Page 40 of Just Between Us

I moved closer to look at one. It was a gorgeous silhouette of a woman. She had long hair that was slightly lifted by some unseen breeze. Her face held a soft smile, but her eyes were haunting.

My breath seized in my chest. I looked over my shoulder to find Royal studying me.

“Are these all tattoos you’ve done?” I asked.

He shook his head as his jaw clenched. “No, those are just for me.”

I smiled, liking that he kept some tiny part of his talent to himself. “They’re beautiful.” I gestured with my head and a smirk. “Who is she? Long-lost lover?”

Royal’s lips rolled and I was transfixed. When his eyes lifted, I stared at the hard lines of his face. “That’s my mother.”

My throat went dry, and I swallowed past the grit. “I’m sorry. I—I didn’t know.” He stayed silent and my nerves took over, spiraling me into a rambling mess. “She’s beautiful. You know, she kind of looks like Sylvie, only sadder maybe.”

“Yep.” The ache in a single syllable was a dagger to my heart.

“So ...” A nervous titter escaped me as I raised my hands and let them slap against the outside of my thighs. “Are you going to tattoo me or what?”

Royal’s eyes dragged down my front and lifted. “You know you don’t want a tattoo. At least ... not today.”

My lips pursed. “You’re probably right. I’m far too picky and demanding. I’ve always been told I’m hard to please.” Another nervous laugh escaped me, and I clamped my lips shut.

Royal eased against the counter of his workstation. He was the ruler of this domain.

His jaw flexed. “Being particular isn’t a crime, Precious. High standards are the hallmark of a high-value woman. Sounds to me like you just haven’t found someone who’s up to the challenge.”

I scoffed, unnerved at how his words made me shudder. “And you are?”

He smirked, seemingly unaffected by my internal meltdown. “Why don’t you tell me the real reason you’re here?”

I sucked in a deep breath and gathered my bravery and any remaining scraps of confidence. “I don’t know. I guess I was just thinking about our bet and your pathetic loss.”

“Is that so?” His eyebrow raised and my blood pressure skyrocketed.

My eyes lowered, unsure of how my next words might come across. “I just wondered if, you know, to be fair, we did best two out of three.”

“Mmm,” he hummed. “I see. Because of my pitiful loss, you mean?”

I grinned, thankful he wasn’t making fun of my rare display of nerves. “Naturally.”

Royal moved toward me, his long limbs eating up the small distance between us until his front stood flush with mine. I leaned back, my hands gripping the black leather of the tattoo chair.

I was scrambling to not melt into a puddle at his feet. “I came here to tell you how ridiculous your proposition was.”

“Did you really come here to say that or because you were curious?” He inhaled my scent, and I nearly groaned at how erotic his appreciative grunt was. “I don’t need any more games.”

His warm breath tickled the thin skin at my neck. Every inch of my body tightened. His masculine scent rolled over me, and I squeezed my thighs together.

His fingertips dragged across my jaw, forcing my eyes to lift and meet his. “I will give you everything you need.” His touch burned a trail down my neck and the back of my arm, farther down. “Say the word and I will show you how good it feels to lose control.”

My breath heaved and my mind raced. Every cell of my body screamedYes. My brain scrambled to keep up. “Is this a Disney villain origin story you’re channeling or ...?”

He grinned, one thigh pressing between my legs as I opened for him. A dark chuckle rumbled out of him. “You are so mean to me.”

I was breathless, panting and wanting more. “So that’s it? You just want to take a strong woman and break her?”

“I can be the villain if that’s what turns you on.” His jaw flexed as his eyes moved over me. “But you’ve really got it all wrong. I don’t want to break you. I want to set you free.”

It was the simple promise of freedom that drew me in. I was so busy white-knuckling it through life that I never stopped to consider the fact I didn’thaveto always be in control. I didn’t know any other way, but I was starting to think I might want to.

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