"Ok I'm sorry it took so long, but this is what I came up with." I hold my drawing up to her. She gets teary eyed. I think I nailed it. She stands and takes it from my hand. "It's so beautiful. Zeke would love it. He always said his tattoos weren't great quality, that if I ever get any, to go to the best." I feel honored that she thinks I'm the best. "So you wanna get that?" She nods as she hands it back to me. "Ok let me get this copied. Then I'll come get you." She swipes under her eyes as I turn away from her. Sunny comes over to me. "So I'm gonna head over to the deli for a sandwich. You want one?" I nod telling her, "Please turkey." She nods and walks out. I miss going to Mabel's for lunch. We really should make a trip there soon, so she can meet Blake. I get set up, then go to get my client. I hold my hand out to her as I step in front of her, "Dalton by the way." She stands and takes my hand telling me, "I know who you are, but I'm Sydney." I nod then motion for her to head over to my station. "So what's the story behind getting Zeke's tattoos? Unless you don't wanna share.." She takes off her coat as she tells me, "He's my husband. He...." She starts to get teary eyed again. "He.... uh.... just passed away. Well not just. It's been a year, but it feels like yesterday. I guess I'm just hoping if I have a part of him I can move on." I look to my wrist. I know how she's feeling. "I'm sorry for your loss, and I'm glad to help anyway I can." She touches my arm. "Thank you. You know you're not so bad. I was told you're a stuck up prick. But I don't think that was right." I chuckle as I motion for her to move to the table. "Well I was a prick not so long ago, then I met the love of my life, and she recently gave me a daughter. Humbles a man." She sits on the table. "I'm sorry if that was blunt. I don't have a filter. Or so I'm told." I wave my hand through the air, then pull on a pair of gloves. "I'm good with blunt." She watches me get ready. As the minutes pass I can feel her nervousness increase. "What kind of music do you like?" She seems a bit thrown off by my question, but shrugs telling me, "Anything heavy." Sunny walks through the door with lunch. It's gonna have to wait. I don't wanna keep this woman waiting any longer. "Sun, turn on some tunes. We're about to get started." She walks behind the desk and turns the music on. I sit and put on a fresh pair of gloves. "Ok lay on your side and just relax. It will get easier after the first few minutes. Your body will react with adrenaline to counter the pain and you might feel a bit hyped up." She lays on her side. "Thanks for the tips." I nod then place the line work onto her neck. I don't ask her to look at it. I need to just get her started, and I know she trusts my judgment anyway. I pick up my machine. "You ready for this?" She gives me a thumbs up. I do a few lines, then stop asking, "You ok?" She gives me another thumbs up. Alright that's good enough for me.
I jog up the stairs, but start to slow the closer I get to our door. Blake is screaming. I get to the door and swing it open. Carmen is standing in the kitchen holding Blake. Tears are slowly creeping down her cheeks. I walk over and take Blake from her. "Babe why didn't you come get me? How long has she been screaming like this?" She shrugs as she swipes under her eyes. "I don't know like an hour or more. I changed her, fed her, she won't go to sleep..." She shakes her head then drops it into her hands. I hush Blake and start to bounce her as I walk into the living room. "Go take a hot bath. I got her now." She doesn't even fight me on it. I'm glad. I can't imagine listening to this for an hour. I start to hum a song my grandma used to sing to me. She slowly calms down. Within a few more minutes, she's snuggled into my chest sound asleep. I walk slowly back the hall to her room. I lay her down carefully, then tip toe out backwards. I walk to our bathroom. Carmen is singing. I stand outside the door and just listen for a bit. She's such a multi talented woman. I can't believe she's choosing to waste her life with me. I start to open the door, and peek my head in when it's cracked just enough. She looks to me, giving me a weak smile. "She's asleep now right?" I nod then step in, shutting the door behind me. I walk over and sit on the edge of the tub. I pick up her wash cloth and run it across her shoulders. She closes her eyes. "Babe you don't ever have to handle her by yourself when she's throwing a fit like that. That's supposed to be a perk of me being right downstairs." She shrugs. "I know but you're busy down there. And with me not working and all the money we spent on opening your shop..." I press my finger tip to her lips. "Stop baby. We still have a decent chunk of money left. I want to help you." She looks up at me. "I love you." I smile as I bend down pressing my lips to hers. "I love you."
