Chapter 14
Chapter 14
Lake
I paced the aisle between the tattooing stations, knowing that others were looking at me, but I was worried. Worried about many things, but mostly about Diana and her kids.
“She’s okay. She wasn’t there when it happened. They didn’t catch the guy on camera, but they took everybody’s reports, searched, and you got it cleaned up. Medical hazard and everything. They’re going to figure it out.”
I looked up at Nick as he cupped my face and pressed a gentle kiss to my lips.
“Who tosses blood, actual human blood?”
“Where did they get the blood? That’s what freaks me out,” Leo said as he shuddered.
“I’m just so sorry that it happened,” Marley added as she sat down at Sebastian’s station. She had her hand over her growing baby bump, frowning. “It just makes me so upset that somebody would do that to a place of business that hasn’t even been opened yet. You guys have put so much work into that, and I know that it’s a dream to own a place. And then somebody is just trying to ruin it.”
Sebastian, who sat next to Marley with their laptops open and research papers out, scowled.
“Plus, vandalizing the windows with human blood at a future vampire café? Too on the nose. What do they object to? The occult? Vampires themselves? Or do they miss the old restaurant?”
I pulled away from Nick as I saw people give us looks, because we were still a new item to them. The fact that Nick had openly kissed me in front of his friends at our tattoo shop was startling.
Mostly because I was still trying to figure out exactly how to act around him in public.
“I don’t think it has anything to do with vampires themselves,” I said, frowning.
Nick gave me a look. “Are you saying vampires are real?”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not saying that. I don’t know what’s real or what’s not in the supernatural. That’s not my job. My job is to help get this business running. This is a single mom who has worked two jobs her entire life. She’s going to kick ass at this café, and outside forces are not going to stop it. But it does worry me that somebody seems to be out to stop this.”
“Does she have any enemies? Anybody that wanted that space? Someone from her past?” Leif asked.
“We don’t think so.”
Nick scowled at me, and I froze.
“What?”
“Do you think it’s him?” he asked, and I swallowed hard, the others stiffening near me.
Leif cursed under his breath. “He wouldn’t lower himself to do that, would he?”
“Who are you talking about?” Marley asked.
“My ex. Zach. But come on, first, he’s in New Hampshire right now with his family. And second, he wouldn’t do that. Do you know how much work that would be? No. That isn’t something on his radar.”
Nick continued to look at me, before he shrugged and went back to his station.
“Okay. It’s not him. But it was someone. So you don’t go to that place alone. You get me?”
Somebody whistled under their breath, and I glared at Nick. “Are you serious right now?”
“Of course I’m serious. You could have gotten hurt if you were there.”
“But I wasn’t there. Remember where I was?”
“I do. And I don’t like the fact that we don’t know who did that. So you’re going to stay away from it.”
“And you’re going to stop telling me what to do.”
“You guys, enough.” Leif stood between us, scowling. “I know you love fighting, and I don’t want to know if it’s foreplay or not, because ew, but we are on a schedule today.”
“Yes, we are,” Brooke said as she walked in, clapping her hands.
“Oh, is it wedding-planning season?” I asked with a laugh.
Leo rolled his eyes before he went back to flirting with Marley, while Sebastian just snorted. Tristan and Taryn were coming in later in the day for their clients, and it was going to be a busy and profitable day for the Montgomerys.
But today was my turn in the chair.
“So we can talk weddings while Nick gets down to business.”
Leo burst out laughing while Leif’s lips twitched.
I put my hands over my face and screamed.
Nick just gently put his hands on my waist and sat me down on the chair.
“It’s okay, baby. I’ll just get down to business.”
Brooke laughed outright while I just shook my head. “I’ll be over in Leif’s station going through wedding planning stuff before his client gets here.”
“Mine’s just walked in,” Leo said as he walked up to say hello to a man who had to be half a foot over six-five. He was broad-shouldered, all muscles, and I gave Brooke and Marley a look, and each of them fluttered their eyelashes before Sebastian and Leif scowled at them.
I looked up at Nick as he gestured towards the back of the seat.
“Lay back, think of England, and I’ll get this done quickly.”
“You’re just waiting for them to make jokes, aren’t you?” I teased.
“Maybe, but you want the infinity symbol and open heart on your wrist. We’re getting it done.”
“I can’t believe you stole my tattoo from me,” Leif called out.
Nick shrugged. “I’m doing it. Get over it.”
I looked between them and winced. “Okay, I guess we take turns?”
The Montgomerys were very particular about family tattoos. My first tattoo was done by my Uncle Austin down in Denver. Then my Aunt Maya did the second. Leif the third, and he was going to do this one as well since he designed it with me, but Nick had taken one look at the sketch, tossed it, and added something to it. He had then claimed my skin as his, not in a creepy way, and here I was, getting my first tattoo from Nick.
