Priceless Ink: A Small Town Romance

by Lagomarsino, Giulia

  “Don’t clench. Relax and open up for me.”

  I felt her body start to accept me, but when I reached that barrier, I saw her face tighten in pain. There was no going slow now. That would only prolong the pain. I shoved through in one hard thrust, shredding her virginity. Her hands tightened around my neck and I continued to run my hand over her leg. She was quivering, in pain and scared.

  “Shh,” I said, trying to calm her. “The worst is over. I’ve got you.” I kissed her, trying to ease her. Slowly, her body started to relax again and I slid my tongue all over her, kissing her neck and sliding my hand up to cup her breast. She started panting again, forgetting about the pain and focusing on the pleasure. I slowly moved my hips in and out, letting her get used to the feel of me inside her. My thrusts grew longer and faster as she grew accustomed to me. I could feel her damp skin sliding along mine, growing sweaty as I started to fuck her.

  I gripped her hair in my hands and forced her head where I wanted her, kissing her desperately. I was no longer caressing her leg, but holding her against me as I pulled out and then slid hard back inside her. She gasped, her mouth opened in ecstasy as I fucked her harder and harder. Her nails dug into my back and then slid down, grabbing my ass and pulling me against her. She wanted this, wanted me, and for the first time in my life, I felt like a man who truly needed a woman.

  Our sweaty bodies slid against each other as I rammed my cock inside her over and over as I caressed her body, drawing out every orgasm I possibly could. It wasn’t until she came for the third time that I finally let myself go and came hard inside her. Panting, I rested my forehead against hers and smiled as I kissed her. Her whole body was trembling, but as I shifted off her, she slid her leg over mine and rested her head against my pounding heart. I knew I was fucked. I could never let this woman go.

  Sofia

  I had this fear the moment that I asked Joe to be my first that I would regret it. I thought I would feel like I had cheated myself or let myself down. I worried about what my parents would think if they knew. Would I be tainted for marriage? But the moment Joe started kissing me, I let go and just started to feel. For the first time in my life, I made this decision for me. I didn’t care what the repercussions were for my parents or what my friends would think. I didn’t think about what size I was or if I was skinny enough for Joe. He never seemed to care. And when he looked at me, there was nothing but heat in his stare. He looked at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world. And nobody had ever looked at me that way.

  With my head resting against Joe’s chest, I could feel the steady beat of his heart and just laid there listening to it. After a few minutes, the heat from my body started to cool, but before I could even think about covering myself, Joe was dragging a blanket up over us. His hand settled on my back and his fingers slowly trailed up and down my skin. From time to time, he pressed a kiss against my forehead, just like he was reassuring me that he had no regrets.

  It was perfect, and everything I never thought I would have. “Thank you,” I said quietly.

  “For what?”

  I took a deep breath, knowing that making myself vulnerable could be a mistake, or it could be the best thing ever. “For giving me that. It was…amazing.”

  “You don’t regret it?” he asked tightly.

  I shook my head against his chest. “Not at all.” All I felt was peace. He sat up and rolled on top of me. I spread my legs, allowing him to settle between them. He stared down at me, his eyes searching mine for something. But instead of asking anything, he just lowered his lips to mine and gently kissed me. His fingers caressed my cheek, and my chest tightened. God, he was nothing like the man I met just days ago. How poorly I had judged him.

  He pulled back and smiled down at me, resting on his elbows and caging me in. “So, are you sticking around or heading home?”

  “I guess that depends.”

  “On what?” he asked, his fingers playing with my hair. He wasn’t looking at me anymore, like he was nervous to see my face when I answered.

  “Well, are you going to make me sleep on the couch?”

  His lips tilted up and he laughed lightly. “I’ll never make you sleep on the couch again.”

  “Even if I never sleep with you again?”

  His face turned serious and he finally met my gaze. “Even then. You are a princess, but not the kind I imagined.”

