Page 71 of Exposed Ink

I can’t change the past, but I’m alive, and I deserve to have a future.

* * *

Soft kisses flutteragainst my flesh, forcing me awake. When I pry my eyes open, I find Shane staring at me, a soft smile spread across his handsome face.

“Morning,” I croak out, stretching my limbs.

I wasn’t planning on spending the night, but I once again fell asleep while we were watching a movie, and instead of insisting Shane take me home, I let him carry me to bed.

“It’s a damn good morning,” he says with a smirk. “Especially when I get to wake up with you in my bed.”

“Don’t make a habit of it,” I say, trying to give him the best stink eye I can muster up. “Where’s Taylor?”

“Already left for school. It’s just after ten. You slept in.”

Ten? Holy shit, that means I got, like, twelve hours of solid sleep. Maybe I should spend the night more often.

“I should probably get going …”

“Or you could spend the day with me.” Shane rolls us over so I’m underneath him. “We’re both off today.”

“Oh, yeah? And what do you propose we do all day?” I wrap my legs around his waist and dig my heels into his butt so his body is flush against mine.

“Not sure.” He shrugs. “But I think getting naked with you is the perfect thing to do while we figure it out.”

He captures my mouth with his, and I nod in agreement since I’m completely on board with starting our day with him inside of me.

And truth be told, I think I would be on board to start every day that way.

* * *

“I’m prettysure days off are supposed to be spent away from the office,” Shane says with a chuckle as we walk through the door of Exposed Ink.

I type in the code when the alarm goes off and then lock the door since we’re closed.

“This is my sanctuary,” I tell him, flipping on the lights and texting my dad so he knows it was me who triggered the alarm. “It was my dream to open my own shop, but after Brandon died, I wasn’t even sure I’d be able to tattoo again.

“Thankfully, my dad dragged me out of my depression and insisted we open this place.” I glance around at the beautiful shop, proud of what we created.

“Wait, you own this shop?” Shane asks. “I figured you managed it, and I kind of thought your dad might own it …”

“Exposed Ink is all mine. My dad says he’s a silent partner, but he never takes a dime from the earnings, and my name is on all the business documents. He only did it because I didn’t want him handing me an entire business I hadn’t worked for.”

“Wow, Sour Patch.” He looks at me with awe. “That’s incredible.”

“Thanks. I always thought I’d open a place in the city, but I’ve grown to love it here, and I can’t imagine inking anywhere else.”

We step into my station, and I set my phone on the charger and turn on my playlist. “You ready?” I ask Shane, who looks at me, confused. “To get your tattoo. I canceled on you Friday, so I figured I could do it today.”

He groans, sitting in the chair, and I laugh.

“You know, if you don’t want to get any more, you don’t have to.” I step toward him, and he parts his legs, reaching out and gripping the curves of my hips. “You only did this in hope of getting the girl,” I taunt playfully.

Shane looks up at me and grins. “And I got the girl.”

I lean over and give him a chaste kiss. “You definitely did,” I agree. “So, if you don’t want to continue …”

“Nah,” he says, pulling back. “I do. I was just hoping when we came in here, it was to have some more pool-table sex.”

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