by Vi Keeland
Mina tapped her pen against the counter, thinking of Jess as she stared out Hot Ink’s large storefront windows at the darkened street beyond. It was a quarter after eleven. The shop was supposed to have closed at eleven, but Eric was still working, finishing a tattoo that was taking longer than anticipated, thanks to the fact that the client receiving it couldn’t seem to hold still for more than a minute at a time. He’d be done soon – hopefully, anyway. The other artists had left just a few minutes ago, leaving only Mina, Eric and his client behind. She didn’t really mind. She’d started at Hot Ink three days ago, but this was the first time she’d worked at night. She was supposed to work mostly during the day, but the other receptionist had left her shift early, sick. When Eric had called Mina to relay Jed’s request that she fill in for a few hours, she’d agreed after a quick phone call to Karen, who’d promised to swing by Mina’s apartment and check on Jess. With Jess taken care of, Mina didn’t feel too guilty over leaving her home alone at night. After all, she could use a couple extra hours on her paycheck.
Not that her pay was bad. She’d assumed she’d be taking a loss by accepting the job, but as it turned out, when she counted the tips the artists paid her in return for her booking them appointments, she was actually making a little more than she had at the bank. She’d decided on her first day that she loved working at Hot Ink, and the pay revelation had been icing on the cake. Besides the money, there was the fact that she could basically wear whatever she wanted to work. Today she wore jeans, a casual sweater and her favorite flats. The ensemble was infinitely more comfortable than what she’d had to wear at the bank. More importantly, she didn’t have to deal with anyone like Ashley. In fact, she liked everyone she worked with – especially Eric.
She glanced at him over her shoulder, where he was hard at work tattooing his restless client. He was lost in concentration, but he frequently made time for her when he wasn’t with customers. Working together made it easy for them to spend time with each other, even if it was just chatting from opposite sides of the glass display case that housed the shop’s selection of body jewelry. She smiled when he put down his gun and looked up at her as he mopped excess ink from his client’s arm.
He returned her smile before turning back to the other man. “All right. We’re finally done.” He put down his ink-stained towel and proceeded to clean the fresh tattoo, cutting an appropriate length of bandage and securing it.
Mina reached into the cubby beneath her register and pulled out a sheet printed with aftercare instructions. She handed it to the man before he left, tucking one of Eric’s business cards with it. When he was gone, she turned to face Eric. “Long day, huh?”
He flashed her a wry grin. “Too long.” He strode over to the door and locked it, simultaneously flipping the switch that turned the shop’s electric sign off. “No other clients are getting in here until one tomorrow.” That was when the shop would open the next day.
“Sounds good to me.” She stifled a yawn, glancing at the clock that hung on the wall to her right. Only half an hour until midnight. She was used to going to bed earlier, since she’d had to rise early for work at the bank. Sleeping in – at least, on the weekends, when she didn’t have to get up to take Jess to school – was another thing she liked about working at Hot Ink.
“Tired, huh?” he asked, stepping behind the counter and laying a hand on her arm.
A shiver of delight raced down her spine, her body warming. She had been tired, but his touch dispelled her drowsiness, making her feel as if she’d been sleeping all day and had just now come awake. Ever since she’d visited his apartment briefly, the affection he’d shown her had been light and sweet; the occasional brush across the cheek or five-second press against her lips. She knew he was holding back. So was she, but why, exactly, she wasn’t sure. “I feel like I could stay up a little later,” she said. Now that the client was gone and the time had come for them to part, she was reluctant to leave him.
He pressed a kiss against her mouth, and though it started out gently, she tempted him by parting her lips, inviting him to slip his tongue inside. He obliged, sliding his tongue over hers and moaning as he reached deep into her mouth. She sensed that whatever sense of restraint had been holding him back over the past few days had broken, and her heart fluttered. She pressed her hands to his sides, seizing fistfuls of his shirt as he leaned her against the counter, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her tight against his chest. The edge of the counter dug into the small of her back and she shifted against him, uncomfortable but unwilling to end the kiss.