  I swallowed hard, afraid to understand what he was saying. “What do you mean?”

  “You’ve been locked in that tower so long, I think you only know one way to fight back.”

  My lip began to quiver and tears filled my eyes. For so long, I had been invisible, only being used for what my parents needed. I had been raised to behave a certain way, to think a certain way, and all the attitude that came with it. But here was Joe, reading me like a book. He saw me for what I really was, flaws and all. He was the only person that had ever cared about what was inside, and he had to break my outer shell to get to the heart of the problem. Then he exposed me and showed me what it could be like with someone that really cared.

  I blinked back the tears that were threatening to fall. Despite giving myself over to him, I was still unsure of myself. Old habits kicked in and I composed myself, trying not to give away everything I was feeling. He seemed to sense that I needed that and rolled back off me.

  “As much as I want to stay here with you, I need to open the shop soon. Are you going to be okay here by yourself?”

  “Of course. I’m a big girl. I can handle anything.”

  He leaned forward and kissed me. “What about dinner?”

  I laughed at that. “I may have some trouble with that.”

  “I’ll make you something before I go.”

  He sat up and swung his legs over the bed. I pulled the covers up over my chest and sat up with him. “Seriously?”

  “Of course. I can’t have you starving, not when I have plans for you later.”

  He kissed me hard and then pulled back, pulling the covers back just enough to peek down at my breasts. I blushed furiously as he stood and pulled on some pants, then walked out of the room. Unsure what to do, I got out of bed, only to see the evidence of what happened on the sheets. I stared at it for a minute, thinking I would feel something like disgust, but instead, I felt happy. I smiled and walked to the drawers, pulling out a shirt of Joe’s and tugging it over my head. Then I stripped the sheets and carried them out into the other room.

  “Where can I do laundry?”

  He looked up from the stove where he was cooking and raised an eyebrow at me. “You know how to do laundry?”

  “Well…no, but maybe you could show me.”

  He grinned and jerked his head toward a door that I had assumed was a closet. Inside were two white appliances that I assumed were a washer and dryer, though I hadn’t actually ever seen them besides on a TV ad. He lifted the lid on the lower appliance and started the water, pouring in some detergent.

  “You want to fill to the line here,” he said, pointing to the line on the lid. “Put it in before you add the laundry.”

  “Okay, that looks simple enough.”

  He snatched the sheets out of my hands, noticing the bloodstain left behind. But he only studied it for a moment before shoving it all in the wash. Then he shut the lid and turned to me with a grin. “Not hard at all.”

  “I’ll be a pro in no time,” I grinned.

  He leaned forward and kissed me, then turned me around and smacked my ass. I yelped and followed him into the kitchen where he continued to make something on the stove. I took a seat at the kitchen table and watched him move around the kitchen with ease.

  “Where did you learn to cook?”

  “I grew up helping Ma in the kitchen. I don’t particularly like it, but it’s a necessary part of life. When I was living at Eric’s place, Kat and Eric cooked all the time.”

  “So, none of you have cooks or maids or anything.”

  He grinned. “Nope.”


  “What’s that like?” I asked, resting my hand in my chin.

  He shrugged. “I would assume it’s as normal to me as having all that stuff is to you. It was never an option to have a cook so I don’t know what it’s like to have one.”

  “But you said that Kat and Eric did all the cooking.”

  “Alright, you got me there.”

  “Will you teach me to cook sometime?”

  He turned to me, leaning back against the counter. “I think you might be better off learning from someone that can actually make a decent meal.”

  “And what about cleaning? Will you teach me that too?”

  He frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s this all about?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Why are you suddenly so eager to learn all this stuff?”

  I shrugged, a little embarrassed. “I feel like there’s a lot of stuff that I missed out on.”

  “Like cooking and cleaning?”

