Inked in the Steel City Series(34)

Mina reached into the cubby beneath her register and pulled out a sheet printed with aftercare instructions. She handed it to the man before he left, tucking one of Eric’s business cards with it. When he was gone, she turned to face Eric. “Long day, huh?”



He flashed her a wry grin. “Too long.” He strode over to the door and locked it, simultaneously flipping the switch that turned the shop’s electric sign off. “No other clients are getting in here until one tomorrow.” That was when the shop would open the next day.



“Sounds good to me.” She stifled a yawn, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall to her right. Only half an hour until midnight. She was used to going to bed earlier, since she’d had to rise early for work at the bank. Sleeping in – at least, on the weekends, when she didn’t have to get up to take Jess to school – was another thing she liked about working at Hot Ink.



“Tired, huh?” he asked, stepping behind the counter and laying a hand on her arm.



A shiver of delight raced down her spine, her body warming. She had been tired, but his touch dispelled her drowsiness, making her feel as if she’d been sleeping all day and had just now come awake. Ever since she’d visited his apartment briefly, the affection he’d shown her had been light and sweet; the occasional brush across the cheek or five-second press against her lips. She knew he was holding back. So was she, but why, exactly, she wasn’t sure. “I feel like I could stay up a little later,” she said. Now that the client was gone and the time had come for them to part, she was reluctant to leave him.



He pressed a kiss against her mouth, and though it started out gently, she tempted him by parting her lips, inviting him to slip his tongue inside. He obliged, sliding his tongue over hers and moaning as he reached deep into her mouth. She sensed that whatever sense of restraint had been holding him back over the past few days had broken, and her heart fluttered. She pressed her hands to his sides, seizing fistfuls of his shirt as he leaned her against the counter, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tight against his chest. The edge of the counter dug into the small of her back and she shifted against him, uncomfortable but unwilling to end the kiss.



He pulled away. “Am I hurting you?”



Her lower lip jutted out of its own accord. “Don’t stop.” She’d been daydreaming about him kissing her like this for days. Now, every fiber of her being throbbed and tingled, aching for more.



“Only for a second,” he said, pulling her away from the counter.



Moments later, they were on the couch in the waiting area, pressed side by side and entwined in the middle of the cushions. Eric nipped her lower lip between his teeth before she could suck it back in, and her nipples tightened beneath her clothing. She opened her mouth, letting his tongue slide inside again as she clung to him, her nails biting into his shoulders.



He slipped a thumb beneath her sweater, running it over the curve of her hipbone. She sighed, her breath rushing over his lips. If only they were somewhere other than the shop. True, it was closed and locked, but the large glass windows destroyed any notion of true privacy. If they’d had that, she wouldn’t have stopped him from doing anything that involved his hands on her body. The couch was facing opposite the window and partially obscured by an alcove, but that wasn’t enough cover for the things she wanted to do with him.



As he continued to tease her tongue, she moaned. He’d tucked his thumb beneath the waistband of her jeans, and her pussy was quickly dampening in response. It had been so long, she’d almost forgotten that anyone was capable of making her feel this way. She shifted against him and the seam of her jeans pressed against her clit through her panties, sending bolts of fire through her belly and leaving her feeling like she might die of unfulfilled desire – not that she had anyone to blame but herself. He’d meant to kiss her sweetly at the counter, but she’d encouraged him, and now they were here; locked in an increasingly heated embrace that could end in nothing but frustration. She had Jess and he had a roommate. This would be the only time they’d get alone together tonight, before they said goodbye and parted ways at the nearby parking garage. She knew that, but she couldn’t resist arching her hips, letting his fingers slide beneath the waistband of her jeans to join his thumb.



He kissed her harder and pressed his fingertips against her burning flesh, stroking the soft edge of her cotton panties, a hairsbreadth away from touching the curls beneath. She moaned, letting her lips go soft against his. He took advantage, plunging his tongue deep inside her mouth. Her clit throbbed harder than ever, now that his fingertips were within a few agonizing inches of it. “Touch me,” she said, pulling her lips the barest fraction of an inch away from his when he let his hand rest. “Please. Even if it’s only for a second.” If his fingertips didn’t make contact with her swollen nub soon, she wouldn’t be able to stand it.