Page 14 of Spring Break Fling

Despite her look, she sounded so normal. Friendly.

Tara took charge. “We’re here for tattoos. All of us.”

“Bold move,” the woman said, arching an eyebrow. Her gaze flicked to me. I was attempting to blend into the wallpaper. “First time?”

I nodded mutely.

“For all of us,” Rachel said.

The woman smirked. “Scared?”

“No,” Tara answered.

“A little,” Rachel confessed.

“You’ll survive. Probably.”

“That’s comforting,” Maddie murmured.

“I’m Jessie,” the woman said. “Do you guys know what you’re going to get?”

I looked at my friends. This was their big idea.

“Uh, we were hoping to see what you had to offer,” Rachel said.

Jessie offered a tight smile. She gestured to the walls covered with sketches and pictures of tattoos on other people. “Look around.”

We started perusing the designs on the walls and I couldn’t help but sneak glances at Nikko. He was cleaning up his station, muscles flexing beneath the thin fabric of his black T-shirt. My cheeks flushed as memories of those muscles pinning me down flooded my mind. I looked away and focused on the pictures. Rachel was going to go with the scales of justice. Typical for the lawyer.

“Where are you going to get it?” I asked her.

Rachel pointed to the inside of her wrist. “I want it right here. Small and discreet.”

Maddie had settled on a simple outline of an apple for her tattoo, a nod to her career as a teacher. “I’m thinking on my ankle,” she said.

Tara had unsurprisingly chosen something bigger and bolder: an intricate floral design that would wrap around her upper arm. “This one is perfect for me,” she declared.

I continued looking at the designs, trying to find something that spoke to me.

“See something you like?”

The low rumble of his voice made me jump. I whipped around to find him standing directly behind me, eyes twinkling with amusement.

“I—uh—no, I mean, yes. The art! It’s really nice,” I stammered.

“Didn’t think I’d see you again so soon.”

“This wasn’t my idea,” I said quickly, shooting a glare at my friends, who were thoroughly enjoying the show.

“Sure it wasn’t.” Nikko’s eyes sparkled with amusement. “So, what are we getting today?”

I opened her mouth, then closed it again, flustered. “I, uh…”

“She’s thinking a compass and a rose,” Maddie supplied helpfully.

“Inside of her forearm,” Rachel added. “Somewhere she can hide it.”

“Why would you want to hide your tattoo?” he asked.