  I shook my head. “The ability to be able to do it. It would be one thing if I knew how to do it, but had the money to pay for it. But I have no idea what goes into any part of running a household. The bathroom was always cleaned for me. The bed was made after I got up every day. The meal was always on the table waiting for me. I don’t even own any keys to lock my own house. It was always done after I came home for the evening. I was literally waited on hand and foot, and now…now I’m out here and it’s this entirely different world.”

  He studied me for a minute and then he walked over to me, leaning down with one hand on the back of the chair. With him this close, I just wanted to kiss him. As if reading my mind, he leaned down and gave me a hard kiss that left me gasping for air. He ran his nose along my cheek and sighed. “I’d do anything for you.” He kissed me again and then went back to the stove to finish cooking.

  * * *

  Joe had gone to work hours ago with strict instructions for me to stay in bed naked and wait for him. But that just felt weird, so I was still wearing his t-shirt. I had managed to get the dryer going for the sheets after only twenty minutes. I considered it a win.

  But the longer I sat here, the more useless I felt. I thought about trying to clean, but again, I had no idea what I was doing. TV held no interest for me, and there weren’t any books to read. So, I got dressed and decided to go see what Joe was doing downstairs. Maybe I could keep him company or something.

  When I opened the door to his shop, I was a little surprised by the atmosphere. I had expected it to be a lot different at night, like grungy or something. The shop was clean and well organized from what I could see. Everything had a place and it was surprisingly bright in the shop. I wasn’t sure what I had thought it would be like. The last time I was in here, it was the middle of the day, but now that the shop was up and running, it was a completely different atmosphere. And the most surprising thing was that Joe had country music playing. I thought for sure there would be heavy metal or something playing.

  Joe came around the corner from the back hall, looking a little disheveled and scrambled. He stopped when he saw me and glanced at the clock. “Is everything okay?”

  “I was just bored. I thought I could come hang out.”

  He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m slammed right now. My girl that works the front desk didn’t show up and I have a ton of clients.”

  I could see the stress building in his face and I didn’t want to add to that stress. “Oh, well, I can leave.”

  “I’m sorry about this.”

  “Or maybe I could stay and help?” I said hesitantly.

  Mischief swirled in his eyes as he stared at me. “Do you know how to answer phones?”

  I glared at him, but my lips slipped into a smile. “I’ll have you know that I used to handle all the calls for the charity I worked with. I know a thing or two about organizing. You just have to tell me what I need to do.”

  “Really? You don’t mind?”

  “What else am I going to do?”

  He looked relieved, and I was happy that I could at least be useful in some way. He walked me through setting up appointments and what to say when I answered the phone, not that it was that hard. But I had a feeling that he just wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing since I was apparently so inept at everything else.

  There really wasn’t a lot for me to do. I checked in clients and had them sign wavers like he showed me. I scheduled a few appointments, but most of the time I stared at all the designs on the wall. I even talked to a few clients that seemed friendly. By the time the shop was closing up, I was tired and ready for bed. I wasn’t used to this kind of schedule. One day I was up early and the next I was staying up really late.

  “Hey, are you ready to go?”

  I smiled up at Joe and nodded. “Yep.”

  “Were you bored?”

  “Not at all. I actually found it kind of fascinating.”

  “Really?”

  “Yes. One woman even offered to show me a tattoo she had gotten when she turned nineteen, but I declined. It was…in a rather delicate place.”

  Joe burst out laughing and wrapped his arm around my shoulder like it was the most natural thing in the world. He pulled out his keys and locked up the shop, then we took the five steps to the door that led to his apartment.

  “Do you ever worry about being out so late at night?”

  He shook his head. “This is a good town. I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

  We walked upstairs and I was suddenly nervous, wondering if we were going to have sex again or if that was just a one time thing. I remembered what he said earlier, but that could have been him just trying to put me at ease. What if he didn’t actually want to be with me? What if he was just using me until I decided what to do?

