Chapter 16
ELLIE
The door chimes as we pull it open and walk inside. The place is dark and edgy. Deep-red paint covers the walls along with framed tattoo examples and abstract art. There’s a naked mannequin couple off to the side, locked in a sexual embrace, and rock music plays low in the background.
A couple of people are hanging around chatting, but otherwise, it’s dead. I strut to the reception desk in the middle of the room. “Hi! I have an appointment to get my nipples pierced.” I beam at her, excitement thrumming through me.
She smiles warmly. “What’s your name?”
“Ellie Williams.”
She clicks away at her computer. “Just need your ID and for you to fill out this waiver, then you’ll be all set.” I dig my wallet from my crossbody and hand her my license as she gives me the paper and a pen. I take a seat on the couch and get to work.
Travis drops down beside me. “I can’t believe you’re going through with this,” he says, then laughs. “Actually, of course I can.”
I simply smile, writing quickly, my nerves flapping all over the place like deranged birds.
Travis follows me as I deliver the form to the receptionist. I tuck my ID back in my wallet, and shift on my feet, unable to stand still.
“Our piercer tonight is Jess,” she informs me. “Will he be going back with you?” She glances at Travis.
His eyes slide to mine, his brow arched in question.
I hadn’t thought about that. This might be a breach of my contract.
I mean, I doubt Tanner put ‘seeing my nipples’ in there, but I wouldn’t know for sure.
“Uh,” I start, but a man appears behind the desk, stealing the words from my mouth.
He’s huge with ripped muscles, tattoos, and a sexy man bun.
“Is this my next appointment?” he asks, grinning at me.
My heart jumps, nervousness hitting me. God, I hope he’s a gentle giant.
“You know what?” Travis interrupts. “Give me one of those papers. I wanna go next.”
My head flies around. “What?”
He shrugs. “I want mine done, too.”
My mouth drops open, vaguely aware of the girl handing him the waiver and him bringing out his wallet.
“Sorry, Roman, these are Jess’s clients,” the receptionist says.
My mouth snaps shut, and I turn my attention back to the massive wall of muscle behind the counter. He shakes his head, letting his eyes roam over me. “Too bad.”
Travis clears his throat beside me and hands the girl his form.
“If you’ll both have a seat, she’ll be with you in a moment.”
We move back to the couch. I tilt my head and stare at Travis, who plays dumb. “What?”
“Really?”
He lifts a shoulder. “Why not? I have everything else pierced.” Well, when he puts it that way.
I’ve never seen anyone with so much artwork and holes in their body.
But he is a work of art. Delicious ink all over, sexy nose ring, a tongue ring that is magic on your clit, and don’t even get me started on his dick.
“Ellie and Travis.” A younger woman waves us toward her room. She has inky black hair and sharp bangs that I love. She smiles as we approach, and that’s when I notice her dimple piercings. Ok, that’s hot.
I swivel to Travis. Surely his mouth must be watering at the hottie about to stab us in the nips, but no, his focus is straight ahead as we walk into the room. Completely oblivious.
“Are you guys doing this together?” she asks, closing the door.
“Yep,” I answer brightly.
“I love that. I’m Jess, by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Jess. I’m Ellie, that’s Travis.”
Travis tips his chin to her and sits on the chair in the corner, leaving the large chair in the center of the room open for me to go first.
“If you want to take a peek at the jewelry case over there.” Jess nods to the other side of the room. “I always suggest going with a standard barbell first, but there are a couple of options.”
I walk over, gazing at the variety of rings, bells, and hoops, and decide on a horizontal barbell with two small studs on the ends, while Travis chooses a basic silver bar. Just the thought of the simple jewelry through his flesh makes my mouth water.
“Nice choices,” Jess says.
I hop up on the chair and wait as she preps her station. “Should I take my shirt off now?”
“Yes. Bra, too,” she says, slipping on a pair of gloves.
I peek at Travis, who mouths “take it off” and grins at me. I shoot him an unimpressed look, then slide my overall straps off my shoulders and pull my shirt over my head, tossing it at his face. He catches it easily and chuckles. Unclasping my bra, I fling it at him next.
My nipples immediately harden in the chilly room. “Oh,” I say, a teeny bit embarrassed.
“Don’t worry,” Jess assures me. “That’s what we want them to do.”
“Oh, okay.” I giggle.
“Lie back for me.” I do as she says, and she wipes my chest down with some type of scrub. “Just relax, it’s not as bad as most people think.”
