Chapter Eleven
Here, There, Everywhere
H ailey
It has been a week since I started sleeping with Laine.
Neither of us is trying to label it but I see the way he looks at me and I know we are no longer fake dating. You would think that freaks me out, but it really doesn’t. He is a good guy. He is attentive and caring when I need it and a dirty fucking bastard the rest of the time.
Before Laine, I always thought female squirting was a myth. Now I know better. Every time he fucks me, he makes sure it is better than the last time. He also doesn’t stop until everything around us is soaked in my juices. He seems to take pride in getting my body to do things I never thought it would, and it makes him a little feral, which I fucking love.
I never know when he will show up, but I have been fucked in my kitchen, bedroom, and the little blue pool. No place is safe and once I returned to work at The Hideaway, he fucked me in the storeroom and yesterday in the small kitchenette at House of Ink. I am starting to walk funny. But I swear I’m not complaining.
I walk down the street with a ridiculous smile on my face, on my way to finally get Laine to ink me up. I am in such a good mood that I don’t even see the green car pull up beside me.
“Get in, Hailey,” Derick commands through the open window.
I stand there frozen, taking him in. It looks like he has lost some weight but what scares me is the darkness in his eyes. I shake my head vehemently. I can’t produce any words at the moment, and that’s a new one for me. Anyone who knows will tell you I never shut up.
“You’ve had your fun fucking that hillbilly all week, but now it is time to go home.”
I’m trembling, stuck to the spot. It’s almost dark and the street is quiet. I don’t know what he will do but I am scared shitless. I feel an arm slip around my shoulder and pull me into the heat of a muscular body.
“Why don’t you fuck off?” an unknown male voice asks, directed at Derick.
“This isn’t any of your business, sir,” Derick says, using his stern cop voice. But the man simply laughs.
“You scaring the shit out of a woman is any decent man’s business. My business partner’s woman especially.”
It hits me then. The business partner I haven’t met yet. Luke. I knew he was coming back to town today, but I’m only supposed to meet him after my appointment with Laine.
“Now why don’t you keep driving?” Luke asks. “All the way back to the city.”
“Do you know who I am?” Derick roars as his temper finally snaps.
My entire body shifts away from his rage and Luke holds me tighter to him.
“I know you’re a prick that uses fear to get what he wants. I know you’ve been suspended from the Force pending an investigation. And even if you weren’t, you’re out of your jurisdiction,” Luke’s voice is calm and even. “Leave. I’ve already called the sheriff.”
At Luke’s last words, Derick hits the steering wheel repeatedly before taking off at a reckless speed. We stand, watching his taillights fade into the distance before Luke releases me.
“Are you okay, Hailey?” he asks, taking me in from the crown of my head to the set of black flats I am wearing.
I nod, not sure I can trust my voice.
“No, you’re not. You’re fucking shaking,” he curses. “Come on. Let’s get you to Laine.”
Again, his arm wraps around my shoulder as he slowly leads me down the street. The moment we enter the tattoo shop, Skye sees me and shouts to the back.
“Laine, get out here now!”
I hear items clatter before he walks out of his station with a frown. The moment his gaze lands on me, he doesn’t hesitate to get to me. He picks me up, cradling me against his chest. I can hear them speaking low around me, but I filter out their conversation. I was there, I don’t need the play-by-play.
Instead, I listen to the steady beating of Laine’s heart and revel in the heat I can feel through the forest-green t-shirt he is wearing.
I feel safe.
I don’t know how long they speak, but Laine moves us toward his station and places me on his tattoo chair. He is frowning when I finally lift my head to look at him.
“Are you hurt?” he asks.
I shake my head.
“Did he touch you?”
I watch his hands flex at his sides and I know he is holding on by a thread.
“No,” I say softly. “He didn’t even get out of his car.”
“Doll.”
It’s all Laine says before he kisses me. He pours all his emotions into that single—anger, fear, but most of all love. He kisses me until I feel a little lightheaded. Pulling back, he rests his forehead against mine.
“You know I love you, right?”
“Laine,” I start but he cuts me off.
“No, Hailey. Just listen,” he says. “I fell in love with you somewhere between meeting you and you blackening my brother’s eye. I didn’t mean for it to happen, but I can’t do shit about it now. You’re my woman whether you want to be or not, and I will take care of you. No matter what.”
