Page 1 of Seduced in Ink

Chapter 1

Madison McClard desperately wanted cheese.

She wasn’t exactly sure why she craved cheese at the moment. It had never been her favorite thing before she started hanging out with her cousins-in-law.

However, because of their cheese obsession—and it was indeed an obsession—just the idea of not being able to eat cheese meant she wanted it even more.

While cheese surrounded her, little platters held by waiters in stiff white shirts and black pants with creases—almost as if they knew she wanted cheese—she could not indulge.

And she hated it.

She wasn’t lactose intolerant. And she wasn’t on a diet or afraid of the food. She loved dairy and had a cheese collection of her own, along with the boards and utensils to make a perfect spread.

However, she did not want to get into a fight with her family at her cousin Lincoln’s art show. That meant she would refrain from the lovely array of cheeses, crackers, and red wine that beckoned her to the dark side.

“You know you can just take a bite,” her friend Aaron said from her side. She shook her head.

“I’m not taking a bite,” she whispered, keeping a pleasant smile as people walked past, expectant looks on their faces. They knew she was family to the famous artist and wanted to know more about her. But she had no idea why. It wasn’t as if she had any talents when it came to art, though she could decorate a mean cupcake.

“Here, let me just get you some. There’s a little bit of honey on this brie, as well as an apple slice that makes the perfect crisp crunch when you bite into it.”

She turned her gaze towards Aaron and studied his face. He might be sexy as hell with that tousled brown hair, those blue eyes, and his chiseled jaw, but she wanted to smack him.

He was far too handsome and charming for his own good.

“I’m not indulging. And how did you even know I wanted cheese? You’re not a mind reader, are you?”

He smiled, flashing perfectly white teeth, a little dimple in his cheek poking out.

A dimple? How the hell had she not noticed that before?

Damn him and that stupid divot.

And that bitable jaw.

And lickable neck.

Where the heck had those thoughts come from?

“I saw you practically drooling over a platter, your hand outstretched for a bare instant before you let it drop casually as if no one would notice.”

She looked down askance at her hands, then back up at Aaron. “I did not.”

Aaron snorted. “Okay, the hand thing was an exaggeration. But you did gaze longingly.”

Madison winced. “I hope no one else saw me looking like that.” Namely, her mother.

“I don’t think so. But, for all I know, everybody knows your love of cheese.”

She resisted the urge to flip him off and then moved closer to him. The heat of him seared her side when someone brushed past, ironically holding a full plate of cheese.

“You’re drooling again,” Aaron said, wrapping his arm around her waist. He gave her hip a squeeze before moving back. It was a friendly touch, nothing flirty, just someone trying not to fall as they both moved out of the way.

It still made her heart race, and she had no idea why.

She did not have a crush on Aaron Montgomery. He was her cousin’s love’s brother, and things got far too complicated with all of those connections. Considering that her cousin was with Aaron’s brother Ethan, as well as Holland, things were a little complicated already, and she wanted no part of adding to that.

And it didn’t really matter because Aaron moved away, still smiling at her but in a friendly way, maybe even brotherly.

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