Page 106 of Lyric & the Heartbeats

“Where would be the best place to get it?” she asked Henry.

Nohen almost chuckled, watching Henry’s brain short-circuit at the question. He was probably seeing the same images Nohen was in his mind.

A thigh piece, her ribcage, maybe even her hip.

Fuck.

Nohen shifted lightly, the slats of the porch rails digging into his shoulder blades. He welcomed the discomfort as a distraction, but his eyes widened at Henry’s answer.

“Well, if you’re looking for the area that will hurt the least…” He cleared his throat, his arm rising to swipe his hand over the back of his neck as he avoided Lyric’s gaze. “The shoulder, calf, ass cheeks, and outer arm have the least nerve endings, and therefore are the least painful.”

Nohen blinked. Did their tour manager just tell Lyric to get her ass tattooed?

His lips parted, but any response he might have come up with was drowned out by the disbelief, and his mouth closed without making a sound.

It started with a slight shake of Lyric’s shoulders, and Henry’s cheeks bloomed bright red. “Ah…”

Lyric burst into laughter, her eyes watering as she batted at the air, shoving Henry’s arm slightly. It was contagious, and Nohen felt his own lips curling to mirror hers.

“I know that you didn’t just—” More giggles broke up her words. “You did not just tell me to get my ass tattooed. Not you, Henry.”

Humor bubbled up in his chest, the mortification on Henry’s face too much to take.

Lyric deepened her voice. “Be on the bus by eleven sharp, no later than eleven-oh-one,” she said, mimicking Henry. “Oh, but you can get your ass tattooed, no problem.”

Nohen barked out a laugh as Lyric clutched her stomach, more giggles bursting free at Henry’s expense.

Henry crossed his arms, rolled his eyes, and sighed. But his lips twitched as he stared at Lyric.

“Being on the bus late throws off the schedule. Getting your ass tattooed affects no one but yourself.”

And Adra and Emerson, considering you’d be sore for quite a while.

Nohen wanted to roll his eyes at himself. He was acting like the spoiled child, and he had to remind himself that wasn’t who he was anymore.

You’re better than that. Quit being an ass.

“I thought I was the one with tardy problems,” he drawled to take the attention off Lyric. As much as he enjoyed the pretty flush on her cheeks, it was different when she was clearly uncomfortable.

Hell, when Henry turned that alpha scold on him, he was uncomfortable too.

“Oh, you are. You’re still on my shit list after the first week.”

“What?” Nohen gasped, feigning surprise. “The venues are just so big! I wanted to explore!”

Lyric chuckled, and knowing he was the one to inspire that sound from her lips made his chest swell up. With adoration, pride, the ever-shining glow of his crush, whatever you wanted to call it.

Henry groaned and wiped at his eyes. “Okay, guys, I’m really going to bed now. Don’t let me scare you off, I just need to sleep off this headache.”

He called after Henry with a, “Goodnight,” to match Lyric’s.

Then there were two.

Lyric didn’t miss a beat, sliding off her rocking chair to sit beside him on the porch.

He fought the instinct to scoop her up and put her back in the chair. She deserved to sit on a damned pedestal, but he couldn’t deny he also liked being so near.

Her soft, muted scent drifted over, and he drew in a calming breath.