Chapter 5
“The days begin to blur”
Lilly
The next week and a half seems to come and go like a flash. Everyone is busy and working over, which isn’t really a bad thing. The new hire starts tomorrow which will help out here and there since he is only part time. So this morning I spent getting all his paperwork in line so he just has to come in and fill out some stuff later on today. His name is Tony and he has been tattooing for many years. His wife has a great job and their kids are starting college so he is picking up some more work because they want to be able to pay the whole tuition for both of their kids. When I talked to him on the phone he seemed really nice plus everyone here swears by him. Apparently he has tattooed some famous people so he obviously does great work, and that means he also brings some of his loyal people into our shop. Shane and Sill are getting his work station completely stocked and ready to go for tomorrow too. At this point we are comfortably maxed out for space in this building now, and that was a goal we had when we opened this place.
“Hey, Sill is running out to get us lunch. What do you guys want?” Jenny stands in the hallway between my office and Dylan’s with a tablet and a pen when he comes up behind her. “I’ll take the Buffalo Chicken Sandwich and fries.” He tells her and she writes it down then looks to me. “That sounds really good, just make it two of that.” I tell her as I pull out some cash and stand up to hand it over. “I got it.” Dylan says as he tosses down a hundred dollar bill on the notepad and smiles at us before turning to go back and set up for his next appointment. “Thank you!” We both say in unison as Jenny starts to go back down the hallway. “Yep.” He replies as he pulls out jewelry options for a bellybutton piercing.
“You didn’t have to do that.” I say as I lean on his doorway. “I know, but I wanted to.” He looks up at me and smiles which almost has me wanting to jump in the chair and have him pierce me next just for another minute with him. “Your next ones here, Dylan.” Sill speaks over the intercom. “Send her back.” He tells him as a small ping of jealousy hits me. “Well, thank you again.” I say before I turn to go back to my office and this time I close my door. Just seeing the freshly grown stubble on his face that makes him look even more rugged and for the past two days it’s secretly driving me insane. He is just the picture of sultry masculinity and ever since the night he walked me home I have these feelings starting for him that are burning a hole inside of me. My heart beats erratically, my stomach does flips, and the temperature rises from my core. Every time this man is around me. So needless to say that my original plan to push him away so there wouldn’t be any desire beyond a simple friendship was a complete fail. On my part anyways. He seems to be okay with it though, we still flirt back and forth like crazy, but we never address the actual attraction at all, and maybe we never will. Granted it’s only been a little over a week and a half, but in my defense, we are around each other practically all day and across the hall from one another at that. So I guess he will just torcher my existence for the rest of my life, because the reality of it though is that he’s probably just a player at heart and this is what he does with all the girls. Winks, compliments, stares with occasional silence that practically feels dirty at some moments throughout the day to the point that I feel as if we should be ashamed. All of that might not be only for me, but maybe he does it anytime he is around a single woman. Who knows?
What I do know is that he has come up behind me at the coffee pot and told me good morning as if we just rolled out of bed. Or when he stops by my office and talks about anything that could strike up a long conversation, like traveling, and the places we both have been. Which in turn ends up with us talking of the places we would like to visit one day, like the Grand Canyon or hidden waterfalls. The last one was my idea, but he agreed that it would be fun as long as I didn’t go alone. Regardless, my point is that every time we do talk it’s just different than a normal conversation I would have with a friend. There’s just more to it. I feel it.
I take in much needed oxygen and let go. Things need to change. I need to focus on starting my life and when I told my brother the other day that it was time for me to go look for an apartment of my own he was excited for me. Plus I’m pretty sure he is beyond ready for me to move out anyway. He’ll never admit it because he has been acting as a parent more than a brother but I know I’ve held him back.
As I sit down and go on the computer I begin to think of where I would want to live. Some place close so I don’t have to drive, since I still have to get a car, but that leaves a few choice places to pick from.
I use the starting point as A&I and check for the closest ones first. A two bedroom on the top floor just two blocks over looks nice, but no laundry hook up. This means I have to make time to go to the laundry mat, and lug it up and down the stairs… no thanks! Next is a one bedroom with an office that’s right down past Vinnie’s, not a bad walk to work. It’s on the first floor, but doesn’t say anything about a laundry room. So I send this one to the printer so I can put it in the pile of possibilities.
