Page 3 of The Inkslinger

Chapter Two

Of All The Shops In The World

Laine

“The appointment book says I have a customer but there is no name or number written down,” I grumble at my brother. “Where is Skye?”

I just got back from picking up my car at the mechanic’s and my irritation is already set to ten. Now I have an appointment without any details and our wayward receptionist is missing. Again. She’s made a habit of wandering off and some days I want to strangle her.

“She took a woman to look at her house,” he replies while sterilizing his equipment. “The woman is also your appointment.”

A chuckle escapes me at my cousin’s exasperated tone. Of course, his best friend’s little sister—who he insisted we hire—would take off with a stranger. The woman has no sense of self-preservation. Pulling my cell from my back pocket, I scroll to her number. I’m about to hit “call” when I hear the door swing open, and her laughter hits me. Turning around, I damn near swallow my tongue.

Hailey Fucking Meyer.In our shop of all places.

She smiles at me before strutting over in shoes I am sure could kill a man. Skye walks beside her, smiling from ear to ear.

Fire-engine red hair, tattoos for days, and curves that could bring any man to his knees. She is even more stunning in real life. Her grey gaze sparkles with joy only amplifying her beauty. When did I become a sap?

“Laine, this is—” she starts, but I cut her off.

“Hailey Meyer. I know who she is.”

Alistair and Skye both cast curious glances at the two of us as I shake her hand.

“And how do you know a woman that only walked into the shop no more than ten minutes ago?” Alistair asks with a raised brow.

Grabbing a magazine from behind the counter, I push it at him. On the cover in all its glossy glory, is a photo of Hailey, ninety percent naked, all her tattoos on show, straddling a fucking Harley. I remember seeing that cover for the first time yesterday and all the blood in my body fled south, just like it is doing right now.

I’m usually not the type of guy to go running around like a teenager at the first sight of a beautiful woman, but Skye is so much more than beautiful. Since the first time I saw one of her magazine spreads, she has been my ultimate fantasy. Curvy as fuck with stunning ink covering her skin. Not to mention the pure, raw confidence and sexuality that pours off her in waves.

“Oh! I haven’t seen this one yet!” She grabs the magazine from Alistair’s hand before flipping through it to the article and full photo spread.

“Damn, girl,” Skye whispers looking over her shoulder. “Now I do want to see where you don’t have ink.”

My cousin makes a choking sound as we all lean in to see the spread they did on her. The photographs are all tastefully done but there is no denying this woman is sexy as fuck, whether she is fully dressed or half naked.

“What brings you to House of Ink?” Alistair asks the question I have been thinking since I laid eyes on her.

“I’m taking a break from city life,” Hailey says while raking her hand through her fire-engine red hair. “I’ve seen the work you guys do online and thought, why not?”

“You want one of us to ink you?” I ask in shock.

“More specifically...” She whips out her phone and logs into a social media site, scrolling quickly until she finds what she wants. “I want the person who did this to do something for me.”

She places her cell on the counter and my heart nearly explodes. Right there is a piece I did for a friend not three weeks ago. It’s a full-back piece of a phoenix rising from the ashes of a semi-burnt elm tree.

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