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He headed to the back office and retrieved his black duffel from under the desk. He had wanted to make it to the gym this morning, but Benny’s tattoo design had been bugging him from the minute he got out of bed. So he had gone straight to the shop instead. He had every intention of going after work, but the idea of watching Harley tattoo his body immediately shot that idea down.
Now he’d just have to wait a little longer, but grabbing a drink with his new hire wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He wanted to get to know her a little better. Maybe the more he got to know, the easier they could slip into the role of colleagues and friends. The attraction he felt the minute he had offered her a job would sizzle out. Though it was a tall order, and he wasn’t exactly sure at all possible. The woman was gorgeous and insanely talented. And now he knew she was also fiercely strong and capable of being the bigger person—two more attractive qualities. Shit. Maybe getting to know her wasn’t a good idea.
“How’s it going?”
He spun on his desk chair and faced the door. Harley stood in the doorway with a subtle smile. Her dark eyes glanced at the shirt he held.
“If you’re afraid I’ll stretch it out… my tank top is already drying.”
He jumped up from the chair. “What? No, that’s not what I was thinking at all.”
Her lip slipped in between her teeth, and she nibbled at the plump flesh. “Sorry. I’m struggling with these new insecurities because of what is going on.”
He moved toward her, holding the t-shirt out, but when she went to reach for it, he pulled it back. “Don’t apologize. Besides, my muscles already stretched it out.”
She laughed, her entire face brightening and washing away any trace of sadness that had crossed her brown eyes. If a little flirting was what it took to see her smile again, then crossing the line temporarily was worth it. “Your pecsarealmost as big as mine.”
He barked out a laugh. “I wouldn’t know. I haven’t looked.”
“Sure you have. It’s okay. They’re hard to miss. And I don’t mind. They are my best asset.”
He’d argue that her ass might very well take that title, but he kept his mouth firmly shut. It was one thing if she felt comfortable bringing it up; he wasn’t ready to push any more boundaries. “You can change in here. I’ll close the door behind me.”
He handed over the shirt, unable to ignore the scent of vanilla and cinnamon that seemed to encompass her. It was a combination of sweet and spicy that had him swallowing down the desire to taste her.
“Thanks.” The single word caressed his skin as he maneuvered past her in the small space of the doorway.
Keeping his composure, he yanked the door shut and exhaled as he leaned against the cool wood. The last thing Harley needed was for him to drool all over her.
The poor woman had enough of a shitshow on her plate. He didn’t believe in the self-indulgence of social media, but he also did understand how powerful of a marketing tool it was. Would Harley’s employment at this shop taint his name? And if he knew about her drama before offering her the job, would he still have gone ahead with the offer?
It took him not even a second to know the answer. Yes, he fucking would, and without hesitation. She was talented, and as far as he was concerned, that meant more than anything in their line of work. Who gave a rat’s ass if her personal life was in shambles? She could tattoo circles around the best in the business. Besides, he was pretty sure stuff like this died out as quick as the next scandal to take over people’s attention.
The door yanked out from behind him, and Garrett threw his arms out, but it was too late. His hands missed the doorway, and he hit the ground with a thump.
“Oh my God! I am so sorry.” Harley dropped to her knees, her purple and black hair hanging over her face. She rested her hand on his chest. “Are you okay?”
Her touch spread through him like liquid fire. His gaze locked on hers, and the intensity in her eyes made him wonder what she’d look like when she lost herself to an orgasm.
Shit. He did it again. He mentally punched himself and pushed up on his side, shaking his head. “Yeah, I’m fine. I shouldn’t have been leaning against the door in the first place.” He’d been too in his thoughts and should have walked away the minute he shut the damn door.
He got to his feet and held his hand out to help her up. Her fingers slid into his, and he ignored the spark of electricity that ran through his veins. He quickly dropped her hand and motioned to the door. “You ready?”
He glanced in her direction and stalled on the way his t-shirt pulled across her chest. He swallowed as red-hot desire surged through him, burning his body and making his cock jump. He’d never be able to look at that t-shirt the same again.
“Where are we going?” she asked, knocking him back to reality.
“Huh?” His head tilted as her question sunk in. “Oh. I mean, across the boardwalk to Vinny’s. Wednesday night they do twofers. Plus, if Vinny is there, I’m sure he’d be happy to share a shot of limoncello with us.”
“Limoncello, huh? I’ve actually never had it.”
“Don’t tell Vinny that. He’ll have you going shot for shot with him.”
“What’s wrong with that?” A mischievous grin played across her lips.
“He’ll drink you under the table. He might be an old man, but he can sure as hell hold his liquor.” Garrett made that mistake once and never again. He preferred not to spend an entire day lying on the bathroom floor, nursing a headache from the depths of hell. Garrett checked the time on his phone. “It’s just after six, so we have to hurry before he heads out. The man never misses Jeopardy.”
“Then we better go. I don’t want to miss out on my chance to try this limoncello.”
