Page 23 of A Little Harmless Pleasure

“Hey, doll. Going pretty good, considering summer is slow for me once the college kids blow town.”

Anna nodded. “If I didn’t get some influx with the new military moves at my Valdosta shop, it would probably hurt me just as much.” She turned to Cynthia. “Cynthia, I would like you to meet John Gregory. John, Cynthia would like to get her first tattoo.”

The smile she offered him froze the moment she made eye contact with him.

“Really?” The disbelief she heard in his voice was mirrored in his eyes as he studied her. He cocked his head to one side, causing one of the streams of light to reflect on his head.

At first, she faltered. What the hell was she thinking? A Myers didn’t get a tattoo. A Myers wouldn’t know where they did tattoos let alone contemplate what she wanted printed on her ass. Her mother would keel over if she knew. Anna must have sensed Cynthia’s hesitation because she gave her a nudge.

She cleared her throat as a wave of heat filled her face. John’s lips curved into a knowing smile. The action sent indignant irritation inching down her spine. It blocked out every one of her insecurities. Being the good girl sucked, and she was sick and tired of it.

She stepped forward and smiled. “Yes. Anna told me you’re the best in the area.”

The smile he offered her was at best smarmy, at worst feral. She didn’t look like someone who would come in here, so what?

“Do you have a problem with that, Mr…er…John?”

Even she winced at the primness in her voice. Goodness, she sounded as if she were at a garden party at the country club. The urge to run started to thrum louder through her blood until John snorted and crossed his arms over his chest. The rude sound and gesture caused her impatience to increase.

“I just figured with your reputation, this might be a little out of your league.”

The fact that he knew her didn’t surprise Cynthia. In their small town, most people were familiar with the Myers family, since they employed a huge chunk of the population. Being associated with her father definitely wouldn’t win her any friends. He had a reputation of being a hard ass, firing people at will. Her mother had probably offended most working people in town, and her brother had a habit of picking fights with people he thought too weak to win.

And, truthfully, John had a point. A week ago, she would have turned with her tail between her legs and run away. But this was thenewCynthia Myers, and she was not backing down from the things she had always yearned to do. From the time she was in college, she had wanted a little bitty heart-shaped tattoo on her rear end, and, by God, it was going to happen.

Straightening her spine and stepping forward, she said, in her mother’s condescending voice, “I’ll tell you what,John, how about you let me worry about my reputation, and you get ready to draw a pretty little pink heart on my ass?”

Anna snorted behind her, but Cynthia ignored her. Lord knew she had gained the attention of the young couple because she had enunciated every word quite loudly. She kept her focus on John, whose face was as blank as newly rolled pie dough and waited for him to challenge her. If he did, she had no idea what she would say to rebut him, but she would come up with something.

Instead of giving her more crap—Anna was really becoming a bad influence on her language—John smiled. This time, though, the smile was wide and friendly, his eyes twinkling. “You got it, Cynthia.”

While the couple who had been waiting followed him back, Cynthia filled out paperwork and release forms. By the time she was laid out on a table with her butt bared, Cynthia started to regret her bravado. It was one thing to be brave in the face of criticism from a man she didn’t know. It was completely different having him study her rear.

“I think you should do another color.” Anna stood off to the right of her, apparently having no problem with the situation. Of course, it wasn’t her body on display. “I think red would be better.”

Cynthia fought back the growl that threatened to escape. “I heard you the first three times you said it.”

Anna grunted and turned around to study some books John said had tattoo pictures in them. Cynthia sighed and relaxed until John spoke again.

“I need to get the stencil on here and I can start the line work.”

“Uh-huh.”

He pressed a piece of paper against the fullest part of her right cheek and pulled it away.

“Looks good.” He turned away from her and started to assemble his tools. “Do you want to see it in a mirror, to check the placement?”

“No.”

He paused. “Are you sure you want this? Right now, this isn’t permanent.”

She hesitated and nodded. “I want the tattoo.”

“Okay. It’s your ass.”

Cynthia gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and tried to remind herself that this was whatshewanted.

“I can’t believe you took her to get a tattoo,” Max growled as he frowned at Anna.

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