Page 29 of My Promise To Keep

‘Hold on, what the fuck is that?’ I reached for her right hand and pulled it toward me. Glancing up, I noticed her grimace. ‘You let somebody else tattoo you?’ That was a kick in the balls.

‘I’m sorry. I was in Florida with Bree, and we just did it without thinking.’

‘Bree got her first tattoo from somebody else?’

I heard the way my voice went up a few octaves, and I held my hand to my chest.

‘Oh, honey, do you need some pearls to clutch?’ she sassed, and I glared.

‘This is a betrayal, Zoe Campbell. A betrayal.’

‘Bennett,’ she corrected, and I shut up. I forgot. How the fuck did I forget?

‘It’s not bad,’ I admitted, turning my focus back to the tattoo, a B and a D with some butterflies above her thumb and up onto her wrist. ‘The lines are a little thick.’

‘Okay, perfectionist.’

‘What did Bree get?’

‘Same, but on her shoulder and obviously a Z instead of a B.’

It was easy. It felt too good to have her in my space — no Bree, no Doug, no Bowie, just me and her and the special connection we still felt.

‘Do you want to talk about him?’

‘No, I think we’ve said it all. I just want to remember him. You help me do that.’ She smiled at me, and the look in her eyes made promises I wanted to keep. ‘Tell me something positive. How’s the shop doing?’

‘So good.’ I smiled. It really was. I was about to take on a piercer next month and open up some regular guest spots to other artists. ‘I have to go up to Seattle in a couple of days for a convention and then a month spot at a shop up there.’

‘Wow, great exposure.’

I loved that she got it. Zoe loved tattoos as much as I did and knew how the industry worked.

‘Yeah, I can’t wait.’

A comfortable quiet descended, and I smiled softly. This felt good.

‘I like having you to myself today,’ she admitted, and my gaze fell on hers.

‘Me too, munch.’ I nodded to her drink. ‘Are you staying?’ She’d had as many as me, and I didn’t want her driving home.

‘I guess I should. Is that okay?’ As she asked, I realized I was not only still holding her hand but stroking my thumb over her soft skin.

She looked up at me, smiling a soft smile, one I saw that night, and I swallowed hard.

‘Of course.’

Quit Teasing

Zoe

Eighteen Months Ago

‘I’ll get you somethingcomfy to put on, then we can order something to eat,’ Leo said as we entered his apartment.

‘Thank you.’ My attention drifted to the kitchen and the fridge, and I felt the flush of heat at the memory of that night. Following him into his bedroom, I walked over to sit on his bed, and when he turned, he seemed a little surprised to see me there.

‘You okay?’ I asked as he inhaled deeply, and he looked from me to the clothes in his hands, then back to me.

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