Going Inksane (Nice Ink Book 1)

by Trish Edmisten

  Ned returned to the refrigerator to retrieve a bottle of water. As soon as he set it in front of me, the microwave went off. Taking a plate from inside of it, he carefully removed the plastic covering and tossed it into the trash. Steam rose from the plate he laid before me, and my eyes widened at the offering; chicken breast, mixed vegetables and rice.

  “Let me just get you some silverware,” Ned said.

  Moments later, I had a knife and fork in my hand. Though it felt a little weird to be eating while he stood opposite me just watching, I was hungry enough to get over it.

  “Damn,” I moaned after I’d taken my first bite. “This is really good.”

  Ned beamed at me. “It’s my honey glazed chicken which goes perfectly with the lemon rice.”

  I took a bite of the rice and gave him an enthusiastic nod as I swallowed. “Yep, it’s perfect.”

  Just like he was. Every day, as he ticked off another box in my list of traits I wanted in my ideal partner, I fell a little more in love with him.

  “Tell me about your day,” I suggested.

  Ned smiled before obliging. As I ate, he told me about everything from the patients he’d helped to the amazing homemade brownies one of the other nurses had brought in. She’d promised to get him the recipe, and I hoped I got the chance to try them out.

  I loved the way his eyes lit up when he talked about his job. It was clear being a nurse meant a lot to him. The patients were lucky to have him.

  When I was finished, I leaned back in my chair with a satisfied sigh. “That was amazing, baby. Thank you.”

  “I’m glad you liked it,” Ned said, reaching for my plate.

  “I can clean up since you cooked.”

  “Not this time.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “Not this time, huh?”

  “Nope, this time, all I want you to do is relax and let me take care of you.”

  I liked the sound of that. I couldn’t remember a time in my life someone else had taken care of me. Usually, I was the one taking care of everyone else. Something I’d been doing since Cooper and I were kids and I realized my parents weren’t going to do it.

  Even the guys I’d dated in the past were more interested in being taken care of than the other way around.

  “Did you want some dessert?” Ned asked. “I have cheesecake.”

  “You made cheesecake?”

  “I can make cheesecake, but I bought this one.”

  “I love cheesecake.”

  “Does that mean you want a piece?”

  “Maybe later. I’m too full right now.”

  “Okay, maybe later. That reminds me, are you in a hurry to get home tonight?”

  I grinned. “That depends. Are you in a hurry to get rid of me?”

  “I didn’t know if you needed to be home at a certain time to take care of Daisy.”

  “I can always call Cooper to do that.”

  “You should do that,” Ned said and took a deep breath. “Maybe see if he can take her overnight. Is that a thing?”

  “Yeah, he can do that, but we don’t have to rush into anything.”

  “We’ve been seeing each other almost a month. That’s not really rushing.”

  “It is if you’re not ready for anything physical.”

  “I wouldn’t have asked if I wasn’t,” Ned assured me. Leaning across the counter, he pressed a kiss to my lips. “Now, call your brother before it gets too late.”

  I dragged out the kiss so long that we were both a little breathless by the time he pulled back.

  Once I didn’t sound like I’d been running a marathon, or having a marathon make out session, I took my phone from my pocket and called Cooper. As I listened to it ringing, I willed that little bastard to answer. If I missed the chance to spend the night with Ned, I was going to kick Cooper’s silver haired ass.

  Lucky for him, he answered. “Please tell me I don’t have to come get your drunk ass from the bar,” he whined; actually fucking whined.

  “Wow, I can feel the love, Coop.”

  “It’s late and I’m tired.”

  “Get un-tired because I need a favor.”

  “What kind of favor?”

  “I need you to head over to my place and take Daisy for the night.”

  “Why? Are you in jail?”

  “Yes, Cooper, I’m in jail,” I answered, rolling my eyes.

  “If you’re not in jail and you’re not out drunk somewhere, where are you?” Before I could answer, he let out a gleeful cackle. “You’re at Ned’s aren’t you? You are, and you need me to pick up your dog so you can get some.”

