The Ink Romance Series

by Bridget Taylor

  “Wow, Riggs. Now that…” I nodded because what else is there to say? I definitely never thought I’d see that.

  “I know, right?” He snorted.

  After the customer left, Kane walked to the front and stood behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  “What you doing?” He rested his chin on my shoulder.

  “Comparing…” I teased. “Maybe I want a tattoo and I am looking for ideas.” I shrugged.

  “You can’t be serious?” he scoffed. “Nice one.”

  “What? Like you are the only good artist around?” I wonder how far I could take the teasing before he lost it on me.

  "Umm, yeah. I'm the best artist in the United States and parts of Europe. If you let anyone else touch your skin beside me, Leslie, you do not want to know what would happen!"

  "Jeez, cool your jets. I was kidding. I don't trust anyone to touch me beside you, you know that," I huffed, crossing my arms.

  He sighed. “I know honey, but joking about a tattoo isn’t funny. Whatever you choose will be on there forever, and if you get something you’ve wanted, but don’t go to a talented person, it could get look bad. Not only that, it could get infected.”

  I rubbed my hands on his chest, reassuring his anxiety. "Kane, I know. I actually wanted to talk to you about what you drew on me. I'm not ready for a full half body piece." I squinted my eyes at him. I had no idea that he was thinking of drawing this huge thing. And it wouldn't come off for like a week! He used something that stained, the jerk.

  "Oh yeah? What do you like about it? We can think of something on a much smaller scale." He grabbed his sketchbook and his pen, readying himself for what I had to say.

  “Well, only this part.” I lifted my shirt sleeve to show the flowers and geometric shapes. It ended up being a half sleeve before it twisted into a tree down my forearm.

  He smiled. "And this part?" His fingers ghosted over the word that said Kane.

  I rolled my eyes. “Seriously?”

  “You bet your ass. It’s only fair.” He shrugged.

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “What do you mean?”

  He lifted his shirt and right above his heart in beautiful script was the name Leslie. It wasn't there last night! This was new, brand new.

  I gasped. "What?" I looked at him dumbfounded. Was this real? Did he tattoo my name on him?

  “When?” My eyes burned and I wanted to touch it so bad. I found myself reaching for it, but since it was new and hadn’t even started to heal, I didn’t want to risk it.

  I looked at him with wide eyes. “I’ll do it.”

  He smiled and covered his beautiful body again. “You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do. I did it because I love you, and I don’t want to be with anyone else ever again. I know it might take you time to consider it, tattoos are more permanent than wedding rings, but that’s what I wanted. I wanted you forever.” He cupped my hand and placed it right below the tattoo.

  “Kane.” I had no idea what to say to that. I knew he loved me, but I didn’t know how far it went.

  “Okay.” I rubbed my hand over his name on my arm smiling at the insane notion that I would get a man’s name tattooed on me. Reckless? Maybe. Right now, I didn’t care.

  "Yeah?" He grabbed my face, and for the first time since meeting him, he gave me a real smile. It wasn't the crooked hot one, it actually reached his eyes, and that was when I saw he had a tooth that was slightly crooked. It only added to the appeal that Kane was perfectly imperfect.

  “That makes you happy?” Because what I was about to tell him might not make him happy.

  He closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine. "It brings me comfort," Kane whispered, and it nearly broke my heart. I forgot how much pain he was in from losing his family. I remembered how he lost everything. His sense of reassurance was long gone, and a part of his soul was darkened with the loss of hope. I was glad I was able to bring that back a little today even if it was a name tattoo.

  “Would meeting my parents bring you the same comfort?” I braced myself for impact. I knew meeting the parents was a big deal.

  He tensed for a moment and sighed. “I haven’t met anyone’s parents in a really long time, Crazy.” My hands were a light touch as they traveled his back to bring him comfort.

  "I know. If you aren't ready, it's okay." I really wanted him to meet them, but if he wasn't ready, I wasn't going to push him.

  “I want to meet them. They’re important to you, so it would only make sense for me to meet them.”