  When we got inside, I fiddled with my shirt and did anything to avoid his gaze. But just as I was thinking of saying that maybe I should sleep on the couch, I felt his arms wrap around me and his lips latch onto my neck. My eyes slipped closed and I shivered as his hands skated over my body. He made me feel things I had only ever dreamed of, and I couldn’t imagine ever going back to my old life, dating boring men that I knew wouldn’t make me feel half the things Joe made me feel.

  And when he spun me around and lifted me in his arms, I didn’t hesitate to wrap my legs around him and go with the flow. He wasn’t as gentle this time, not as slow. He kissed me hard and tore at my clothes, like he was desperate to have me. His hands slid over my body like he had memorized the path the last time he touched me. And when his hand slid inside my panties, I wasn’t nervous. I only wanted to feel.

  I gasped as he slid a finger inside me, gently moving in and out. His eyes stayed locked on mine the whole time as he took in every gasp and moan. And then he started moving faster, sliding a second finger in and fucking me harder. I opened up my mouth to cry out, but he slammed his lips on mine and swallowed my cries.

  When he laid me on the bed, I already felt boneless, but the minute he pulled off his pants, I could only stare at the gorgeous cock in front of me. I hadn’t really had time to look at it before, but now that I had slept with him, I thought it only right that I actually learn something. He stood in front of me, stroking himself like he was trying to figure out where he wanted to start.

  I surprised him and moved to my knees, sinking down in front of him. The slight shock on his face was quickly replaced with hunger as I knelt before him. I wanted to touch him, but I had no idea how. I wasn’t prepared for any of this when my mother talked to me about my duties in a marriage.

  I took a deep breath and looked up at him, “I don’t know what to do.”

  He groaned and threw his head back. “Fuck, that’s so damn sexy.”

  I frowned in confusion. “It’s sexy that I have no clue what I’m doing?”

  “You have no idea.” He ran his thumb along my lip and then gently grabbed my chin, moving me closer. “Wrap your hand around my cock.” I did as he said, not sure how hard I
was supposed to grip him. He was thick, much thicker than I had imagined, but then I still didn’t know what to do. “Stroke it,” he said, his voice croaking slightly.

  I slowly moved my hand up and down his length, feeling the veins under the smooth skin. Liquid seeped out of the tip and when I brushed my thumb over it, he inhaled sharply.

  I jerked my hand away. “Did that hurt?”

  He laughed slightly, but it wasn’t at me. “Not at all. Christ, do it again.”

  This time, when I started stroking him, he pulled my face closer again and slipped his thumb in my mouth. “I want to feel your mouth wrapped around me.”

  I looked up sharply at him. Logically, I knew this kind of stuff happened, but it all seemed so depraved. And in that moment, I felt like such an idiot for not knowing anything about sex. “Is that…is that something people normally do?”

  “Only if you want to. Do you remember what it felt like when I had my mouth on you?”

  I swallowed hard, remembering the amazing feeling of his lips on me. I nodded and let him guide me toward his cock. I opened, surprised at how wide I had to open to fit him. He didn’t get far before my gag reflexes kicked in and I felt like I would choke. He pulled back and ran his fingers through my hair.

  “Just take a little at a time. Do what you want.”

  The problem was, I had no idea what I wanted. I just wanted him to feel good. I took my time, feeling him against my tongue and testing how far I could take him into my mouth. I had no idea how long I played with him, but he seemed to be growing thicker in my hand, and just when I was about to ask him about that, he hauled me up and tossed me on the bed. I bounced in the air and then he was on top of me, guiding himself inside me. I gasped as he stretched me. I was still sore from earlier, but the more he moved inside me, the more the pain dissipated and a hungry desire took over.

  He rested his body over mine, his hips slamming into my thighs with every thrust. He lifted my leg and pushed inside me further, and I gasped, feeling like he would split me in two. His bare chest rubbed against mine, the slick sweat making our bodies glide against each other. His lips lingered over mine, his hot breath skimming over my face as he panted with every thrust. Our eyes were locked as he took me, kissing me so deep that I had trouble breathing.