He pulled away. “Am I hurting you?”
Her lower lip jutted out of its own accord. “Don’t stop.” She’d been daydreaming about him kissing her like this for days. Now, every fiber of her being throbbed and tingled, aching for more.
“Only for a second,” he said, pulling her away from the counter.
Moments later, they were on the couch in the waiting area, pressed side by side and entwined in the middle of the cushions. Eric nipped her lower lip between his teeth before she could suck it back in, and her nipples tightened beneath her clothing. She opened her mouth, letting his tongue slide inside again as she clung to him, her nails biting into his shoulders.
He slipped a thumb beneath her sweater, running it over the curve of her hipbone. She sighed, her breath rushing over his lips. If only they were somewhere other than the shop. True, it was closed and locked, but the large glass windows destroyed any notion of true privacy. If they’d had that, she wouldn’t have stopped him from doing anything that involved his hands on her body. The couch was facing opposite the window and partially obscured by an alcove, but that wasn’t enough cover for the things she wanted to do with him.
As he continued to tease her tongue, she moaned. He’d tucked his thumb beneath the waistband of her jeans, and her pussy was quickly dampening in response. It had been so long, she’d almost forgotten that anyone was capable of making her feel this way. She shifted against him and the seam of her jeans pressed against her clit through her panties, sending bolts of fire through her belly and leaving her feeling like she might die of unfulfilled desire – not that she had anyone to blame but herself. He’d meant to kiss her sweetly at the counter, but she’d encouraged him, and now they were here; locked in an increasingly heated embrace that could end in nothing but frustration. She had Jess and he had a roommate. This would be the only time they’d get alone together tonight, before they said goodbye and parted ways at the nearby parking garage. She knew that, but she couldn’t resist arching her hips, letting his fingers slide beneath the waistband of her jeans to join his thumb.
He kissed her harder and pressed his fingertips against her burning flesh, stroking the soft edge of her cotton panties, a hairsbreadth away from touching the curls beneath. She moaned, letting her lips go soft against his. He took advantage, plunging his tongue deep inside her mouth. Her clit throbbed harder than ever, now that his fingertips were within a few agonizing inches of it. “Touch me,” she said, pulling her lips the barest fraction of an inch away from his when he let his hand rest. “Please. Even if it’s only for a second.” If his fingertips didn’t make contact with her swollen nub soon, she wouldn’t be able to stand it.
He responded with alacrity, finding her clit and beginning a slow massage that made her toes curl inside her comfortable black flats. Her heart raced, and every nerve in her body buzzed with sensation as her muscles tensed, leaving her feeling as if she might shatter. It felt too perfect to last for long – she’d either come or simply fall apart beneath his hands. He touched her in deep, lazy circles, and all the breath rushed out of her lungs in an involuntary gasp. The tension in her core mounted, growing more and more unbearable until…
He stopped. She bit her lip, barely managing to contain a sigh of disappointment as he pulled his fingertips away from her inflamed flesh, leaving nothing but soft cotton and denim against her tingling skin. Why couldn’t he have touched her for just a momen
t or two longer? The want hammering in her heart and surging through her veins made her head spin, and thinking that it would go unsatisfied was unbearable. But he was standing, leaving the couch and her behind, heading for the door. “Eric?” she asked, trying to keep her sudden uncertainty out of her voice. Had she done something to turn him away? Was he really going to leave her like this?
His voice was surprisingly husky when he replied. “I’ll be back in a second.” A quiet click followed his promise, and all the lights went out.
Chapter Seven
Relief flooded through her, along with excitement, as she realized that he’d risen to turn off the lights. Her clit was still throbbing, aching and swollen, and though she could only make out his outline as he crossed the waiting area, she could hear his footsteps clearly. Her head swam as her imagination went wild, speculating over what he planned to do to her in the dark. When he stopped behind the couch and placed his hands on her shoulders, she leaned back into him, letting her head rest against his firm belly.
