Forbidden Harmony (Harmony Falls #3) - Elizabeth Kelly Page 0,21

her and flipped it open. “These are all flowers.”

She looked through the book as he walked to the closest station and laid out some equipment. He returned just as she was flipping the last page.

“Find anything you like?”

She hesitated and shook her head. “No, I’m sorry. Do you have anything else?”

He stared silently at her for a moment before saying, “Follow me.”

She followed him to the table with the sketch books and watched as he opened one to a blank page and picked up a pencil. “What’s your favourite flower?”

“Orchids.” She watched in amazement as he quickly sketched an orchid. In less than ten minutes, he had sketched out a small perfectly shaped orchid and her mouth dropped open. “That’s beautiful.”

“You like it?” he said.

“I love it.”

“Then it’s yours,” he said. “Do you want it bigger or smaller than this?”

“I don’t know. What do you think?”

“Where are you getting it?”

“I thought maybe the back of my right shoulder.”

“Maybe a little bigger than this. Have a seat on the couch while I detail it out.” He pointed to a bar fridge that was close to the table. “There’s bottled water, if you’re thirsty.”

She took a bottle of water before wandering to the couch and sitting. Her throat was bone dry from nerves and she gulped half the water before capping the bottle and setting it on the floor. She stuck her hands between her knees to try and quell the shaking. He was printing something off the laptop, and she took the clipboard and pen from him when he handed it to her. It was a consent form and she read it carefully before answering the health questions and signing at the bottom of the page.

He was back at the table working silently and she placed the clipboard on the table before studying the other books. One of them was full of pictures of body piercings and she looked over a few of them, staring in fascination at the nipple piercings, before clearing her throat.

“Do you do body piercings as well?”

He nodded and she cleared her throat again. “When did you learn to do all of this?”

“I was always good at art,” he said. “I apprenticed at a tattoo and body modification shop in New Cassel.”

“Right, that’s where you met Gideon,” she said. “Why did you decide to move here?”

He shrugged. “I was tired of big city living, and Gideon is my best friend.”

“Kind of strange that you two are best friends,” she said.

“Is it?” He glanced at her and she flushed at the look on his face.

“No, I guess not.”

He didn’t reply and feeling stupid, she changed the subject. “You must be pretty good if you’re booked three months in advance.”

He just shrugged again, and she lapsed into silence. After a few minutes, without looking at her, he said, “Your fiancé know you’re doing this?”

Shit. For a moment, she considered lying to him again but lying wasn’t exactly her strong suit. Besides, it was a friggin’ miracle he still didn’t know, but that wouldn’t last forever.

“We’re not together anymore.”

The tip of his pencil snapped. He cursed and tossed it aside before grabbing another one. Still not looking at her, he said, “Why’d you break up?”

Now’s your chance, Addie. Tell him you’re not very good at sex and ask if he’d like to help you change that.

“I’d rather not talk about it,” she said.

He didn’t say anything else and she sat back against the couch and studied the art on the walls as she listened to the faint pencil scratching. It took him nearly forty minutes and by the time he took the clipboard and glanced through her consent form, she was vibrating from nerves.

He had transferred the drawing to a stencil, and she studied it nervously. It was bigger than she was picturing in her head, but she didn’t say anything as he led her to a full-length mirror bolted to the wall.

“Turn around,” he said.

She turned and he waited a beat before saying, “You’ll have to take off your shirt.”

“Oh right, of course,” she said.

She cursed herself in her head. Why hadn’t she worn a tank or camisole under her shirt? And why the hell was she wearing her oldest, ugliest bra? Feeling incredibly self-conscious, she stripped off her shirt before crossing her arms over her chest. It was a pointless gesture. Preacher had already moved behind her and was studying her back.

“Can I touch you?” he said.

“Yes.”

He was all business and she wondered why it was disappointment that