Page 11 of I Did Before I Do

No. I couldn’t fall into that. I was just out of a relationship, and the last thing I needed was some bad boy making me feel weak and breaking my heart.

I pulled my hand away and stepped back, turning my attention to Benny. “If you have any questions about the paperwork, feel free to call us. There’s a business card on the envelope. It should be fairly straightforward, though.” I smiled. “Drop it back off when you’re done.”

Benny nodded. “Sure. Yeah. Thanks.”

“Thank you. Have a good night.”

I turned and left the shop before I could look at Ryker again.

But I could definitely feel him watching me as I left.

I walked quickly to my car and turned it on. And just sat.

I was a mess—soaking wet, almost shaking with need. I let out a soft sigh, one hand drifting down to stroke over the inside of my thigh.

No. No, I wasn’t going to do that in my car outside the tattoo shop. I needed to get home. Fast.

BOB would be working overtime tonight, and Ryker was going to be the star of my fantasies.

Chapter Five

Ryker

I stood next to Benny, watching Sydney as she walked quickly out of the shop. The skirt was different today but fit her just as nicely, and her top had showed just a hint of cleavage.

And her hand had been really soft.

I shook my head, smiling. I didn’t really care what Kenzie said; as soon as this girl gave me the go-ahead, I planned to go for it.

Kenzie wasn’t my sister.

She couldn’t beat me up like she could Bradley. She could give me the stink-eye for a few weeks, sure, but that was where her power ended.

But… why had Sydney come here?

I turned to Benny, frowning. “Hey, what’s going on?”

“What?” he asked.

I nodded my head toward the envelope in his hands.

“I don’t know.” Benny opened the flap of the envelope and pulled the papers out just a little, eyes scanning the page. He pushed them back into the envelope and nodded once. “Ah, don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal.”

That almost always meant there was a reason to worry, and it was definitely a big deal.

Bradley stood up at his booth, looking down at us. “Benny, is that the stuff?”

“Yeah.” Benny nodded. “C’mon, we should look this over. You busy?”

“Nah, I’m done for the day. I can finish cleanup later.” He wiped his hands on his shirt. “Office?”

Benny nodded. He turned and headed up the steps. Bradley joined him, and they went into the office at the back of the shop.

The door closed.

“Does it bother anybody else that the two owners just got papers from a lawyer and are having a closed-door conversation in the back?” Zoe put her hands on the counter, leaning toward me a little. “Because I’m in the worst-case scenario right now, and it looks a lot like all of us being out of a job.”

She didn’t have to put it like that.

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