way to the kitchen, flipping on lights as she went. She checked her messages and there was one from her mother.

  “Kyle, darling. Call me when you can.” Click.

  Nothing from Jed. Had she been hoping? Of course she had. She shook her head and reached for the phone as she opened the fridge and grabbed a carton of yogurt. She glanced at the time making sure it wasn’t too late before she dialed her mother back.

  Her mother picked up. “Hello.”

  “Hey, Mom. You called?”