Holy mother of all things pointy and painful! Breathe, baby!
Just as she settled into the reality of getting a tattoo and breathed as he’d told her to, he lifted the vibrating tattoo machine from her.
Seth flicked his eyes up to hers and brushed gently at her skin with a soft cloth. “Managing okay?”
Jayne nodded. “Yeah, I think I’m gonna be fine.” Seth reacted with a pleased smile.
Better than fine. She could do this.
“I’m going to continue in short intervals like that for a few minutes to give you time to adjust. Tell me if you need me to stop. Just don’t move.”
She relaxed with her head on the pillow and listened to the evocative beat of the melody playing over the sound system. She didn’t think she’d dozed, but at some point she must’ve lost track of time, because Seth stopped and gently rubbed at her skin then said, “Okay. It’s time to turn onto your back. You cold?”
“A little, yes.”
He took down a paper drape from a cabinet and covered her shoulders and breasts, and Jayne noticed he was still hard. She felt bad for him because she’d planted the idea of them having sex in his mind.
“Lie with your hands behind your head.”
She did as he asked, relieved, because she wasn’t sure what to do with them anyway. He took his seat on his stool and looked at her for approval as he held the machine ready. She nodded and watched his face as he worked. A tiny bit of his lower lip was snagged under his teeth as he focused on the design outline.
“If you’d like, we can make future appointments after work, rather than wait until each weekend. I want to allow a week and a half between sessions for your skin to heal. If we do it after hours, I’ll have fewer interruptions since the shop closes after six.”
“One of the benefits of living in a small town.”
Seth gave a small smile. “True. I’ve done tattoos at all hours of the day and night in my career. Most of my work now is done by appointment, but I do have a few walk-ins. I’d rather not be interrupted while working on you.”
Heat bloomed in Jayne’s cheeks, and Seth’s eyes met hers for a second before he continued working. The muscles in his jaw flexed as though he was clenching it. She was grateful for the drape covering her hips when she felt her hot juices seep out and wet the lace of her G-string.
“How long will it take to get done?”
“A month, give or take. You handle the tattoo machine well, so if you want more shading or detail there may be an extra session or two.”
To get her train of thought settled into safer territory, she asked, “Have you traveled much?”
Seth gave a slight nod as he focused on what he was doing and softly replied, “All over.”
“The United States?”
A slight frown marred his sensual lips before he shook his head. “The world. Japan, Thailand, Malaysia…ended up in Europe. Paris.” There was a long pause before he finally added, “I saw some great sights, met some pretty cool people. I learned a lot and I know it helped my career, but…” He let out a long sigh, his warm breath caressing her skin like the stroke of a silky feather. “Experience is overrated.”
She could tell his memories troubled him and didn’t want to bring down his mood by asking any more questions. She knew what it was like to not want people prying in her private affairs so she afforded him the same consideration.
The instrumental music played on, this time with a dark, decidedly melancholy element to it. He worked his way slowly down her rib cage and across, toward her left hip bone. Besides the now-manageable pain of the tattoo machine, there was also pleasure as his gloved fingers rested on her body and wiped with the soft cloth every so often.
At one point, she twinged minutely, and he drew the machine away from her skin. “Let’s take a short break. You’re doing great.” He rubbed gently at the design with the cloth and then reached for a hand mirror. “Want a peek at it so far?”
Her jaw dropped when she saw her torso in the mirror. “It’s exactly like the drawing.”
“Do you like it?” He didn’t sound insecure when he asked the question, but she saw a trace of vulnerability in his eyes and she gave in to the overwhelming urge to reach out to him, laying her hand on his solid, muscular shoulder.
“I love it. I’m so glad I decided to go through with it.” She felt like saying more, the endorphin high she was on inspired her to say more, but she breathed deep and closed her eyes instead.
I did it. I seized the day. I’ll never regret this choice, no matter how old I am. This is like a new part of me showing through.