Beauty Claimed

by Allyson Lindt

  He spun to face her. Her dark hair was pulled into a braid—her standard look for work—displaying a long, elegant neck. She wore a T-shirt that said Art or Die that hugged her torso, showing her body off to perfection. It didn’t matter what she had on, the gown from last night or the outfit this morning, she made it hers.

  “I had an idea for artwork,” he said. “But first I want to talk to you about last night.”

  “I told you, I’m fine with the Gina thing. Tell me about this idea.” She fussed with colors he’d already arranged, twisting them so their labels all lined up.

  “Are you sure?”

  She looked at him, lips pursed. “It stops being okay if you keep asking. Gina won fair and square. She’s a lot of fun, so enjoy it. She really likes when you use your tongue—”

  “Don’t say it unless you’re willing to let me practice on you instead of getting work done.”

  Tara smirked. “Tempting. I promise I don’t have any issues with you and Gina enjoying a night out.” The tension was gone from her voice. “And I want to hear about this idea of yours.”

  Their epic collaborations were a big reason their channel, and the shop were a success. When one of them had a good idea, it became extra when they put their heads together. If it was really good, they’d sketch it on camera. “So, everyone does Disney Princess re-imaginings, right?

  She nodded. “It’s overdone, and there’s the whole copyright gray area.”

  “And that.” Advertiser friendly included steering away from intellectual property holders who could have their videos taken down. “I’m thinking, if we can get Rinslet to sign off on it, we use some of their video game characters. But we place them in new settings. Classic fantasy—”

  “Modern bikers,” Tara said.

  “Renaissance gowns...”

  Tara grinned. “Perfezionare. Where do you want to start?”

  “I was thinking eighties punk.”

  “Ooh, I love it.” Tara pulled a giant sketch pad from a nearby drawer, and a tin of colored pencils. They’d do a rough sketch now, and when they were comfortable with the concept, get approval from Rinslet, then film a more in-depth creation. “How about Reyah? Leather jacket.”

  “Pink and blue hair. Sides of her head shaved.” Nathan sat across from Tara, drawing rough lines.

  She filled them in and added some of her own. “Bike?”

  “Skateboard.”

  “Hoverboard.”

  Nathan laughed. “Not very eighties.”

  “Twenty-eighties.” Tara roughed out a board. “Or artistic license. Take your pick.”

  “Is that contracts guy coming by today? The one with the new software for our waivers?” He sketched a hint of a cat wrapping around Reyah’s legs.

  Tara switched colors. “Yeah. He called while I was upstairs, said he’s adjusting to the time zone switch. He’ll be here this afternoon.”

  “Does he sound cute?” Nathan never passed up a chance to appreciate an attractive form.

  She shrugged and smudged a line. “He sounds stuffy and uptight. His sister is adorable.”

  “Fiona? The redhead?” Nathan had his favorite competitors besides their channel, and Parker’s World was one of them. Nathan thought it was a shame the pair had gone through so much bullshit it eventually pushed them from the competition. Someone had stalked Fiona based on their earlier videos, and then when the guy went to jail, his brother came after her.

  On top of that, numerous people accused Fiona and Parker of making the whole thing up, to help his ranking in the competition. In the end, he’d dropped out, for sanity’s sake, probably.

  The loss of a popular contestant strengthened Nathan and Tara’s audience. But it also meant the odds were there for a similar thing to happen to them.

  NICK STEPPED INTO THE tattoo parlor, and paused in the doorway. Seeing the place in person was an entirely new experience compared to watching it online. The floor was polished hardwood, covering an open room, and stopping at brick walls. A reception counter sat up front, and a drafting table was located near the back. Framed photos and artwork of tattoos Tara and Nathan had designed covered the walls. The spiral staircase at the back of the room led to an upstairs loft, and the hallway behind that held entrances to the tattoo chairs.

  It was odd knowing all of that from their videos. Along with the rest of the world, he was voyeur into their life.

