I’m focusing on tryin’ not to sweat a waterfall into her palm. Trip takes about twenty minutes—doesn’t seem that long—then I’m pullin’ in the parking lot.
“Mother of a pearl necklace.”
Just the reaction I wanted. I grin, let go of her hand—I’ll get it back in a second—and get out of the car to open the door for her.
“This okay?”
“Are you for real?” she asks as she steps out.
“Only if you still want to.”
She eyes the sign out front, the bright neon flashing INFINITY TATTOO. When she turns to me, she leaps into my arms so fast I lose balance and crash into the hood of the car.
“Whoops! Sorry.” Her face goes bright red as she climbs off me, but I pull her back, keeping her hand strapped to my swollen one.
“I take that as a ‘yes’?”
She nods, draggin’ me inside.
“I know exactly what I want to get!”
Darn girl can’t stand still. She’s bouncin’ around with a huge smile, and even though she just said she knows what she wants, she’s lookin’ at all the options.
And I can’t keep my hands off her. But she’s lettin’ me, so I lean over her like I did in her kitchen, breathing in her scent as she flips through the laminated pages.
There’s a flush in the back and a few seconds later, London comes walkin’ out from the crapper, drying his hands off on some paper towels before chuckin’ them in the garbage.
“Hey, Brody,” he says as he makes his way behind the counter and we clasp hands and bump shoulders. I accidentally smack Hayles in the back of the head with my chin and she ducks out from underneath me. I was pushing my limits anyway.
“How’s it goin’?”
“Same shit.”
I take a glance at Hayles’ face, but I must’ve missed the cringe, or she’s too distracted to notice London’s cursing.
“So, you here to get some more ink?”
“Actually—”
“I’m getting one!” Hayley’s still bouncing as she looks at London, big smile on her face. “It’s my first one! Yay!”
London barks out laughin’, and I want to sock him if he’s makin’ fun of her, but he leans forward, lookin’ at the book she’s got and says, “Do you have anything in mind?”
She flips through more pages, and her lips turn into an incredibly sexy pout. “I can’t find it.”
London waves his hand in the air, leaning closer to her.
Wait a second. Is he hittin’ on her?
“I really want something that’ll represent like, passion or love or something. Nothing too girly and frilly and stuff, but something that’s like, sexy.”
“Hmm…” He moves from the counter, and I take a step closer to Hayles. I know it’s possessive, but I don’t care. She’s my date.
“How about the lotus?” He grabs a couple pieces of art work from the back counter and sets them in front of her. “It’s a flower, which is girly, I know, but… if you want, I can make it smoky. You see this one here?”
He points to the one in the top right of the page, red smoke curling around a dark purple, near black lotus flower. It looks like it was the only thing remaining from a fire. It’s pretty badass for a chick tatt.
“Oh my gosh, yes! That’s the one I want. It’s freaking beautiful!”
“Thanks. I designed this last week. Haven’t been able to use it yet.”
Hayles starts to bounce up and down again and I slide my arm around her waist. She recoils, and I drop my arm and go for a ‘I was just tryin’ to put my hand in my back pocket the long way’ kind of thing. I look like an idiot.
And London’s eyes are locked on her boobs. Because I have a complex or somethin’, I blurt out, “Hey, I was hopin’ to add on to mine while we’re here.”
That’s a big lie. But no way is he getting his hands on her. I’ll make him work on me instead.
“Really? You’re going to do it with me?” Hayley’s eyes brighten and dude, she looks so happy, I’m glad I came up with the BS even if it means I gotta get stabbed in the wrist again.
“Yeah.”
“Sa-weet!” She grabs my wrist and yanks off the leather band I keep around it. “What are you going to do?”
“Yeah, Bro…” London smiles, leaning against the counter again… towards Hayles. “What kind of add on are you looking to get?”
Maybe it’s ‘cause I’m a douche, but I feel like punchin’ him in the mouth. But my already sore knuckles tell me