Page 104 of Exposed Ink

But that didn’t stop me from texting Kinsley damn near every hour. Especially after Taylor relayed what she’d overheard when she was eavesdropping on her mom and Kinsley.

I’ll never forgive Jamie for the shit she spewed, and while she might be Taylor’s mom, after the crap she pulled, she’s no longer welcome in my home, and I told her as much.

All I want is to go home and spend time with Kinsley and my daughter, but going to the shop is the next best thing since it means hanging out with Kinsley and watching her do what she loves.

“Shane,” Lachlan says when I walk in, extending his fist to bump mine. “How’s it going?”

“Good,” I tell him, glancing around to make sure Kinsley isn’t near us. “I need to speak to you, but not here. Could we meet up for a drink one day this week?”

After nearly losing my daughter, I’m reminded of how delicate life is, and I’m done wasting time with Kinsley. I love her, and I want her in my home, in my life, as my wife.

Lachlan stares at me for several seconds before a knowing grin spreads across his face. “We can meet up for a drink anytime you want.” He leans in so nobody else can hear his next words. “But if you’re going to ask me for permission to marry my daughter, you already got it.”

I chuckle and nod. “Am I that obvious?”

“You remind me of myself,” he says with a shrug. “A man who’s in love and wants everything with the woman who’s captured his heart.”

“Dad, what are you going on about?” Kinsley asks, appearing out of nowhere. “Shane, let’s go,” she says. “We need to get started.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I tell her, following her back.

“I was thinking for today’s session, we’d do something a little different,” she says, closing the door behind her, but it’s been nearly forty-eight hours since I’ve seen her, and the only thing I want to do is kiss her.

So, I do just that.

Spinning her around, I gently press her against the counter, and holding her face, I press my lips to hers. She tastes like the perfect mixture of sweet and sour, and I realize she’s chewing on a Sour Patch Kid.

“You stealing my favorite candy?” I ask when I pull back.

“You left them here, and I had a craving.” She shrugs. “I missed you,” she says, wrapping her arms around me.

I lift her onto the counter and step between her legs. “I missed you so much fucking more.”

I trail my tongue along the seam of her lips, loving that she tastes like my favorite snack, and then run my tongue along her neck.

She tilts her head to the side, giving me better access to kiss my way up to her ear.

“I think we should forget the tattoo and go back to your place so I can spend the next couple of hours inside of you,” I tell her.

“Not happening,” she says, pushing me back. “Sit. I have a cool design, but since it’s not one you suggested, I’m going to draw it with a marker first, and then if you like it, I’ll tattoo it.”

“Okay.” I sit in the chair. “But you know I trust you, right? Anything you want to draw on me, I’m going to be good with it.”

Kinsley grins, her eyes twinkling with happiness. “I love you, Shane.”

“I love you.” I grip her hips and pull her into my lap because I can’t help myself. “One more kiss, and then you can draw on me.”

I reach around and fist her hair, pulling her face toward mine, and kiss her with everything in me, hoping like hell she knows just how damn much I love and want and need her in my life.

When we break apart, her eyes are glassed over, and I’d bet anything, if I reached into her pants, she’d be wet. But I don’t because if I did that, there would definitely be no drawing on me today.

She climbs off me and sits on the rolling seat and then gets to work. While she draws on my arm, she’s quiet, concentrating on whatever it is she’s creating. It doesn’t take long, and once she’s done, she steps back and smiles at me, looking almost nervous.

“Okay,” she says, handing me a mirror. “Take a look.”

But before I can look, she snatches the mirror back. “Actually, I’m going to take a picture of it, so it’s not backward.”

She pulls her phone out and takes a picture, then hands it to me. The first thing I notice is that she drew Sour Patch Kids.

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