After a few more in the pile I switch to look at houses for rent when my door opens. “Lunch is here.” Jenny says as she opens the door but continues on her way to the kitchen. With the smell wafting down the hall so that everyone walks back like zombies to go eat. With a few grunts and elbows thrown for walking to slow we all fill in around the table. It’s a tight fit with Shane’s friend eating here with us since they are in the middle of a piece on his arm, but this is a family type place so we tend to feed our clients from time to time, especially when they are spending a lot of time in the chair.
Jenny hands out all the orders and takes her seat right next to me. The first few minutes are silent because food doesn’t usually stand a chance around here, but after a couple minutes Jenny lightly elbows me. “Hey, my last appointment had to reschedule tonight, so do you want to get started?” I feel excitement pound in my chest. “Heck yeah I do!” I reply as the men at the table look to us. “About time!” Sill adds. “Oh I’m sticking around to see this!” Shane announces in between bites. When I get this feeling to look at Dylan he doesn’t say anything, he only grins and it instantly makes me feel things before Jenny elbows me harder this time. “You should probably go put something comfortable on and then come back down and be in my chair probably around four o’clock. Are we still going to do what we originally talked about?” She asks me. “Yep, I haven’t changed my mind.” I reply then take a drink. “Good, this is going to be fun!” A smile lights up her face and I have to admit she is a little too happy about inflicting pain on her best friend.
Lunch ends rather quickly and everyone clears out for either a smoke break or just some fresh air, while I make sure everything is cleaned up and tie the garbage bag then head to the back door. When I get to the small dumpster I toss it in and turn around only to hit a brick wall. After I take a step back, I realize that the so called brick wall was Dylan’s chest.
“You could have at least warned me you were there.” I say as I move around him to get out of the bright sun. He walks over to lean against the actual wall by the back door. “Sorry, I was listening to my voicemail when you came out, then I was going to help you but you turned around really fast.” “You’re like a ninja, I didn’t even see you.” I reply as I lean back against the wall next to him and he chuckles. “Military training I guess.” He replies. “Well the training worked.” After a moment of him scrolling through his phone he shuts it off and sticks in it his pocket then pushes off the wall. “So you nervous about later?” His deep voice and intense stare solely focused on me now. Feeling a little anxious at the moment because it’s just him and I out here, I answer. “A little.” A lot really, but I can’t admit that to anyone. “I’ll sit with you in between my appointments if you want. You can squeeze my hand.” He offers sweetly as my heart is about to pound out of my chest. “Oh god, it’s going to hurt that bad?” I catch myself ask in almost a panic and he laughs while looking down at me. “Relax; you will be fine, okay? It will hurt in some places more than others, but you can handle it.” “That’s not helping.” I tell him as I reconsider my decision for the location of this tattoo. He holds his hands up in surrender as I take note of all the ink he has all over is arms. “Okay, okay. Are you willing to let me show you something?” He asks apologetically. “Yeah, I guess.” I answer because I’d like to think I can trust him. Everyone else does, right. So I guess I do too.
Oddly he looks around the back alley and then checks his phone for the time first. “Okay, go to your office and wait for me, I’ll be there in a few minutes and maybe I’ll ease your mind about later. Can you do that?” The fucking temperature just rose to about 150 degrees all of the sudden and I literally can’t even reply. So I just nod then turn around and head back inside.
I look around to see who is where, like I’m about to do something illegal, and when I get to my office I begin to feel a little better. How can this man do this to me with just a two minute conversation? I obviously need something to calm me down. A few deep breaths later and I’m back to being me…mostly. I can handle him; it’s not like something crazy is going to happen, right?
My phone goes off from a text message from Everly which makes me jump. She wants to come visit next week and tell me about her new job. My reply back is a message telling her to pick a day because for the most part I’m flexible. When I sit the phone back down I see Dylan walking into my office and closing the door behind him. Here we go again.
“Come here Lilly.” He demands as he stands in the middle of the room and crooks his finger to me. I can’t help but smile a little bit because he is so damn sexy as he calls for me. When I get to him we are facing each other and he takes a step closer. I hope he can’t see my nervousness, oh fuck, who am I kidding, it’s written across my damn face I’m sure. The serious look on his face has me a little curious as his hand comes up to my hair and moves it back off my shoulder. “Look at me, and listen.” His words are caring but firm and I do exactly what he asks of me. “Your first tattoo can be a little intimidating, but I promise you, it will be okay.” His eyes stare straight in mine and hold me in almost a trance. Oddly enough however his voice seems to calm me down. “It’s going to be on this side right?” His hand goes down to touch my left side and I nod. “Okay, so this is easy, stay with me on this.” He says with a grin this time and I swear I could melt right here, but instead I just agree. “Okay, I’m listening.” I tell him which seems to make him happy. “Good, I’m pretty sure you’ll find this helpful.” He says in a lower and almost dirty voice. Which in turn begins to make me a little excited.