My attention fixates on the ceiling while she marks each nipple. “Check and make sure you’re good with that location.”
I sit up, staring at the large mirror in front of me. “Perfect.”
She produces a nipple clamp as I lie down again. “Ready?”
My heart rate skyrockets and my gaze seeks out Travis again. He must notice the slight panic on my face. He scoots his chair closer, taking my hand and squeezing it. “You got this, May.”
His hand is warm and gentle, and his thumb strokes my skin. A shaky breath eases out of me, my nerves settling a bit. “Ready.”
“You’re going to feel a pinch,” she warns right before the needle pierces my flesh. I clench my teeth, preparing for a world of pain, but laugh when it’s over. It wasn’t bad at all. Seriously, I think I’ve had my nipples bitten harder than that. “See, I told you.”
“Oh God, that w-was incredible.” I sputter, my adrenaline pumping wildly. She moves on to the next and it’s over in a flash. I sit up and move closer to the mirror for a better look. “I’m obsessed,” I say, admiring the sparkling bars.
Travis slides behind me, staring at me through the mirror. “Fuck,” he curses under his breath, eyes wide as they lock on my piercings.
I bite down on my lip in an attempt to keep my smile in.
His head lifts, his heated gaze meeting mine.
His normally pale blue eyes are a shade darker.
He’s turned-on, and so am I. The combination of lingering adrenaline, loneliness, and the high from this is making my brain foggy.
I want him to rip my dress off and bend me over this chair right now. Shit, I need to calm down.
“You’re up.” Jess pats the chair for Travis. He stares at me a second longer before whipping his shirt off and taking a seat. I get dressed and drop into the chair across from him, and when I glance up, he’s staring at his chest, frowning.
“Do they need to be hard?” he asks Jess.
“Yes, that’s ideal.”
He pinches his nipples and grunts. “Do something.” I can’t help the laugh that tumbles out as I watch him play with himself. His brows rise and he turns his attention to me. “Something funny?” I tuck my lips and shake my head. “Care to help, or are you just gonna sit there and laugh?”
“How am I supposed to help? Aren’t you cold?”
“They like you better. Touch them, get them hard,” he says, low and teasing.
I risk a glance at Jess—whose shoulders shake with a silent laugh—as she busies herself changing gloves.
I laugh again and he stares at me, unblinking.
I sigh, rolling my eyes, but my feet carry me to him.
My hands are cold, one touch should do the trick.
His smirk spreads and he leans back in the seat, looking all too pleased. I make sure Jess’s back is still turned, though I don’t know why, I’m not doing anything crazy. Yet, it feels intimate.
I press my fingers to one of his nipples, letting the cold from my hand seep into his skin. He groans quietly, hardening from my touch, and before I pull away to do the other, I give it a rough tug.
His eyes go wide, his smirk dropping. “Damn,” he grits, but he doesn’t sound mad. I play coy as I do the same to his other one. His eyes roll back in his head as I rub and tug a little more just for funsies.
His hand shoots out, covering his dick that’s starting to press against his zipper.
He stares at me, his jaw tight, and I smile, eyelashes batting innocently, like I don’t know what I just did.
He growls, and I pull back, but before I get far, he snatches my wrist, dragging me close and whispering in my ear, “Don’t start something you can’t finish, Ellie May. ”
Chills erupt down my neck, skittering along my spine, and sending a tingle right between my legs. I squeeze my thighs shut. We are not open for business—at least not for him. I jerk away, trying not to show him how much he affects me. His shit-eating grin tells me he knows. Damnit.
I watch just as fascinated as Jess pierces Travis’s nipples, and by the end of it all, I’m so horny I could cry. I’m tempted to throw caution to the wind and have my way with him.
It’s all I can think about as Jess explains aftercare.
I’m thankful she hands us a packet of paperwork with detailed instructions because all I can do is picture Travis shirtless, naked, decorated in colorful ink and shiny metal.
I picture my tongue flicking his nipples like he’s done to mine so many times, sucking on them while I…
“Have a nice night,” the receptionist says, snapping me from my dirty daydream. Damn, I don’t even remember paying.
We slip into the Uber that I’m assuming Travis ordered while I was zoned out and head back to the hotel.
The entire drive, my clit is pulsing, and it takes extreme strength for me to do nothing.
I can’t even use my vibrator tonight because Pacey’s rooming with me.
I sigh, tossing my head back against the seat, three seconds from crying, screaming, or doing something I might regret tomorrow.