Page 18 of Challenged By the Ex-Military Tattoo Artist

"Maria? Is everything alright back there?"

Maria's eyes widen comically, and she scrambles to her feet.

"Shit, that's Jenna!" she hisses, hastily straightening her clothes and trying to tame her wild hair.

I chuckle, watching her frantic movements with no small amount of amusement.

"The bakery girl."

"Yes, and my best friend," Maria replies distractedly. "She's going to know something's up if I don't get out there soon."

"Then by all means, don't let me keep you," I say, gesturing grandly towards the door.

Maria pauses, leveling me with a stern look.

"This isn't over, you know. We're going to have to...to talk about this. Whatever 'this' is."

I raise my hands in a placating gesture, "Hey, no judgment here. Take all the time you need, sweetheart."

She rolls her eyes, though I catch the faint quirk of her lips.

"Don't call me 'sweetheart'," she mutters, before straightening her shoulders and striding towards the door.

I watch as she opens it, pasting on what I'm sure is her best customer-service smile.

"Jenna! Hi, sorry about that, I was just...um, checking on something in the back."

"Uh-huh, sure you were," comes the amused reply, "You know, for someone who's usually so elegant and classy, you're looking awfully...disheveled."

I can practically hear the smile in Jenna's voice, and I have to bite back a laugh as Maria's shoulders tense.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she huffs, the flustered edge to her voice betraying her. "Now, how long have you been standing out here, exactly?"

Jenna's laughter echoes through the small space, and I can just imagine the sly grin on her face.

"Long enough, Maria. Long enough."

I can practically see the mortification radiating off Maria as she stands there, her best friend's knowing laughter ringing out.

"Jenna, this isn't funny!" she hisses, her voice low and strained. "Seriously, how long have you been standing out here?"

"Long enough to know that you and your new 'tenant' have been getting a little...cozy in the back room," Jenna replies, her tone positively dripping with mischief.

I can almost picture Maria's cheeks flushing a brilliant red as she sputters indignantly.

"I-I have no idea what you're talking about! Nothing happened. I was just..." She pauses, visibly grasping for an excuse. "I was just checking on the, uh, the lighting situation back here, that's all."

Jenna snorts indelicately.

"Right, the 'lighting situation'. Is that what they're calling it these days?"

I have to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing out loud at Maria's flustered attempts to cover up what we'd just been doing. She really is quite adorable when she's so clearly out of her element.

"Jenna, please, you can't tell anyone about this," Maria pleads, her voice taking on a slightly desperate edge. "This is my livelihood. I can't have rumors spreading around town about...about inappropriate workplace behavior!"

Her friend seems to take pity on her then, because her tone softens ever so slightly.

"Hey, relax, M. Your secret's safe with me, okay? You’re my best friend. I'm not about to go blabbing to the whole town about your little...adventure."

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