She steps from the bathtub, water dripping down her tiny body. You can't even tell the woman had a baby just a couple months ago. She reaches out grabbing a towel. I really wish she would just stand there a little longer. She smirks as she looks right at me. "You like what you see, mister?" I swallow hard. "Very much." She runs the towel down her body then drops it on the floor next to her. "Well come get it." I don't need to be told twice. I walk over pulling her to me, slamming my lips to hers. I'm not sure I have it in me to take it slow. Not after months of not being able to be inside her. I grab her ass lifting her up my body. She wraps herself around me as I walk from the bathroom into our room. She's driving me crazy kissing all down my neck. I lay her back on our bed. She smiles up at me. "You're over dressed." I start to take my shirt off. She sits up running her hands up my chest. I get sucked in by her eyes. She starts to undo my pants as I throw my shirt to the floor. "I cannot wait to feel you inside me." My dick jumps as she pulls my pants down my legs. I grab her shoulders pressing her to the bed. "You will wait." She raises her eye brow with a curious smirk on her lips. I have to take my time. I can't be a one pump chump after all this time. I lean down placing kisses to her neck. She arches off the bed, pressing her body to mine. I move between her legs, letting her grind against me. Oh sweet torture. She runs her finger tips up and down my sides as I move my lips out her shoulder. I kiss back to her neck and down to her collarbone. She slides her hands into my hair as I lick one nipple then suck it into my mouth. I swirl my tongue, give it a little tug, then kiss to the other nipple giving it the same treatment. I trail kisses down her stomach out to one hip and across to the other. She moans loudly as I kiss along the inside of her leg avoiding the one area I know she wants me to kiss. I'll get there._ _I kiss down her leg, the top of her foot, then move to the other one. I'm hard as hell and excited to get inside her, but this right here is heaven. She bucks off the bed as I kiss her knee then move to the inside of her thigh. "Dalton, you're killing me." I smile then move my mouth between her legs. She groans as I place a kiss to her. "DALTON." I chuckle as I tell her, "Shush you're gonna wake Blake, then this will be all over." She grabs a pillow and pulls it over her face. I lick through her. She tastes as sweet as I remember. She moans into the pillow. I do it again. I work for a bit right where I'm at, when she starts to grab at my hair, I move my way back up her body. She pulls my lips back to hers. I can't take it anymore. I push my boxers off and position myself at her entrance. She moves against me. I take a minute to just kiss her, then slide inside her. She digs her finger nails into the back of my neck. I moan against her lips and have to stay still for just a second to keep myself from blowing this. She feels so good. I've never felt like I fit anyone like I do her. I pull from her slowly, but not completely. She grabs my hips holding me where I am, then gives her hips a twist. I close my eyes as she moves herself around me. "Carmen." I whisper needing her to slow down. She just keeps going. I groan then grab her hips pulling from her. "Dalton!!" I look down at her. "Babe I can't..." She tugs on my hips, pulling me back inside her as she whispers, "I wanna make you cum." I don't have it in me to fight her. I move with her, meeting her pace. She's being so vocal I'm worried she's gonna wake Blake, but at least she's safe in her bed. "OH GOD." She yells into the room. I can't take it as she clenches around me, pulling me deeper. "Fuck yes." I hiss as I lose it right along with her.
