Breaking Boundaries

by M. A. Lee

  I was placed on the couch in the front of the shop. Lauren handed me a water bottle someone had given her and I took a sip as I tried to sit up.

  “What happened?” I asked as I looked around the room and was aware, once more, everyone was staring at me.

  “You passed out while Smalls was working on my tattoo,” Lauren noted, showing me the small marking on her stomach. “He didn’t get to finish; you just fell down and passed out cold without warning.”

  Laughter appeared as a few people, who thought this was hilarious, walked around the room. I guess since I was alive they could go back to whatever they were doing before.

  “Thanks for carrying me to the couch.” I said, turning to Smalls who was now standing by Kat at the front desk.

  Offering me a strange look, Smalls just shook his head. “I didn’t carry you.” He said, pointing to a guy standing by the door. “He did.”

  My head turned to see a tall man with wavy blonde hair leaning against the doorframe. His body was built, thick from obvious hardcore gym time. His blue eyes were locked on Lauren who was crouched down by my side as I was still sprawled out on the couch. He smiled and waved as his eyes briefly left Lauren and looked at me.

  Suddenly, Lauren who was crouched by my side, now stood and began fixing her hair. I knew the look she was giving him as she pretended to ignore his presence. She wanted this guy.

  “Thanks.” I stated, humiliated at how stupid I must appear to these people.

  Adding in, Lauren walked over to where the guy was standing and held out her hand, introducing herself. “Thank you so much for helping my friend,” she flirted, batting her beautiful blue eyes at him.

  “No problem,” he stated, rubbing his jaw with his hand. “My name is Isaac,” he added before pushing himself off the doorframe and into Lauren’s personal space.

  Lauren, who didn’t seem to mind how close Isaac was to her now, smiled her perfect man eating smile. He didn’t stand a chance now against her charms. It had been over six months since Lauren and her last boyfriend of over a year had broken up. I knew it was time that she found her next beau, I just didn’t realize I would be the reason for this new fling.

  “Do you work here?” she asked, trying to gain more insight into this guy.

  “No,” he laughed, shaking his head. “Smalls and I grew up together. Every once in a while he will hook me up with a free tattoo or add more color to some of my older ones.”

  Lauren, who was not really into a guy covered in tattoos, began glancing up and down his body. I could see the conflict in her eyes as she wandered whether to continue her flirting or not. “I don’t see a lot of tattoos on you,” she said.

  Isaac’s eyes sparkled as he focused on Lauren. “I keep most of mine hidden,” he said in a dangerously sexy voice. “Maybe I can show you sometime.”

  Rolling my eyes, I knew Lauren was now pushed past her limit. This guy who was sexy, charming, and had a little bad boy in him, had just ignited something inside Lauren. I could see it on her face as she smiled up at him, her eyes dancing.

  “Well, it is nice to meet you, Isaac. My name is Lauren. And that,” she said pointing back to me, “Is my friend, Melanie. You really saved us. Maybe sometime you can show me your tattoo’s.” she added really pushing hard the damsel-in-distress act.

  “I am fine,” I interrupted, my tone bitchier than I had expected. The last thing I needed to do right now was listen to Lauren and this guy flirt. My head was killing me and I wanted to get back to our apartment and sleep, if nothing more than to forget this night had ever happened.

  “Great.” Smalls snapped as he motioned for Lauren. “You ready to finish that thing or what?” he asked as he turned and walked toward his room. He didn’t even stop to wait for her answer; I guess he didn’t care either way, since Lauren had paid in advance.

  “I guess I need to finish this,” Lauren giggled as she pulled the top layer of her jeans aside so Isaac could observe where her tattoo was supposed to be. Before making her way down the hall, she reached for his phone, which was tucked in his back jeans pocket. Lingering a little too long, she finally pulled the phone out and began typing her name and number into his contact list.

  Watching her closely, a deep smirk appeared across his face. He was obviously turned on and impressed by Lauren’s forwardness. Oh boy, he didn’t even know the half of it. His eyes gleamed with lust as he was captivated by every stroke of her fingers on his phone. When she was done, she slid the phone back inside his back pocket and sashayed down the hall. Turning and offering a slight wave, Lauren mustered the most seductive voice she could create. “Call me sometime.” Then she disappeared inside Smalls room.