I was oddly nervous, even though I shouldn’t be. He was one of the most talented artists I knew, gentle with his clients, and freaking brilliant. It was just odd to think the man that I was sleeping with, the man that I was falling in love with, was about to etch ink into my skin that would be forever. A permanent declaration of his craft.
I hadn’t even told him I loved him. Not that I would for a while. No, I needed to come to terms with it first, and then maybe I could come to terms with everything else that came with being in love with Nick Gatlin.
“We’ll be taking turns. I’m only letting you have this because…” Leif glanced over at his fiancé as Brooke glared at me.
“I do what I can,” Brooke said as she pulled up the wedding notebook.
They just looked so happy, and I was grateful that I was going to be part of their wedding, even if it felt like everything was moving at an intense pace. Then again, I’d been lost in my own mind when they’d started their relationship.
“Let’s go through exactly how today’s going to go,” Nick growled out, and I looked at him.
“Why don’t you sound excited?”
“I’m excited. But also worried that I’m going to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you.”
He whispered the last part so no one could hear, and I held back tears, my throat tightening.
“You’re going to make me cry. I want to make out with you, and we can’t do that right now, okay?”
He smiled and kissed the top of my head.
“Do you do that with all of your clients?”
“Well, George likes it when I kiss him, but that’s because he asked nicely.”
George was in his late 70s, had been through four divorces, and was currently dating at least six women at the nursing home. He liked to come in and talk ink and show off his full sleeves and back pieces.
I knew Nick had done a few of them, though George didn’t get any tattoos anymore. He was on blood thinning medication for his heart, but he would just sit here and reminisce while everyone got to show him our latest pieces.
I sat back as he worked on the stencil and helped me figure out the exact placement. I had been thinking about this tattoo for over a year now, and it was finally here.
He looked me right in the eyes, nodded once, and then got to work.
It didn’t hurt. It wasn’t that he was overly gentle because it was me. It was that this was Nick. And I liked the feel of the tattoo at my wrist, even though it hurt like hell when I had done my back piece. My nerve endings were weird that way.
When we finished, he went over aftercare, put the clear bandage on top, then smiled at me.
“Well, there’s your fifth one down. You ready for more?”
I laughed. “A little bit at a time. I have too many tattoo artists in the family. If I let you all take turns so quickly, I’m not going to end up with any skin left.”
“That’s easy. I’m the only one who gets to do tattoos on you now.”
“Bossy.”
“Right.”
“Well, you guys are adorable,” a familiar voice said, and I froze, turning quickly to see my mother walking through the doorway.
Arden Montgomery was gorgeous with her dark chestnut hair and wide-set eyes. While I knew I looked nothing like her, and it wouldn’t make sense if I did, I always figured I had her smile. Maybe it was just the joy that she exuded.
I jumped from my seat and ran to my mother. We threw our arms around each other and laughed as Brooke and Marley came over, and then the four of us were hugging, and the guys were sighing behind us.
“All the giggling? What’s with the giggling?” Leo teased.
My mother, sweet and demure and adorable, flipped him off and winked.
“I’m a lady, damn it. If I want to giggle, I can.”
And that was Arden Montgomery. Kick ass and amazing.
“I didn’t know you were coming in,” I said as I hugged my mom tightly. Brooke went back to work on her things, her phone ringing, while Marley went back to work with Sebastian.
“I was in the neighborhood for real, and I wanted to see you. Is this the new ink?” she asked as she looked down at my wrist. “Leif did an amazing job.”
“Nick did it.”
My mother’s smile brightened as she looked up at Nick. He had come to stand behind me, large and awkward, his hands in his pockets.
When he cleared his throat and held out his hand for her to shake, my mom just grinned and hugged his side. He froze for an instant, his eyes wide, before he hugged her back.
“Hello, Mrs. Montgomery.”
“Arden. You call me Arden. You now have many Montgomerys in your life, you don’t go by last names.” She patted his chest with her hands and stepped back. “I’m glad that I caught you. I didn’t know you were doing the work. It looks lovely, Nick. Must be serious if you’re letting him tattoo you,” my mom teased, and I winced.
“Mom.”
“What? I have four brothers who constantly did things like this to me. It’s only my right as your mother.”
“I would think if you’re used to being on the other side of it, you wouldn’t want to do it.”
Mom shook her head. “No, I think it’s time for me to have fun.” She looked between us and grinned at Nick. “Well, Nick, you know I love you as Leif’s best friend and co-owner of my baby’s business, so I’m glad that I got to see you.” She turned to me before I could say anything. “Baby, you’re coming to dinner. Bring Nick.”
I froze. “Mom,” I began, and she shook her head.
But it was Nick who spoke, and I froze as he put his hand around my waist. “No, it’s fine. I can do this, right? I knew it was going to happen sooner or later.”
My mom just winked. “If I can handle a Montgomery family dinner, he can.”
Nick cleared his throat. “With all due respect, if Liam can handle a Brady dinner with your four brothers, I guess I can handle this.”
My mom burst out laughing before she hugged Nick tightly, and I just shook my head, mortified.
