He leaned back and folded his arms over his chest. Rather than answer, he just stared at her.
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re not going to answer me, are you?”
He remained silent.
She threw up her hands. “Fine. But if you hurt her, I’ll kick your ass. Oh, and if she hurts you, I’ll kick her ass. I’m an equal opportunity ass kicker.”
Sloane smiled then. “I’ve always admired that about you.”
Maya flipped him off then went back to her station, leaving Sloane alone with his thoughts. When he had the time, he should just go over there for coffee and see her. He didn’t like not knowing what to say—hence why most people thought he was the silent type. He only spoke when it was important and he knew the words. This was important. But he didn’t know the words.
So, instead of going next door and seeing her like he wanted to, he stayed put and waited for his first client. He’d go over there eventually. He couldn’t hide from her.
And that’s what scared him.
The day thankfully passed quickly, and he stood up, rolling his neck to try and get the crick out. His stomach grumbled and he cursed himself. Somehow, he’d gone through most of the day without eating anything except the protein bar he’d found in his desk. Who knew how old that thing was. In the past, Callie might have gone and gotten the crew lunch, but now that she was a full-time artist and not an apprentice, she was just far too busy. Autumn, Griffin Montgomery’s woman, worked up front most days, but today had been her day off. That meant he’d been forced to get his own food and hadn’t had the time between clients.
“Go get food or go home,” Austin said from his station.
Sloane looked over at his friend. “What?”
“You haven’t eaten today, and that’s fucking stupid in our line of work. You don’t have any clients on the docket and the walk-ins aren’t that bad today. Maya, Callie, and I can handle the influx.”
Sloane ran a hand down the back of his neck. “We need more artists.”
Austin nodded. “I’m putting out my feelers for someone who can be here for as many hours as we are. Or maybe I can get another apprentice.”
There were four other artists that worked there on partial shifts, but they weren’t full time since they either lived too far away or had other jobs. What they needed was another full timer.
“If I hear anything, I’ll let you know,” Sloane added.
“Good. Now go next door, see your woman, and get some food. Head home and take her with you. Or at least make her go home. She’s been here as long as you have I bet.”
His woman.
He sure loved the sound of that. But was it the truth? Was she his? They hadn’t truly discussed what they were doing, other than that they were taking it one moment at a time. The fact she’d bared her secrets to him had meant more than anything.
Sloane nodded at his boss, then the others, before cleaning up his station. After, he headed into Taboo through the side door and stopped two feet in.
She was magnificent.
Her teeth bit into her lip as she fought not to laugh at whatever Sierra, Austin’s wife, had said. She had flour on her apron, but other than that, she looked pristine—not like a woman who had probably been on her feet for a full shift.
He’d always known she was strong, but now that he knew the truth, he saw the depth of that strength. He was a big man—big hands, large chest—just big. He could break her if he weren’t careful.
He could break her with more than his strength, he knew. The fragility that slid under the surface of her skin wasn’t easy to see, but he saw it. She could be the strongest woman in the world and still carry that.
He couldn’t hurt her.
But he just might.
She turned to him then and smiled, though there was wariness in her eyes. It made sense, after all. He hadn’t come by for coffee and this was the first time they’d seen each other since he’d left her house the night before. He wasn’t sure if he should go to her, kiss her senseless, then carry her out of the building over his shoulder, or stay here and watch her from afar.
He stuck his hands in his pockets and let his smile rise just a little so she would know he liked seeing her.
Sierra looked between them and smiled like the Grinch at Christmas. She all but rubbed her hands together in glee. Of course, he only saw this out of the corner of his eye, as the rest of his attention was on the blonde in front of him—the blonde he wanted in his arms.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hey.”
Sierra clapped her hands together, this time in truth, and slid off her stool. “Hi, Sloane. I’m going to head to Harry and Marie’s to pick up the kids.” She grinned. “They wanted time with the grandbabies today. Hailey was just telling me she was done for the day since her closing crew is here. Perfect timing.”
She waved and said her good-byes before she headed through the door to Montgomery Ink, presumably to kiss her husband on her way out.
That left Sloane and Hailey awkwardly standing in front of one another in silence.
Hailey cleared her throat. “Uh, yeah, I was about to get off.”