I COULDN’T BELIEVE I WAS going to spend tonight with Bishop. Well, not spend the night, but it was way past evening, so I wasn’t sure what else to call it. I locked up the shop, still marveling that Fabienne had given me a key on my first day, and readjusted my bag over my shoulder.
Bishop had a valid point. I hadn’t thought about how I’d be getting home after work on the nights I worked the late shift. As I knew all too well, me walking through the French Quarter by myself wasn’t always the smartest move. But as I walked into the front door of Voodoo, and both Bishop and his client looked at me, I wondered if this was an even dumber move.
As Bishop already knew, my experience level wasn’t exactly advanced, and I had no idea what he expected tonight.
“Hi.” My voice wavered only marginally as I called the greeting. “Do you want me to just—”
My words were cut off as the door chimed behind me and clicking heels hit the floor.
“Hey, baby. You got time for me tonight? I want ink and cock, but I’d take just cock if you ain’t got time for the other.”
I spun around at the slurred, smoky voice to find a girl with bright red hair and almost no clothes on. Her body was ridiculous.
Is she a stripper? From the minuscule ripped tank and tiny little hot shorts to the towering six-inch clear stilettos, I didn’t feel my mental question was unfair.
Bishop’s tone was no-nonsense when he responded. “Out of luck on all counts, Star. Head on home.”
Her rough laugh followed. “You know you’re interested. Like you got better plans for later?”
Bishop’s face stayed expressionless. “You might want to get a cup of coffee on your way home too.”
The expression on her face morphed from smug and happy to harsh and downright ugly in a flash, and her attention turned to me.
“What? With this girl? Queen prim and proper? She do that schoolgirl-uniform shit and act like a naughty little slut for you? I know you like that kind of thing.”
The muscle in Bishop’s jaw ticked, but nothing else gave away what he was thinking. “The next time you need ink, you’re gonna have to find someone else because this shop no longer exists for you anymore.”
“You never did know a good thing when you had it. Fuck off, Bishop.” She turned on her giant heel and clipped her way out, slamming into my shoulder and pausing. “Slut, you won’t be able to keep him. No one can.”
When the door shut behind her, I turned to Bishop and mouthed a silent wow.
“Sorry about that, man,” he said to the customer first.
“No worries, dude. You don’t have to explain crazy to me. I’ve got an ex-wife who could give her a run for her money.”
“I’ll be back in a second.”
Bishop lowered the tattoo machine to the counter, snapped off a glove, and came toward me.
“What’d she say to you?”
I shook my head. “Not important.”
“What’d she say?”
“Do you mind if I go up and shower?”
Bishop’s hand landed under my chin, and he lifted my gaze to his. “What’d she say, Eden?”
“She called me a slut and told me I wouldn’t be able to keep you because no one could. That’s all. Moving on now.”
He didn’t move his hand, and the muscle in his jaw ticked again. “If Delilah were here, she’d track her down and kick her ass. Star’s drunk, probably hopped up on pills, and what she said was dead fucking wrong.”
I nodded. “I know. I’m not a slut.”
His expression softened. “That’s not all she was wrong about.”
My heart beat harder at the words and the possible implications.
“Go on upstairs and take a shower. I’ll be up in a little while.” Bishop lowered his hand from my chin and laced his fingers through mine. “Come on. The door is this way.”
He pulled me toward the back hallway of the shop and stopped before the door next to the employee break room. I’d assumed it opened to a closet or something, but when Bishop pulled it open, I realized I was wrong. Inside was a stairway leading up to a door.
“It’s unlocked. There should be a clean towel in the closet in the bathroom. You can grab a shirt out of my dresser if you don’t want to put your work clothes back on. Hell, you can even wash them if you want. Washer and dryer are up there too, in the big closet by the door.”
“Uh . . . okay. I’ll be good. Sorry to interrupt your work.”
“You’re not an interruption, cupcake. You’re a breath of fucking fresh air. Go on up. I’ll be done soon.”
With his words propelling me, I climbed the stairs as he shut the door behind me.
I stood in front of the shower, debating how tonight was going to go. I truly had no expectations, but something had changed between us. Bishop wasn’t the gruff, brusque, and nearly mute broody guy who I had a crush on anymore. Now he was looking at me like I mattered. Like this might not be all one-sided and mostly in my head.
What was I supposed to do with that?
I didn’t know how long I would be here, and I’d decided that was okay. Not knowing gave me some time to soak up all the adventures I could, but with it came a sense of urgency so I didn’t waste it.
The edges of my plan had frayed until it was in tatters. I wanted to stay. I wanted to be part of this little world I’d discovered. I liked the people and loved the city, even if I still got lost half the time.
And Bishop? What if this could be more than the dreams I had at night and the crush I nursed during the day? What if it could be real? I honestly didn’t have a clue how to have a real relationship.
That was something to worry about some other time. Like when I wasn’t about to get naked in Bishop’s apartment.
I’m getting naked in Bishop’s apartment. Holy shit.