“Mina.” He slowly pushed his hands downward, caressing the curves of her shoulders before cupping her breasts below, his thumbs trailing over their peaks, causing her nipples to harden, even beneath the cover of her clothing.
An anticipatory shiver raced down her spine as she imagined his palms and fingertips against her bare flesh, holding the weight of her breasts and teasing her nipples just as he was now. Below, her clit throbbed harder than ever. She’d never wanted anyone this badly.
In what seemed half a second he withdrew his touch and rounded the couch, settling close beside her again. Her heart skipped a beat as the cushion shifted beneath her in response to his weight, forcing her to lean against him – not that she didn’t want to. She rested her head on his shoulder and pressed her lips against his neck, kissing a trail from his lightly stubbled jaw to his collarbone. Meanwhile, butterflies erupted into flight inside her belly as he unbuttoned her jeans and pulled down the zipper. Before she knew it her lips met empty air as he slid off the couch, dropping to his knees in front of her.
“Eric, I…” Nervousness struck her as he began to ease her jeans down over her hips.
He paused, the denim still caught firmly in his fists. “What?” His warm breath hit her belly, causing her nipples to shrink to aching points and the skin on her arms and the back of her neck to pebble.
She blinked, straining to meet his eyes in the darkness. She couldn’t – it was too absolute. Streetlight filtered in through the windows, but the new posters blocked much of it and none of it reached the alcove where the couch was situated. If she couldn’t see his brilliant eyes, then he surely couldn’t see much of her either. The knots of tension in her stomach eased a little. “Nothing.” When he tugged on her jeans again she arched her hips, allowing him to slide them down to her knees. Her flats fell to the floor one by one as he pulled her pants over her ankles.
The plush couch cushions were sinfully soft against her thighs and bottom, and for a split second, all she could think about was that she was so wet that she’d soon dampen them. Eric increased her worry by peeling off her panties, pulling them down and over the lengths of her bare legs as smoothly as he had her jeans. Her folds were slick, her clit tingling. The couch cushions didn’t stand a chance, and the thought mortified her. This was her place of work, and if she sat naked below the waist on the couch much longer, it was going to be as wet as her.
Eric put a stop to her fretting by reaching around her hips to grasp the round curves of her ass and pull her to him, so that she was balanced on the edge of the couch, her pussy touching nothing but air that was warmed by his breath instead of the plush couch cushion. He put his hands between her thighs and flattened his palms against the insides, willing her to open them as he exerted a gentle pressure. She let them unfold, exposing herself to him and trembling when his breath hit her slick skin, streaming over her clit. A part of her consciousness was detached, as if she could hardly believe what was happening, while the rest of her sparked and hummed with anticipatory delight, reveling in every little sensation. When Eric pressed his mouth flush against her pussy, he demanded every bit of her attention, forcing awareness into every corner of her mind. He gripped her thighs firmly as she shook, shocked by the feel of his tongue against her clit.
He explored her slowly, working his tongue over the swollen nub and then reaching the folds below. He slipped the tip between them, pushing inside her. She couldn’t help the tremors that raced through her thighs as he penetrated her with his tongue, sparking an ache in her core so fierce that she shifted beneath his hands, forcing him a little deeper. Pleasure shot through her, causing her sex to tighten against his tongue as a searing heat spread through her body. When he withdrew she relaxed for half a moment before he applied his tongue to her clit, covering it with firm strokes.
The tension in her core mounted, leaving her slumped and gasping on the couch as he held her steady, his lips and tongue as hot and wet as the flesh he pressed them against. She reached down and settled her hands on his forearms, feeling the tension in his muscles as she squeezed, her nails digging into his skin. If it hurt he showed no sign, just licked her harder, his tongue sweeping over her inflamed flesh and his teeth denting it ever so slightly. That was what sent her over the edge. She gripped his arms harder than ever, gasping as the first wave of pleasure rolled over her. Her body seemed to have a mind of its own – it tried to writhe, but Eric held her firmly, stilling her legs and hips as he drove her to arch against the cushions, moaning.
