Chapter two
“I don’t know what you were thinking about when you called me. I was in no condition to drive out to help you. I was barely able to call 911. It looks like they’re going to keep you here overnight.” He was disheveled and I could tell that he was suffering from a major hangover.
“I can’t swear to it, but it didn’t seem like an accident. I was plainly visible underneath the street lamp. I don’t know why anybody would want to target me, but maybe this is a case of mistaken identity. It could also be that somebody was drinking under the influence and was stupid enough to get behind the wheel.” I had woken up in the care of medical practitioners with wounds that had me on a morphine drip.
“The Dr. was in when you were sleeping and I convinced him to tell me what your condition is. You have three bruised ribs and a bump on the back of your head they are monitoring closely. You also have some superficial cuts and bruises that you’re going to feel for the next few days. I will understand that you won’t be able to help me in my quest to become a bad ass.” He was baiting me and there was no way that I could pass up the chance to put my own mark on his body.
“They will release me tomorrow morning and I will be at your door when I find somebody to take me home. I have my portfolio digitally recorded in the cloud. I only need a computer and I can show you some of my thoughts when it concerns the artwork that I want to make permanent on your body.” He smiled knowingly and lifted the black laptop case that he had taken from my residence.
His dark hair went down past his shoulders and long hair was a prerequisite in his line of work. This man didn’t know how to stand still in one spot for very long. He always seemed to have this excess energy that made him a night owl.
“I thought you might say something like that and I came prepared.” He was wearing a black leather vest and I was always excited by the feel and look of leather.
It was a good thing he couldn’t see underneath the sheet. I was rubbing my thighs together hoping to relieve the itch that I couldn’t scratch alone.
He had broken into my house. I had a fascination for whether or not he had taken a few moments to rummage through my underwear drawer.
“I hope you didn’t go into my bedroom. There are some things that are better left unsaid and unseen. I have some naughty attire and toys that might corrupt an impressionable mind like yours.” It was fun to manipulate his emotions and give him a reason to blush two shades of red.
“I would think you would know me better than that. I admit my curiosity almost got the best of me, but I would never go into your bedroom without your permission.” The Johnny gown was sticking to my skin from the heat generated from being in close proximity to the man of my dreams.
“Let me think. We should both put on our thinking caps. What possible activity would make me give you permission to come into my bedroom? Could it be that I would want you to move some furniture around for me? No…that’s not it. Why don’t you tell me and then both of us will know.” I was putting him on the spot and enjoying the way that he was squirming and pulling at his collar.
“Ahem, it’s not fair to play with me like a cat does with a mouse. You are enjoying yourself a little bit too much, but that does tell me that you are feeling better. The formal report is that it was a hit and run driver. There are no skid marks at the scene to indicate they tried to stop. They might have been on the phone. Who else might have been guilty of doing something like that?” I had toned down my behavior of text messaging and driving at the same time.
“I’m still a little guilty of doing that, but I’m trying to curb that behavior. Your explicit photo shoot put the fear of God into me. I can’t even close my eyes without seeing all the blood and pieces of victims lying on the road after an accident.” He had taken it upon himself to show me examples of people who had been using their phone and driving.
The senseless death haunted me and gave me a reason to change my ways. I didn’t want my tombstone to read that I had given my life because I couldn’t put down my phone. I also didn’t want to be responsible for somebody else’s demise because of my negligence.
“I know that you have made a conscious effort and that’s more than some people can say.” He was immersing himself in his new assignment with this scruff of beard that made him look rough and ready for anything.
“You might want to consider keeping this look after the assignment is over. I can’t speak for other women, but that look puts me in the mood like no recording of Tom Jones.” The flicker of a flame was spreading along my lower extremities and it wouldn’t take much to turn it into a blazing inferno.
“The leader of the biker gang is a woman. She’s not some dainty little flower that goes to PTA meetings. She’s deadly and she fights dirty making her unpredictable. Others have tried to infiltrate her organization and have never been heard from again. This one’s personal for me and I’m not going to rest until I put the handcuffs on her wrists.” I could only hope his choice of phrase wasn’t a sexual euphemism.
