Page 73 of Ink

“Why not? Afraid your boss is goin’ to write you up?”

“Get out of here.” I laugh as I lightly shove his shoulder.

Ink’s hand reaches out and grabs my wrist, pressing my palm against his chest and holding it there. “What? It’s not a bad idea. You can be the naughty receptionist and me being your boss needs to take you in the back and punish you.”

“And you think shorts and a tank are naughty?”

“Not normally, no. But if this is your kind of naughty for right now, I can work with it. We have our whole lives to build up to my kind of naughty, bunny.”

I stare at him for a long moment because he’s right. This is an outfit I would have worn when I was home alone, but secretly dreaming I could wear it out. My dad and Zach’s judgemental side remarks I’ve heard throughout my life are engrained in my brain and probably not going away anytime soon, but I can at least learn try to tune them out. What do I have to lose?

“Can you turn around?”

“For real?”

I nod my head.

It probably seems silly to him, all things considering, but I’m not confident to be scrutinized like I know he will do. His will be in a way I’m not ready for. I already don’t know what to do with all the feelings I’m feeling with everything that’s Ink. I don’t need to add to it.

Ink looks like he wants to say something, but thinks better of it. Instead, he shrugs, and he turns around without another word.

For the first time since he entered my bed last night, I finally have the chance to check him out. He’s in nothing but black silk boxers. I wouldn’t have pegged him for a silk man, but the glossy material against his inked skin does something to me. It’s giving bad boy with class. The kind of class that you want to mess up any chance you get, and you know he’s along for the ride.

Two ravens mirroring each other cover most of his back. Their eyes look so realistic that they almost look real. Real enough for it to feel like both of them are staring into my soul.

Knowing he probably won’t stay turned around for long, I yank his shirt over my head and reach for my bra and tank. Once the girls are situated, I say a small prayer that these shorts will somehow make it up my thighs that I know weren’t this big the last time I wore them.

A few shimmies of the hips and they up and over my ass. Inhaling deeply, I suck my tummy in as far as it will as I stretch the denim fabric around until, by some miracle, I button them.

“Ready?” Ink asks.

I look around the room, wishing there was a full body mirror to look in. I guess this is as good as it’s going to get. “Ready.”

Ink turns around, letting out a low whistle as he looks me up and down. He does a little twirl motion with his finger, in his way of telling me to spin around so he can get a full look.

Slowly, I spin around.

“God damn,” Ink praises, his eyes locked on my butt that I’m pretty sure is hanging out.

“I told you this isn’t appropriate.” My hands cover the bottom of my butt cheeks as a crimson blush spreads across my cheeks. Even though my first instinct is to cover myself up, I won’t deny the mini rush I get making him feel this way. It’s almost… empowering. Like I could say jump and he would ask how high.

Ink closes the distance between us. He studies my face, something moving behind his blue eyes that I can’t quite place as his hand cups my cheek, his thumb caressing the skin underneath it. Trailing down my neck and across my collarbone, his calloused finger dips in my cleavage that’s on display thanks to the low-cut tank.

“It’s only inappropriate if your man isn’t with you and let me promise you somethin’, bunny. Your man is going to be with you every step of the way.” I swallow as he pauses, unable to form a coherent sentence as he wiggles his finger in deeper until his knuckle is touching the skin at the start of my breast. “I know you think it’s a little bad to wear to work. You can be a little bad for your boss, can’t you? Good girls get rewarded.”

“What’s the reward?” I ask, hoping I don’t sound as breathless as I feel.

Ink lets out a low chuckle as he slowly removes his finger, pulling the fabric of the tank back, letting it snap against my skin. “Depends on what decision you make. Hurry up. I know Gage is already pissed off.”

For the second time in a few days, Ink leaves me standing speechless in the room.

Chapter

Twenty-Six

INK

Sutton and I ride to the shop with her tightly pressed up against me on my bike. Her body molds perfectly to mine, almost like she was made to be right here.