He wipes away the single tear that has tracked its way across my cheek.
“I was actually going to say I love you too.”
He chuckles before shaking his head. “Thank God for that.”
He places a kiss on my head before stepping away. I frown at his back as he shifts around some of his stuff before wheeling a tray in beside me.
“What are you doing?” I ask, confusion lacing my tone.
“I’m setting up to do your tattoo,” he answers casually.
“You know,” I say, waiting until he focuses on me to continue. “Declarations of love are usually followed by some form of sex.”
“I know,” he smirks. “First, I’ll ink you. Then I am going to fuck you right in this chair.”
I feel my body heat at his words, and I want to suggest that he change the order he wants to do things. But I can see he is determined, and I am not going to argue the matter with him. This is his way of distracting us both from the fact that my clearly crazy ex is still hanging around.
“Strip, doll,” he says lowly.
“Um...”
“Since when are you shy?” Laine chuckles.
“I wore something to entice you.” I can’t remember that I have ever blushed in my entire damn life. But I promise you I am the same shade as my hair right now.
“Strip, doll,” he repeats.
He uses his bedroom voice, and I can’t deny him even if it is something I want to do. Slowly I take off my shirt even though it isn’t necessary, before slipping my jean shorts down my thighs to pool at my feet. Lifting myself onto the chair, I spread my thighs to present him with the expanse of flesh he will forever leave his art on.
Laine licks his lips before running a hand down his face.
“Are you trying to kill me, Hailey? Crotchless underwear?”
“I thought you would enjoy the view.”
“You know I do. But it’s also going to be distracting as fuck.”
I don’t reply. I don’t know what he wants me to say. I was hoping it would distract him. I don’t intend to leave Franklinton anytime soon—maybe never—so I’m not worried about not getting my ink today. I’ll get it eventually. And now that we know where we stand with each other, I am even less worried.
Laine eyes my skin before grabbing the transfer sheet. After turning it a couple of times, he finally gets the right angle and presses it against my skin.
“I’ll do the outline. Then we can go home.”
“Okay.”
I don’t know why I sound nervous. I have hundreds of tattoos and he has already seen my most intimate parts, but this feels different. More.
Taking a seat on his wheeled chair, he squeezes between my thighs before starting up his tattoo iron. The buzzing sound fills the entire space and soon I can feel the vibrations and the slight burn against my skin. This is exactly why that skin was still virgin. Getting inked is a very personal thing, and for each person, it is a different experience. For some people, it is painful. For me, it has always been a turn on.
Lying back on the chair, I try to remain still even though it is slowly killing me not to lift my hips toward him.
After the longest time, the buzzing stops.
“Doll,” Laine’s voice sounds like he has been chewing gravel. “Are you getting turned on?”
“Yes,” I moan loudly, my hips lifting in invitation, knowing I can’t do anything to mess him up now that he has stopped working.
“Fuck.”
His tongue finds my center and I vaguely hear his tattoo iron hit the tile beneath us. He doesn’t have to do much before I go off like a rocket. I scream loudly as my body convulses and my thighs clamp around his head.
His ministrations start to slow as the last of the tremors leave my body.
“I need to get a condom,” he says, standing.
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Please. I’m on birth control.”
“Like I would care if I knocked you up, bound you to me always,” he murmurs lowly as he positions his cock at my entrance.
His words have heat spreading through my body. “Please,” I whimper.
I’ve never begged for anything in my life, but I want him. I want him to feel me and not through latex. I don’t have to ask again before he is leaning over me and slowly feeding his length into my heat.
“Fuck!” he moans.
He holds himself perfectly still once he bottoms out, but I can’t wait, tilting my hip, trying to get him to move.
“I need a minute,” he says, lowering his head to my heaving chest. “I’ve never been bare, and I am going to come before we even get started.”
It’s a strangely sweet thing to hear and I can’t help but smile. Tilting his face toward me, I kiss him deeply, allowing him some time to gather himself. It doesn’t take long before he is fucking me, though. His large, tattooed hands hold my thighs open as he watches his cock penetrate me again and again.
“Hailey,” he breathes my name reverently, pinching my clit harshly and sending me over into the abyss before he follows, filling me with his cum.
I’m just glad everyone has gone home already.