“I will make you look like you recently stepped out of a jail cell. It will take my mind off of this nagging suspicion about the accident. I don’t want to believe it, but it feels like somebody is coming after me for something I don’t even know I did.” I moved and cringed slightly from the bandages cutting off my circulation around my waist.
“You mentioned something about showing me some designs.” My laptop was on my lap and I began to peruse the files pertaining to my designs.
Word of mouth had made me a growing concern in the community. I could make my artwork seem like it came to life. It was one of my gifts and I took that responsibility very seriously. I didn’t want somebody to wake up in the very near future and regret having the work done. I stressed vehemently that they should never put a loved one’s name on their body unless it was a child’s name.
I could incorporate something unique with birthdates and initials. People got one look at my work and their tongues would drop to the floor in admiration. I felt that my high standards gave those that considered themselves artists a kick in the pants.
“I always find myself up late at night when my creative juices are boiling inside me. These are a few of my latest creations and I pride myself on providing nothing that is mass produced.” He tucked my blanket up to my neck and briefly grazed my nipples causing me to shiver in place.
“This one reminds me of the characters bat on a certain television show we watch religiously. I would like to make a suggestion. The bat with the barbed wire should have drops of blood with the names of the characters written in bold black ink inside the droplets.” He did have a good idea, but I could do him one better.
“It would take some work, but I think I could actually emblazon their likeness in the blood. It would definitely be a conversation starter.” We were bouncing ideas off one another and improving on my designs.
“I’m not sure these people would understand the symbolism. A screaming eagle with a man’s skull with the skin falling off the bone in its teeth would be perfect on my chest. I want the depiction of some kind of cross on my back.” I was basking in his words and finding this distraction better than the heavy drugs I was on.
“A cross is normal by everyday standards. We could have a hangman’s noose on either side of the cross. I’m seeing a black shadow with the backdrop of the 10 commandments.” His hand was squeezing my knee in his excitement and I was feeding the sexual beast inside of me by thinking of the naughty things we could be doing together.
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything. I came by to make sure that my favorite hostess is not going to be out of work for too long. I also wanted to drop off these flowers to give you the encouragement for a speedy recovery.” Conner Morris was the owner and chef of the restaurant.
“You know that you can’t keep a good woman down for long. There’s no reason to get excited. I will be back by Monday at the latest. I hope having Tammy doing double duty hasn’t been an inconvenience. I would hate to think that my accident could turn your world upside down.” I was being a little ingenuous, but I felt that it was in bad taste for him to think that I would jump back into the deep end at his earliest convenience.
“There’s no rush and it’s not like I’m going to replace you with someone else. Do me a favor and listen to the doctors. They don’t need you playing backseat driver with your prognosis. The Internet isn’t always your friend.” I did have a bad opinion of the medical trade and tried to avoid getting caught in the insurance trap.
“You didn’t have to go to these lengths to tell me you care. Flowers have never been my style unless they are edible.” He produced a bouquet of fresh fruit cut into designs from behind his back drizzled in chocolate.
“This should show you that I do listen when you talk. I won’t keep you and it looks like you have other things on your mind. Is he helping you with his…bedside manner? I’m guessing this is the one you have been raving about at work.” I didn’t know that I was that transparent, but I did tell anybody that would listen about how much Blaine meant to me.
“My ears are burning. What exactly has she been saying about me behind my back? Inquiring minds want to know.” He hadn’t released his grip on my knee and I didn’t want him to.
“I’ve said too much and I’ve already put my foot in my mouth. I hope I didn’t cause any problems. I feel like a damn fool for even saying anything at all.” He was stumbling over his words, but I assured him without saying anything that he didn’t do anything wrong.
“You probably don’t know this, but your boss has a secret crush on you. I know how men think and he didn’t come here with pure motives.” I hadn’t thought about it, but he did seem a little more open to my suggestions than other employers in the past.
“I’m sure it’s only because he’s going through a nasty divorce. He’s probably looking for any kind of outlet to satisfy his urges. You men are so typical that I can set my watch to your insatiable appetite.” He removed his hand as if he finally realized that he was doing something untoward.
It was going to be very interesting to see his reaction when I got him in the chair. I was going to get out of this hospital by forcing myself to be less than a model patient. They were going to want to get rid of me as soon as humanly possible.