Page 18 of Maggie

Maggie: That’s really cool. It turned out great

Wylder: Thank you. How many tattoos do you have?

Maggie: One. I barely made it through that one. I got drunk afterward so everything is a little fuzzy but I distinctly remember my tattoo artist babied me through it. I don’t know that I have the courage to do it again

Wylder: Can I see?

Can he see? Would revealing the band logo to him change how he acted toward her? Would it change his opinion of her? She didn’t want to risk it.

Maggie: It kind of reveals my job, and I’d rather wait to tell you. Let me show you after I’ve known you a little longer, please

Wylder: Sure. I already know you’re a traveling stripper, though, so you don’t really need to wait

Maggie laughed.

Maggie: Thank you. Not a traveling stripper

Wylder: So you say. That’s what I’ll believe until you prove otherwise

Maggie: Ha. Whatever floats your boat. What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?

Wylder: “You made the best decision you could with the information you had at the time.” You?

Maggie: “Try not to take anything personally. No one thinks about you as much as you do.”

Wylder: True story. Lol. Do you have a “bucket list”?

Maggie: Yes

Wylder: Have you done anything on it?

Maggie: Yes. Ride in a hot air balloon. Ride a zip line. Indoor skydive. I have more in a big list but I’m working on completing it

Wylder: I have things I want to do, but never made a list. Maybe I should

Maggie: You should! Favorite memory?

Wylder: The first tattoo I ever gave to someone

Maggie gasped. Holy shit... The memories from those years ago flooded back to her. Her fingertips trailed over her Lovely Oblivion tattoo. The night she got her tattoo was fuzzy from all the alcohol she’d consumed, but she remembered those hazel eyes and how good his presence made her feel.

“Wylder. No wonder that name sounded familiar,” she breathed aloud. “I knew he looked familiar.”

She would feel deceptive about hiding this from him. She needed to be up front and hoped it wouldn’t affect their friendship. He’d be angrier if she kept it from him, right? Nervously, she hit the call button beside Wylder’s number. The phone rang three times before he answered.

“Hello?”

“Hey. We need to talk.”

He rumbled a laugh and said wryly, “Maggie, those are four words a man never wants to hear. No matter what the situation. If I never hear those words again, it’ll be too soon. Please do every man a favor and never say that again.”

She smiled. “Sorry. It’s nothing bad. Are you somewhere you can talk?”

“I’m lying in bed wearing boxers and watching TV. You have my undivided attention. We can talk about whatever you want.”

She closed her eyes to enjoy the mental image of Wylder, shirtless, wearing only boxers. Her attraction turned to hesitation as she remembered the subject. She bit her lip and opened her eyes, worried about what he would say about her job when he found out.

“I already know you’re a traveling stripper if that’s what you’re calling to tell me,” he teased.

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