Inked: A Driven World Novel (The Driven World), стр. 28

“But…” She looks up at me, hope filling her eyes, “I’d like to spend more time with you,” I admit, and really, it’s not hard to do so. This woman is pretty incredible. On the outside she seems like one thing, but close that bedroom door and she’s someone else entirely. I can’t lie and say I don’t want to find out what makes her tick.

“Not just in the bedroom?”

“How about we do what we need to do here, then I’ll take you for dinner. How’s that sound?”

A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth before she remembers something. “I might run before we get that far.”

I lean forward, both my hands running up her thighs, my fingers dipping under the hem of her dress and whisper, “It’s okay, I’ve locked the door.” I must admit that it comes out sounding a little more sinister than I was expecting, but when she shudders beneath my palms it seems she missed it.

She nods, turning to her bag beside her.

I sit back as she pulls a battered piece of paper from inside and unfolds it. She stares at it for a moment before sucking in a breath and passing it over.

I love nothing more than doing a tattoo for someone that means something. Some of them are so personal that it’s like they’re exposing a piece of themselves to me just for that small amount of time, even if they’re too scared to do it to anyone else. And that’s exactly how I feel when I take hold of the paper.

I didn’t need to hear the conviction in her tone when she responded to my question about this being important to her earlier, I could sense it.

I hold her eyes for a second before ripping them away and down to her drawing.

It’s a dandelion with the seeds drifting off, nothing too out of the ordinary, but as I look closer the seeds that are flying away have names in them.

Looking back up at her, I find tears pooling in her dark eyes.

“It’s okay. I’m not going to make you talk about it if you don’t want to. I’m not a therapist, although not all my clients are aware of that,” I add, thinking about the weird and wonderful things people have told me over the years.

“I’m sorry,” she says, looking to the other side of the room and lifting her hands to wipe her eyes.

“Hey, it’s okay.” Reaching out, I gently press my fingers to her cheek and move her eyes back to mine.

“We don’t have to do this now if you don’t want. We could always plan it for a future date.” The fact that I’ve just offered to date this woman in a roundabout way isn’t lost on me, but it doesn’t panic me like I would have thought it might.

“No. I need to do this. I’ve run scared too many times. And… rightly or wrongly, I trust you.”

My chest constricts at her words, making my breath catch. I’ve not heard those words for years, and they take me back to a time that needs to stay locked in the box I’ve put it in.

Swallowing down the lump she’s caused in my throat, I focus on the task at hand.

“Okay, so where are we doing this?”

“On my back, up my spine with the seeds on my shoulder blades.”

“That’s probably going to hurt.”

“I know. I can handle it. Just promise me you’ll be gentle.”

My eyes bounce between hers. “Always.”

“So… what’s next?” she asks nervously.

“You’re going to need to show me some skin.” I wiggle my eyebrows as a wicked grin curls at my lips.

“Ah, I see. This is all a play to get me naked again.”

“It’s your fault. You could have asked for it on your leg.”

She stands before me, my knees still either side of hers. There are only inches between us, but it seems her inner vixen has found its way past the nerves.

Wrapping her fingers around the hem of her dress, she pulls it upwards.

I’m powerless but to watch as she reveals her perfect milky skin to me. Biting down on my bottom lip, I run my eyes up the curve of her hip, over the black lace covering her and up her slim waist.

My cock swells as she lifts it higher, revealing her bra-encased breasts. I curse the padding that’s stopping me from seeing her perfect rosebud nipples. I bet they’re pert right now.

As the fabric clears her head, her red hair falls back down around her shoulders.

The silence in the room is heavy as we stare at each other with chemistry crackling between us. She’s right there in touching distance. All I’d have to do is lean forward and I could feel her soft skin.

“C-Corey?” The slight waver in her voice proves that she’s maybe not as confident right now as she appears.

“Fuck.” I scrub my hands down my face and over my rough jaw.

“Don’t you want to…” She reaches for her dress that’s been discarded on the end of the chair.

“No,” I say, standing and wrapping my fingers around her wrist, stopping her from picking it back up. “I’m just really fucking glad Sledge didn’t get to do this.”

I lean forward and she gasps, her pupils dilating. I know she thinks I’m about to kiss her, but as much as I might want to do exactly that, I know I can’t. Not yet, anyway. I’ve got a job to do, and I need to keep my head in the game and not just think with my cock.

Reaching out, I hit the button on the chair to flatten it.

She jumps in front of me as the movement startles her.

“Lie down on your front,” I whisper in her ear. She shudders as my breath tickles down her neck and goosebumps prick her skin.

“O-Okay,” she breathes.

Reluctantly, I take a step back and watch as she does as I say. My fists clench with my need, but I stay put. I’ve got a