  “Just go get my dog, asshole.”

  “Not until you admit you need me to pull off your Daft Punk act.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?”

  “Seriously,” Cooper huffed. “You know, Get Lucky, the song by Daft Punk.”

  “Nope, still don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lied.

  Now that he’d explained it, I knew what he meant, but I liked messing with the kid.

  “You are so uncultured,” Cooper said, sounding pained.

  I laughed. “You mean because Daft Punk is so cultured.”

  “Pop culture is a thing, dumb ass,” Cooper retorted.

  “I’ve gotta go. I’ll pick up my dog in the morning.”

  “Not too early in the morning. I need my beauty sleep.”

  “Yeah, you do,” I joked.

  “Go fuck—”

  I tapped the end call button before Cooper could go on another rant. No doubt I was going to hear about that tomorrow, but I didn’t care.

  “Everything all set?”

  “Yep, Cooper’s gonna take Daisy for the night.”

  “Great,” Ned said, giving me a slow smile. “Then what do you say we move this party into the bedroom so I can give you one of my famous massages?”

  “I definitely won’t say no to that.”

  When I got to my feet, Ned came from the other side of the island to take my hand. With our fingers linked, he led me down the hall.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ned

  Heath was the first man I’d brought into my home, my bedroom, but I wasn’t afraid of him. Yes, he was bigger and stronger than me, but I knew he wouldn’t hurt me.

  “That painting is amazing,” Heath said.

  The painting he meant was hanging over my bed. It was a rustic scene of an old farmhouse surrounded by rolling green hills.

  “Would you believe I got that in a thrift store for ten bucks?”

  “You’re kidding.”

  Heath moved in for a closer look. If he was any other guy, I would have thought that was just a ploy to get closer to my bed, but an artist like him probably appreciated it more than I did.

  “You got a good deal,” Heath said as he surveyed the canvas. “You don’t really notice it until you get a good look, but there’s more than one shade of green in here that the artist did a good job of blending.”

  “You’re right. I’ve never paid attention to that,” I admitted. “I just like the way it makes me feel when I look at it.”

  Heath turned toward me. “And how’s that?”

  “Peaceful, like I can actually feel the sunlight on my face.”

  “That’s what good art does. It makes you feel.”

  “Do you paint?”

  “No, I just draw.”

  “You say that like it’s no big deal. I can’t even draw a stick figure.”

  Heath laughed. “I’m sure you’re not that bad.”

  “Let’s just put it this way. I’m always the last one my brothers choose for their teams when we play Pictionary.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “It’s nice that I’m picked last?” I huffed, though I didn’t think that’s what he meant.

  “No.” Heath smiled. “It’s nice that you and your brothers grew up doing stuff like that.”

  “What do you mean we grew up doing it? We still do it.”

  We were a
competitive bunch too. Though we had never actually come to blows, things did get pretty loud at times. Even Oliver, who looked every bit the unassuming twink, turned vicious when you put a marker in his hand and put him in front of a flip chart.

  “I realize now is probably the wrong time to think about this, but I don’t have a toothbrush or any clean clothes,” Heath pointed out.

  “The toothbrush I can help you with, but you’re on your own with the clothes. Nothing I have will fit you.”

  “I guess I’m wearing dirty clothes home then.”

  “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

  “Not a chance,” Heath said, stepping closer to me.

  Heath slid his arms around my waist and pulled me to him. My eyes closed in anticipation as he lowered his head toward mine. The first press of his lips was gentle, an assurance that he wouldn’t hurt me. When I opened, he accepted it for the invitation it was, slipping his tongue alongside mine. As the kiss deepened, the heat ramped up.

  With no space between our bodies, I could feel the hard length of his cock pressed against my thigh. My own cock responded in kind. Whining into his mouth, I tightened my hold on him, marveling at the feel of his muscular body.

