I gently push the door the rest of the way open and my eyes alight on her sleeping form. Even in the dark, her gorgeous, thick, brown hair shines, tempting me to run my fingers through the soft strands. Her back is facing me as I slowly walk up to the bed. I miss sitting with her as she sleeps. I miss watching the rise and fall of her chest. I miss being able to run my eyes over her delicate flesh without fear of freaking her out. I could look at her all fucking day long and it wouldn’t be enough.
I ache with the need to crawl into bed with her. Not in a carnal way, although that’s something I’m trying my best to ignore, but to simply hold her. Just to have her back pressed to my chest, my arms around her waist, and my face buried in her hair, breathing her in.
When she releases a sigh and her legs move in her sleep, I freeze in place. The last thing that needs to happen is for her to catch me watching her as she sleeps. I take a deep breath, closing my eyes when her wildflower sent assails me, then take several steps backward until I’m standing in the doorway. I watch her for a couple more minutes before reaching for the doorknob and closing the door back to where it was before.
Instead of going back to bed, I head toward the kitchen and the bottle of cheap whiskey I have in the cabinet above the fridge. I forego using a glass and tip the bottle to my lips. I grit my teeth as the liquid burns my throat. It mingles with the burning in my chest that I’ve felt for the last several hours.
A quarter of the bottle is gone by the time I put it back in the cabinet, but thankfully the incessant need to go back to Jules’s room has waned slightly. My steps are measured, and I purposely don’t look at the door beside mine as I pass by it. I whip off my T-shirt as I make my way to bed. Slipping on a pair of sweatpants in case Jules needs me throughout the night, I crawl in bed.
I’M BEHIND THE FRONT counter at Ink Me looking over the appointment book. Dale, one of the artists working for Dad and a long-time friend of his, is talking to Jerry at the other counter about finishing up the big-ass skull tattoo that’ll cover his entire back. I glance up when the bell over the door jingles, thinking it’s my next client. A short brunette dressed in designer jeans and an off-the-shoulder sweater walks in, looking too young and innocent to be in a place like this. Excitement mars her pretty face as her eyes immediately light on the wall full of sketches my dad and I have done.
I shake my head. The girl probably just turned legal today and is on a high wanting to get a tattoo. Not because it’ll be meaningful, but to sow some weird wild oats.
I glance back down at the appointment book, deciding to let Dale handle the girl, when my head snaps back up. Another girl walks in, and I feel like some fucking pussy because I’d swear to Christ, time comes to a screeching halt and my heart stops beating. It just sits there in my chest, feeling like dead weight for all of five seconds before it starts slamming against my sternum.
Holy goddamn hell.
She’s absolutely fucking gorgeous, with long thick brown hair, round face, olive complexion, and eyes that glow a bright amber. She’s wearing a pair of black leggings that mold to her shapely body and a cream-colored long-sleeved shirt, the cuffs covering the heels of her palms. It’s plain to see she’s nervous being here from the way her eyes dart back and forth across the room and her teeth bite her bottom lip.
She looks as young as her friend, but that doesn’t stop my dick from turning to granite. I just hope like fuck I’m not lusting over a minor, especially one that looks like she doesn’t belong on this side of town.
My eyes are still locked on the brunette, who’s busy looking at the section dedicated to roses, when her friend traipses over to stand in front of me on the other side of the counter.
“Hi!” she chirps loudly.
Reluctantly, I pull my eyes away and look at her.
“Hey. You lookin’ for some ink?”
She flashes her smile and her teeth are so white it almost blinds me.
“Yes. My friend and I are going off to college in a few weeks and we’re celebrating by getting tattoos.”
I barely contain an eye roll. “Do you know what you want?” I ask.
My head twitches with the need to look back at the brunette when I notice her making her way down the wall closer to the counter.
“Not really. Just something pretty.” She turns to her gorgeous friend. “Hey, Jules, come over here.”
Jules. The name couldn’t have been more perfect.
When Jules turns to her friend, her expression appears nervous. Her fingers grip the ends of her sleeves as she makes her way over.
“I don’t know about this, Nicole….”
Her words trail off when her eyes lift to mine. I feel like someone just sucker punched me and stole all the breath in my lungs. Seeing her from across the room is nothing compared to seeing her full-on. I let my gaze show my appreciation and her eyes widen. Her face, naturally beautiful with minimal makeup, flushes at my blatant interest.
Her tongue darts out to lick her lips, and I’d give my left nut to lick away the moisture she left behind. Hell, I’d be willing to give both nuts. I’ve had a lot of women since the first time I had sex at the age of fourteen, but never has one caught my attention so fully before.
Once she’s standing beside her friend, her eyes fall from mine.
“I don’t think I can do this, Nicole,” she says quietly. Even the sound of her soft voice sends blood rushing to my dick.
“Come on, Jules. It can’t be that bad,” whines the one named Nicole.
Jules’s eyes slide to me, but they’re aimed at my chest and not my eyes, where I want them. I keep mine pinned on her.
“Maybe I’ll get one next time,” she tells her friend. “But I’ll stay here with you while you get one.”
“Fine,” she grumbles.
Dale walks up just then. “Afternoon, ladies. Are either of you looking to get a tattoo?”
Nicole turns away from Jules. “I am.” She throws her thumb sideways. “This one chickened out.”
I can’t see it, because I’m still looking at Jules, but I hear the smile in Dale’s voice. “That’s okay. I’ll get you taken care of.”
“I’ve got it, Dale.”
“Don’t you have an app—”
I cut him off. “I’ve got this one. You take my appointment.”
I look over at Dale and let him see I’m not budging. I’ve never used my status as the boss’s son, but in this instance I sure as fuck will. His eyes leave mine just long enough to look at Jules before coming back to mine. Understanding dawns, and one corner of his mouth quirks up.
“You got it.”
When I turn back to the girls, I see Jules quickly drop her eyes from mine. As she looks down at a sketchbook on the counter, her face once again flushes a pretty red.
As I take Nicole’s ID and have her complete a consent form, one thought keeps entering my mind.
This girl will be mine, no matter what the fuck I have to do.
I WAKE TO THE SMELL of bacon and coffee. My stomach rumbles, reminding me I never ate last night. Theo showed up right as the food was done, and my stomach was in too many knots after he left.
I get out of bed, slip on a shirt, and go to the bathroom. After, with my feet still bare, I go out to the living room. Over the bar, I spot Jules standing in front of the stove. I walk to the bar and lean against it, deciding to just watch her for a few minutes.