Cherrie Lynn Rock Me

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.“So what do you want next?” Brian asked with a grin.He closed the last cabinet and turned to faceher, crossing his arms and leaning against the counter.At that moment, with his dark eyes twinkling at her, she wanted to maul him.She’d never really noticed before that he had dimples.They took the edge offwhat ordinarily was a fairly intimidating appearance.How could a guy who smiled like that be in any way bad for you?But she bet even a guy with dimples would have no qualms about planting her back hard against thewall and…“Are you reading my mind?” she asked.Oh, wow.That had sounded way too flirty for her own ears.“I was just thinking it could be addictive.”“No need to read minds, you’ve got the look.And I know how it feels.How do you think I ended uplike this?” He tugged up one sleeve, flashing a precious glimpse at his artwork.“I love your tattoos,” she said, a moment of boldness sweeping her away.“And your piercings too.It’s a shame you took them out.”Was that a darkening in his expression? Suddenly, there seemed to be a shift in the air between them,and chill bumps skittered up her spine.She promptly hugged herself.“Oh, they’ll be back ASAFP, I promise you that.” His voice was warm and smooth as a caress,refueling the mini-fantasy she’d indulged as she’d been lying on that table.If her blush had receded at all, it resurged full force.He’d stripped off his black gloves and she couldn’t resist staring at his long, tapered fingers resting on his arm.Now if he touched her, it would be nothing but flesh against flesh…hers soft and yielding, his hard and demanding…She had to stop this.Now.Taking a breath, she reached for her purse and withdrew her wallet.“Um,how much do I owe you?”He shook his head.“Happy birthday, sunshine.”www.samhainpublishing.com19Cherrie Lynn“Brian, no.I came barging in here and dragged you out and probably made you late, so there’s no wayI’m not—”He held a finger in front of his lips.“Shhh.No arguing.Would you throw a gift back in my face?Nope.So there you go.”“But…” She fumbled around with logic and finally gave up.“Oh, all right.I guess if you insist.”“I do.”She put her wallet back in her purse.They were silent for a moment, awkwardness like a third party inthe room.She wanted to hug him, ask him if she could do anything for him.Maybe make him dinner onenight or… something.Would that be too much like asking him out? Crap.It would.“So, um…thanks again.”He pushed himself away from the counter, blinking as if some spell over him had been broken.“Hey,sure thing.Let me walk you out.”They emerged to a roomful of laughter, where Brian’s employees and their clients were fully engagedin a very loud, very boisterous conversation about funny names for sexual positions.Incredibly, Macy was laughing along with them from her spot in the waiting area as she fiddled with her iPhone.“…then there’s the Dutch Rudder, like the dude was talking about in Zack and Miri Make a Porno.”“That movie was friggin’ hilarious.”“Haven’t seen it.What’s the Dutch Rudder?”“Aw, man, it’s when someone else holds your arm and moves it for you while you’re—”“Hey,” Brian interrupted.“Ladies on the floor.Last thing I need is fucking sexual harassment issues.”“Nobody’s getting harassed in here, boss.” The bald, goateed guy, who was now in such a jovialmood, looked at Candace.“Are you harassed?”She laughed.“Not me.”He looked at a cute girl with a blue pixie cut Candace hadn’t seen before.She was perched at thecomputer behind the counter.“Are you harassed, Janelle?”“Disgustedly intrigued, maybe, but not harassed,” she said with a grin, not taking her eyes off the flat screen monitor.“Yeah, well, offended is enough to get my ass in hot water, and my brother’s a lawyer, so don’t argue with that.You guys save it for the bedroom.” Brian gave Candace’s shoulder a squeeze as he moved outfrom behind her, and she swore the warmth of his touch lingered as surely as the burning low down on her abdomen from her new tattoo.She missed his presence immediately.“Or not,” Janelle said in horror as he joined her behind the counter.“You should have heard some of the stuff they were saying.”“I can imagine.” He glanced at Candace and motioned her over.She couldn’t shake the feeling thatJanelle was sizing her up a bit as she approached.Brian plucked a business card from the holder and20www.samhainpublishing.comRock Mescribbled something on the back of it before sliding it across the countertop to her.“That’s my cell number.I’m sure you won’t have any problems, but if you do, hit me up if I’m not here.”“Oh, thanks.” She’d guard that little rectangle with her life.Giving in to a wild impulse, she picked up the pen he’d just laid down and scribbled her own number on the flap of an open envelope lying betweenthem.Hopefully it wasn’t anything important.“And, um, there’s mine, just…um, just ’cause.”Without daring to look at him, she dropped the pen on the table and all but ran over to the waitingarea.Crap.What had she done?Macy stood, shouldering the strap of her purse.“So? How was it?” she murmured.“It was… awesome.”A frown marred her friend’s features as she seemed to study Candace from her hairline to her toes.“You did only get a tattoo, right? Nothing else you need to share with me?”“Oh, please.Come on.”The argument over what constituted “offensive” continued to rage as Candace glanced over at Brianagain, finding that his gaze was following her despite whatever he was currently saying.She’d somehowknown it was, but the confirmation caused her heart to freefall into the pit of her stomach.It decided to stay there and rattle around weakly at the sight of him holding a white slip of paper in his hand, torn from the envelope she’d scribbled her number on in a fit of insanity.He smiled at her as he pulled out his wallet and stuck it in there.No shoving it in his pocket to be lost in the wash, she thought.He’s protecting it.Along with a dozen others, probably.Stupid girl.Mr.Goatee wouldn’t give it up.“I’m just sayin’, man.‘Offensive’ is a relative term.For instance, Iget more offended watching Skinemax than I do watching a porn star get plowed.That softcore shit isutterly offensive to me.”As they were stepping out the door, she heard Brian’s deep, rich voice one last time, speaking to hisemployee.“Shut up before I make you perform the Angry Cobra.” The door swung shut on the howls oflaughter that followed.“Those guys are sick,” Macy observed.“I think they’re hilarious.”“Then you’re sick too.”www.samhainpublishing.com21Chapter ThreeBrian needed a cigarette in the worst way.It was habit: he walked out of the parlor after work, he reached in his pocket, he pulled out hissmokes, and he lit up on the way to his truck.That’s the way it was supposed to go when all was right with the world.Now all his questing fingers found in his pocket was a flattened pack of Doublemint.“Fuck me,” he muttered, confronted with the thought of facing the family unit with no nicotine.Heunwrapped a piece and popped it in his mouth, chomping in aggravation.Normally he chewed gum onlywhen he was slinging ink.Mellowed him out, helped him concentrate, because he was usually fiendin’ forhis next smoke [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Pokrewne