Page 14 of The Baby Bargain
"Sara, look at me."
Her blue eyes fix on mine. They're the same shade as Grace's. For once, that's not where my brain goes.
It goes to the nerves in Ariel's dark eyes. The same as this girl's nerves. Like she's about to jump off a cliff.
Tattoos are scary and painful, but compared to love? Starting a family?
It's nothing.
"Tell me about the design." I know everything there is to know about this design.Omnia vincit amor.Surrounded by lilies.
It doesn't take a genius to put those pieces together.
Love conquers all. Funeral flowers.
Either Sara lost someone or she's a big fan of the movieTitanic.
"I um… Well, it's kind of personal." She tugs at her jeans.
"You're wearing tape as a top."
She nodstrue. Motions to the gauze covering her breasts. "It's different."
"What is?"
I swab a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. Run it over her ribs. Blow to help it dry.
Her eyelids flutter closed. A groan falls from her lips. The one that usually meansGod, I want the hot tattoo artist. "What's it matter if you see my body?"
"What does it matter?"
"It's personal, yeah. Sometimes it's sexy. But it's not like when you reveal your heart to someone."
I nod.
"Sure, it hurts if someone rejects your body—"
"Who rejects your body?" I tape the stencil to her ribs.
"Well…"
"You can't lie when someone is this close." Sara is a knockout. Big tits, narrow ribs, perky ass.
If things were different, if I was the kind of guy who cared more about the look of a woman's body than—
Fuck, I don't even know what people look for in casual sex.
Her laugh is nervous. "They're fake." She motions to her chest.
This is Southern California. That isn't rare. "A lot are."
"Yeah, I, uh, well, I was really small as a teenager. And I thought I needed that to feel beautiful. It helped, but it attracted a different sort of guy too."
"Besides the one—" I motion to the trace paper.
"Yeah." She sucks in a sharp inhale. "Can we start?"
I'm pushing too far. It's not like me. I don't usually ask clients personal questions. If they offer, I listen. But I don't pry.