"Hey guys." I smile as dad and Helen walk through the door. "Hey dad." I walk over and hug him. He holds me tightly. It's been almost two months since we've seen each other. Him and Helen came to the hospital to see Blake, but wanted to
give us time to get settled, and me to get caught up on appointments, before coming over to the house. I'm missed him a lot more than I realized. "Where's my beautiful grand daughter and that lovely wife-to-be of yours." I point back the hall. "They'll be right out. Blake had a poop blowout that required a bath." Helen chuckles as she hugs me quickly, then starts off back the hall. "I'll see if she needs any help." I nod then motion for dad to follow me to the kitchen. "It's pretty crazy." That's all he says, making me stop and look to him. "What is?" He gives me a huge smile. "Just you all talking about baby poop blowouts and being here in your beautiful home." I smile then get serious. "About that. I owe you some money. Carmen told me you paid solely for this place." He starts to hold his hands up. "Look dad I don't wanna fight with you. And I appreciate all you've done, but I've already made a killing here, and I wanna pay you back." He gets a pissed off look on his face. I actually take a step back. "You will do no such thing. I missed far to much time with you. If I had...... Dalton, I have more money than I could ever need. I don't want paid back. I want to be a part of your life and help you like a father should. Like I should have long before now." I don't know what to say now. He steps to me, pulling me into a hug. I don't know how to make him realize I'm over him not being there before. My mom was partially at fault too. Shit I've made my own mistakes. I would never hold him to his. "Thanks dad." I hold on a bit tighter. "I love you, Dalton." "Love you too." We part as the girls come from back the hall. "All clean." Helen tells us as she comes into the kitchen holding a smiling Blake. I have the most beautiful daughter ever. Speaking of beautiful.... Carmen comes from back the hall in a new outfit herself. I chuckle as I ask, "She get you too huh?" She rolls her eyes stating, "yes," then comes to stand next to me. "So what do we want for dinner?" I look to Helen and Dad? Carmen was gonna cook, but Blake has had a rough day, and I told her not to worry about it. Take out is fine. "I'm fine with pizza." Dad suggests. Helen wrinkles her nose. "How about Italian Delish? The boys can get pizza if they want, and we can get a pasta dish." Helen nods at Carmen telling her, "Great idea hon." I look at Carmen as she reaches for her phone. "Ok what does everyone want?" Dad and I decide on a pizza, and Helen and Carmen choose to share chicken alfredo and lasagna. Blake gets stuck with good 'ol formula. Carmen breast fed at first. I even tasted it. It wasn't bad. She has since switched to formula. Now I'm finally allowed to help with night feedings. "Ok they said forty-five minutes for delivery." Carmen tells us as she comes back from calling the Italian place. "We could have picked it up." I tell her. She shrugs. "Why when they'll bring it." I nod then pull her to me as she asks, "So your house all done?" Dad rolls his eyes as Helen perks up. I could care less about they're house renovations. It'll just make her want to get started on shit here. I don't have the time right now. I guess I could hire someone. But I don't want some guy or guys in my house working while my girls are up here. "Did you hear that Dalton?" Carmen elbows me lightly. I shake my head no. "What?" "They got their kitchen done for like seven thousand. Didn't the guy at the hardware place tell us it would be more like fifteen?" I nod not wanting to get into this with her. I don't wanna hire some other guys to do the work to my house. "I'll get it done soon babe." She looks over her shoulder at me. "When Dalton? You're booked out for months." I take my arms from around her. "I'll find time." She searches my face for a second then asks, "Why do I get the feeling you don't wanna hire someone to do it? It would save you the time." I give her a look to let her know I don't wanna talk this over in front of my parents. She crosses her arms over her chest annoyed, then looks to Helen. Blake's asleep in her arms. "You need me to take her?" Helen waves her off. "No thank you. I'll keep my grandbaby." I love that Blake's gonna have a loving family around her always.