  Rolling my eyes, I laughed to myself as Isaac lingered in the doorway a moment longer before walking over to Kat. In that moment, I noticed they shared several similarities. They both had the same hazelnut eyes and perky, thin nose.

  “Good job, little brother,” Kat mocked as she unwrapped a lollipop and began sucking. “You saved the princess.” So I was right, I exclaimed silently to myself. Other than the fact that Kat was a girl and had pink hair, she and Isaac could practically be twins. I was still musing over this idea as I heard the door chime again as someone else stepped inside the popular tattoo parlor.

  With his eyes still focused on the back room where Lauren was inevitably getting her tattoo, Isaac just nodded as a slight smile appeared on his face. “Hey Cole,” he stated, finally removing his glare from the invisible force that lured him to Lauren. Shoving himself off the counter, Isaac walked to where another man was walking through the door. They shook hands before moving back to the counter. I had finally pushed myself up so that I was now sitting up right. My head still hurt, but I was more conscious now of my surroundings.

  As I began to take in the two men, my breath faltered for a brief moment as I looked at the man who was addressed as Cole. He had black hair, black as coal, which seemed very fitting. His eyes were so dark, they appeared almost a charcoal gray and were a beautiful contrast to his creamy skin. His tight black tee shirt clung nicely to his stomach, which seemed to be toned but not six-pack toned. His jeans were hugging his hips, and when he leaned across the counter to grab a lollipop from Kat’s stash, his shirt slid up his back revealing a pair of red and white plaid boxers. He didn’t look anything like the other people waiting around the small shop. He had grease under his fingernails instead of ink and, from what little skin I did see of his, he didn’t appear to have any tattoo’s himself.

  Turning back around, he unwrapped the candy and placed the lollipop in his mouth. His smoldering eyes landed on mine and I saw a twinkle of mischief in them that made me want to explore him. As he began enjoying the treat, I discovered it was the most seductive thing I had ever witnessed in my life. I could feel my mouth hanging all the way down to my toes as I stared at this man who, without knowing it, was causing me to have a tiny heart attack. I pressed my lips together to keep my mouth from hanging open any further. Blinking a few times, I tried to compose myself. I wasn’t sure what was happening to me, but I had never had this type of reaction before to seeing another guy.

  His eyes bore into mine as he offered a slight smile. Nodding his head in my direction, he silently asked Isaac what was going on with the strange girl sitting on the couch.

  Taking the hint, Isaac offered a haughty laugh before spilling my secret. “Hey, this is... he stopped, obviously embarrassed that he had forgotten my name.

  “Sorry what is your name?” he asked as he rubbed the stubble against his sharp jaw.

  Inhaling sharply, I simply swallowed my pride as I reminded myself I was invisible. Of course he didn’t remember my name. I wasn’t wearing a tight shirt with a plunging neckline like Lauren had adorned, nor had I smothered him with lust and flirtatious behavior. “It’s ok, my name is Melanie. I mean Mel, my friends call me Mel.” I stumbled out as I felt nervous from Cole’s intense stare. I could hear myself slurring my words, it was as if I were drunk or high on h
is presence. “My friend Lauren is getting a tattoo, but I passed out at the first sign of the needle so I am just hanging out here until she’s done,” I continued to ramble on somehow unable to control my mouth. I wanted to reach up and smack myself to shut up.

  Cole laughed as he considered what I said. “So, you couldn’t take a little needle?” He joked, pointing his red sucker at me. He titled his head as he observed me, his eyes wide and full of a naughty twinkle. The small movement of his head sent heat racing through my body.

  I could feel my face flush as his gaze burned me, causing my face to go up in wild flames. I smoothed down my wavy, caramel hair, which had fallen over my shoulder. I was sinking even further into a hole of embarrassment as I watched the people in the room mocking me. To them, I was stiff and rigid. Someone who didn’t know how to have a good time. Someone who couldn’t handle a little pain and excitement. If only they knew how much I could really handle.

