Chapter 5
CHAPTER FIVE
Dean
Ilove walk-in days.
Once a month we run a promotion where the clients can call in without an appointment and select from a pre-drawn chart of small tattoos, each no more than a couple of inches long, for thirty pounds a pop.
Letters, skulls, all seeing eyes, stars, flowers, representing a selection drawn by each of us.
We set up stations in the front of the store, and it’s first come, first served, depending on whose design you selected.
Easy money, and good for tattoo virgins wanting to try it out. It often leads to repeat business.
Right now, Eli and I are occupied with clients, and Leo and Sadie are relaxing behind the reception counter with Emily. I’m inking tiny runes that say ‘Old love does not corrode’ onto my client Rob’s shoulder for his twentieth wedding anniversary, but I have half an ear on their conversation.
Leo seems to be going for the needling Eli approach, much to mine and Sadie’s amusement.
He’s not exactly flirting with Emily, as I know he’ll be careful not to overstep boundaries with her, but he is showering her with affectionate attention.
I get the idea behind drawing her out for Eli’s benefit.
I know him well enough to know that, no matter how much he stares at his work, his focus is devoted to her, same as in the pub a few nights ago.
So Leo’s definitely giving him an easy route to finding out more about her.
Slinging his arm around her shoulders and kissing her cheek? Calling her ‘babe’ and ‘sweetheart’? That’s just baiting him, and it could be a stroke of genius.
Or Eli’s going to grind his teeth into dust.
I smile to myself. It’s about fucking time he found someone to be happy with. And seeing him trying to pretend he’s not all bent out of shape about it is brilliant, after all these years.
Just gotta convince him to admit it, shed the past that’s been holding him back, and go for it.
Piece of cake…kinda.
Eli
I’m finding myself grateful that my latest client has gone for my most complicated and intricate miniature, a realistic rose bud with fine shadowing and dewdrops on the petals. Gives me something else to concentrate on other than Leo’s shenanigans.
I don’t think he’s really making a play for her. I may not be able to pursue anything with her myself, but I’ll be damned if I watch my cousin live out my fantasy in front of me. And what if she likes it? Surely the universe wouldn’t be that cruel…?
I look up for the millionth time. Normally I don’t even register the outside world when I’m working, even during walk-in days where I’m forced to leave my studio and work out front. Usually I can tune out the background noise.
But today, it’s my cousin teasing and laughing with the woman who features strongly in my dreams.
Nah, I reassure myself. He’s doing this because he figured out I like her, which makes me want to kick myself. He wouldn’t do that to me for real in a million years.
But it doesn’t make this any more pleasant to watch.
“Hey,” Leo says to her, “while it’s quiet, I want you to update our Spotify with your favorite songs.
” The music in our parlor is basically a team Spotify account.
It’s eclectic, to say the least. My ears prick up.
I wonder what she’ll add? Any new information about her likes and dislikes is like a drug to me. All I ever want is my next hit.
“Oh,” she fidgets, “that’s OK, you’ve got a lot of my favorites anyway.” I frown. Something is definitely going on with her if she thinks expressing her preferences even to this small degree is too much.
“I insist,” he says smoothly. “I’m sure we don’t have every single one.
Indulge me, I’m curious.” I look up just as he lowers his head to meet her gaze.
“Pleeeeeease?” he cajoles comically, but I see the concern hidden in his eyes.
I’ve gotta hand it to him, he’s good. She seems to both melt and squirm as she nods.
Dean signs to her, and in my peripheral vision I catch the words Eli and his Britney collection, some words spelled out to allow for her being an ASL beginner. I shake my head on a small smile, and she grins when she gets the gist of what he’s said.
My turn to squirm.
Enough. Back to my tattoo.
“There are a couple of songs that we don’t allow on the playlist,” Leo murmurs to her quietly, “but I’ll let you know if I see you add any of them.”
I glance across at Dean. By the twist in his mouth, he heard, but it hasn’t upset him. I’m relieved. And it's important for Emily to know not to add them.
A Metallica track I added to the Spotify ends, and then she plays something vaguely familiar to me. It’s loud metal, which surprises me. She looks like she’s more of an indie pop girl, but I’m liking her choice a lot. Leo whoops.
