Series: Paige Michaels
Total pages in book: 48
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45562 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 228(@200wpm)___ 182(@250wpm)___ 152(@300wpm)
“I can behave.”
“Good idea,” he encouraged and gave her a firm pat on the bottom that made her scurry forward to dive into the pre-open preparations for the day.
Tatiana straightened the kitten ear headband on her head and tugged down her leopard dress as she entered the main area of the shop. Diving in immediately, she set up the register and her station to get ready for the day.
Tatiana tried to look super busy, but everything Maniac did seemed sexy to her now. She was hyperaware of him moving around the shop—maybe because every time they passed, he touched her in some way. She loved the tender brush of his hand down her arm or when he pinned her deliberately to the counter as he reached for something around her. Frequently when she looked for him, his gaze was focused on her.
Soon after they opened, Tatiana picked up the rolled sketch before approaching Maniac’s work area. He had the privacy screen back up, so she stopped respectfully a few steps away. “I’m going to see Ellie. No one’s on the books for a few.”
“Be safe, Rainbow,” Maniac answered.
Her thoughts battled in her brain as Tatiana headed for Little Cakes. She’d never been jealous or concerned about Maniac tattooing a woman in a delicate area. He’d worked on this tattoo for months. She’d seen it. A gorgeous, entwined vine of jasmine that wrapped around one breast and descended down the attractive client’s ribcage to end at her hipbone.
She knew that Maniac placed a towel over private areas until he worked on that section of skin. Tatiana had tattooed just about every body part imaginable. An artist couldn’t avoid touching, holding, and moving the skin they inked. Two weeks ago, she hadn’t given the endowed woman currently reclining in Maniac’s station a second look when she’d come for an appointment with him. Leaving now would give Tatiana some time to think of something else.
After stepping into the bakery, Tatiana stopped to smell the incredible aroma that saturated the space. Bright, cheerful colors set a positive tone for everyone walking in. It was definitely a happy place for many people.
“Tatiana!” Ellie flew across the store to give her a big hug.
“Oops! I bumped your ears. A kitten can’t be cattywampus!” the baker joked as she adjusted them.
“Hugs are well worth any amount of tilting,” Tatiana assured her.
“I bet you came in to try the Flirty Kumquat cupcakes,” Ellie predicted. “Let me get you a box on me. I wouldn’t have thought of them without you and Maniac.”
“No way. We’ll pay for a couple so we can devour them. How do people like them?”
“They’re delicious,” a patron said from a nearby table, hearing their conversation. He lifted the last forkful of a cream-colored treat to his mouth.
“I’m so glad you like them, sir,” Ellie said with a big smile as she looped her hand under Tatiana’s elbow.
After guiding her to a secluded place, Ellie giggled and immediately, Tatiana joined the merriment. “They love the new flavor.”
“Of course they do,” Tatiana commented. “Hey, I drew this yesterday and wanted to show you.” She unrolled the drawing of the cupcake and held it for Ellie to see.
“No way! You’ve seen someone with a Flirty Kumquat cupcake, right?” Ellie asked as she scrutinized the drawing.
“No. I haven’t seen them yet.”
“Come look at this.”
Ellie drew her over to the display counter where a number of eager devourers perused the sweet offerings and tried to make up their minds. “It’s there in the right corner on top.”
Tatiana followed her directions to pinpoint the featured cupcake and grinned. “It looks exactly the same. How did we do that?”
“Brilliant minds,” Ellie said simply as she tapped her temple. “What are you going to do with that design? Can I have it?”
“Oh, this is just a sketch. Nothing fancy,” Tatiana answered quickly.
“Are you kidding? It’s awesome. I want to put it on the wall.”
Tatiana hesitated and then blurted, “I designed it for me. I mean I’m still working on it, but it’s close. Maniac’s going to ink it for me.”
“Where are you going to put it?”
Tatiana pointed to the spot nestled low between her breasts.
“Really!” Ellie breathed, stretching the word out as she stared at Tatiana’s finger. “You’d have to be topless for him to do that.”
Tatiana tried to ward off the heated blush she felt steaming into place. She used the drawing as a fan to cool herself down as she fought to keep her mind off of Maniac’s hands touching her with the prickling sting of the tattoo needle.
Searching for a distraction, she offered, “I could make a color copy of it when I have it perfected.”
“Please. I’d love that.” Ellie leaned in closer to whisper, “So, you and Maniac?”
“I’m pretty sure he’s my Daddy,” Tatiana confessed.
“Just pretty sure?”
“Okay, ninety-nine point nine nine percent sure.”