  Mustering the courage, I held up my middle finger and smiled. “I can handle more than you can,” I stated in a tone that exemplified courage, even though I was still trembling on the inside. “I am going to go check on my friend,” I added as I stood, a little too quickly. Before I knew it, I felt my knees give in and I was falling back toward the plush leather couch. As my body began to descend, I felt a pair of strong hands take hold of my arms and lift me upright again. The throbbing in my head had subsided just enough to let me think I was well enough to get up and move. Only that had proven to be a test that I had not passed.

  “Hold on,” Cole whispered as he slowly set me back down onto the couch. His hands were rough, calloused from obvious time spent on manual labor. My hands reached out, trying to balance myself as I felt Cole moving my body. My hand swept over a rough spot under his shirt and when he moved, his shirt climbed up his side revealing a light, thin scar. My eyes gazed at the mark as his sweet cologne invaded my senses and I made a mental note to remember that combination of vanilla and spice. Noticing me staring at the scar along his abdomen, Cole quickly pulled his shirt back down with one hand while he continued to sit me down with the other. I was embarrassed that I had kept my stare on his body too long. I closed my eyes for a brief moment, praying that when they opened, this would all have been a dream.

  “I am fine.” I stated a little too rudely.

  “Look, you don’t have to leave yet. Your friend is fine and you need to just relax. Sorry if we offended you.” He said, his eyes reflecting someone who sincerely felt sorry. Seeing this, I turned off my bitch attitude and allowed him to help me.

  “Thanks,” I mumbled as Kat brought me a water bottle. I took a sip of the cold liquid and leaned back, holding one hand to my head.

  “Here, take these,” she said as she handed me Tylenol. I took the pills and, again, thanked her.

  Cole sat on the couch beside me and began looking at my head. “You don’t look like you have a concussion.” He stated matter of fact like. “Looks like it will bruise though.”

  “Oh, yeah.” I could feel a small bump already beginning to rise as I felt the spot that was still throbbing.

  A few moments passed and no one spoke. The silence was killing me. “So, do you work here, too?” I asked, noticing each of the small rooms were occupied and Cole didn’t seem to have a place.

  Shaking his head, Cole smiled at me fondly. “No. I don’t work here. My best friend Isaac, the one hitting on your friend, he likes to come here and see our friend Smalls. Isaac gets a tattoo, a small one, once a year. Isaac is in college and works with his dad’s insurance company. I don’t get tattoo’s. He said, offering a slight smile.

  “He’s always hanging around here though,” Kat added as she listened in on our conversation. “He might as well work here though.”

  “What do you do?” I asked, a little too persistently.

  Cole laughed and smiled. “Man, you are hard core.” He joked. “I work at a local body shop. We work on my dream cars,” his eyes seemed to sparkle as he talked about this. “I hope to one day open my own body shop or garage.” He said, his voice drifting off.

  “What about you?” he asked, pointing the conversation back to me.

  “Oh. I work at a local literary publishing company called MEA Literary Agency. It is an independently owned company run by a family who has been in the business for over fifty years. They offered me a paid internship so I work there and go to school full time at the University of Kentucky.” I said all of this like it was normal for me to be sharing my life with a total stranger.

  “Cool.” He mused before he pulled out his phone and began texting someone.

  After another twenty minutes, Lauren finally appeared, her shirt flipped up revealing a bandage over the spot where her tattoo was now located. She smiled widely at Isaac as she flirted past him and over to me.

  “Are you ready?” She asked, helping me to stand. This time I didn’t falter and stood on my own.

  “Yes, please let’s get out of here.” I added as I followed her to the door. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Cole watching me as I walked away. Something about the way his eyes seemed to stalk my every movement made my stomach do a somersault. I knew that look. I knew that crazy feeling building deep inside my stomach. I had to get out of there and fast. I had promised myself only a year ago that I would never let someone give me that look again. Especially, someone like Cole. I knew his kind. He was a sweet talker, sexy, and with an edge. He was everything that I didn’t need or want again. After being burned by my ex-fiancé, Brody, I vowed never to fall for a bad guy again. And Cole, from what I could tell, was the definition of a bad boy.