  “Can I help you?” Nathan’s question drew Nick back to his reason for being her.

  “Nick Walters.” He extended his hand. “I’m here to install the software for release forms, from Rinslet.”

  “Cool. Tara,” Nathan yelled over his shoulder.

  “What?”

  Nick raised an eyebrow at the shouting.

  “Contract guy is here.”

  “What’s the verdict?” Tara asked as she descended the stairs.

  “Definitely cute. Possibly also stuffy.”

  Nick was distracted by Tara descending the stairs. The real-life person made video-her seem like a cheap imitation. She walked into the room like she knew everyone would stop and look.

  Wait, what? “Stuffy?” Nick asked when Nathan’s words sank in.

  “And cute.” Tara reached them. “Pleasure to meet you.”

  It was good to know Nick wasn’t the only one enjoying the view. He wasn’t surprised Tara and Nathan’s personalities off-camera were similar to those on—direct, kind, and just a little flirty. He shook Tara’s hand. Her grip was firm, and her skin was a tantalizing combination of smooth, with rougher patches on her fingertips.

  “Cute and stuffy, huh?” Nick said. “Do I get a chance to change your mind?” That wasn’t what he was supposed to say. This was work, not a bar. He should have followed with something like nice to meet you as well. But he couldn’t let a comment like that go unanswered, especially with the teasing that danced behind Tara’s eyes.

  She shrugged, but her amusement didn’t waver. “You said the install takes a few days. Clock’s ticking.”

  “Are you looking for an upgrade or just a lateral shift?” Nathan was attractive too, now that Nick had dragged his gaze from the stunning brunette.

  Nick spent a lot of time when he was younger questioning his sexuality. He’d realized somewhere along the way that he enjoyed looking when it came to a good-looking man, but he’d never found one he was interested in getting romantic with—or even just fucking. “What’s a lateral shift from stuffy?”

  “You’re looking to change that and not cute?” Tara had let go of Nick’s hand, but she didn’t step back. She rocked lightly on the balls of her feet, bringing her close every few seconds. Did she know she was doing that?

  She carried herself with confidence both on camera and off, so probably.

  Nick preferred it that way. “I’m shooting for sexy, but I figured I’d tackle the tough obstacle first.” Was he flirting with her? Nah. This was him building off their conversation. “I’m actually stuffy, but if I can convince you I’m really just reserved, then you’ll realize I’m not cute.” Fiona would smack him if she was here. But he wasn’t fucking the competition. He was building a rapport with a contact.

  “If you’re trying to convince anyone you’re reserved, you’re failing.” Nathan winked.

  “Then, I’m falsely confident to hide my insecurities.”

  Tara’s laugh was light and came easily. It made her even more attractive. “What kind of car do you drive?”

  What did that have to do with anything? “A Honda Accord.” He swallowed the fact that it was almost a decade old. He wasn’t ashamed, but it did imply things about his finances that he’d rather hold close until he made it further into a business negotiation.

  “Definitely not trying to hide any insecurities.” Nathan chuckled.

  Now Nick understood. Their reaction would have been different if he’d said he drove something sportier, or bigger. Flashier. He also needed to get to work. Not because he was worried about meeting a deadline, but he could
easily get sucked into this tangent of... whatever this was. “Unless you have questions, I should get started.”

  “Pretty sure we already have.” Tara caught her bottom lip between her teeth.

  “I think he means on the install,” Nathan said in a stage whisper.

  Nick was having fun with this. “I think I might be in trouble if I assume anything when it comes to you two.”

  “Trouble of the best kind.” Tara rested a hand on his arm and pointed him toward the front desk. “You can work here. It’s got network access and everything else you requested in your email.”

  He took a seat. Was she flirting with him or just having fun? There was a little of this kind of teasing when Tara and Nathan were on camera, but that felt subtler than what Nick was witnessing.

  Or he was jet-lagged, lusting after Tara, and reading too much into things.

