Maya was fucking amazing at her work, and because of that, she could easily say no to someone who might want a tattoo but was either an ass about it or only thought they wanted the tattoo. It probably wasn’t the best way to go about business, but in Maya’s opinion, it was the only way. If she didn’t believe in her work, then there wasn’t a reason to continue it. If she’d spent the whole of her days working on random Chinese lettering for sorority girls, she might have hurt herself, but thankfully, she was beyond that in her career.
She and Austin had built something that worked perfectly for the two of them and the family they’d made within these walls. And as soon as the piercing station was ready, Blake would join them and help move Montgomery Ink in an even more profitable direction. Some had asked if they’d ever branch out and open another shop in another city or even in another part of Denver, but Maya wasn’t sure that would work for her and Austin. This was their home, and she liked working with those in her Montgomery Ink family. She had cousins who were artists, though, and maybe, just maybe, they could open up something where they lived.
That was a dream a long way off, though. Right now, Maya had to focus on the sketch in front of her before her next meeting. She loved drawing; always had since she was a kid. To her, tattooing was an art form that just happened to use skin as the canvas rather than a wall or a piece of paper. Jake worked with his hands on clay and other materials to make truly exquisite works of art, and she’d always felt the connection between the two of them because of it. His brothers also worked with their hands at Gallagher Restorations, but Jake had always been the more artistic one of the bunch.
And Border…well, Border was a bit of a mystery.
He wasn’t as artistic as she and Jake, or at least, he hadn’t shown that side of him. She knew he used to work in security and protection, but that was it. He wouldn’t say what that meant exactly, and she was pretty sure he couldn’t say. She knew that he would have to tell them more soon because Maya didn’t deal well with secrets. Not only did she have to open every nook and cranny when it came to things like that, but she also couldn’t open her heart—or her legs—for a man that kept things like that to himself. While they were doing their best to keep what they had as casual as possible, there were still some aspects that couldn’t be ignored.
She had no idea why she needed to dig out secrets and uncover the unknown, other than the fact that she needed to make sure her life was under her control. Even if sometimes it didn’t feel like that.
Maya let out a breath, annoyed with herself yet again for letting her thoughts go to Jake and Border. She was usually good at keeping the man she was seeing out of her head while working or doing something that required her attention. Instead, all she could do was try to work while thinking of Jake and Border. Memories of how they’d loved her together the night before filled her mind, and she closed her eyes.
Damn it, Montgomery, do better.
It just annoyed her that she couldn’t figure out what she was doing in her relationship, and apparently, her life. She was sleeping with her best friend after all these years. If it were just her and Jake, maybe she’d be able to find her footing, but with Border added to the mix, she wasn’t sure. Jake and Border seemed to be figuring out how they worked together, but she and Border? It was a mystery.
She’d just met the man, and yet had a connection to him she couldn’t name.
She didn’t know how she fit with him and Jake, and it hurt.
“Maya?”
Speak of the devil.
She turned at Border’s voice, her heart pounding. It was as if she’d conjured him, all sexy muscles and strong features. She wanted to climb up his body and wrap her arms around him but knew she wouldn’t, not with Austin, Sloane, Callie, and Autumn in the same room. Which was weird because she would have done it in the past with the other guys she’d been with. Maybe she was growing up. Or maybe, just maybe, this was different. Instead of doing what her instincts urged her to, she stood and set her sketchbook down.
“I didn’t know you were coming in,” she said with a tilt of her head. “I have an appointment in a few minutes, or I’d go get some coffee with you or something.”
Border leaned down and brushed his lips along hers. It was only a moment of contact, but her already rigid nipples hardened even more. Her knees threatened to buckle, and she had to clear her throat. Damn potent man.
“I’m your appointment, actually,” he said with a grin.
Her eyes widened, her heart racing. “Seriously? You want ink?”
“Yeah, and I figured if I went to anyone else, you’d kick my ass.”
She snorted, trying to get her emotions under control. This was so unlike her. “Uh, yeah, no one gets to touch you other than me.” She winked. “And Jake.”
Border licked his lips and looked down at her. “I like this possessive side of you.”