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She gave him one last look, then made for the door.
Which was the first time Billy saw the ink she’d mentioned she wore on her back.
From underneath her hair, he could just make out the symbol of an aperture on the back of her neck. The black was stark against her skin. But what caught his attention even more was the bigger piece she wore on the whole back of her right shoulder. A tattoo of several Polaroid photographs surrounded by watercolor flowers. Inside the Polaroid frames were images of a sun setting over mountains, the fuzzy seeds of a dandelion blowing away, and a little girl in a dress reaching for a red heart-shaped balloon as it floated skyward.
Wrapping the towel around herself, she disappeared inside, and he blinked out of his stupor and followed her.
As he closed the door, she said, “Oh, I’ll take those.” Shay gestured to where he still held her photographs.
“You took these?” he asked, happy for something else to focus on. Besides her gorgeous body and intriguing ink.
She nodded, but there was something about her demeanor that was suddenly off. Almost shy. Shayna accepted the pictures into her hand.
“They’re fucking good,” he said. “Beautiful and disturbing at the same time.”
She peered up at him, a guardedness in her eyes. “Disturbing how?”
Billy frowned. He hadn’t meant to offend her. “Just, I mean, they feel…sad.” Or maybe that was his own bullshit coming through.
“Well, they are of a cemetery.” Her tone was neutral though her gaze was questioning.
“But look at this one. It isn’t obviously in a cemetery.” He helped her shuffle through until he found the two shadows on the ground, one of a statue, he guessed. The photo was a black and white and powerful in its simplicity. “Is that you?” He pointed at the other shadow, and Shayna nodded. “Looking at this makes me feel a sadness. Because it looks like your shadow is about to turn into the angel’s shadow for a hug.” He shrugged, feeling like an idiot. “I mean, I’m no fucking art critic. I’m just saying how it feels to me.”
She nodded. “That’s fair. Thanks for saying they’re good.”
He shrugged, feeling like they just had a conversation that he only half understood. But clearly, he’d fucked something up. And it sat like a rock in his gut. “Hungry? I could make something.”
“Oh, no. That’s okay. Thanks though.” She thumbed over her shoulder, and he could tell he was losing her even before she said the words. “I’m just gonna go change and get ready for the week.”
Billy nodded and watched her go. And found himself battling about a dozen different urges.
To follow her. To ask what he’d said to bring her down. To pull her back into his arms. To ask where the third tattoo was—because she’d said she had three, but he only saw two, and the only other part of her back that was covered was her backside…
Not a single one of those were urges he should give into.
And food was not what he wanted.
Which meant he had to get the hell out of there before he caused trouble of the can’t-take-it-back kind.
Chapter Five
Sean and I are heading to Ben’s for chili dogs. You in?
Mo’s text had lit up Billy’s phone about three minutes after Shayna went upstairs, and Billy had been only too happy to agree. Being in the presence of his friends would keep him from doing anything stupid.
Mo and Sean were already in line when Billy got there. It only took a few minutes until they were ordering some half smokes, dogs, and fries. While they waited for their food, they found a booth in the back corner.
“How the hell are you, Riddick? I feel like it’s been forever,” Billy said to the Navy vet. They’d met through Warrior Fight Club almost two years ago.
“Same old,” Sean said with a grin. “Finding ‘em hot, leaving ‘em wet. Just like always.”
“Fucking firefighters,” Billy said on a laugh. Sean had worked as a firefighter in the Navy and did the same as a civilian. Overworked, if you asked most of his friends, because the guy covered every co-worker’s missed shift and took on every bit of overtime he could.
Mo gave a deep chuckle. “Son, I think them fires done cooked your noodle.”
Sean smirked. “Don’t you worry about my noodle, Moses. The ladies don’t complain. Trust me.”
Holding up his hands, Mo shook his head and looked to Billy. “How’s the new roommate?”
