“Yes.”
“Okay, here we go.” He set the needle against her skin.
Her hands clenched into fists, and she bit her lower lip.
“Take a breath, and blow it out. You’re doing fine, baby.” Crash knew what that pain felt like, the sting when the needle pierced the skin. The sting that became a slow burn. He swiped at the skin and set the needle to her again.
“Talk to me,” she implored. “Get my mind off it.”
“Sure, baby-doll. What do you want to talk about?” he inquired without looking up.
“Anything, please.”
He grinned. “I could tell you all the different positions Ms. Walker taught me. But that might make you jump even more.”
“Ms. Walker, was that the neighbor you had the affair with?”
“Um hmm. Her name was Angie.”
“How did it start?”
“One day I noticed her standing in the doorway watching me cut her grass. I had my shirt off, and I could see her eyes running over me. When I was through, she asked me if I wanted the twenty bucks or if I wanted to come inside.”
“So, I take it you went inside.”
“Um hmm. I’m no fool.”
“She took you to her room?”
“Nope. That first time we didn’t make it past the couch. Of course, back then I couldn’t last long. That’s another thing she taught me. Stamina. By the time she was finished with me, I could last a long time without coming.” Crash started another line and glanced up to see Shannon sink her teeth into her lower lip. “The pain getting worse, honey?”
“Yes.”
“Take a breath. We’re about halfway through. You’re doing great, baby.” After a few minutes, he had finished the outline and turned to switch out his equipment. “You hanging in there, Shannon?”
“Yes. How much more?”
“The outline’s done. Now I have to shade it.” He swiped her belly again and set the needle to her skin. Shannon clenched her jaw. His eyes swept up to her face, noting the pain. “Breath, baby. You’re doing great.” He knew he needed to distract her again. “What’s the most erotic thing you’ve ever done, Shannon?”
“Are we playing Truth or Dare again?”
“Darlin’, we’re in the middle of a dare right now.” He swiped at her skin again. “Come on, Princess, tell me. There has to be a wild side under all that silk and lace.”
“I’m not very wild.”
“Sure you are. Look where you’re at. Stretched out on my pool table, blindfolded.”
“This,” she answered. “This is the most erotic thing I’ve ever done.”
A grin tugged at his mouth. “I like that answer. And we haven’t even gotten to the erotic part yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I promised you a reward. I didn’t tell you what it’d be.” He moved the needle to a new spot, and she jerked, drawing in a breath with a hiss.
“Stay still, Shannon. The longer it takes, the longer you wait for that reward.”
She moaned.