Total pages in book: 46
Estimated words: 45284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 45284 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 226(@200wpm)___ 181(@250wpm)___ 151(@300wpm)
“The darkness,” he says after a pause. “Maybe I’m worried that it would come out and ruin the perfect life I’m trying to build.”
“I don’t think that would happen if you had a good woman who knew what you were going through and supported you.”
Saying this takes a massive effort, as if he’s going to laugh at me.
And that’s you, is it? I imagine him saying meanly. You’re the good woman?
“Maybe,” he says. “What about you? Do you want kids?”
“Yes,” I reply, far too eagerly.
I’m doing more speaking than tattooing, but luckily, he’s my last appointment of the day.
“With an answer like that, I’m scared to ask how many,” he says in a joking tone.
I smile, wondering if I should hold back. Screw it. He brought it up.
“I’d like at least three,” I say. “Maybe it’s because I’m an only child, but I always think of a house filled with laughter and happiness, brothers and sisters who look out for each other.”
“Ooh-rah,” he says, grinning. “Yeah, I get that. I’d want the same.”
This doesn’t mean he’s talking about us. It would be crazy if he was.
The conversation trails off, leaving me space to continue with my work.
“Luna,” he says after a few minutes.
“Yeah?”
“What are you doing tomorrow night?”
“Nothing… why?”
“It seems weird to ask this now. Like I’m doing everything backward, but…”
His grin gets ironic, in that playful way I love.
Love.
There I go again. Rushing way too fast, but all this talk about kids and family has sent fireworks of pure light sparking through me.
“Would you do me the honor of letting me take you on a date? A proper one… in public, where it’s easier to resist you. Not easy, but easier.”
“The honor? How could a girl say no to that?”
“Is that a yes?”
I’m fluttering inside but trying to keep my giddiness contained. There’s this feeling in me like a sense of belonging, like this is the first step toward the family life we were talking about.
I remind myself, Hey, it’s just a date. No reason to freak and get overly excited.
“It’s a major yes,” I say, failing at my keep-it-cool mission.
***
Once this session is done, Kayden stands, looking over his shoulder at the mirror, the half-finished shoulder piece.
I stand off to the side, my hands clasped as nerves surge through me. There’s every chance he doesn’t like it, turns to me with a fake smile on his face, says he loves it when he really hates it. Or just point-blank tells me.
When he looks at me with that quirk to his lips, his eyes alight, I can tell he likes it.
“You’re so talented,” he says, walking shirtless toward me.
He kisses me in that urgent way he has, like not kissing me causes him pain. I can’t believe I get to feel him kissing me like this, with so much passion. Each time feels like the first time, fresh excitement infusing the meeting of our mouths. It feels familiar, too, like I don’t have to question if I’m doing it right. I wonder if the sex will be the same, or if I’ll freak again.
I slide my hands around his body, careful not to touch his fresh tattoo, squeezing onto his lower back and feel his unyielding form. His muscles could snap my fingernails if I dug them in too hard.
He groans through the kiss, pushing against me. His manhood is huge and hard against my belly. A silly voice whispers, He’s trying to get to your womb.
I ignore it, but I can’t stop the kissing, especially when his hands return to my ass and he massages me like he owns me, squeezing my cheeks together, growling with lust as he pushes me back against the counter. He lifts me up, places me atop it. My legs instinctively wrap around him.
Suddenly, his manhood is pushing against my sex through the prison of our clothes. We rock together, his manhood grinding up and down my sex, tickling my lips, teasing my clit, making my hole ache like this is it. We’re going to do it right here.
The firm knock at the door stops us.
“Hello?” I call, struggling to keep my voice steady.
I expect Marty or Jenny, the receptionist.
“Luna.”
It’s Dad’s voice.
I stare at Kayden with nerves crashing inside of me.
“It’s my dad,” I say, voice low.
Kayden nods, stepping back. I can tell how much effort this takes him. He wants me so badly. As badly as I want him.
This wasn’t how I planned on him meeting Dad. Heck, I didn’t even think about that part.
“Okay,” Kayden says. “Then you better introduce me.”
I try to take solace from his confidence, but I can’t shake the feeling Dad’s here to assess Kayden. I told Dad I was tattooing Kayden today, the man I’m sort of dating…
“Coming,” I say, hopping down from the counter.
CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN
Kayden
I pull on my T-shirt, the new tattoo stinging slightly, but not much. My anticipation stings more, a cutting feeling telling me this is a big moment. Meeting my future father-in-law, meeting the grandfather to my future kids, meeting my woman’s dad.