  As we stepped out into the night air, I heard a slight rumble of thunder overhead. Electricity sliced through the sky as I was becoming aware of the changing in the atmosphere. A gust of wind blew my hair around like a cyclone as any hope I had for a calm evening vanished. My body began to shake as the same feeling of dread began to take over my body. Hearing the sound too, Lauren gave me a nervous glance as she quickly unlocked her Honda Accord and motioned for me to get inside the car. I wasn’t sure if I should take the thunder as a threat or a warning. Either way, nothing good ever came from a storm.

  3

  Three Years Earlier

  “Come on, Melanie. We are going to be late.” Checking his Rolex watch again, Brody paced around the kitchen, anxiously waiting for me. His perfect brown hair was styled neatly like it always was. Brody always dressed to impress. His Polo T-shirts were always ironed and matched his khaki pants.

  “I am hurrying,” I called as I stumbled into the kitchen, still putting on a shoe. Brody and I had been dating for six months and, already were inseparable.

  “I just don’t want to miss the movie,” he added, smiling sweetly at me as he chuckled. His brown eyes took in my flaws and only laughed. I loved that he accepted me just the way I was.

  Brody was the perfect boyfriend. He was always telling me how great I looked and how much he hated to be away from me. I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to have found him, he seemed like an angel sent straight from heaven. My parents and my friends all loved him too, which is, of course, how I knew he was a keeper.

  I walked over and kissed him on his cheek as I grabbed my purse. Holding my hand, Brody led me out to his new truck. I jumped in as he sat in the passenger seat and turned the key.

  We drove to the theater listening to a new light rock band Brody had discovered; they were ok, not really my taste in music, but I didn’t mind listening to it if it made Brody happy.

  I glanced over and watched Brody, his beautiful dark brown hair blowing in the wind as he kept his window rolled down. His brown eyes seemed to gleam in the sunlight reflecting from the mirror. He was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t imagine anyone treating me better than he did. I loved him, my first true love, and he loved me. I knew, no matter what, that nothing could break what we had.

  4

  Some people say the aftermath from a storm is far worse than the actual stor
m itself. You forget about that growing sense of dread that builds deep inside you as you anticipate what could unfold in its wrath. That at any moment the unforgiving swirling winds of a tornado could suck you into a dark and deep oblivion or that a raging flood could wash away everything you love. However, it is when you have to actually accept that everything has changed, that your life is forever defined by that one monumental moment, and that feeling outweighs any dread you felt during the storm. In the two years since my life completely changed, I had found myself trapped in a swirling storm that never seemed to end. One night had caused me to forever change my outlook on life. And the storm that followed that night has never fully subsided, reminding me that there is a force much stronger than myself, ready at any moment to destroy any chance of happiness I may find.

  Sitting at my small desk Monday morning, I could still feel the bump on my head from my little spill I took Saturday night. Thankfully the throbbing had stopped, but when I brushed my hands through my hair, I could still see the rosy pink mark and feel the raised skin to remind me that I had indeed, passed out in front of a group of people. Trying to suppress a yawn, I covered my mouth with my hands so no one in the office could hear me. I had woken from yet another awful dream last night. This time though, I couldn’t see any images. Only sounds attacked me and kept me from sleeping.

  What had been even more intense and strange, was the dream I did have didn’t include violent images. No, this dream was out of the norm for me because it included a man I had only met once; Cole. The previous night, as I had tried to fall back to sleep after another nightmare, I had found myself fantasizing about the black haired, dark eyed, walking sex god that I had met at the tattoo parlor. Cole’s face seemed to taunt my body with an unfair desire that I couldn’t control. Now, I am not a prude by any means, but what I had allowed this man to do to me, still made me shiver as I sat in my office chair. Clear images of Cole pulling my hair as he mounted me from behind had me screaming his name in pure ecstasy. I had awoken in a pool of sweat, only this time it was from my own lust filled fever and my hallucinations haunted my brain as I tried to focus on my work and not the delightfully naughty things I had allowed him to do to me. This problem caused a huge dilemma for me. I had sworn off of men and Cole was already causing an internal battle within me. Damn, this could be bad.