“Ratfinks!” he exclaims. “Jesus, I haven’t listened to any White Zombie in years. Good shout!” He high fives her.
She flushes, pleased. “You don’t mind it?”
“Absolutely not,” he assures her, and then gives her a third kiss on the cheek, and can feel that muscle in my jaw tightening again.
Back to the god damn tattoo, for the final time. Seriously.
“Play all the White Zombie you want, we all dig it.” He leans towards the screen. “Let’s see what else you’re adding…” He whistles. “Damn, girl, you got taste.”
“What’s next?” Sadie asks, looking up from her phone.
“Let’s see, we got some Motorhead, Rammstein, Divyded…” He punches the air. “No way, Madness! Em, you have to marry me.”
I’m gonna spit in the next coffee I make him.
Wait a second…
“Did you say Rammstein?” I ask, almost hoarsely. Oh, come on, universe, that’s not fair, stop making her so perfect… Rammstein are one of my all time favorite bands, and I count their gigs among the best I’ve ever been to.
“Mmhmm,” she replies with a shy smile. “I've added Ich Will. Are you a fan, too?”
I nod, wondering what else she can throw at me to prove how much she fits the bill of My Ideal Woman. It’s almost funny at this point.
But I’m not laughing. Not when it's starting to chafe like this.
“I’m liking this one,” Sadie comments. “White Zombie, was it?”
“Yeah,” Em replies. “I’m not sure why, but I always find Ratfinks incredibly relaxing. It’s a song I used to listen to when I was having a bubble bath at the end of a long, hard day. That, and Africa by Toto.” She laughs.
I turn my needle off and manage to quietly disguise a growl as throat clearing.
Emily. Naked. In bubbles. I picture her in my tub at my home, waiting for me there to surprise me after work.
..the heat of the bath water flushing her pale skin, the suds and droplets of water running down her body as she stands…
My dick hardens to the point of chafing along my fly.
The zipper’s going to leave a bite mark at this rate.
Quit it, I snap at myself. I groan inwardly.
That image of her is not going to let up once I’m home.
I’ve been jerking myself raw like I’m in high school all over again since I met her, and after this, tonight will be no different.
“Sounds like we need to add the Emily Cole Having a Bath playlist to our Spotify,” Leo drawls, “don’t you think, Eli?”
Sadie’s attempt to hide a bark of laughter as a cough is not convincing. I hold my jaw steady as I take a couple of slow, even breaths through my nose. I can’t shake off the mental images of Em in the bath, and that bastard cousin of mine is deliberately making it worse.
“Fuck yeah,” my client pipes up, sitting up slightly. “What else do you play in the bath, sweetheart?” He waggles his eyebrows at her suggestively.
I press harder with the needle, making him hiss through his teeth. “Shit, watch it,” he complains.
I give him an even look. “My apologies,” I mutter, wishing I could just pull him up and sling him out for making that lousy double entendre.
The others seem to have moved on when I next look up. Leo’s marching like Ric Flair to a Madness song, I think it’s called Our House, to make both women laugh.
I will never understand British people.
“So, you gonna have a little tattoo, sweetie? While we’re doing them?
” Leo asks Emily, giving her shoulders a little squeeze.
I look up once again, waiting for her response with bated breath.
I can’t decide whether I want to choke Leo for the idea, or hug him in gratitude.
I’d love for Em to be sitting in my chair, trusting me as I ink something beautiful onto her skin, leaving my mark on her forever…
Fuck, don’t pick someone else to do it, pick me. ..
She flinches, and the hope dies. “Um…” She winces. “I mean, I’d love one, but...I’m so sorry, I just… I can’t.” The more she goes on, the more I want to stop what I’m doing, stride around the counter, and hug her and say it’s OK.
“No worries, petal,” Leo says easily. She clearly thinks she’s letting the team down by declining, and I want to rip into him for putting her on the spot.
“It’s not a prerequisite of working here.
But if you ever change your mind,” he says, nodding towards us all, “any one of us will be more than happy to pop that tattoo cherry. Isn’t that right, guys? ” he says, but looks directly at me.
