Inked Expressions

by Carrie Ann Ryan

  “Good boy,” Storm said and rubbed the top of his head. “Now, let’s go out back.”

  That must have been code for something because Randy bounced up and ran toward the back, his little feet sliding on the tile.

  “He’s not using his claws,” she said as they stood out on the porch so Randy could take care of his business.

  “He does sometimes, but he’s learning not to scratch up my floor. Smart dog,” Storm said then groaned as Randy tripped head over feet on his way back to him. “And once he grows into those feet of his, he’ll be a giant with hopefully a little more grace.” He patted his thigh. “Come on, boy. Come meet Everly.”

  Even in a dress and heels, she knelt down so she was at Randy’s level. “Hello, Randy.”

  The puppy held out a paw, and she fell in love. When she reached to shake it, his whole body began to shake with her. She laughed and ran her hand down his soft back. “You’re so pretty.” She looked up at storm. “Don’t get on me for calling a boy dog pretty. Look at his coat. He’s gorgeous.”

  “Not going to fight with you on that one,” Storm said with a shrug. “He is pretty. And cute. And all those adorable words men pretend they don’t think. You can pick him up if you want so we can go back inside.” He winced. “Unless you don’t want to get your dress dirty.”

  She immediately reached out and lifted Randy to her chest and stood. The puppy licked her face, and she nuzzled into him. “He’s so soft.”

  Storm reached out and cupped her face. “So are you.”

  She let out a breath. “Storm.”

  He leaned over the dog and kissed her softly, though Randy barged in, demanding kisses, as well. Thankfully, both of them moved out of the way in time to avoid the puppy’s tongue.

  They laughed, and Storm shook his head. “Silly dog. How about we go wash up and then I’ll see just how soft you are.” He slid his hand down her waist and she moved into him. Wanting more.

  “I want you, Ev. All of you. I want to taste you. Lick you. Eat you. Then pound into you as you take my cock. I’ll be hard and rough, then soft and sweet. Anything you need, Ev. Anything.”

  She clamped her legs together, but before she could say anything, her phone rang. “Crap. That’s Tabby’s ring.”

  Storm took the puppy, and she grabbed her phone, answering it on the next ring. “Tabby? What’s wrong?”

  “Nathan has some tummy issues. We separated them, but if it’s a stomach bug, James might already have it. Alex is hanging with Nathan right now, and I’ll be with James, but I figured you might want to come home and be with your boys. They want their mom.”

  Everly let out a sigh, her heart hurting for her babies. Kids got sick, she knew, but she hated it when it was her kids.

  “I’ll be right there,” she said. “Give the boys my love.” She hung up and gave Storm a sad look.

  “I heard,” he said quickly. “The volume was up. We’ll take Randy with us, so he doesn’t have to stay in the crate for long.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Storm cupped the back of her head and kissed her hard. “Never be sorry. Those boys are everything, and you’re one of the best moms I know. Let’s get you home, and if you want, I can stay and relieve Tabby and Alex. That is, if you’re okay with that and if you don’t mind Randy.”

  She ran a hand over the puppy’s head. “I think we’d all like that.” She sighed. “Thank you, Storm.”

  “You don’t have to thank me for caring for those boys.”

  She knew that. He’d always been there for her and the boys, even when they’d had that weird tension between them. And as much as she wanted to jump into bed with him right then, she knew that maybe this grace period was a good thing. It would give them both more time to think and figure out if this was what they truly wanted.

  Because as much as she wanted to live in the moment, she couldn’t. Everything was much more complicated than them just having a quick fling, and as they drove back to her house, she knew they were both letting that sink in.

  Her choices when it came to Storm would never be easy, but maybe, just maybe, complications would be worth it.

  She just didn’t know.

  Chapter Twelve

  Storm had a headache, and he’d slept for shit the night before, but that was his own fault for sleeping on Everly’s couch. The boys hadn’t wanted him to go after he’d helped tuck them in, and frankly, he hadn’t wanted to go either. Now, he was at his desk at work, chugging coffee and trying to get his brain to work.

