“I like it a lot,” he said. “I could stand for Merrick to talk less, but it’s fine.”
Riggs chuckled and nodded. “A man of many words, whereas you…”
“Are not.”
A silence fell between them, and Holden fought the urge to fidget. It was nice, he realized, having Bryce around because their silences were never awkward, when they existed. Over their time together, Bryce had found the space to sit with himself long enough for Holden to find his own words. It made a special kind of peace in Holden’s apartment that he wanted to carry with him always.
“Can I ask you something personal?” Riggs glanced up at the ceiling, a creaking floorboard that must have indicated his boyfriend was awake.
“If you had a human resources department, the answer would probably be no, but this is a tattoo shop, so sure.”
“What do you do when you’re not here?”
Holden laughed, scrubbing a hand down his face. HR or not, he absolutely could not answer that question truthfully. “Nothing exciting,” he said.
“Are you seeing anyone? Do you date?”
Holden’s heart lodged in his throat, and he tried to shrug off Riggs’s question like he’d asked something much simpler like, “How’s the weather?”
“I…sometimes.”
“I know that’s probably really out of line. Nothing I would have asked a year ago, but I wouldn’t have had employees then either.”
“Times change,” Holden muttered.
Riggs nodded a thoughtful agreement. “I’ve learned lately that it’s nice to have other people around. I’ve also seen how Merrick’s brother looks at you when he comes into the shop.”
Holden schooled his expression, licked his lips. “What do you mean?”
“He definitely thinks you’re attractive. I don’t know if you like men?—”
“I do,” he interrupted, grimacing at how loud his answer was. “I do. I mean, I like both.”
“Merrick’s brother is new in town. He looks a bit like a lost puppy when he comes by the shop.”
He looked a bit like a debauched whore with his ass up and cum dripping down the backs of his thighs, but Bryce would be glad to know Riggs’s opinion of him remained unfazed.
“He seems sweet,” Holden managed to say.
“Sweet.”
Holden glanced up from his sketchbook, finding Riggs’s stare locked onto him, dark and curious.
“Okay,” Riggs said, slapping the tops of his thighs and standing up.
Holden slid his stool out of the way to make room for his boss, all while doing everything he could to avoid Riggs’s stare.
“I’d like to get on your books sometime.”
“Pardon?”
“I want to get tattooed by you. I don’t have a lot of room, but something small, I think.” Riggs lifted his shirt revealing a small gap of skin on his ribs, not more than a three by two square.
“What did you want?”
“Dealer's choice,” he said. “Just tell me when.”
“Do you want to do it now?”
