Chapter Five #3
“Well done, you.” She bobbled her head side to side. “Now you’ll just have to convince me not to refund you.”
“When’s your next guy?”
She tugged the tablet closer and navigated her client registration software, pulling up the day’s appointments. Turning it so Dan could see the tablet, she showed him the three remaining clients for the day.
“This guy is a quick retouch on an old tattoo. I put him down for an hour, but he’ll only take part of that.
Retouch is cheaper, too, only a hundred an hour instead of two.
” Dan nodded, and she continued. “This guy is an initial consult, probably fifteen minutes or so. He can email me any additional thoughts. That’s a no-cost appointment.
The final guy is a three-hour schedule and will probably take every minute.
It’s the fourth and hopefully final appointment for his back piece.
That’s if he can sit for that long. The reason it’s the fourth appointment is because he needs frequent breaks.
I told him at his last appointment that if he didn’t come in with a patch on, he’d be jonesing for nicotine by the time I was willing to break. ”
Dan laughed. “I bet that’s annoying.”
“So annoying. The people who are like, ‘Oh, I can sit like a stone’ will be the first ones to twitch and shift. I had a business lady come in, and we worked on her back in pieces, until she’d gotten all the big parts she wanted.
Then we did her background in one sitting.
I was calling for a break at about four hours in.
Honestly, I think she napped some.” She reached under the counter and brought out the whiskey, offering it with a gesture and raised brow.
He nodded, and she spun off the lid to take a swig before handing it over.
“I guess you never know, huh?”
He swallowed a healthy-sized mouthful, handing the bottle back to Riley. She recapped the bottle and put it underneath the counter.
“Sometimes I can tell, but most often, nope.” She leaned closer, smiling up at him. “I’d wager twenty bucks that you can sit like a stone, though.”
“You’d be a big winner if you could get anyone to take that bet.” Dan didn’t move away. He just stared down at her.
“Still here.” Rocker chipped in from his seat in the studio chair.
Riley was going to pull back, but she saw a flash of anger in Dan’s eyes.
That drove her to lean closer, pressing her lips to his through the bandana, the gentlest of touches before she pulled away.
Dan’s eyes closed briefly, and when they opened again, it wasn’t anger shining from his eyes.
It was want and need and a whole lot of fear.
If I could only make him believe his looks aren’t a turnoff for me.
It would take more than wishing to get him to understand she found him attractive.
“Still fuckin’ here.”
Rocker moved fast when Dan reached for him, nearly getting away before being jerked to a stop by his collar. “You sorry motherfucker.” Dan shook him, and Rocker took the punishment with a grin.
“I am a sorry motherfucker. And I’m sorry, brother, but you made it too easy with those doe eyes you’re makin’ at our tattoo gal.” He jerked free with a twist and threw Riley a grin. “Sorry for being the interruption in your afternoon delight.”
“You honestly think I’d give that first shit if you watched me kiss Dan?” She twisted her lips as she shook her head in sharp arcs. “But you better believe that our next kiss will be uninterruptible.”
Dan tilted his head to look at her. He hooked a finger in the bandana and drew it down to ride around his neck.
Then he was the one leaning closer, until she could feel the heat and expectation rolling off him.
Riley closed her eyes and offered her mouth.
Dan took it, the kiss starting slow, a gentle exploration wrapped up in a tender caress.
Every instant they were touching, the kiss grew in intensity, until she was gasping air from his mouth.
Dan slowed it down, lengthening each joining of his mouth on hers so they were both air-starved at the end.
She pressed her forehead against his and opened her eyes to stare into Dan’s for long moments.
“...and then Dawg said the damned dog’s name is Chicken Nugget. Can you believe that shit? Hang on, lemme get that phone. Hello, this is the tattoo shop. What do you need?”
Riley realized the buzzing she’d thought was in her ears had been the phone ringing. She grinned and watched as Dan’s smile traveled from his mouth to his eyes.
Damn. I might be in trouble here.
“Told you, Rocker.” She twisted and pulled the phone from his hand. “Uninterruptible. Hello, this is Riley, are you looking for an appointment?”
She dealt with the client, who was indeed ready to book an appointment to finish up a leg piece, and turned to look at Dan again. He was smiling still, the expression brightening his whole face.
“Are we staying at the clubhouse again tonight?” Riley held her breath waiting for his answer.
She hadn’t thought he could smile wider, but he proved her wrong.
“Hell yeah we are.”