  “Did you get to look at the file I sent you?” Wes asked. “And why do you look like shit.”

  Storm flipped his brother off. “We’re twins, you know. Maybe you should stop commenting on my looks.”

  “We’re fraternal twins, so that doesn’t count. What’s wrong, Storm?” Wes’s voice went low at the end, and Storm felt like a heel. He needed to tell his brother what had been grating on him for years, and he would, but sitting at his desk right then wasn’t the place to do it. He’d been a coward for far too long, and now he just needed to figure out how to explain to Wes what had happened and why he hadn’t told him.

  It was the latter that made him worry. He didn’t have a good reason for not telling Wes other than that he’d been ashamed. And in retrospect, that wasn’t a damn good reason at all.

  “Storm?”

  He shook himself out of his thoughts. “Sorry. I was at Everly’s all night and didn’t sleep well.”

  Wes’s brows rose. “Does that mean what I think it does?”

  As they were alone in the office for now, Storm didn’t mind explaining. He’d told Alex about his date with Everly since his other brother would be babysitting the kids, but he hadn’t told the others. And he should have, damn it. He’d spent so much of his life keeping things to himself, he kept forgetting to tell the people he loved the important stuff.

  “Not exactly.” Storm blew out a breath. “I was over there with Randy last night because Nathan got sick and Ev needed help.”

  Wes stiffened. “Asthma attack? Is he okay?”

  Though Wes hadn’t known Storm had kept in contact with Everly and the boys as much as he had after Jackson’s death, once Alex and Tabby had started dating, the entire Montgomery family had brought Everly into their fold. The fact that Wes cared so much about the boys told Storm how great a man Wes was.

  And damn it, Storm needed to rise up and be the kind of man his twin was—even if Wes was annoying as hell most days.

  “Just a stomach bug that he seemed to get over this morning. But since James just had the surgery, we were worried that he’d get sick as well so we had to separate them. You remember us as kids, we hated being in different rooms most of the time, so my job was to distract James.”

  “I’m glad they’re okay now.” Wes paused and seemed to collect his thoughts as he sank down into the chair in front of Storm’s desk. “So are you and Everly a thing now?”

  Storm nodded. “Yes?”

  “That was a question, not an answer.”

  Storm blew out a breath. “Yes, we’re a thing, but I don’t know what kind of thing we are. Our first date was last night, and it ended with us taking care of the kids.” He didn’t mention the laundry room incident. That was just for him and Everly.

  “That’s what happens when you date a woman with kids, but you can handle it. You guys have a history, though. Are you going to be okay?”

  Saying they had history wasn’t the half of it. He hadn’t told Wes about Jackson’s other family, and he wouldn’t until Everly gave him the go ahead. That wasn’t his story to tell, though he was part of it.

  “We’re still working it out,” Storm said honestly. “I don’t know. But I wouldn’t have risked my friendship with her if it weren’t something important. You know what I mean?”

  Wes nodded. “Yeah. I do.” He opened his mouth to say something else but stopped when Jillian walked in, a frown on her face and a stain on her shirt. He really didn’t want to know what that
stain was considering she was their plumber.

  “You’re late,” Wes clipped out, and Storm held back a sigh. He honestly didn’t know why these two didn’t get along, but it wasn’t his problem. They were adults and would have to figure out their issues on their own. He had enough to deal with.

  Jillian put her hands on her hips and scowled. “One of my previous contracts had an issue with her sink this morning. When I signed on to the company, it was with the understanding that I might need to finish out with some clients along the way. I called Tabby and let her know since that is her job, after all. And I don’t have a scheduled appointment for another two hours. I might be behind on paperwork right now, but that just means I’ll stay late or bring it home. Don’t worry, Mr. Montgomery, my work will get done.” She blew out a breath and looked up at Storm. “I heard the twins were sick. They okay?”

