Total pages in book: 16
Estimated words: 15143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15143 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 76(@200wpm)___ 61(@250wpm)___ 50(@300wpm)
Speaking of clients, a man in his early 20s, with a vertical labret on his bottom lip, saunters toward me. He pauses and stares in obvious awe at Maura.
I don’t like it, so when I speak, my voice comes out more gruff than usual. “Sit here, please.” He lowers himself to the leather chair, eyes never leaving Maura. “Stop ogling her, man. She’s my guest. Either you behave, or you can ask someone else to ink you.”
His face turns crimson red as he mumbles a low, “Sorry.”
The next two hours are a masterclass in restraint and self-control. After asking for permission to sit close to me so she can watch how the needle inserts ink into the top layer of the skin, Maura positions herself far enough that I can move freely but close enough that our thighs touch.
I am a thirty-six-year-old man. I’ve tattooed women on their chests, above their asses, and even on their thighs. But not once did I get aroused. Maura, on the other hand, despite the layers of clothing between us, makes me burn. Good thing my professionalism wins out because I spend all my energy on making sure the tattoo is exactly how the client wants it.
And when he leaves, he’s so happy he tips me more than the price I quoted him for.
Even so, I’m sweating bullets by the end despite the air conditioning. Without thinking, I yank my shirt over my head, toss it to the duffel bag near my chair, and take a fresh one from the drawers.
I turn to tell Maura we can get going, but she stands frozen by the doorway, Erika by her side. Maura’s eyes darken as she trails them down to my exposed abs. Even all the way from here, I can see her breath hitch, her chest heaving like she’s running a marathon.
Erika, the menace, casts her a sideway glance and smirks. Without another word, she goes back to her desk, leaving me and Maura staring at each other, with me at a disadvantage because I’m still shirtless.
My base instinct is to rush to her and claim her mouth, but I stop myself. I will wait for her to make the first move because the last thing I want is to scare her away.
But…
That look she gave me just now? She likes what she sees, and I’ve never been more grateful for going to the gym as often as I do.
“Maura?” My voice almost sounds like a growl.
Maura looks sharply at me, whatever spell between us disappearing into mist. “Yeah, sorry. Let’s go? You hungry? We can eat.”
Goddammit. I am hungry, and yes, I want to eat. But not food. The only thing on my mind is her pussy. Imagining my cock inside her, splitting her in two, has me so hard to the point of pain. “No. Not hungry. But it’s late, and you look tired.”
Her face cracks in a smile so breathtakingly beautiful I almost kneel in submission. “Nah, I enjoyed it. Honestly, you’re amazing. I never realized just how much work it takes to mark the skin like that.”
The admiration in her voice calms my cock down but makes my heart speed up. She’s really doing things to me. Things I don’t understand. “Thanks. Now, shall we? Erika’s closing up shop.”
Maura waves to Erika as we leave, and Erika sweeps her gaze to me, smirking and winking like we’re sharing a secret. I have no doubt she’s gonna flood my phone with messages later, and I’m pretty sure I know what she’s gonna text me about.
If I thought brushing my knees against hers was hard, nothing compared to having her arms wrapped around my waist, her tits pressed against my back. The first ride earlier, she was still wary of me, so she kept her distance. I guess she realized I’m no bad guy because she doesn’t mind getting physically close to me anymore.
With the engine rumbling loudly from underneath us, she pushes against me to show me her phone and the directions to her house.
Pope’s Pine.
The most expensive address in the city.
I knew she was rich because the restaurant she was at didn’t have prices on the menu and had dishes I couldn’t pronounce. Besides, the guy she left had ‘trust fund kid’ written all over him. She must be, too.
Well, fuck. If her beauty alone didn’t put her out of my reach, then her social status did.
The universe likes to mock me.
With a resigned breath, I slide the visor down and gun it. I’m mindful of my speed, though, not just because my bike’s a catnip for cops but because I’ve got a precious package behind me.
Too bad she’s never gonna be mine.
3
MAURA
Disappointment washes over me when he stops in front of my apartment building—a double skyscraper that towers over every other building in the city.