Under Her Skin(12)
“Ugh, no.” I slid the ointment into my bag. “He’d kill me.”
“Just keep your head up. A few months here and maybe you can get your own place.”
“I told her she’s welcome at mine.” River sauntered up behind me, patting me on the ass. “I can apply the ointment for you. Promise I’ll be thorough.”
“You guys are too cute. Literally. It’s kind of disgusting. I’m happy for you and all that, I just don’t need to see it.” Dev waved a hand and walked off to her station.
“She’s right, ya know. Jericho won’t let me live it down that I made you come in the piercing room yesterday.”
“What! He knows? River!” I swatted at his chest, feeling heat burn through my skin.
“Who doesn’t? You were loud, doll face.”
I shook my head, turning back to the front desk. “Maybe I should just get ‘River’s Bitch’ tattooed on my forehead, announce to everyone I’m yours.”
“I like the sound of that.” He scooped me into his arms, pulling me against his rock-solid chest. His rock-solid cock. God, I loved everything rock solid on this man. “Except I’d change it to ‘River’s Girl,’ and I’d probably put it on your ass.”
“Because you are an ass?”
“I’m your ass.” He cupped my cheeks, nibbling at my earlobe.
“I was actually thinking about another tattoo…” I trailed off when his lips sucked at the flesh of my neck.
“Oh?” he said, continuing to suck.
“On the inside of my finger. Wouldn’t that be cute?”
“Hurts like hell.” He held up one hand, a few knuckles inked with tattoos. “Sure you can handle the pain?”
“Didn’t I prove it to you yesterday?”
“Mmm, how are my nipples doing?” His hand slipped inside my bra, the pad of his thumb brushing against my still very tender nipple.
“Better than yesterday. You didn’t really warn me about the pain.”
He shrugged, fingers threading with mine as he pulled away, leaning against the counter and dragging me with him, as if he couldn’t stand to let go. I liked it. A lot. “That’s what the orgasm was for.”
I shook my head with a grin. “Always putting the client first. How kind of you.”
“I do what I can.” He grinned. “Now, what about that tattoo? Think you’re going to be able to hide that one from Daddy?”
“He hardly makes eye contact with me when he’s home anyway. We’ve never really connected. He always said I was a rebel, like it’s a bad thing. Truth is, I like walking against the grain, makes life interesting.”
“I lived my life as a black sheep, no disagreement from me. So what tattoo are you thinking?”
I smiled then, remembering the title of that book I’d seen a while back that had resonated. “Something that fits me. Something to remind me to be exactly who I am. Something he would hate.”
“And the winner is?” He waited for my answer.
“The words ‘Nasty Gal’ tattooed on the inside of my middle finger.”
River laughed out loud then, hand covering his face as he could hardly contain the chuckling.
“What? You don’t like it?”
“As a matter of fact, doll face, I love it.” He pulled me in closer, covering his lips with mine in a fast yet intoxicating kiss. I fell under, swimming in River, losing myself, finding myself, not giving a fuck about the next moment because being in his arms was so perfect.
“I want to cover your skin in my tattoos.” He breathed against my neck, hands trailing up my arms. “My art all over the most beautiful canvas ever to walk the earth.”
“You’re just biased because I let you pierce my nipples yesterday.”
“Maybe. How do you feel about the clit next?”
I nearly burst out laughing then. “Baby steps, here. Baby steps!”
“Ah,” I growled. “No baby steps for me and you. We’re a freight train, and I’ve got no plans of slowing down.”
Deep inside, my stomach clenched excitedly with his words.
His hands caressed my skin, his lips trailing across my body, his words like honey, covering me in rich goodness.
“You’re too good to be true.”
He laughed again, lacing our fingers and pulling me to his station. “You say that now.”
“I say that every day.”
“Sit. My girl wants a tattoo, and she always gets what she wants.” I did as I was told, watching him pull out black ink and slide on gloves.
“Thanks, River. For the job, the friendship, for all of it. I can’t tell you how much I needed this. Just being in that house is like a weight…”