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“Curiosity killed the cat,” Kyle shot back, a hint of frustration creeping into his voice.
“Good thing I’m not a cat, then,” she said, her eyes dancing.
“Imagine that,” Kyle sneered, his eyes narrowing at Audrey. “You’re just dating fellow wolves now. I bet you’re thrilled the dating pool has expanded with all these refugees in town.”
While the two sparred, I disinfected Audrey’s chair and wrapped it with Saran Wrap.
Audrey’s eyes flashed with indignation as she straightened her posture. “For your information, I’ve dated both shifters and humans equally. Unlike you, I couldn’t care less whether someone is supernatural or not.” She glared at him. “I’d be going on a date with a human tomorrow if a certain other human wasn’t such an arrogant, clueless douchebag.”
Kyle worked his jaw from side to side, but he didn’t have a retort to that. I seized the opportunity to get to work on Audrey’s tattoo. “Right,” I said to her. “Let’s see that hip so we can cover up that unfortunate tattoo.” I gestured for her to lift her shirt.
Audrey smirked at Kyle one last time before lifting her shirt, then slowly lowering the waistband on her jeans, clearly antagonizing Kyle. I had a design in mind for Audrey to cover her silly tattoo. Her name meant “nobility,” and the magnolia flower meant the same. I quickly sketched the flower on her hip with a pen, using the middle finger of her existing tattoo as part of the shading of the petals.
“Uh, Tor, you know you’re supposed to use a needle, right? I don’t want Crybaby Kyle to think you’re giving me special treatment.”
“I know. I’m just sketching a rough outline on your leg. It’ll give you an idea if you like it.” I finished drawing, “Go look in the mirror and see what you think.”
“Finally, something she’s good at,” Kyle muttered, loud enough for everyone in the next street to hear.
“It’s perfect!” Audrey cried out. “Holy shit, Tori, you drew that so fast.” She came back and settled herself on the seat.
As I prepared my tools and got started on her tattoo, tension crackled in the air like electricity. It was only a matter of time before something gave.
“Interesting how you decided to watch instead of leaving, Kyle,” Audrey remarked, catching him staring at her hip. “Why don’t you come closer and get a better look if you’re so curious?”
“Flatter yourself much?” Kyle scoffed, but he didn’t move away. Instead, he crossed his legs at the ankles and tried to look indifferent. “I’m just waiting for Tori to finish.”
“Someone has to flatter me since all you do is scowl and pretend I’m not the hottest thing you’ve ever seen,” Audrey said.
I swallowed down my laugh. Each jab, each teasing remark brought them closer to the truth they were trying so hard to avoid. The tattoo gun buzzed in my hand as I carefully filled in the magnolia flower, creating a delicate and beautiful design that would replace the crude drawing.
“Almost done,” I said, glancing up at Kyle. His gaze flickered between Audrey’s tattoo and her face, betraying his interest despite his attempts to look nonchalant. “So, are you going to keep denying your emotions, or are you going to admit you’re attracted to her?”
“Shut up, Tori,” Kyle said, but there was no real heat behind his words.
Audrey just smirked, clearly enjoying that she had the upper hand. “Maybe you should take Tori’s advice,” Audrey said sweetly, looking directly into Kyle’s eyes. “After all, it’s obvious that you’re interested, even if you can’t bring yourself to admit it.”
Kyle’s face reddened as he struggled to find a retort, his eyes darting between Audrey and me. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying not to laugh at his bewildered expression. He really didn’t know how to handle Audrey’s unrelenting confidence, and it amused the hell out of me. My fearless big brother, meeting his match in Audrey.
“Fine,” Kyle finally spat out, glaring daggers at both of us. “I’ll come back later when you’re done dealing with her.” His gaze landed on Audrey, who raised an eyebrow in challenge. “Enjoy your date with that shifter douche. He sounds like a real catch.”
Without another word, Kyle stormed out of the tattoo parlor, the door slamming behind him with a resounding crash. Audrey’s eyes narrowed, and I could practically see the anger radiating off her as she clenched her fists.
“Are we finished?” Her uncompromising expression left me under no illusions that I was, indeed, finished. Fortunately for her, the artwork was done.
“Let me wipe it down and clean it first,” I insisted. She made to get up, but I pushed her back down. “No, Audrey, you will let me clean this. After that, you can do what you like, as long as you keep it dry, avoid tight clothing, and moisturize often.”
She all but growled as I carefully cleaned her new ink, then applied some ointment and another piece of Saran Wrap to keep the ointment from sticking to her clothes. She bolted out of the shop, where she confronted Kyle, pacing on the sidewalk outside.
I moved closer to the window, curiosity getting the better of me. Though I couldn’t hear their heated exchange, I watched them arguing, their faces inches apart. The tension between them was palpable, even from where I stood behind the glass.
Then, just as suddenly as their argument began, it shifted. Kyle shouted something I couldn’t make out, his hand gripping Audrey’s arm as he pulled her close and crashed his lips to his. Audrey met it with equal fervor, her hands moving up to tangle in his hair.
“Whoop!” I whisper-shouted. My plan had worked. But as much as I wanted to gloat, I had no interest in watching them make out. Turning away from the window, I busied myself with cleaning the tattoo equipment and putting everything away.
As I wiped down the counters and tidied the workstations, the silence of the empty studio was oddly satisfying. My meddling had paid off, and now it was time to let them figure things out for themselves. I could only hope that they would finally confront their feelings and see what everyone else already knew: they were perfect for each other.
Sighing, I tossed the used needles into the hazardous waste bin and took one final look around the studio. It seemed unlikely that Kyle or Audrey would be returning anytime soon.
