Page 74 of The Sounds of Her

“So let me help,” I say.

Her eyes narrow. “Help?” she questions.

“I’m not suggesting that.” I can’t help my eyes dipping to her chest. “Unless you want to.”

“No,” she says firmly, but her eyes betray her, less narrowed in annoyance now, more with a hint of something else.

Interesting. I hope she’s remembering all those kisses we shared last night.

“I can make it fun for you without going there, if you really don’t want to.”

“I don’t,” she answers, too quickly.

Even if I get the sense she isn’t averse to the idea, she is saying no, and I will respect that.

“What are you gonna do about Roman?” I ask, getting off the unspoken suggestion I threw out.

“I don’t care enough about him to do anything. I told him we’re dating and left it at that. He can do what he wants with that information.”

“He’ll go to your parents.”

“Probably.”

I’m not sure any of this is healthy for her. She might put on a brave face, but I know that look, the tense shoulders, the way she is trying to avoid confronting it, even if they keep throwing it in her face. So I decide I’m going to do what I can to make her forget.

“Do you have any tattoos?”

“That is kind of out of left field,” she finishes her cocktail. “Why do you ask?”

“When shit bothers me, I get a tattoo.”

“I’m not getting a tattoo.”

“Why not? You can get my name tattooed on your ass.”

“Oh my God, you’re ridiculous,” she laughs.

“Seriously, maybe not my name, but it’s always been cathartic for me.”

“I’m not you,” she points out.

“When was the last time you did something spontaneous?”

“Two days ago,” she laughs, like I’m forgetting our deal. “I’m a professional, highly respected lawyer in Manhattan, Archer. I can’t get a tattoo.”

“That is a poor excuse. You don’t go into court with your ass on show,” I say, my mind going straight back to her ass in that little towel when she bent over.

“You think this is going to solve my problems? A tattoo on my butt.”

I laugh at the very thought of it. “What about your hip, or your lower back?”

Her eyes roll again, she is a champion eye roller.

“And you think you can find a studio who will tattoo me on such short notice?”

“You underestimate me,” I reply nonchalantly. “In fact, I’m sure if I look hard enough, I could find somewhere we can go right now. Come on, do something out of the ordinary.”

“You’re insane,” she shakes her head.

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