  She leaned in next to him, bending at the waist, and brushing her body against him. She trailed her nails down his arm to grab the mouse. “Let me log you in.”

  “Will I be in the way, working up front?” Nick needed to keep on track, and ignore the heat racing over him, focused every place Tara touched.

  “We’re appointment only, and the rest of our afternoon is open,” Nathan said. “We’re doing some filming later, just us, but we’ll let you know before we start. I assume this isn’t a noisy affair.”

  “It’s not. Are there any questions?” Nick was grateful this was going so smoothly. He’d sent over instructions earlier on what to expect, including timeframes. The basics were simple. Rinslet would use this software to have Tara’s clients sign digital release forms before being filmed for the competition. The contracts indemnified Rinslet from... well... anything, and the software stored all of that in an easily accessible database.

  Tara shrugged. “Not until you’re done. In the meantime, don’t crash the system.”

  “Great.” Nick settled in to work.

  This install wouldn’t be difficult. He could have sent anyone. But he hoped while he was there to meet more of Tara’s family. With a bit of luck and a bit of finesse, he’d hit it off with her brother, and Nick would have an opportunity to build a business partnership.

  He dove into work. In the background he was half-aware of Nathan and Tara discussing their next episode, art, filming, lighting... Large parts of the conversation were what he was used to hearing from Fiona’s boyfriend, Parker. The art and tattoo elements were unique though, and he had to focus hard on the task at hand to avoid getting sucked into learning.

  The front door swung open. The man who walked in looked a lot like Tara. Brown eyes and more of a tan compared to her pale look, but otherwise, they could be siblings. And probably were.

  Nick was prepared to introduce himself to Antonio. The scowl Antonio wore implied this wasn’t the right time to leave a good first impression.

  Tara approached. “What’s wrong?”

  “You have a minute?” Antonio asked.

  She gestured to the back. “Sure.”

  Nick would let them deal with whatever family issue that was.

  Voices drifted out, but it was all in Italian. The only thing he could determine was that Antonio was frustrated and Tara was trying to be calm.

  An appointment came in for Nathan and he showed the woman back to the other tattoo room.

  Nick was wrapping up the first stage of implementation when Tara and Antonio reemerged.

  Tara said something Nick didn’t understand, and hugged Antonio.

  Less than twenty-four hours here, and Nick already wished he’d had time to learn at least a little of the language before he visited.

  There was a fine line between not injecting oneself into an uncomfortable conversation, and missing an opportunity. Nick liked to believe he was good at reading where that division lay. Antonio’s expression was calmer than when he arrived, and the tension gone from his voice.

  Nick stood. “Is everything all right?”

  Antonio raised an eyebrow.

  “This is Nicholas Walters,” Tara said. “The contracts guy I was telling you about.”

  “Just Nick.”

  “Antonio.” The other man shook his hand. “Pleasure to meet you.” His English was as clean as Tara’s, though something was different about his accent.

  Nick’s slide from intro to pitch was on the tip of his tongue.

  “Nick’s here to smooth-talk his way into your office, via me,” Tara said.

  Was he that obvious? Nick needed to make that sound less abrasive. “I—”

  “Am I wrong?” Tara asked. Her tone was sweet.

  “No.” Nick saw no reason to deny it. “I’d intended to be more tactful, less in-your-face, with my request.”

  Antonio laughed. “You haven’t known my sister long, have you? I’ll give you a hint—she’s not subtle about anything.”

  “Asshole.” Tara slapped his arm. “I can be.”

  “Whatever. Not unless you have to.” Antonio looked at Nick. “I’d love to talk. She and I both lost our dates tomorrow night. Do you want to join us for dinner?”

  “Are you hitting on my installation guy?” Tara’s tone was playful.

  Antonio pursed his lips. “That’s what I need. Another man in my life.”