  “Whew, good because we are leaving tonight.” I bounced away from him, walking toward the door, and smacked his firm butt on the way out.

  “What? What do you mean? Leslie! That isn’t funny! You need to give me time to prepare.” His voice was getting further and further away as I walked over to the shelter to check on Rori.

  The doorbell dinged letting her know someone was coming in. She was looking down at what I assumed was the appointment book. She didn't think I was there. For all she knew, I was still curled up in bed, crying my eyes out and pitying myself.

  “I will be right with you,” Rori said, never taking her eyes off that boring planner.

  “Sure, no problem.” I smiled when she paused what she was doing and lifted her head.

  “Leslie!” She ran from behind the desk, throwing herself at me, making the air whoosh out of my lungs,

  "Can't breathe," I gasped.

  "Oh, sorry. You must be in pain. I'm so sorry." She patted me down, but it was like I was made of glass that was already shattered by how she was touching me. One wrong move and I might fall into pieces.

  I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I’m fine. Nothing hurts much anymore.”

  “That’s great, Leslie. Are you okay? What brings you by the shelter?”

  "I wanted to see how you were and how things were going here. I'm thinking about coming back in about a week." I tested the waters to see if she even wanted me there.

  “Oh thank God! There is a huge hurricane brewing in the south, like a huge one, and they are expecting so many animals to be abandoned. The shelters down there don’t have the funding or the space to keep them all, so they are calling everyone, even the small ones, like us.”

  "Oh, that's terrible. I had no idea. I haven't been watching the news lately." I felt a little guilty now. I should have been more attentive to everything and everyone else around me, instead of being selfish and wallowing.

  “Hey, don’t do that.” Rori put her hands on her slender hips, cocking one to the side.

  “Do what?”

  “The thing you do.”

  I was appalled. “I do not do a thing.”

  “Yes, you do. You know the thing where you make yourself feel bad because for once in your life you were actually thinking of yourself.”

  “Do not,” I mumbled.

  “Do too.”

  “Do not.”

  “Do too!”

  We were going back and forth for what felt like a few minutes when Kane walked in.

  "All right, kids. If we can't play nice, we can't play at all." His thick arms wrapped around my waist allowing me to soak up the warmth he radiated.

  “She started it.” Rori crossed her arms, but she was smiling, letting it be known that we were just joking around.

  “Did not!” I gasped.

  “Did too!” Rori stomped her foot.

  "Okay, I think it's time we leave because I cannot take this anymore." He dragged me out of the shelter before I could get any more information about the hurricane.

  “Bye, Rori.” I waved over my shoulder as Kane pulled me to his truck.

  Once we were settled in the truck, Kane turned to me. “Were you serious about seeing your parents?”

  "Yes, but like I said you don't have to come." I laced my fingers with his as he drove down the road to my house. That horrible, haunted beautiful house.

  "I want to. It's why, while you were busy arguing with Rori if that is what you wa
nt to call it, I went upstairs and packed a bag. I'm assuming we would be staying the night?"

  My jaw dropped. “You packed a bag?”

  “Was I not supposed to pack a bag?” He quirked an eyebrow at me.

  “No, no. You were. I just thought we would be talking more about it. Honestly, I thought I was going on my own.”

  “Wherever you go, I go.” He brought our hands to his mouth and gave them a light peck. It sent a jolt through my system every time his lips touched me. I hoped that never went away.

  “Okay.” I loved him.

  "Are we taking Flamingo and Lily or the other one hundred dogs?" He laughed as he swung the truck into the driveway, the familiar crunch of tires reminding me of the night Chase happened.

  I squeezed my eyes shut, struggling to keep the memories at bay.

  "Hey?" Kane wrapped his arms around me, lifting me up until I was resting on his lap. “You’re okay. You don’t have to go inside.” He kissed the tears off my cheek.

  “It would mean I would have to go into my bedroom.” I didn’t want to go in there.

