“Because he’s a good writer? Or because he’s hot?” Gavin questioned.
What the fuck?
“Both.”
“So you think he’s hot?” Gavin asked, clearly fanning the flames.
“God, yes. Those eyes and those lips…”
Gavin chuckled as he set up for his next painting. “What does he write?”
“Love stories. Beautiful, sexy love stories,” the woman told him, her tone reverent, her hands clasped together in front of her.
“Sexy love stories?” Gavin looked up at the woman. “Does that include sex?”
The woman giggled. “Definitely.”
“Hot sex?” Gavin glanced over at me again. He mouthed, “Like orgies and shit?”
I rolled my eyes and shook my head at the same time the woman said, “Panty-melting hot.”
Gavin laughed. “What would you do if you came face-to-face with Jacob Wild right now?”
“Oh, gosh,” the woman said with a sigh, her eyes locked on Gavin. “I’d hug him.”
Gavin turned back to me and I knew what was coming. And I knew there was no way to stop it, either.
Chapter Fourteen
Presley
Fuck, it was cold.
I knew I should’ve put forth the effort to find my coat, but I’d been avoiding digging through the boxes of clothes I’d allowed to grow up from the floor in my closet at all costs.
Instead, I’d settled for the thin hoodie I’d worn last weekend and a scarf I’d found draped over a box of old tattoo magazines, which did little to ward off the chill. And now, hugging my arms around my body, tucking my fingers beneath my arm pits to keep them warm, I stalked down the crowded sidewalk, ignoring the cat calls and whistles from the drunk college kids already flooding the street.
Earlier in the evening, I had considered texting Gavin to cancel on him, but after spending most of the day sleeping, then at least an hour pacing my living room, attempting to come up with something to draw that would pull me out of my funk, I’d finally thrown my hands in the air and given up. At that point, doing something to take my mind off of it was my only option. I’d learned that dwelling on the problem would only piss me off, and that wasn’t at all beneficial to anyone. Rarely had I ever summoned my inner artist when I was angry.
After making my way past most of the bars, I located the swarm of people I’d been searching for, then worked my way through the men and women lingering, talking amongst themselves.
When I broke through the crowd, I smiled.
Gavin stood at a table, shaking a can of spray paint while he chatted it up with the people, doing what he loved most. Painting and entertaining.
Because it had been a hectic week and I’d filled in for Charlie two days this week, plus picked up a few walk-ins in the evening, I hadn’t seen much of Gavin. He was usually out all night and slept most of the day, and our schedules hadn’t meshed, so it was good to see him.
When I wasn’t working at the tattoo shop, I made a point to come down to Sixth Street, especially on the weekend on those off chances I was free, to lend Gavin a hand. Since he was a one-man show, I’d heard him complain about how hard it was to handle the business end of things while trying to do what he needed to do to keep the money coming in, so I’d offered to help. Once had turned into twice, twice into three times, then once a month, and here I was again.
Granted, I rarely got down here on a Saturday night because those were good nights at the shop, but with my current mental block, I figured what the hell. Blaze, Charlie, and Gil were manning the fort; they definitely didn’t need me there to horn in on their business.
As I squeezed between two couples, I heard Gavin’s voice as he talked to the crowd.
“What would you do if you came face-to-face with Jacob Wild right now?”
The woman in front of me sighed heavily, then answered with, “Oh, gosh. I’d hug him.”
I stepped out of the throng in time to see Gavin glancing over at a man sitting on a stool beside him. I stopped, blinked several times as I peered through the spotlights set up to showcase Gavin’s work—as well as his performance—to see if the guy I’d spotted was real or merely a figment of my imagination.
I was pretty sure he was real. Which meant Gavin wasn’t talking to just any man. This one was the same one