A few moments later her climax was over, leaving her feeling boneless and lost in a haze of waning sensations. Eric’s touch anchored her, warm and real. His lips brushed the insides of her thighs as he pressed kisses against them, finally loosening his steady grip on her legs and smoothing his hands over her hips instead. When he climbed onto the couch next to her again, she realized that she was still gasping. Making a conscious effort to steady her breathing, she leaned against him, resting her head against his shoulder as she struggled to piece her thoughts together so she could say something coherent. When he tucked his hand beneath her chin and tilted it upward so he could kiss her, she forgot about words altogether. Instead she ran her tongue along the seam of his lips, demanding entry. When he granted it to her she thrust her tongue past his teeth and deep into his mouth, deciding that this was as good a way to convey her feelings as any. He wrapped an arm around her waist and turned, pinning her against the back of the couch.
Her core tightened as one last weak wave of pleasure swept through it, prompted by the hardness that pressed against her bare belly, causing her shirt to ride up. Even through his jeans, she could feel every inch of his erection. He was harder than she’d ever known anyone to be. Sympathy lanced through the haze of her pleasure, pricking her consciousness. If he felt anything like she had before he’d released her, he had to be ready to explode with desire. She lowered a hand into his lap and gripped him, wrapping her fingers around his shaft as thoroughly as she could through the denim.
He groaned and flexed his hips, filling her hand. The blunt tip of his cock crossed her palm, sending a shiver of delight down her spine. She held his hardness in one hand and began to negotiate the button above the fly of his jeans with the other. She could do for him what he’d done for her. Her mouth watered at the thought, and she could hardly wait to feel the hard rod of his erection skin-to-skin. He felt thick and tempting. No, more than tempting – irresistible.
“No.” He grabbed her wrist, wrapping his fingers around it and pulling it from his lap.
“What – why?” She tried to search his eyes, but couldn’t make out enough to glean any hint as to why he’d stopped her.
“I’m not asking you to do anything for me.”
“I want to.” She tried to pull her wrist out of his grasp, but he maintained a firm but gentle hold.
“Not tonight.” He let go of her wrist, bending to pick up her jeans and panties from the floor. “Here, I’ll help you put thes
e back on.”
“Eric…”
He lifted one of her ankles into his lap and slipped her panties over it. Inadvertently, she brushed his erection with the side of her foot. It was hard and throbbing. It had to be taking all of his willpower for him not to let her release it from his jeans and give him a taste of the same pleasure he’d granted her.
Soon he had her back in her panties and was holding her jeans. “It’s late. I know you don’t like leaving Jess at home by herself at night. I’ll lock up the shop and walk you to your car.”
As a last ditch effort, she pressed her palms against the sides of his face and pulled him into a beseeching kiss. He returned it, but only for a moment, and then he was back to business, sliding her jeans over her ankles. She stiffened when he got them over her knees, his knuckles brushing the top of her right thigh. She felt the telltale moment of numbness, and her stomach lurched, threatening to overturn in a moment of alarm.
Eric said nothing, just paused for a moment and then pulled her jeans all the way up. She’d helped him by raising her hips, suddenly eager to be covered. He was silent, but she knew that he’d noticed. Maybe it was stupid that she cared, considering the fact that he was bound to notice sooner or later – sooner, in light of what they’d just done. But she couldn’t help the unease that settled over her as she imagined the next time he undressed her, without the cover of darkness.
“Come on.” Eric took her hand and helped her to rise. “It’s past midnight.”
She waited for him to lock up and walked close beside him as they headed toward the parking garage, enjoying the feel of his arm around her waist and the pleasurable afterglow that had settled over her body in the wake of the incredible climax he’d brought her to. All she could think about was the next time they’d be alone together, and though she looked forward to it – in fact, she was trying to plan a time as they walked – she couldn’t help the thread of doubt that wove its way through her thoughts, making her wonder what his reaction would be when he stripped off her clothing again and saw what he’d only felt tonight.