  Storm nodded and assumed Tabby had told her. They were all becoming friends, after all. “Yeah. They should be. You could call Everly if you want and talk to them.”

  She raised a brow. “Not sure that’s a good idea yet.”

  “What’s with the cryptic remarks?” he asked with a frown.

  Wes huffed. “What she’s saying is that maybe your ex-girlfriend shouldn’t be calling your new girlfriend when things are so new, and they haven’t figured out their places in your life yet. And for the love of God, don’t say anything about anyone not being your girlfriend. There is only so much of that I can take.”

  Jillian’s jaw dropped, and Storm pinched the bridge of his nose. Wes could be annoyingly insightful when he wanted to be, but Jillian didn’t know that.

  Wes stood up and brushed by Jillian, and Storm had a feeling the contact had been accidental. They both stiffened before quickly moving away from each other. Hell. He’d known having them work together might be hard, but he hadn’t known it would be this bad. They’d just have to find a way to work it out, though because both Jillian and Wes were the best at what they did. Montgomery Inc. would be better with both of them. They just had to realize that.

  “Did you get that file?” Wes asked suddenly. “The one I asked you about?”

  Storm nodded. “Yeah, it’s on my list. I need more coffee and then I can get on it.”

  Wes waved it away. “You were up with a sick kid. That’s all you needed to say.” And with that, he walked back to his desk as if he hadn’t just been quizzing Storm and Jillian. His brother made his head hurt, but at least Wes’s heart was in the right place.

  Jillian went back to her desk that was next to Luc’s in the back and went to work. As the lead plumber and electrician in the company respectively, they didn’t tend to work in the office that much, so they shared a space. Decker and Harper also shared space in the other corner since they were usually on jobsites, as well. Storm figured they’d have to add on to the office eventually or get another building because the company—and the family as a whole—was growing at a rapid pace.

  Rubbing the back of his neck, he opened the file Wes had sent and scanned over it just as the door opened again, but this time, Everly walked through it, her teeth biting into her lip.

  Storm stood quickly and rushed to her. “What’s wrong?” She’d never come into his work before, even when they’d just been friends. It worried him.

  Everly shook her head. “Everything’s fine. I mean, as fine as it can be since I can’t work right now and my employees are without jobs and pay. You just left your wallet last night, and you didn’t answer your phone.” She whispered that last part, and he figured it was because he’d stayed over.

  He kissed her softly, aware his brother was staring at them. Jillian wouldn’t be able to see them from where she was since the stairs blocked them, so he didn’t mind showing off his new relationship with Everly. He wouldn’t shove it in Jillian’s face, but he would find a way to make everything work.

  “Hi,” he said after a moment.

  Everly pulled back when he did, her cheeks pink. “Hi.”

  “Thanks for bringing me my wallet. And I had my phone on vibrate since I had a meeting earlier. I must not have felt it. Sorry about that.”

  She shrugged and looked around the office. He could see the tension in her shoulders, and he knew he had to make her feel less awkward about standing in the middle of his place of work after their kiss.

  “It’s not a problem,” she said after a moment.

  “Where are the kids?” he asked, wondering why they weren’t there.

  Everly’s eyes narrowed. “They’re with Nancy and Peter. Jackson’s parents are spending more and more time with them these days, and I just don’t know what that means.”

  They are fucking assholes, who want control over everything Everly does, he thought, but he didn’t say it. Instead, he tugged on her hand and led her to one of the back rooms where they could talk, and Everly wouldn’t feel like she was on stage. He knew he probably shouldn’t have kissed her like that in public, but he hadn’t been able to hold himself back. He’d have to do better next time.

  Jillian waved at them as they made their way back, and Everly stiffened, her gaze going between him and the other woman. Well, wasn’t this just awkward.

  “What are you doing today?” he asked. He knew she still had tons of things to do even if she couldn’t walk into her store, and he wanted to shift the attention off the fact that he worked with Jillian.

