“And if I can’t help panting, or squirming every time you touch me?”
“Then this tat’s gonna ruin that pretty pussy of yours.” I smirk. “Let me do my job ... well. And I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Done,” she purrs. I raise a brow at her, and she giggles. “Fine, no more panting.”
“Thatta girl.”
Thirty more minutes of mindless buzzing from my needle and Miss Van Tease’s ink is done. I offer my hand to help her up from the table, and she struts to the mirror to get a closer look at my work while I grab the paper towel and disinfectant and wipe down my space.
“Oh, Gabe.” She covers her mouth as she stares at the design where her pubic hair should be.
“You like it?”
“I love it.” She bounds back over to me and throws her body on mine. Her soft tits press into my back as her arms wrap around my shoulders and she presses a kiss to my cheek. I give a startled laugh and pat her arms that are practically wringing my neck.
“Okay, Van Tease. Buy a man dinner first.”
She chuckles and releases me, stepping around my body to the chair where her dress lies. “I suppose I should get dressed then.”
“Hold up. I need to cover your tat first, don’t want any of the nasty plasma staining your clothes. And you should probably stick to loose clothing for the next few days. Let it breathe, none of those wiggle dresses you live in, or whatever the fuck they’re called.”
“I could always go naked.”
“Probably not wise. I’d refrain from any vigorous activity too, just until you’ve scabbed over.”
She screws up her nose. “Damn, well there goes our night.”
“That’s a little presumptuous of you, isn’t it? What kind of man do you think I am?”
“The kind who knows what’s good for him.”
I pull my phone from my pocket and glance down at the time. Lo’s naked picture stares back at me from my lock screen. I’d taken it in my bed when we’d first started dating. I haven’t changed it in all these years, and I don’t ever plan to. While I’m looking at the damn thing, Arturo’s number flashes up and my phone rings.
What the fuck?
I’d forgotten I even had his number saved from the time he’d agreed to cater our wedding.Fucking asshole.
I stare at the screen, debating whether or not to answer and decide to let it go to voice mail. It’s likely just Lo calling from the douche canoe’s phone to remind me of a fucking bake sale or some other bullshit thing at Axl’s school. It’s so typical of her to cockblock me while she’s dating the fucking old guy.
“Uh-oh,” Van Tease says. “Is that your ex calling?”
“Yeah.” I turn off my phone and slip it into my pocket.
“I don’t understand why the two of you separated.”
“It’s a long story,” I say shortly.
“Well, she’s crazy if you ask me.”
I frown and grow increasingly impatient. “You about ready?”
“Sure. Can I just use your bathroom to freshen up?”
“Yep, you know where it is?”
“I do. Believe it or not but this isn’t my first time in your shop, Gabe.”
“God willing, it won’t be the last. I need your regular appointments to keep this place afloat.”