“I need to go, but I’ll see you soon for dinner. I love you.” She kissed my cheek, then went up on her toes to kiss Nick’s cheek, then did the same with every single person in the shop, including Leo’s client, before she ran out.
“Well. Erm. Okay.”
Nick just grinned. “Come on. It’s lunchtime. And you need to feed me.”
“All this talk of food, I guess I’m hungry. And really nervous.”
“Dinner with the family, dun , dun , dun ,” Sebastian teased, and everyone began to talk at once. I just shook my head and grabbed my purse, running out of there.
When I got into Nick’s car, he smiled at me, and instead of heading toward a restaurant, we headed to his place.
“What are we doing?”
“Oh, I’m going to eat, but I’m not in the mood for food.”
“Are you serious?” I sputtered.
“You owe me.”
I blinked, then followed him into his house before he pressed my back to the door and kissed me hard on the mouth.
“I owe you?”
“Hell yeah. I have to go to dinner with your family. And your mom just showed up being the adorable, amazing woman she was, and I couldn’t say no to her. You owe me.”
“And what exactly do I owe you?”
“Let’s go with lunch.” He went to his knees, and I shuddered.
“Just like that? That’s going to be your lunch?”
“Damn straight.” He slid my shoes off, and I stepped down to the floor, the luxury laminate vinyl cool underneath the bare skin of my feet.
“You make it hard to breathe,” I panted as he undid the button on my jeans and tugged. I wiggled as he pulled my jeans and panties over my ass, and then my lower half was bare before him.
“Damn it, you’re making my mouth water.”
His head went between my legs and he was licking at my pussy. Just like that, no tender touches, no warning, he was eating me out and I could barely breathe, could barely do anything.
I licked my lips, shaking, as he spread me and continued to lick.
He had his hands on my thighs, keeping me wide as he looked up, his mouth still on my cunt.
His beard scraped against the inner skin of my thighs, and I was ready to come right there on his face. So when he slid his hands around me, spreading me from behind and playing with me back there, I groaned and then did come right on his face.
I shook, my knees going weak, and then I slid to the ground, Nick keeping me close as he held me. Then his lips were on mine and I could taste myself on him, shuddering in his hold. He pushed up my shirt, taking my bra with it.
“You taste so fucking sweet.”
“I can’t believe I came like that, so quickly.”
“Let’s see if I can do it again.” He sucked on my nipple, twisting his tongue, making it hard to breathe. I shook beneath him, tossing off my shirt as quickly as possible. The fact that I was completely naked on his floor over his entry rug while he was still fully dressed should have concerned me. Instead, it just made me hotter for him and I could barely keep up.
“Damn it, you make everything just so hard to focus.”
I smiled up at him, slid my hands between us as I cupped him over his jeans. “Speaking of hard.”
He grinned before I squeezed and he groaned. I moved my hand, tugged on his shirt, and he knelt before my naked body, tossed off his shirt completely, and undid his belt.
“Don’t forget the shoes. You’re not going to be able to take off your jeans with them on.”
And then we were laughing, pulling off his clothes as we rolled on the ground, and I found myself straddling him. His cock was hard in my hands, as I pumped him once, twice.
“Are you going to ride me?”
“If you want me to.”
He smiled. “I want everything, Lake. Everything.” And then he slid his hands up my body, caressing my sides, my breasts, my neck.
It wasn’t until I was writhing over his cock, ready to slide on top of him that I realized that his hand was around my neck. But it was gentle, and I knew this was Nick. He was testing the waters, making sure I knew that this was him. That he wasn’t doing it for control, but to desensitize me.
A single tear slid down my cheek and he frowned, but I shook my head.
“I just, I need you.”
He nodded and moved forward. “You have me.”
“I need a condom.” I angled to the side, grabbed my purse, and pulled a condom out. I had taken to carrying them with me because Nick and I weren’t exactly the most scheduled when it came to being with one another. Sometimes life surprised you, and I wanted to be prepared.
I undid the foil with my teeth, loving the way that he laughed at the sight, and then I slid the condom over his length. I hovered over him, sliding my wet folds along his condom-covered cock, and we both shuddered. And then I was sliding down him, his cock stretching me, my body warm and aching. And when I was fully seated, both of us shook, and then I moved, riding him as I rocked my hips, moving slowly. I hovered over him, kissing him, letting him play with my breasts. He moved his hands back, spread my cheeks, and pounded up into me. Somehow we were both shaking, moving, and it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t glorious, but it was perfect.
When I came, tightening around his cock, he followed, kissing me hard and holding me close.
I didn’t realize I was crying again until he started wiping my tears away, and I knew I needed to stop doing that.
Stop crying when it came to sex with Nick. But it was hard when every time that we made love, I knew life was changing.
He was changing. And so was I.
I was in love with one of my best friends. And now I needed to find the courage to tell him, because finding that strength to fall in the first place had taken everything out of me.
So I let him hold me, and contentment washed over me for the first time in far too long.