Then I feel his hand lift my black shirt above my hip and his hand softly touches my bare skin, but his eyes never leave mine. “Okay” He pauses then continues. “Right here, it’s really sensitive.” As he slides his fingers gently across the bottom of my ribs I feel my breath catch. “Then right here is a little more bearable.” His fingers slide down the side of my waist so terribly slow and I find myself holding onto his shirt for stability. “But when you get to here.” His grip gets tight on my hip bone and I gasp a little but I can’t look away from his eyes. “You might need to take a break.” Needing strength I rest my arms on his shoulders and he pulls me in a little tighter. His breath smells like mint and as he leans in the stubble on his chin rubs my cheek. “But when you get to here.” His hand slides over my jeans and down my thigh. “It isn’t so bad anymore.” His hand goes around to the back of my thigh right under my ass as his fingers dig in and lift, which pulls me in really tight against him. I can feel everything…his heart beating super-fast, his breathing a little shaky and his muscles flex. His large body envelopes me while my hands connect behind his neck. Our hearts are pounding in unison as I wait for his next move.
When his lips land on my neck I feel tingles go through me inside. Like tiny fireworks going off at every nerve ending. So I slightly tilt my head to allow him more. Instead his mouth comes up to my ear. “But I have a secret to tell you.” He whispers his hot breath on my skin and I try my very best not to lose it right here and now. “Do you want to hear it?” I can hear the cockiness in his words and he damn well knows what he is doing to me. “Maybe?” I counter back playfully which earns me a little bite this time to my neck and I love the way it feels. “Oh you’ll want to hear this one, Lils, trust me.” If he only knew how much I’d give to know what he is going to tell me. “You ready?” He asks. “Tell me, please.” I almost beg and he chuckles. “Okay, here it goes.” He says as his other hand comes up to hold the side of my head to keep it from tilting too far. “You will be addicted after the first time is over. In fact, you’ll be planning on getting more before it’s even finished. And that I promise you.” He finished with one more kiss to my neck as he takes a step back and looks at me. I briefly notice his shaky hands before he puts them in his pockets, while I try my best to not fall into pieces.
With a half crooked smile he looks at me while I take a hand and fix my hair back to cover my neck since I suddenly feel exposed. “Well do you feel better?” Genuine concern, or searching for a dirty confession I wonder. Nonetheless I truthfully answer because let’s be honest here…he already knows the answer. “I do actually.” I reply with a smile and a flushed face I’m sure. “Good, I’m glad.” He seems slightly relieved before we hear Sill tell him through the intercom that his next appointment is here. “Back to work I guess.” He says as he opens the door and for the first time closes it before he leaves. As I stand here wondering if he meant that the tattoos will be addictive or his touch, because honestly as of right now I want more of him for certain and I am absolutely clueless as to how this is going to work.
With my emotions all over the place right now I do know one thing for certain and that is the fact that I am so totally fucked right now.
With my best efforts I pull my thoughts together to get everything ready for Tony on a clip board and set in on my desk for when he gets here. Then I grab my purse and make my way quickly past the front and out the doors so I can go change into something more comfortable for my time with Jenny. Luckily for me I sneak past mostly unnoticed, since I had to tell Sill where I was in case Tony comes in sooner than expected.
Behind my bedroom door I finally let it all out. “What the hell am I going to do now?” I say to myself as waves of emotions crash into me while I search my drawers for a pair of loose pajama pants. Not even really caring I grab the ones with a Halloween theme on them of pumpkins and witch hats and slide them on because if ink gets on these it’s no big deal. It’s when I look in the mirror that I see myself and suddenly without notice tears spill from my eyes. It has nothing to do with my clothes, or the fact that I’m finally getting a tribute tattoo for my parents today. However, it has everything to do with me feeling so lost that even if I had a map in my hand with a big red arrow and an X, I don’t think I would know where to go. Man I just wish I could have one more conversation with my mom, just one.
As I push through the longing I begin to sort out everything that is racing through my head. Sadly Brandon the Ex Asshole was all I’ve ever known, and this new urge for Dylan isn’t getting any easier to control. It’s wrong and yet exciting. Probably a horrible idea to pursue, but I just can’t shake him. Seeing him every day only makes it worse and now add that to knowing what it’s like to be touched by him… I’m a wreck.