Oh, fuck you, I tell him with my eyes as mental images of being the first to ink her virgin skin fly through my mind.
Followed swiftly by the idea of having been the lucky guy to have taken part in Emily Cole’s sexual debut.
I shake my head, not daring to pursue that line of thinking.
I scowl at his smug, shit-eating grin. Thanks so fucking much, asshat.
He lifts his eyebrow at me, not bothered, and amused at my expense.
“Sure,” I bite out, and then I make the mistake of looking at her.
Her eyes are smiling gently into mine in the way that’s starting to make me ache when it happens.
Once again, our soft gaze is a beat too long to brush off as meaningless, pinching my gut with both joy and despair.
Her hair is tied back today, and some of the strands at the front are escaping down her cheek.
My fingers tingle with the desire to tuck them behind her ear.
..to cup her face, and just spend a few short, stolen moments looking at her, taking in her beauty, the sweetness in her face that can never really be mine.
Shit.
I’m going to fall in love with this woman, I realize numbly. If I’m honest, I’m already halfway there. And there’s not a damn thing I can do to stop it.
I sigh, making myself look away from her and back to my work, bracing myself for what this is inevitably going to mean.
From the EmEli WhatsApp channel (members: Sadie Stewart, Leo Mills, Dean Gastright)
Sadie Stewart: Leo, you prick, what if she’d said yes and chosen one of your doodles? Or Dean’s, or mine? Risky game!!
Leo Mills: Then I’d have needed either of you elsewhere for now, and/or mysteriously developed hand cramp and Eli would have taken over. He can mimic anyone’s design. I’m not just a pretty face, Sades.
Sadie Stewart: ...OK, fair enough. But you’re still a prick ;)
Leo Mills: Love you, too, princess [kiss emoji]
Dean Gastright: His face when you asked tho [laughing emoji]
Leo Mills: IKR.
Leo Mills: I just had a genius idea
Leo Mills: Night out on the town. Those two. Some alcohol. Dancing. Bam chaka wow wow. Guaranteed ;)
Leo Mills: God damn I’m a smart man
Leo Mills: I surprise myself
Sadie Stewart: That’s actually not the worst idea I’ve ever heard
Leo Mills: *takes a bow*
Sadie Stewart: I’ll come, and I’ll bring Peter
Leo Mills: Sure
Sadie Stewart: A few Jaegerbombs, get your DJ mate to play some Rihanna, and…
Sadie Stewart: [GIF of Edward and Bella’s first kiss from the Twilight movie]
Leo Mills: LOL ;)
Sadie Stewart: Deano, any further inside track for us?
Dean Gastright: Nothing beyond what I already told y’all. He definitely likes her, but he’s still got Asshole Charmaine’s shit in his head
Sadie Stewart: :( glad I never met her, and that I don’t know the full story. NEVER tell me what she said cos I'll lose my shit
Dean Gastright: BTW something is def going on with her
Dean Gastright: Emily, I mean
Leo Mills: Yeah, totes. Wish I knew what.
Dean Gastright: Her face when you asked her if she wanted a tattoo…
Leo Mills: Her face when I invited her to add her music, too
Sadie Stewart: Does anyone else get the battered woman vibe from her
Leo Mills: Oh shit
Leo Mills: Now you mention it
Dean Gastright: I fuckin hope not, but it would make sense
Sadie Stewart: If that’s the deal, I am definitely hunting down the shithead in question >:(
Leo Mills: Me too
Dean Gastright: Me three
Sadie Stewart: Honestly, no shit, I want her and Eli to live happily ever after more than I want Christmas
Sadie Stewart: And you know how much I love Christmas
Leo Mills: Can’t wait to see those spiral pointed bell shoes again, my little Christmas elf ;)
Sadie Stewart: ;) sometimes I wear them just to do the housework
Leo Mills: Just them, or…?
Sadie Stewart: Perv
Leo Mills: [GIF of Leonardo DiCaprio rolling his eyes and biting his knuckles in Wolf of Wall Street]
Dean Gastright: [Eyeroll emoji] And on that note, I’m off to bed