Total pages in book: 28
Estimated words: 26056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 26056 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 130(@200wpm)___ 104(@250wpm)___ 87(@300wpm)
Adrian doesn’t seem to like that Julian’s station is between ours, but he doesn’t say anything about it. He just keeps shooting heated glances my way as Julian shows him where everything is.
“What’s the hold up?” Curt asks with a huff. “Pretty boy caught your eye? He’s not even that good looking. I got better calves than that.”
He doesn’t. Not by a long shot. Curt isn’t even in the same league as Adrian.
I force my eyes back down to my work, trying to salvage the line I messed up on Curt’s tattoo, but my hand is shaking. My fingers don’t want to hold the machine anymore. They want to grab a hold of Adrian’s belt buckle, drag him into the back, pin him against the wall of the breakroom, and see the look on his face as I drop to my knees.
I want to see the realization in his eyes that I’m not a kid anymore.
That’s there’s nothing stopping us from doing all the dirty things racing through our minds.
But I’m nervous. I don’t even know if he’d go for a girl like me.
I wouldn’t even know what to say or do. I’m confident in my fantasies, but in real life… It’s a little scarier.
Julian and Adrian are whispering over there, probably talking about Magnus and his ‘condition.’
Meanwhile, Curt is back to yapping my ear off.
“So, I was thinking Chez George for dinner,” Curt goes on. “I’ll reserve the table for two by the window. Tres romantique. Then, we can drive out to the make out spot and see what happens...”
I’m about to fake vomit, but Adrian interrupts me, rushing over in a blur. I gasp as he wraps his big strong hand around Curt’s neck, making his eyes nearly pop out of his head.
“That’s no way to talk to a lady,” he says, his forearm flexing as he adds some pressure. Curt’s face goes bright red as he tries to pry Adrian’s unmovable hand from around his jugular.
He glances at the tattoo I’m working on. “An anchor, huh?” he says. “How about I throw you into the ocean and we’ll test it out?”
“It’s okay,” I say as I put my hand on Adrian’s flexed arm. It immediately loosens. “He’s harmless. A moron, but harmless.”
Adrian holds on for a second or two longer then releases him. Curt gasps, chokes, and gulps down breaths as his face turns from bright red to pink.
I realize that my hand is still on Adrian’s big arm like it doesn’t want to leave, so I snap it back like I’ve just been caught doing something naughty.
He grins as he looks down at me with those sexy blue eyes that are warm enough to melt glaciers.
“You look good, Vic.”
My heart’s pounding. My thighs are clenched. My bear is practically snarling to get out and rub all over him like a lunatic in heat.
Keep it together, I chant in my head. You are a professional. You are at work. You are a lady.
I clear my throat. “Uh, thanks.”
That’s all I can manage. One syllable. Utterly pathetic.
Do better than that, please.
“You look good too.”
Adrian smiles and it feels like a warm wave rushing through me from my chest to my throbbing pussy to my curling toes in my Converse shoes.
Vic.
I was wondering if he remembered what he used to call me. I was thirteen the last time I heard him say it. Back then I was in my braces-wearing, hide-in-the-next-room whenever he came over, extreme blushing phase of my life. The braces are gone, but apparently I’m still in that phase with the way my cheeks are on fire and my sudden irresistible urge to slip into the closet and hide.
“Let me show you the sketches Magnus was working on before he left,” Julian says, stealing him away as he guides him into the back.
My eyes stay on Adrian until he disappears into the breakroom.
“I don’t like that guy,” Curt says, waiting until he’s gone. “I think he dislodged my Adam’s apple.”
I think he dislodged my heart.
It’s beating differently now. Each pump is to the rhythm of his name.
A-dri-an. A-dri-an. A-dri-an.
How am I supposed to work with this guy around? Seriously, can someone tell me?
Because I have no freaking idea.
CHAPTER FOUR
Victoria
Of course the day is super busy. As soon as I’m done with Curt, a wave of customers come in and it doesn’t stop all day. I’m working on a sketch for a mermaid tattoo and cursing because I keep fucking it up. It’s hard to draw when I’m constantly keeping one eye on the hot new tattoo artist working in Magnus’ station.
Adrian is tattooing a word onto a biker’s knuckles. He has his large broad back to me and I can’t help but run my eyes over all of that hard sculpted muscle. He’s gorgeous from every angle.