He was really handsome. I knew this. I’d known this from the moment I met him, but that feeling was back—that feeling I’d had when I was fifteen years old and I was staring up into his green eyes in absolute delight. That feeling you get when you realize something special about another person and he goes from being attractive to downright kick-you-in-the-gut good-looking.
I’d learned a lot about Cole in the last few days.
He was so damn kick-you-in-the-gut good-looking now.
Catching sight of me out of the corner of his eye, Cole lifted his head in surprise.
In response to his silent question I took two steps forward and thrust the coffee at him.
He raised an eyebrow. The gesture was too sexy for words.
My hand trembled.
Cole watched the coffee cup shake with the tremor and reached out to take it from me.
Once it was in his hand I backed out of the room and practically fled down the hall.
Standing at my desk, taking in a ragged breath, I inwardly berated myself for being quite possibly the most uncool person to have ever worked in a tattoo studio.
* * *
Not even ten minutes later I had to find the nerve to face Cole again because he had a customer. I informed him of this with a warmer politeness than usual, and I could feel his curious gaze on my back as he followed me out into the reception area.
I buried my head in my work, sighing a huge sigh of relief when he returned to his workroom.
An hour later, my mind still mostly on the recent turn of events, I was more than taken aback when the front doorbell rang, signaling a customer, only for me to look up and be faced with Cole’s recent ex, Jessica.
She strode to the desk with her usual exuberance. “Hi, Shannon. Is Cole free?”
Confused, I shook my head. “He’s got a client.”
“I’ll just wait.”
“Um . . . okay . . .”
She smiled and planted her bottom on one of the leather couches and made the impression of someone who was settling in.
Cole had broken up with her . . . right?
For the next forty minutes I attempted to put my head into my work, but every now and then my eyes would lift to check on whether the young blonde was still there.
She was.
As I studied her I decided she was definitely all wrong for Cole. Too young, too bubbly and in your face, and much, much too blond.
Not that I was biased or anything.
Hearing Cole’s voice approaching, I waited curiously to see how this scene would unfold. Appearing in the main studio, Cole was too busy discussing aftercare with his customer to notice Jessica in the waiting area. He brought the guy over to me and while I smiled, I subtly nodded in Jessica’s direction.
Cole flicked his eyes over and was about to return them to me before he did a double take. His eyebrows immediately drew together.
Handing Cole’s customer his card back, I bade him good-bye, as did Cole, and waited for the gentleman to leave.
“She’s been waiting for you for the past forty minutes,” I told him under my breath.
Cole appeared frustrated. Exhaling, he wandered over to her, not even halfway to reaching her before she jumped up off the couch and dashed toward him. She threw her arms around him like a little girl and Cole staggered back, immediately gripping her elbows to gently push her away. “Jessica, what are you doing here?” he asked.
“We need to talk,” she said, batting her pretty eyes at him.