"So what's with you getting all weird about hiring someone to do the kitchen?" I lay back not wanting to talk about this anymore now than earlier. She climbs into bed next to me. "It would save you a lot of stress and hassle." I look to her. "What does it matter? If I wanna do it, then that's my choice. Plus I was adding shit up while we were at the hardware place. If I do it, that will save us labor costs." She raises her eye brow. "Do you know how?" I sit up looking right at her. "Yes I know how. I don't want some random ass dudes in my house working on it. I got this. Just back the fuck off a bit." I don't mean to come off quite as harsh as I do. She looks shocked by it too. She gives me this fake ass smile hissing, "FINE." It's never good when she lets me think I win. I never win. "Car, I didn't mean for it to come out so harsh." She shrugs then gives me her back as she gets under the covers. Fuck. I lay back and decide to just leave it for now. Just as I'm about to drop off to sleep I hear her sniffle. I reach out touching her back. "Babe?" She turns to face me. "I'm sorry I'm being such a brat." I'm pretty thrown off that this actually seems to be going in this direction, so I stay quiet, but pull her into my arms. "I don't know why I got so upset over it. I mean our kitchen is fine. And I want you to do the work if you want to do the work. It'll make it more personal. I'm sorry, Dalton." I can't help but smile a bit, then kiss her forehead. "Babe it's ok. I'll take some time off to do the kitchen, ok. Just let me get a bit caught up. I'll have Sunny block out a week a couple months from now." She nods a couple times then snuggles in more. That was weird. But I'll take any win I can get.
The door opens, and I can't help but smile. "What the fuck are you doing here?" Steve shakes his head as he walks toward me. "Just seeing how great you're doing." He holds his hand out to me. I take it. He looks around as he lets go of my hand. "It's a cool place man." I'm about to tell him thanks when Sunny comes back from getting coffee. From the look on his face I know right then and there he didn't come here for me. She walks over to me and hands me my coffee. "Thank you." I tell her. She winks at me, then turns and walks back to her desk like Steve wasn't even there. He lets out a slow breath, shaking his head. I cross my arms over my chest, nodding in her direction. He turns and walks over to her. She takes a sip of her coffee and goes about her work like he's not standing there. I feel like maybe I should give them a minute alone, but this is my place, and he came here. So I stand right where I am. "I miss you." He tells her. She acts like she didn't hear him. I don't know why I'm enjoying this so much, but I am. She walks right past him and comes to me. I'm barely able to keep from chuckling at she tells me with a smile, "Your three 'o clock cancelled." I nod as I tell her, "Thank you Sunny. You ok over there?" She doesn't look to Steve as she tells me, "Of course." She turns and walks back over. I move over to my chair and sit to watch the rest of the show. "Sunny, come on babe. I'm dying over here. I miss you. I haven't been able to eat or sleep since you left. I know I was dick at times. I know I didn't appreciate you, but you just walked out. You just walked out like I meant nothing." She stops now. I swallow hard as she turns to him. "I walked out because I didn't have anything worth staying for." Damn. That was harsh. He nods a couple times, then turns and walks out. She places her hands on the desk and drops her head forward. Do I go to her? I mean, we're closer since working here together, but we still stay professional for the most part. I think about texting Carmen, but stand and walk over to her. "You ok?" She looks to me with tears in her eyes. "Yes." She gives me her back as she moves to the computer and pulls up the calendar. "Sunny, why did you say that if you're obviously upset?" She turns to me, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm with someone else now. I was.... I thought I was happy until he had to fucking come here." I nod not sure what to say now. "I'm sorry. I know you hate this emotional shit." I chuckle as I shrug. "It's ok. I just don't know what to say." She nods as she gives me a weak smile. "There's really nothing for you to say. I'm just a dumb woman." I hold my hands up. "Hey I never said that." She chuckles as the door opens. I'm thankful my client is here. She gives her head a shake and greets the man. "Hey there how are you today?" I nod at him and walk over to get my station set up. Sunny gets him squared away and sends him to me. I hope she's ok. Maybe I'll just mention what happened to Carmen later. They're closer, and I know she can giv
e her advice.
Black Ink (Hart Book 2) Page 6