Regardless, he’s here now, and there’s little point in dwelling on the past.
Looking forward, though, things are less than sure. He and Link have only one tattoo session left, and then their handshake deal will be complete. To be fair, it’s a long session, one that will be exhausting for both him and Link, and they’ve agreed that it should wait for a blocked-off Saturday when neither of them has other clients. Whatever the outcome, it’s sure to be heavy, emotional, and at the very least, Ashton balks at the idea of sharing that moment with anyone but Link.
Thankfully, Link seems honored, even excited by Ashton’s request to keep the reveal private, so that is how it will go.
It’s nice to have that settled, but the end is only the beginning. Beyond it still looms the question of what will happen next, of where things will go—with Link, with his job,afterhis ink is done and his original excuse to hang around the Soul-arium no longer exists.
It’s not as if Ashton suspects that Link or Sam has some hidden agenda or marked interest in ending their business relationship. That’shighlyunlikely, considering what success it’s brought to all of them. The Soul-arium provides a stable base of operations for Ashton to work, and his new, innovative charms are attracting more clients than ever, boosting Link and Sam’s rosters in the process. There’s also the fact that outside of their excellent professional rapport, the three of them get on like a house on fire. So that’s probably not a concern, either.
Plus, if the Remingtonswerechomping at the bit to kick him to the curb, it seems seriously unlikely that Link would insist on including Ashton in their recent magazine spread. That would be very strange, indeed.
No, Ashton feels confident in both his welcome at Soul Survivor and the ongoing security of his job, but when it comes to his personal life andLink—suffice it to say, Link is the wildcard.
Perhaps that seems silly, after all Link has done for him, but the thing is, they haven’t actuallytalkedabout it.
Theydon’ttalk about it—any of it.
From the way they’re always together in the bunker, to all of their frequent outings. From the nights spent curled around each other on the atrium’s couch, to the steaming cup of coffee waiting without fail, every single morning—they don’t talk about it.
From Link's tendency to corner Ashton in one of the hallways when they’re between clients, slamming him up against the wall and kissing him like it’sair.The way he wraps a hot hand around Ashton’s neck, presses a tongue into his mouth, jams a knee between his thighs. The way Ashton kisses back, hard and passionate, giving and taking what they need from each other without any reservation.
They don’t talk about how, at the end of a long day, Ashton will press up against Link's back, pushing his face into the firm muscles beneath Link's t-shirt to try and relieve the exhaustion settling behind his eyes. Or the way Link always sighs happily, melting as he holds onto the arms wrapped around his waist.
That’s saying nothing of the way that they gravitate to each other’s sides, even in crowds, even when they should be doing other things, speaking to other people. Or how Ashton finds it terribly easy to read Link's moods: when to give him space versus when to pin him down and heap on the affection he so desperately craves but won’t request. It doesn’t cover all of the nights they spend wrapped in each other’s arms, whether it’s Ashton crawling into Link's bed after failing to fall asleep by himself, or them tumbling into it together, no thought of being apart considered.
They do every one of those things, but they don’t talk about any of it.
From an outside perspective, Ashton supposes that it probably seems obvious they’re together, but the fact remains thattheyhaven’t discussed it, haven’t technically made that decision.
According to Sam, though, Link used to frequent the bars in town almost every other night, bringing home various and sundry people more often than not, a habit that he’s allegedly completely abandoned since Ashton began coming around. That probably says more about their situation than anything else, since it’s not merely the variety in partners Link's apparently relinquished willingly—it’s sex altogether.
Not that Ashton ever asked him to, or that he’s remotely opposed tosex(with Link) in any way, shape, or form. On the contrary—he can’t remember a time in his life that he’s ever beensounbelievably interested. And yet, neither of them has made a move to escalate their physical relationship to the next level.
Which naturally leaves Ashton to wonder: is Link not interested, or is he simply being respectful? It’s true that they’ve had more than one conversation regarding Ashton’s hesitancy in mixing business with pleasure. At this point, though, they’re pretty damn deep in the hole to try and deny that’s what they’re doing. Still, the scars Whitaker left run deep, and it seems fairly reasonable to admit that Link is probably waiting forAshtonto give him an unambiguous green light.
He wants to.God,does he want to. As the days go by, the temptation, thedesireto show Link exactly how badly he wants him ratchets up notch after notch, and Ashton only becomes more sure of where he needs to be headed. Yet, when an opportunity arises, he finds himself hesitating, lacking the confidence to just climb into Link's lap in the actual heat of the moment anddoit.
But the time has come. Saturday, when his tattoo is finished, Ashton is going to tell Link that he wants to make the romantic relationship between them official. That he’s not afraid—or, well, heisafraid, but he’s not going to let that fear control him any longer.
He’s ready.
?
Chapter 7
It’s Friday, and the ink session that’s scheduled with Link tomorrow morning is meant to be Ashton’s last.
For this tattoo, that is. Who knows what the future might hold?
As monumental events go, this one feels pretty anticlimactic. In fact, the whole week has been nothing but normal,mundane,even, at least for Ashton. Constant work, plus a bunch of boring, lonely nights when he’s finished. With Link's next book teetering on the edge of release, he’s been absolutely swamped, inundated with both regular clients and incessant demands from his publisher. He’s been in editing and P.R. hell, constantly hunched over his laptop at his work table, and even catching a midweek red-eye to L.A. to hammer out some unexpected issues.
As a result, Ashton hasn’t seen much of him at all. He even slept in his own apartment,severalnights in a row, which is becoming less and less fun every time he does it. Shutting down his station the previous evening, he considered staying over in Room 15, just because the alternative felt rather bleak. But with his only appointment slated for late afternoon the following day andwithoutLink to provide an excuse, Ashton felt awkward.
Loneliness aside, he really couldn’t justify hanging around the Soul-arium without a solid, tangible reason. Not that he thinks Link or Sam would mind, it’s just not actuallyhishome to use in that fashion.
Maybe someday,Ashton catches himself thinking as he steps out of his car, preparing to go inside. He’s slightly wistful, but it’s the strength of his desire, the intensity with which hewantsthat dream to come true that takes him by surprise.
As the Soul-arium’s heavy front door slams shut behind him, echoing throughout the cavernous space, Ashton hops down the iron stairs with a spring in his step. With any luck, Link is down here somewhere, having returned from his trip, and Ashton will atleastget to check in with him before tomorrow.
