The tattoo doesn’t take that long,which is kind of a letdown considering I could stare at a shirtless Valen for a lifetime. Even through my plastic gloves, I can feel how solid his muscles are. He sits like a champ. I have to remind most first-time clients to remain perfectly still, especially when it comes to the delicate lines of filigree. Not Valen, he remains stone still, but I can feel his steely eyes on me, causing my palms to sweat. I pray it doesn’t show.
I dampen the paper towel with rubbing alcohol and wipe it over the entirety of his tattoo. From experience, I can say this is my favorite part. From a new angle, I can also say it’s my favorite part, rubbing Valen’s pec makes me feel naughty. I wish the guy would get a full-body tattoo so that I can rub his whole body up and down.
Although, I won’t lie. When I learned Shelly was his mother, I breathed a sigh of relief. Valen, though probably completely out of my league, is single and therefore leaves me no guilt over fantasizing about him.
“Go and check it out.” I sit back on my rolling chair, nodding toward the mirror. Valen’s jeans hug his round ass perfectly, showing off his tapered waist in the process. Damn, he is gorgeous. I can’t even hide my stare as he admires his fresh ink.
“Wow,” he turns from side to side, modeling it for himself. “This really is beautiful, Anastasia.” My eyes dart away quickly as he meets my gaze through the mirror. But he’s not having it; he turns around and forces eye contact. My body freezes on the spot, and even though I’m stark still, heat courses through my veins. “I mean it. You’re very talented.”
“Thank you.” I stutter, brushing a stray hair from my eyes.
I cover his tattoo in Saniderm and feel massively disappointed when he puts his shirt back on. I silently chastise myself for being so unprofessional. We settle payment, and I can’t help but try to keep him here a little longer.
“So, are you new to Thunder Mountain? I’ve seen you around, but only recently.”
“I’ve seen you around, too.”
A surprised gasp escapes my mouth. “Really?”
“Yeah,” he says, “it’s a small town.”
“Oh.” My heart belly flops into my Doc Martens. “Of course.”
“Yeah, I got here a few months ago. My mom’s house is up on Watercreek Road.”
I nearly do a double-take. “Are you serious? I live like three streets over. I wonder if I ever saw her?” I also wonder how I never saw Valen out and about around the neighborhood. Unless… “I take it you’re staying there?”
“Yeah.” He nods, shoving his massive hands into his pockets. “For now.”
“You don’t like our little small mountain town?” I tease.
“Actually, I love it here.” He lets out a long sigh. “But since I’m new and don’t really know anyone, I have to find work so that I can stay or sell my mom’s house so that I can go where there is work.”
“What do you do?” I ask, vowing to do whatever I can to find this hottie work—even if he’s a mobster who breaks legs for a living. Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far…I think?
“I’m a contractor.”
For the second time, I do a double-take. “You don’t say. What kind of work?”
“Oh, mostly home renovation stuff. I work quickly and am excellent at getting supplies at a great price.”
I want to jump up and down, throw my arms around him, and tell him that I have found him his first client—me. But I have to play it cool. In my experience, men are strange. The minute they find out I’m interested, they either play the hard-to-get game, or they lose interest completely. This is part of the reason I haven’t been interested in dating for the last few years. It’s such a damn headache!
Play. It. Cool.
“What if I told you that I know someone interested in hiring a contractor?”
Valen raises his thick eyebrows. “I’d say, tell me more.”
“It’s a simple-ish renovation. All of the bones are in place. She just needs someone to help her design it out and do the grunt work.” I’m talking too fast, my hands flying through the air. I blame my Italian heritage.
Valen takes a step toward me, and for the first time, a smile grazes his sexy lips. “Is this someone I know?”
“Maybe.”
“Is this someone a tattoo artist?”
“Uh-huh.”