  Nick was missing something, but he wasn’t going to pry into their personal lives. “Dinner sounds fantastic. As long as you don’t mind replacing a double date with business.”

  “It’s always business with Antonio,” Tara said.

  “Not always.” Antonio gave Tara a half hug. “But I do have to get back to work. See you both tomorrow night.”

  Nick liked seeing them get along. Family was important, and knowing their relationship was casual and friendly made him more comfortable going into this discussion. Not that personal relationships impacted all of his business decisions, but considering it was a family company, the easy joking gave him a couple extra warm fuzzies.

  Tara made her way to Nick’s side of the reception desk, and rested her butt on the edge, her thigh pressing against his arm. “Still got everything you need?”

  He could use a taste of her, and there was no doubt she was flirting. If she wasn’t involved, he’d be saying fuck a neutral working relationship, with the hopes the afternoon ended upstairs in her bed.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  NATHAN SIFTED THROUGH their company email, reviewing submissions. Amusement flitted in the back of his mind from Nick’s visit. The guy might come off as uptight, but he didn’t flinch when Tara flirted with him. Never hesitated to participate.

  Nathan liked watching it unfold.

  That line of thought would wait until later. He had work to do. For the competition, they’d put an audition process in place. If someone wanted to be inked on camera, they had to have the means to get here on their own.

  Just as important, they had to submit a video. Content and details were up to the person, nothing fancy was required. They could talk to the camera and nothing else. The first couple of weeks of the competition, Tara and Nathan had people insisting they were okay to be filmed, who froze the moment the camera was on. Appearance never played a part in the decision.

  The process didn’t always prevent that, but it reduced the odds significantly, and it gave Tara and Nathan a chance to review the person’s tattoo idea at the same time. They didn’t have a problem with hearts on ankles or roses on the inside of wrists, but for the show they were looking for things that pushed their limits, and it helped if there was a good story behind it.

  A new message came in while he was browsing.

  “Yes,” he let his excitement into his voice. “We already have a release from Rinslet for their characters. We have to include the disclaimer, both in the video description and the clip itself, that this has no impact on our standing on the ranks.”

  Tara looked up from her work, grin pushing aside the scowl she’d worn for the last couple of hours. “Do you want to go live?”

  “Let’s do it.” They were
required to stream at least eight hours a week, and never had trouble meeting the requirement. But this time of night, in the middle of the week, was perfect timing to draw in US views. “Let’s run with what we did this morning.”

  Tara was already arranging the drafting table for the best lighting on the paper. “Sounds great to me.”

  They finished setup, and he sent out a notification, along with their stock Live Stream Starting Soon graphic. And then they were off. Tara did the sketching, so Nathan could control the camera.

  She created a more intricate version of their Reyah concept, incorporating pastels into the mix. Nathan kept conversation going while she worked. Where did the inspiration for the colors come from? The costume design? The character they picked?

  Because they’d done a dry run, she was finished with the image in about forty-five minutes. He switched from the camera on her hands to one on her face when she looked up.

  “You know the routine, peeps,” she said. “I’d love to put this on someone. Standard submission process, but you also need to tell us why this is the perfect ink for you. Links to all the details are in the comments. Stay sexy.”

  He cut the feed. “That was fantastic.”

  “It was, wasn’t it?” The meditative state Tara slid into while sketching left a soft smile on her face—she was stunning. She lifted her artwork from the desk. “I’m going to seal this. Do you want to go get drinks when we’re done?”

  “Totally.”

  She took the drawing upstairs, to an enclosed balcony they had set up specifically for this. It was ventilated, but kept the weather out.

  Nathan needed to make a few additions to the posting before he finalized a copy on their channel. Part of the process was doing a quick skim of the comments. If anything made it on screen during a live stream that shouldn’t have, viewers loved to point it out. Any replies and reactions on his part would wait.

  Hey doll your famous a second time.

  Is it true did u no?

  I’m so sorry. I hope this isn’t too rough on you.

  Lezbo slut.