Page 10 of Temptation

“So, part of my plan is to suddenly give him lots of space, not complain about him disappearing for hours anymore while spending all kinds of time with Tenn, working on my project and looking fine as fuck while I'm doing it,” Quinn smirked as she shrugged off her sweater and hung it on the coat rack next to the door

“Well, let's get started, shall we?” Rilla grinned, pulling on her purple and pink swirled smock before starting to load up her tray with what she’d need to do Quinn's hair. “Are we sticking with the red?”

“Yeah, I think so, but let's add some orangey-yellow tones to the bottom and make it look like fire.” Quinn sat in the chair and spun to face the mirror. Rilla had been her hair stylist and esthetician since they became friends in university and had allowed her to practise on her when she went back to school for it. Rilla had always been obsessed with hair and makeup but had gotten her undergraduate degree in painting from Boston University to make her parents happy, which is where they met.

“Oooh. I like it.” Rilla started mixing the dye while Quinn told her about the dinner the night before and let her read the text exchange. “I can't believe the guy you've been trying to get in touch with is the husband of the woman your husband is cheating with.”

“Right? Small world.” Quinn snorted. “I was thinking I need some new clothes too.”

“Are we going with forties/fifties sexy? Because pinup Quinn is the hottest Quinn.” Rilla grinned at her.

“Then we have to go with that.” Quinn scrolled through her phone for a few minutes. “Is Bishop around? I want to talk to him about a new tattoo.”

Rilla nodded, her grin growing as she walked to the bottom of the stairs to get her husband; Joel hated tattoos. “Hey, Bishop, come down.”

Quinn grinned as her tattoo artist and twin brother's best friend entered the basement. “Hey, Q.” He smiled at her as he came over to kiss her cheek and give her a tight hug. “Rilla told me about Joel. We could knock him out and tattoo “cheater” on his forehead.”

“Or tattoo me.” Quinn laughed; there was a certain amount of appeal to what he was suggesting though.

“What'd ya have in mind?” He pulled up the rolling stool Rilla used when her back was sore and held out his hand as Quinn passed him her phone, which he studied for a few minutes.

“Obviously not that exactly, but something similar.”

“Where do you want it?”

“Coming down my shoulder and across my collarbone.”

“Give me a few minutes. We should be able to get it done while your hair sets.” He stood up and stretched before striding back up the stairs and into his garage/home studio he had for tattooing friends, leaving Quinn and Rilla to their conversation.

“So, what does the other woman look like?” Rilla asked curiously as she finished putting the foil in Quinn's long hair and got started freshening up the red and doing her roots.

“She's very pretty,” Quinn admitted. “Long blonde curls, icy blue eyes. Tall and slender, nice body, definitely Joel's type.”

“I can't believe he said you let yourself go. What a fucking prick. You got better.” The rage on Rilla’s face was justified. She’d never fully forgiven Joel for putting Quinn in the hospital.

“Yeah, that pissed me off. Apparently, he preferred me more when I was skin and bones.” Quinn studied her hands. She had battled with anorexia since she was twelve. Quill, Rilla, and Bishop had been the ones to step in after the last two relapses.

“Hey!” Rilla captured Quinn's chin and lifted her head so she was looking into her eyes. “Everyone else prefers curvy, sexy pinup Quinn. Right Bish?” She looked at the stairs as her husband came down again with a piece of paper in his hand.

“Abso-fucking-lutely.” Bishop jumped down the last few stairs and handed her the sketch of her tattoo for approval. “You know the offer to rejoin us is always on the table. We'd worship you like the goddess you are.” Rilla nodded eagerly next to him.

“One hundred percent.” Rilla winked.

“Aw, thanks, you guys, but it didn't work before, remember? We discovered how very monogamous I am.” Quinn laughed. She had gotten jealous of Bishop with Rilla, and of Rilla with Bishop, it was very confusing for her. They had been wonderful about it and insisted it could be worked on, but Quinn did not share well. “And I'm an attention whore in the sack.”

“That's true.” Rilla grinned. “Who would have thought the twin would have problems with sharing?”

“I had to share everything with him!” Quinn protested as she laughed. “I like having things that are just mine.”

“Speaking of Quill, have you told him yet?” Bishop nudged her shoulder and pointed at the drawing.

“I don't want him to go to prison for murder one, so no.” Quinn smiled in delight as she looked at the sketch of the sun, moon, and stars. “This is perfect, Bishop!”

“I'll go make the stencil, and Quill is on his way over.” He ducked out of the room quickly. Quinn sighed. They all went to university together. Rilla and Quinn were best friends, Bishop and Quill were best friends, and she and Quill had become inseparable after they reconnected, so they all hung out together all the time. They were all Art Majors but had gone in different directions with their pursuits. Bishop was an award-winning tattoo artist with a very expensive and popular shop in downtown Boston. Rilla was a hairdresser and nail technician who had just left the high-end salon she worked at over differences with the new manager. Quinn had gotten her the job on the resource desk at the library to tie her over until she figured out where she wanted to go. Quill had gone on to do his master's in architecture at the School of the Art Institute in Chicago, then opened an architecture firm in Boston and excelled, winning multiple awards and eventually expanding into real estate. Quinn had always been interested in the history of art and the various mediums. She had a few art shows, three showcasing her paintings, which sold reasonably well, and was now working on a show for her photography.

“Come on, or your hair will be done before your tattoo.” Rilla took her hand and led her upstairs. Quinn pulled her tank top and bra strap out of the way so Bishop could put the stencil on her shoulder. After confirming the positioning and size, she sat down while he got his needles and ink ready.

“When's Quill gonna get here?”

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