  I grabbed his T-shirt at either side of his waist and tugged. Taking the hint, Heath broke the kiss, stepping back to whip the shirt over his head.

  My eyes nearly bugged out of my head at the sight of his naked torso. The owl tattoo that I had admired on our first date was so much more than I’d expected. Instead of just the face, it was the entire bird. Its wings stretched across his rounded pecs with the bird’s talons wrapped around a branch that spanned the length of his torso, resting just below his ribs.

  Barbells were the answer to my question of what kind of nipple piercings he had.

  Heath’s stomach was void of any ink, showing off a set of washboard abs that I wanted to explore with my tongue. His hip flexors formed a perfect V, and there was a treasure trail of dark blond hair that began beneath his belly button and disappeared into the waistband of his low rise jeans.

  The man wasn’t even fully undressed and he was gorgeous. I could seriously spend the entire night just looking at him and not be bored. I had never been with someone whose body was such a stunning work of art. The closest I’d gotten was my well worn BluRays of both Magic Mike movies.

  “I believe I promised you a massage,” I said, aware of how breathy my voice sounded.

  I expected him to ask if I was sure, but he just gave me a feral grin. One that promised all the wickedly delicious things I could handle.

  “Should I take these off?” Heath asked, gripping the button of his jeans.

  “And your shoes and socks too,” I agreed.

  Heath toed off his tennis shoes first. When he leaned over to pull off his socks, I got a closer look at his broad back. A large orange and black tiger, set in what looked like a jungle scene, took up most of his back.

  I would have been disappointed not to be able to study it longer when he stood up, but I would get my chance. I was more interested in what came next.

  Wasting no time, Heath unbuttoned and unzipped his jeans. As he slid them down, I tried not to stare at the man’s dick, but I couldn’t help it. The thing was massive, barely contained in the tight, black bikini briefs he wore, and it didn’t even look like it had reached full hardness. Normally, I was partial to a pair of form fitting boxer briefs, but as I looked at those tiny underwear, I decided I’d been on the wrong side of the boxers or briefs debate my entire life.

  I had also been wrong in thinking that combining the two had been the greatest achievement in men’s underwear history. Those briefs Heath wore could turn a saint into a sinner.

  It was no surprise Heath’s massive thighs were covered in tattoos. Most of his body was inked, including his shins and calves. I wondered if his dick was too, but I wasn’t going to ask. I would wait and see for myself.

  “Now what, baby?” Heath asked.

  I swallowed. “Lie on your stomach, and I’ll be right back.”

  While Heath moved toward my bed, I darted into the bathroom to get the massage oil. This brand had a sweet almond scent and was light and silky without being greasy so that it wouldn’t ruin my sheets.

  Oil in hand, I returned to my bedroom, nearly gasping at the sight of Heath stretched out on his stomach like an offering to the gods of sexy. If those gods did exist, I owed them a huge debt for making such a beautiful man and putting him in my bed.

  Speaking of gods, oh my god, that ass. I had admired it many, many times in the last month, but this was the first time I’d gotten such a good look. The clothes he wore did not do it justice. Oh, they didn’t make it look bad or anything, they just didn’t paint the picture of its true perfection like those black briefs did.

  Heath’s ass was high and firm and meaty and probably tattooed. I wondered if that would be a good thing or bad thing. Would the tattoos highlight the sexy merchandise or detract from its beauty? What was I saying? Nothing in the world could make that ass look anything but a-maz-ing.

  “Are you gonna stand there staring all night, baby, or come over here and put your hands all over me?” Heath turned his head to give me a sultry smile.

  “Sorry,” I said and got my feet in motion. “I got distracted by all the sexy.”

  Heath’s answering chuckle was both warm and dark. “Thank you, but you’re the sexy one.”

  “Me?” I asked.

  Most people thought I was more like the boy next door. I looked the part of the sweet and safe boy that I was. No one had ever said I was sexy.

  “Yes, you,” Heath insisted, and I could tell he believed what he was saying.

