The man towers over me. Which isn’t hard since I’m only five foot two. He has to be way over six foot. His broad shoulders are covered with a tight-fitted black dress shirt that hugs the impressive muscles on his arms and across his chest. The top two buttons are open, exposing his throat, where a tattoo of some kind of chain peeks out.
“No problem. If you’re steady on your feet, can I let you go?” A slight teasing tone in his deep timbre washes over me.Yes, I’m steady on my feet, and no, please don’t let me go.What is wrong with me? Has alcohol affected my brain? I have a stranger’shands on my body, and yet I make no move to pull away. It’s not like I’ve never seen a good-looking man before. Except this man is more than good looking. Not in a typical movie star or runway model way. His features are hard. Strong. He’s got an aura of danger. Something I’ve never been drawn to. Yet, I am.
A dark eyebrow lifts, and a small smile tilts up the corners of his full, soft lips like he’s waiting for me to say something. With a jolt, I realize I haven’t answered his question as I’m enjoying his hands on my hips way too much. “Oh yes, I’m okay. You can let me go. Thank you,” I say as I step away. There’s a winter chill in the Los Angeles air tonight, yet my body is overheating like a hot summer’s day. He nods his head toward the tattoo shop. “Getting a tattoo?”
“Oh... arrhh… I was thinking about it but—”
“It looked like you were running away.”
“Yes, well…”
“Too scared?” One corner of his mouth lifted in a teasing grin.
Sally appears at my side. “Daisy’s not one for stepping out of her comfort zone.” She gives him a once-over, her gaze landing on the tattoo at his throat. “You look like a man who’s not afraid of a little ink. Maybe you can convince her.”
I turn to Sally, widen my eyes and give her a look that she’ll hopefully interpret as ‘what are you doing? Keep your mouth shut!’.
“She doesn’t look like the type to get a tatt.”
My head swings back to Mr. Tall, Dark, and Dangerous. The movement causes my head to spin again, making me wish I hadn’t had so much to drink. “I could be covered from head to toe for all you know.”
He trails his gaze up and down my body. I’m not dressed in anything sexy or revealing. Just jeans, a blouse, coat, and leather boots. But the way he’s staring at me, it’s like he has X-ray visionand is seeing me naked. A little thrill runs through me that this gorgeous man might find me attractive.
“I doubt it. You look too prim and proper to do something soscandalous.” He says scandalous like he’s mocking me.
“Are you making fun of me?”
He gives me a faux ‘I would never’ look. “You were hesitating going into the shop. You seem like a first timer to me.”
Who is this man? How dare he make assumptions about me? He may be right, but that’s not the point. It’s rude to assume.
“I have plenty.”
“Show me,” he says with a playful, daring tone.
I swallow hard. Not because he wants proof. But by the way his eyes hood and trail over me. “I… I don’t have to show you anything. I know I have them. That’s all that matters.”
He chuckles. “If you say so.”
I tilt my chin up. “I do say so.”
“Congratulations.” A smile twitches on his face.
In the blink of an eye, he’s caused my body to heat up and annoy me at the same time.
“Are you sure you don’t want to show me? Or are they hidden somewhere moreprivate?” I know he’s teasing, and I should ignore him, but what I can’t ignore is the way his words roll off his tongue so smoothly.
“I’m not showing you anything. And yes, they’re in places you’llneverget to see.” I hook my arm through Sally’s and tug her toward the shop. “Come on, let’s get atattoo.” I throw the final word over my shoulder.
I march away from the annoying man and into the tattoo shop. My heart is beating so fast. Flustered, I place a hand on my chest and take a deep breath to settle it down.
“What was that about?” Sally asks, her eyes creasing with amusement.
I shake my head. “I have no idea. He annoyed me.” And at the same time, turned me on. I’m so confused. She stares at me like I’ve grown two heads and doesn’t recognize me. I don’t blame her. “Let’s get out of here,” I say before she can say anything else.
“We’re not getting a tattoo?” she asks. Now she looks as confused as I feel.
Before I can tell her that I only said I was getting one because of the man’s remarks, the door opens and he glides in from the street.
