Page 11 of Lust For

“His fine line work is amazing.” Derek leans over so that our shoulders are touching. He drops his tone real low and says, “So tell me, Audrey, where are you getting your tattoo? Do you have to hide them for shoots?”

His tone sends a shudder throughout my body. I swear he must feel it, because he snickers while I struggle to find the words to tell him.

“No, I think I can pretty much get it wherever.” The words come out dirtier than I meant them too. I love the way his eyes widen when I say them. Like he caught some double meaning I didn’t even realize I was slipping in.

“Where are you thinking?” His voice comes out like velvet. If we’re playing some kind of flirty game with word play, it’s lost on me. But I feel it.

“My ribs,” I reply, then I lick my lips. He watches the motion, and I swear his chocolate orbs darken. Or maybe I’m dreaming. Either way, if I’m having an effect on Derek Walsh, I’m here for it.

“Nice.” The words come out a whisper. He swallows audibly, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Are you wearing the right bra?”

“Huh?” The word slips lamely out of my mouth.

“Aud, if you’re getting your ribs tattooed, Rooster is going to need access to them. You’ll most likely have to remove your top,” he explains like he’s talking to someone who is impaired.

“Oh,” I say, grasping his point. “Will you be in the room?”

“Of course. Unless you request I go, I wouldn’t leave you in there alone.” He squeezes my thigh once, his arm brushing my nipples, which harden as he moves his arm across my body. “Rooster’s a good guy, though. You don’t have to worry.”

I just nod.

“Don’t be nervous,” Derek continues. “He’ll take good care of you and so will I. We’ll get our tattoos and then we’ll head over and get some breakfast.”

“It’ll be after lunch when we’re done here.” I’m not sure why I feel the need to correct him about the appropriateness of a meal, but I do.

“Breakfast for dinner was always one of your favorites. Did that change?”

I smile at him remembering something so simple about me. He’s known me most of my life. I shouldn’t be this surprised that these kinds of details haven’t slipped his mind. But he’s gotten quite the fan base, and girls are literally throwing themselves at him, so why would my life’s details matter to this man?

“No, it didn’t change.”

“Good.”

We’re both quiet while we wait for Rooster to be ready for us.

Suddenly, a man appears before us. “Hey, dude.”

He looks nothing like I expected him to. There’s a swirl of color covering both arms, disappearing under his plain white T-shirt and up his neck. His legs have ink on them as well, even trailing up his shorts. He’s bald, with a few earrings in his ears. There’s a bullring through his nose, and he looks like he dwarfs me in size.

I slowly rise and make my way over to this large man. I remind myself over and over again that Derek wouldn’t do anything that would cause me harm. He’s got me, and this man does all of his ink, so I’m sure I’m in good hands.

“Hey there, little one,” Rooster says when I finally reach him.

My palms begin to sweat with fear of the pain. I only have the one tattoo, and I got that quite a while ago. “Hi,” I finally mange to say.

Rooster laughs—probably at my timidness. “Is she old enough to get a tattoo?” he teases me, but he’s looking at Derek.

“She is,” Derek replies with a smile. He reaches out to squeeze my hand, and I hate that he can feel how sweaty my palm is.

“Let’s get back to my station.” He turns and heads into the back of the shop.

I follow along, my breath picking up as we make our way through. There are six bays in Inked Men. All of them have thick black curtains surrounding them, offering the clients privacy. I expect Rooster to lead us into one of those, but instead, he opens a door and gestures for us to go inside. It’s all white and sterile looking. I can smell the alcohol from the equipment he surely just cleaned. The walls have a couple of posters of rock bands hanging on the wall. There’s even one of Crave hanging in the center of the back wall. It makes me smile to see my boys on the wall of this shop.

“Really, dude?” Derek remarks, pointing out the poster I was just admiring.

“Hell yeah. All of you have been inked by me, so of course I’m gonna show off that poster. And it helps with the ladies too.”

Derek rolls his eyes but doesn’t say a word. It’s clear he’s fond of Rooster, but I wonder if it bothers him that someone else is using him to get something, just like Serena does.

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