Page 55 of Painless
"Yes, I did." I tried to keep my eyes focused on her skin, but couldn't resist meeting her gaze again just to see if that smile remained. "Reaper told me what he wanted, and I gave him a few rough sketches based on that. He picked the best one, in my opinion."
"Yourexpertopinion," Mariposa corrected me with a soft laugh.
"Hmm, maybe. I don't know."
"I do know. You're great at what you do, Shadow. Not just with the artwork itself, but you have a good bedside manner."
I pulled away to stretch my hunched-over position, mulling over her words. "I'm not sure what that means," I admitted.
"It's a medic term," she explained. "A medic's visit, or a tattoo, can be an uncomfortable experience. But if we can make the client feel at ease, less worried or uncomfortable, we can transform the experience into something good." Again came that smile over her shoulder. "That's what I mean by bedside manner. You've made my first tattoo a painless, fun experience, Shadow."
"I...I'm glad." My throat worked uselessly, my pulse going crazy as I processed what she was telling me.
She was...enjoying this? Not in spite of me, butbecauseof me?
"Are you okay?" Her brows furrowed slightly.
"Yes! Yes, sorry. I—" I shook my head, nearly running a hand back through my hair, before I remembered and stopped myself. "It's just no one's ever told me that before."
“Someone just did,” she smiled.
We continued on, Mariposa insisting she was good every time I checked in. Finally, I lifted my foot from the pedal and set my machine down. With a clean cloth, I wiped all the remaining excess ink from her back.
"I think we're done." A tinge of longing crept from my chest into my throat. "Go ahead and take a look."
Mariposa stood and stretched with a soft groan. I jerked my gaze away, the combination of that sound and the fluid movement of her body sending heat straight to my dick.
"Shadow, I love it!" She looked over her shoulder in the mirror, swaying her hips and shoulders to look at the tattoo from different angles. "Seriously, it's so badass!" She twirled until she faced me, her smile bigger than ever. "I'll have to come back to you for more."
"I'm glad you like it." I peeled my gloves off, sounding nonchalant, but the inside of my body sparked and buzzed like fireworks in a beehive. "And you know where to find me if you'd like more."
She took one step toward me, opened her mouth to speak, and promptly crumpled to the floor.
"Mari!"
I rushed over, not even realizing I’d used the shortened version of her name, and knelt at her side. "What's wrong?"
"Well, that's embarrassing." She let out a sheepish laugh and leaned to one side, bracing a hand on my arm.
"Are you hurt? Should I get Jandro?" Panic tightened around my heart like a vice. Jandro would be the best person to help. Gunner was gone, and Reaper would definitely kill me.
"No, no. I'm fine." She laughed again, this time nearly leaning her head on my shoulder. "I think I just stood up too fast after sitting for so long. I felt my leg going to sleep, but didn't think it would give out on me."
"So...you're not injured?"
"Just a bruised ego," she snickered. "As a medic, I should know better." She tilted her head, and this time it did touch my shoulder. "Sorry to worry you."
"I'm just glad I didn't—I mean, glad you're okay."
She let out a huff of breath, still laughing at herself. "You're sweet, Shadow."
More feelings erupted in my chest, foreign sensations I didn't have words for. Needless to say, no one had ever called me sweet before, either.
A slight turn of my head would bring my cheek in contact with her forehead that was still resting on my shoulder. Even such a small movement felt too close, too intimate. I'd seen her men touch her in such a way, which meant it was wrong for me to do.
But I never saw her put her head on anyone but her mens' shoulders before either.
"Can you stand?" I asked.
