Old Ink (Get Ink'd #3) - Ali Lyda Page 0,26
door opened and Channing beat everyone to the punch by yelling “SURPRISE!”
Dane cussed, Christian flipped the lights on with a sour face, and all the crew scrambled from their hiding places grumbling good-naturedly.
Me? I laughed my ass off. Good for you, kid.
Which promptly ended my mirth. Because Channing wasn’t a kid anymore, and every year he grew older seemed to make my morals grow a little grayer. Especially when he looked...well, like he did now.
His dark hair was curling and getting shaggy. The confident set of his shoulders made him seem taller and he was wearing jeans that hugged his body in a way that stirred something deep in my belly. He looked one hundred percent like the adult he was, comfortable in his body and in his place in the world.
He wasn’t wearing the watch.
“First shot is with Chris!” Dane said, pulling out a bottle of tequila and handing his husband and Channing shot glasses. “But then, my dearest Chan Chan, you shall have a shot with each and every one of us.”
Channing’s face paled. “I’ll be drunk as shit, Dane.”
“Exactly. Now, bottoms up, birthday boy!”
He and Christian drank. Bryce came over with a plate of lime slices. Someone started music playing. And just like that, everyone fell into the party with ease. I did what I always did: I hovered and watched the people I adored celebrate life.
Each and every one of us could be in a very different place if we hadn’t found each other and the shop. I thought again about Bryan and how much I hoped he’d say yes to the job. He needed a place like this. We could be just as good for him as we’d been for Channing.
Speaking of Channing, he was now several shots in and laughing freely. His cheeks were pink and his eyes were bright. I rubbed at my chest absentmindedly.
Dane shouted, “And last but not least, a shot with the boss.”
Ah, right. I left my corner and approached Dane and Channing. Everyone cheered. The happiness that radiated from Channing was more intoxicating than anything Dane could have poured into my glass.
I held the golden liquid out and Channing clinked my glass. “Happy birthday, Channing,” I said, and we drank.
The tequila burned as it went down. I hated tequila. It tasted like regret. But it wasn’t my party and it was worth it to see the blissful look on a quite drunk Channing.
“Happy birthday to me!” he said, laughing.
Dane gave me a knowing look and another shot. “You could use this,” he said, soft enough that Channing, who’d been swept away by Javi and Mateo, didn’t hear.
I drank the shot, not bothering to disagree.
By the end of the night most of the crew were drunk. Really, really drunk. They were deep into the “I love you” stage of inebriation, swaying and laughing in that loose and abundant way that said ABSOLUTELY NO DRIVING.
Sighing but happy, I retreated to my office to begin arranging rides for everyone. They’d thrown the party and Channing had been thrilled. I wanted to contribute by making sure my crew got home safely.
As I went to the phone, my neck tingled as if someone were looking at me. When I turned toward the door, Channing was there, leaning on the frame and giving me that smirk that made my heart skip a beat. I backed up until my thighs hit the desk, my body’s muscle memory kicking in from all those years ago when he kissed me right in this very office. Back then, I’d been caught off guard, and I hadn’t stopped it as quickly as I should have. Now?
Now I wasn’t sure what I’d do.
But Channing was on to me. “Relax,” he said, winking. “I’m not going to maul you again. I learned that lesson the hard way.”
Despite his words, he straightened and stepped toward me. I was leaning against the desk—there was nowhere for me to go. Channing stopped close enough that I could feel the heat of his body next to mine. Not quite touching but, fuck, my nerves were on red alert. My body wanted him to close the distance but my mind was trying to find a way out of this. I felt certain that if I allowed even a smidge of something more between Channing and me, I’d be consumed and unable to step back.
I held my breath, trying to stay in control.
“I’m not a kid anymore,” Channing said. I couldn’t stop staring at his eyes, the pupils