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The hours passed slowly. Will cracked jokes and kept the mood light, which helped. He left and brought in snacks and more beer. Jackson worked without taking a break.
Before I knew it, I was done. I looked in the mirror and inhaled sharply. It was only an outline in black and gray, but I could picture what it was going to look like when it was done. The tree wrapped around my right hip and up my side.
“Jackson, this is going to be gorgeous.”
“Damn right,” he said, cracking his knuckles. He peeled off his gloves and dug around his messy workspace for something. Finally, he picked up a paper and walked it over to Sid. “This is it.”
“This is badass. Thanks,” Sid said.
Sid switched places with me, kissing me on the cheek as he passed. His fingers grazed my bare belly, setting my skin on fire. He winked at me and then pulled his shirt over his head. God, he was hot. His silent, broody attitude was such a turn-on now that I knew what he was like between the sheets. I couldn’t resist him.
There was more to him than that, though. He was kind and generous. His smiles were like gifts, and I was thankful to receive them. My eyes roamed his chest, remembering how the lines of his abs felt beneath my fingers and what that trail of hair on his stomach led to.
His muscles flexed, and when my eyes met his, they were dark and intense. He’d rumpled his hair when he took off his shirt, so it now fell in wild waves around his jawline, and the grin on his face made my cheeks burn. He winked again and then took a seat facing the wall with his back to me.
Jackson shaved Sid’s chest and cleaned the spot where he was going to place the tattoo. Then he laid the stencil and had Sid look at it.
“What do you think?” Sid asked me.
It looked perfect, and Jackson was right. It fit Sid’s personality well. It was the head of a bear, but the eyes were what stood out to me. They were soulful and watchful, like Sid’s. Jackson said it would be in black and gray with a touch of subtle color, which would make it more realistic. I couldn’t wait to see it.
“It looks good,” I said.
Sid gave a nod to Jackson, and they got started.
THE SOUND OF A DOOR shutting startled me. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, realizing I was in Sid’s truck in his driveway. He and Shiloh had gone inside. I sighed and leaned back against the seat, thinking of the day we’d had. It was one of the best days I’d had in a long time.
After Jackson finished outlining Sid’s tattoo, he invited us to stay for burgers on the back patio. The sun had gone down while we were inside, but the string lights, fire pit, and citronella candles provided enough light for us to see.
We drank beer and talked. The conversation was easy, and the guys were fun to be around. Sid, his brothers, and the Mitchells went way back. They’d gone to the same school. Sid seemed relaxed and happy. I hadn’t seen him this way, and it made me smile. Will gave him shit, but Sid was quick to give it back, which seemed to surprise Will. I felt a pang of sadness when I saw the shimmer in Will’s eyes. Had it been a long time since Sid had been happy?
Around midnight, we said our goodbyes. Once we were in the truck, I fell asleep. Hard. Even though the drive wasn’t long, it felt as though I’d slept for hours. I was refreshed and not at all ready to go back to bed.
I opened the door and hopped out. My flip-flops sounded loud on the driveway in the stillness of the night. I liked how quiet it was in Oak Springs. I took a minute to breathe it in. Thousands of stars dotted the night sky, and I didn’t think I’d ever get used to seeing so many.
With a contented sigh, I walked up the steps and opened the front door. Sid was standing in the middle of the room shirtless, eating potato chips. Damn, what a sight.
“Sorry I left you out there. You were sleeping so soundly I didn’t want to wake you.”
“No problem. I’m going to get something to drink.”
Would Sid watch a movie with me? It was late, but I wasn’t ready for the night to end. Sid leaned forward over the couch and grabbed the remote. He turned on the TV, and I got excited. Maybe he felt the same.
He turned and smiled. Butterflies swirled in my stomach. I couldn’t believe I’d gone two years without really noticing how attractive he was. The beard, the long hair, his tattoos, it was stoking the fire inside me that had been smoldering all day.
Now that we were alone, it flared to life, and I wanted his lips on mine, his hands roaming my body, and his beard scraping against my skin, making it red. I wondered whether he would ever wear his uniform in the bedroom, because I’d love to play bad cop with him.
Sid’s eyes popped open, and his hand froze in front of his mouth. Shit. Had I said that out loud?
My cheeks burned, and I wanted to run away, but instead, I froze, my eyes locked on his. Neither of us moved. I wasn’t even sure we breathed. The air in the room crackled.
Sid dropped his chip in the bag and wiped his hands on his pants. He walked slowly toward me, and my breath hitched.
“Is that so?” he asked. He had a devilish grin on his face, and his eyes glinted with mischief. “What else do you want?”
“I’m not sure what you mean,” I said. I couldn’t believe I’d said that out loud.
His eyebrow rose, and he chuckled. It was a slow rumble that I felt roll over every inch of my body, settling in my core. “Don’t go shy on me now. Tell me what you want, Kat.”