  “Thank you. Is it okay if I straddle your lower back?”

  “Is that really a question?”

  Smiling, I shook my head as I climbed into bed. When I settled on top of him, my ass resting on his, he let out a groan.

  “Oh my God, am I too heavy?”

  “No, you’re perfect. You feel really good up there.”

  “If you’re sure.”

  “I’m sure. Do your thing, baby.”

  Flipping the cap of the oil open, I poured a small amount into my hand before closing it. Being careful not to spill what I held, I leaned over and placed the oil on the nightstand. When I rested against Heath once again, I rubbed the oil between my hands.

  Once it was warm, I placed my hands on his shoulders and began kneading the tension away.

  Heath groaned. “Damn, that feels good, baby.”

  “And it only gets better.”

  “I can’t wait.”

  As I worked, I studied the artwork on his back. The colors of the tiger were vivid. Some tigers looked regal. Others looked dangerous. This one was both, kind of like Heath himself.

  “Did you draw this tiger?”

  “Yeah, I drew most of the artwork I have, but each of the guys have done some too.”

  “Who did the owl?”

  “X.”

  “I like it.”

  “I’ll tell him.”

  “How did you and X meet?”

  “We grew up together.”

  “And you both became artists? That’s weird.”

  “Not really. It was our mutual love of drawing that brought us together. It was funny because when we first met, we were trying to hide our shitty home lives from each other because we were embarrassed.” Heath snorted. “Didn’t take long for us to figure out we were two peas in the same fucked up pod.”

  “Did you guys ever date?”

  “Nah, we kissed once when we were teenagers. Gary caught us and that’s how my parents found out I was gay.”

  I wasn’t sure how I felt about Heath and his best friend having that kind of history. It didn’t seem right to be jealous of a man who’d given Heath one teenaged kiss. If anything, I should be grateful his friend had stuck by him.

  “That’s the only thing I ever felt like I should thank Gary for.”

  “Wh
at do you mean?”

  “X and I were never meant to be more than friends. Trying to force something that wasn’t there would have ruined that, and we wouldn’t be where we are today.”

  “I guess I don’t need to ask how your father reacted to finding out you’re gay.”

  “Let’s just say he wasn’t happy and leave it at that.”

  I cringed at the implication that his father had hurt him.

  “What did your brother draw for you?” I changed the subject.

  “There’s a pair of hands shaking on the inside of my right bicep and the words Brothers Never Let Go are around it.”

  “That’s really beautiful.”

  “Have you and your brothers ever thought about getting matching tattoos?”

  “No, and I have no idea why.”

  “I’d be honored to do them if you let me, no charge.”

  “I can’t make you work for free.”

  “You wouldn’t be making me.”

  “Okay, maybe someday then, when Roger and Kiel are off my shit list for what they pulled with you.”

  Heath chuckled. “Remind me never to piss you off.”

  “Never piss me off.”

  “I didn’t mean right now.”

  “I know what you meant.”

  The more I studied the tiger, the more it impressed me. I couldn’t imagine being able to draw something so detailed, let alone sitting through having it drilled into my skin. It must have taken ages to finish.

  “Tell me about what happened with your mom today.”

  I’d thought about letting it go, but he needed to talk about it and get it out of his system. Hopefully, now that he was relaxed, it would be a little easier for him.

  Heath sighed, nearly dislodging me from his back. “Same thing that always happens. She came into the shop demanding to see me or Cooper and when Damian told her no, she started shouting. When I went up front so he didn’t have to deal with her, she asked me for money. I told her no and she went from playing nice to calling me a worthless cock sucker.”

  I frowned. “Are you kidding?”

  “Nope, and that’s not the worst thing she’s ever called me.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “I’m not, not anymore at least. When I was a kid, I wondered what was wrong with me and why I wasn’t good enough for her and Gary,” Heath admitted. “After Cooper came along and I saw them treating him the same way, I realized it wasn’t us. It was them. They were shitty parents.”