Page 24 of No Apologies
“He’ll back off.” Remy repeated, “I’ll make sure of it.”
Colt opened his mouth to ask his brother how he intended to do that but the bell over the door stopped him. He couldn’t very well ask Remy if he intended to beat, maim or kill their cousin to be sure of that in front of a client. He pushed off the wall, wincing when his entire body objected to the movement.
“Well, well, looks like I’ve got my first client.” Remy’s grin immediately flashed into place when he turned to look at the door. “Hello darlin’.”
Since Colt was behind the curtain at his station, he couldn’t see who had come in that would earn that grin out of his older brother but it didn’t matter when he heard the click of heels on the concrete floor. There was only one person that came into his shop that wore heels. He’d know that sound anywhere and despite his brain telling him to slow down and his body all but screaming in objection he rushed out of his space, knocking his brother out of the way in the process.
His breath caught as soon as he saw her walking towards him. An angel. God, she looked just like an angel. The morning light was shining in through the glass storefront, framing her as if she’d just descended from heaven.
It glinted off her shiny blonde hair, the long strands down and falling over her shoulders. He’d seen her last night and she’d looked sick, deathly sick, but today she looked perfect. Just like always.
She was wearing a pair of painted on blue jeans and those high heels that jacked up her already tall, slim stature and made her hips sway seductively with every step. The little halter top she was wearing only added to the sex on legs effect she had. The straps were so tiny he could snap them with one hard tug and it flowed beautifully over her breasts.
Some men would have said her breasts were too small maybe, but not him. He’d never been much of a breast man but Skylar’s were perky perfection as far as he was concerned. Besides, the secret draw of small breasts was that the women didn’t always feel the need to tie them up in bras.
From the bounce in her step, he ventured to guess Skylar wasn’t wearing one today, a habit of hers that drove him absolutely crazy. Despite the aches and pains he’d experienced all day, his body still sat up and took notice. It didn’t help that her shirt also left her arms and shoulders all but bare, exposing the ink that he had put there.
The first tattoo he’d ever inked on her was the shoulder piece currently on display. It had taken him weeks to come up with the design. It wasn’t the first thing he’d drawn when she told him she wanted to get a tattoo. He’d drawn her a princess crown that first day and she’d laughed until she cried before ripping it up.
After that, he’d gotten creative. He’d decided on the twisting vines of roses because of her middle name but he’d also included plenty of thorns. It was girly, soft, sweet, but if you looked close it was also dangerous, just like the woman that wore it.
It was some of his best work in his humble opinion. Maybe because he was always so damn careful with her precious skin or maybe just because the ink and the skin belonged to Skylar. Or maybe it had something to do with the memory of having her in his chair and knowing just how hard he had to focus to get it right, because Skylar, in his chair, made him hard every damn time.
He had clients that were addicted to the sting of the needles. He had even more that bit their lip and barely suffered through it. But she was the only one he’d ever seen react as if the pain could send her flying, right over the edge into an orgasm.
It was the memory of the way she looked when he inked her that tortured him most. Cheeks flushed. Lips parted on panting breaths. Her eyes glazed. Tiny little moans falling from her as she tried not to squirm. Fuck, it haunted him knowing that his needles did that to her. Made him want to see those same reactions from his touch instead.
Skylar was his every dream and nightmare all rolled into one and the fact that she was walking into his shop now, when he was angry at himself for getting distracted last night, angry at her for being the distraction he couldn’t ignore, and angry at the world for all the things that kept them apart, he knew he couldn’t deal with her right now.
He wouldn’t be able to control himself. He was too close to the edge after last night. Talking to her, touching her, leaving her behind, it had all been too much. If she so much as looked at him with desire in her eyes, he’d fucking break and he couldn’t let that happen.
If last night had taught him anything, it was that he had to push her away. It was for her own good. He wasn’t getting out of this life or putting the Bomar bullshit behind him anytime soon. And he wouldn’t risk dragging her down with him.
“Hey.” Her smile lit up her entire face, those bright blue eyes sparkling and just like always, he had to steel himself not to move towards her, not to react to that smile.
“Hey.” He kept his voice even, neutral, and watched her smile falter at the less than pleasant greeting.
He was such an asshole. Nobody should ever attempt to dim that smile of hers. It was pure goodness, pure light and joy, but he couldn’t have her here now. Especially not now. His demons were prowling too close to the surface after last night and he had to put some distance back between them before his shadows overtook her light.
“Hey, I was going to come by earlier but…” She came closer and her smile fell off completely, “Oh my God! Colt! What happened to your face?”
“Nothing.”
She had started to close the space between them, her hands already coming up as if she meant to touch him, comfort him, but she pulled up short at the harshness in his voice. She blinked, confusion flickering over her features. Her hands dropped back to her sides.
“Nothing?”
He didn’t answer and her confusion turned to a frown.
“You’re black and blue and you’re really going to stand there and tell me that nothing happened?”
“You’re a smart girl. You catch on quick.”
She recoiled as if he’d shoved her and he fought the urge to reach for her and pull her back, pull her into his arms. He knew what that was like now which made it even harder to deny. But he did it, for the both of them.
“Can we uh… talk?” Her gaze flickered past him and he remembered then that his older brother was behind him, watching their every interaction.
“I don’t have a lot of time, Sky. I’m running a business here.”