  “Paperwork and scheduling,” Everly answered. “I knew you’d hired Jillian, but isn’t it awkward for you?” she blurted. “I mean, I don’t know if I could work with my ex.” Pain slashed across her face, and he knew she was thinking about Jackson.

  Damn it, everything was just so damn complicated. “It’s only awkward when people keep mentioning it,” he said with a snort. “We work in two different areas of the company, so we really only see each other in times like this when she has paperwork to do.” He let out a breath. “She’s still my friend, Ev. Is that going to be a problem?”

  Everly frowned but shook her head. “No, I mean, it shouldn’t.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “You know, just a few short days ago, I would have said it wouldn’t be a problem at all. And it isn’t. It’s just…”

  “That you’re still processing what happened with Jackson.” He fisted his hands at his sides and took in a deep breath. “Me, too. Hell, if I could, I’d find a way to kick his fucking ass for daring to betray you like that.”

  Everly put her hand on his chest. “He betrayed you, too. He has another family out there, and he’s not here to make excuses for it. I don’t know what I’m going to do or how I’m going to tell his parents—because I’m going to have to tell them—but I do know that this isn’t going away just because I want it to.”

  And Storm knew it would make it harder for her to trust him. He knew that, and hell, he understood it, but it didn’t make it any easier to swallow.

  “We’re taking it one day at a time.” He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear. “I don’t know what the right answer is when it comes to Jackson, but I’ll be here if and when you need me. As for Jillian, we’re friends. It might be a little awkward right now because we’re all figuring out how things will go, but I want to say that we’ll still be friends. If that’s going to be a problem for you, then I need to know.”

  She shook her head. “I don’t know what you and I are, but what I do know is that you wouldn’t cheat. You couldn’t cheat. You always put everyone else ahead of yourself—something Jackson never did, and we let him get away with it. So maybe that’s on us.”

  Storm slid his hands down her arms. “No, that’s on him. Always.” He hugged her because he couldn’t not touch her right then, and she wrapped her arms around his waist. He had no idea what they were doing, but he knew this was important, so he wasn’t going to mess it up. And because it was getting far too serious and confused in his mind, he reached around and patted her ass, laughing when she stiffened for a minute before going up on her toes to bite his chin.

  “Ha
nds, Storm. You’re at work.”

  He winked, bringing levity into the room. “I own the place.”

  She rolled her eyes, so he kissed her.

  “A few of us are grabbing lunch at Taboo in a couple of hours. Want to join? I mean, if you didn’t already have plans. I don’t think Tabby can come, though, so you won’t know everyone as well as you do her.”

  She bit her lip. “I don’t have plans,” she said slowly. “And since I don’t have a job, I guess lunch would be okay.”

  “Damn it. I wish the police would be able to tell you more. I hate that you can’t do anything about the store yet.”

  “You’d think they’d at least let me do a walkthrough to survey the damage, but they want me so far away from it, it’s not even funny.” She frowned. “Taboo is just across the street, so I’m still going to be able to at least see the outside again. God, it looked so bad the last time I saw it, Storm. I don’t think we’re going to be able to save anything. Anything.”

  He hugged her tight. “I’m so fucking sorry, Ev. I hope they catch the goddamn person soon and let you into your store. Yeah, it’s going to be hard, but you won’t be alone.” She wouldn’t have been even before they started this new aspect of their relationship. Things might have changed between them, but he’d always tried to be there for her before, as well. “And, Ev? You know people who can help you rebuild, you won’t be alone,” he repeated.

  She sighed into him. “I know.” Her voice was small, and he wanted to kick something for making her sound so defeated. “It’s just all too much. I want to be able to face it head-on, but I’m tired.”

  He ran a hand down her back. “You have a right to be, Ev. You’re so damn strong all the time. If you need to rest, that’s what my shoulder’s for.”

  She nuzzled into him, and he held her close, knowing that this was only the beginning. He didn’t know where they would end up or if he’d made a horrible mistake by taking a different step in the direction of who they were together, but right then, all that mattered was the woman in his arms.