  "How about you stay in here while I go pack you a bag?" He pushed me away from him a little to look me in the eyes.

  I nodded, laying my head on his shoulder. “This feels good.”

  "I have something long and hard that will make you feel excellent." He thrust his hips, grinding his half hard cock into my side.

  “Really? During a moment like this? You are insatiable!” I playfully smacked his chest.

  "It got you to smile though." He turned my head, nuzzling my cheek before placing the lightest kiss I've ever felt on my lips before he put me back in my seat.

  “I’ll be back in five minutes.” He slammed the door just to open it back up. “The dogs?”

  “I already told Molli I was leaving for the night and asked her if she could watch them.”

  He nodded before slamming the door, leaving me in silence. I was paranoid now. I hated being alone. I was afraid Chase wasn't really gone and that he would jump out of the bushes and attack me again. I know it was unreasonable because he wasn’t here, but my brain couldn’t seem to get the memo.

  The breeze blew, making the leaves rattle. The branches slightly swayed causing their shadows to move in the sunset. Crickets began to chirp, which brought me some reassurance that Chase's evil wasn't present and the last time it was, all of earth's little creature seemed to be quiet. My nerves were shot, and I felt frantic looking around. In my peripheral, I swear I could see something moving, but every time I went to look, nothing was there.

  “Come on, Kane,” I pleaded. My hands were starting to sweat. My pulse was increasing, and my vision was getting blurry.

  "It's okay. He isn't here. You’re safe. He isn't here." I rocked unsteadily like a crazy person, repeating the same thing over and over until, or at least I hoped, the words became meaningless. He was here. Chase might not be here physically, but he’d dug his way inside me. He latched on to the most fearful part of my soul like a parasite causing negative emotions and anxiety.

  I didn’t even realize Kane was back in the truck until he touched my arm making me scream.

  "Whoa, hey. Come on, it's me. It's okay." He cupped my face like he always did. "He isn't here. Okay? I'm here. Just me. Shit, Leslie. You scared me." He yanked me into a hug, and I sank into his embrace like an anchor plunges in the ocean. He was my anchor.

  “I scare myself,” I finally admitted. My chest felt lighter. It was like I unzipped everything I ever felt into that omission. Depression, anxiety, panic, fear, guilt, and regret fell out of me.

  Kane reversed out of the driveway until he got on the main road. “I know my way to your hometown, but you have to give me directions after that, okay? Now, why are you scared of yourself?

  I sighed, wrapping my arms around myself. "I don't want to talk about it."

  “Yeah? Well, you’re going to. Not talking about it is what’s causing this.”

  “Well, if I’m so much trouble, why bother with me? I’m just tainted, damaged goods, right?” I spat.

  “You believe that, don’t you? Leslie, you can’t think that about yourself. I love you. I’m trying to help you, but I can’t if you keep putting me at arm’s length.”

  He was right. I hated it when he was right.

  “I’m afraid you will think bad of me,” I whispered. I felt ashamed for thinking that, but the insecurity was so high every time I thought about telling him the truth.

  "I would never think bad of you. You know me better than that." He accelerated on the gas a little more, making the truck jerk forward. That movement bothered him. He always gases the truck when he is mad about something.

  “What if I liked it?” I said the words so quietly, I was hoping he wouldn’t hear me.

  “Liked what?” He turned the truck left, causing the blinker to go on and off. The sound was grinding my nerves.

  "What if I liked what he was going to do? What if I liked that he was about to take?" I rubbed my hands together creating friction and warmth. I couldn't stop moving. My legs were bouncing, and my entire body was shaking.

  The truck swerved before Kane righted it again. "What? You think you liked it? Baby, what makes you feel that?”

  Tears were pouring down my face. "I don't know. I just…I just got to thinking about everything. You know? I was so scared, but the other part of me was like, were you though? What if I was just faking being scared? What if I liked how aggressive he was, and I didn't notice because I was strung out on drugs? What if I wanted to act like I had to get away, but really, I wanted… not him, but you to do it? To do what he was about to do?" I swallowed. I could feel sweat pouring down my temples, my chest heaved, and my vision went a little hazy, but I think that's because a bit of sweat got in my eyes, hopefully.

  Kane was quiet for a while as the tires roared down the pavement. The sound almost put me to sleep before he opened his mouth, his voice filling the cab of the truck. "I don't think you wanted that. I think you're over thinking like a traumatized person does. You were so scared when I got to you. You were crying, shaking, but so loopy you couldn't understand anything. I believe in the bottom of my heart, you were scared. You have every right to be. I would never hurt you. And if you want me to be a little more aggressive in bed to push your limits to put your mind at ease, I'll try." He swallowed. "Only rougher. I'm not, I can't take you without you wanting it, even if you act like it. That doesn't turn me on." He shook his head and gripped the wheel so tight it creaked underneath his hand.

  “You’d do that for me?” I grabbed the hem of my shirt, twisting the soft cotton beyond repair.

  "I'd do anything for you, even if it takes me a hundred years to make you see I really mean that I would do anything for you."

  “Anything?” I rubbed my hand on his leg inching my way up to his cock, but I stopped right before on his groin, only to trail my hand back down again.

  His breath hitched, and he slightly thrust his hips up to try and get my hand closer, "Yeah, anything. I'd do anything." He swallowed, which made his Adam's apple bob.

  “I want you to shove my face in your lap,” I whispered. I was glad it was dark out because my cheeks heated from the admission.

  “Ah, okay. With or without my dick out?” His voice shook like the tremors before an earthquake.

  "With." I felt my pussy getting wet as I thought about that massive piece of meat swaying in the air. I couldn't wait to feel the weight of it against my tongue.

  “Okay. I can do that.” I heard the sweet sound of the metal zipper going down and his hand fumbling with his jeans to lower them.

  I sat back and relaxed a little. I wanted to see how far he would take it. He picked up on it really quick. I would look over every now and then to see him stroking his cock, but never looking at me. About fifteen minutes passed before I started to get insecure. Maybe he didn’t want this.

  “It’s not going to suck itself, Crazy.” His hand was suddenly on the back of my head,
shoving me down until my face smashed against his cock.

  I inhaled, letting his musky scent invade my lungs. It was like I couldn’t live off air alone, I needed him.

  He pushed my head harder against his straining erection, the crown indenting my cheek. “I said suck it.”

  I moved my head until my mouth was finally close enough to lick and suck the throbbing length. I traced the plump vein that traveled up and down all his inches, pumping it to full mast.

  I moaned as the first dollop of his precum hit my tongue. He tasted so good.

  “Bite me, just a little though.”

  Taking his length into my mouth, I bite down with just an edge of what I assumed would be pain, but he hissed and another significant drop of precum flowed from his slit. I lapped at it like it was needed for my survival.

  “Yes,” he praised me. I wanted to preen and show off like a peacock does with its feathers, but I had a job to do.

  "Faster!" He shoved my head down until my nose reached his pubic hair, and the thick cockhead hit the back of my throat, making me gag.

  “Take it!” His hand kept my head down, lodging his cock in my throat. I continued to gag a few times, but my throat relaxed and I was able to take him with ease.

  “That’s it. You suck my cock so fucking good. Just like that.”

  I slurped his girth and fondled his balls until he was so turned on he pulled off on the side of the road turning the hazard lights on. I wiped my mouth when I popped off his cock, and he shoved me back down, my mouth taking him automatically.

  "I didn't say you could stop."

  I nodded the best I could with a mouth full of dick, and he leaned the seat back as if he was getting comfortable for a massage.

  “I want you to take off your pants, keep your panties on, push them aside, and ride me. While you take your pants off though, I don’t want you to take that sweet mouth off me, understand?” He rubbed his thumb over my wet chin that was drenched in spit.

  I fumbled my hands for a minute until I found the button of my jeans. I pushed them down and only got them to my knees. I huffed. I really needed to move, but I couldn’t take my mouth off his cock.