Bekka dropped the mop and pulled off her gloves, tossing them on the counter. She reached for something behind the door. “Let’s go.” Her face looked as concerned as his, and relief washed over him when he saw she held her wallet and a light coat. “I remember what happened last time those two had a major blow out.”
She locked the door and swung the jacket over her shoulder as she followed Jamie down the stairs and over to the tattoo parlor.
***
Bekka could hear the shouting as she and Jamie came up the sidewalk and neared the large front glass window of Black Magick Tattoo & Designs. She peered inside, but couldn’t see any sign of Juanita or Corey in the waiting area or near the front counter. Casting a worried glance over her shoulder at Jamie, she grabbed for the silver door handle and yanked on it. Thankfully it was unlocked. She strode quietly but quickly into the shop, with Jamie on her heels.
“You have one helluva a sense of timing, Mom. Christ, why can’t you just leave me alone long enough to live my goddamned life? You promised you’d give me space. No more smothering. Did we not agree on that? Did we not have that conversation?”
As she and Jamie crept nearer to the back tattoo area, Corey’s angry words floated out at them, along with the muffled, sniffly protests of Juanita.
“I swear, Juanita…” She heard his boots clip—hard and sharp—across the tile in the back room. “If you have ruined my second chance with her—” His voice broke and he took a long pause. “I don’t know…” A heavy sigh. “I don’t know if I can ever talk to you again, Mom, if Bekka turns me down after this.”
Soft sobbing drifted as Bekka moved down the hall. She practically lunged into the tattoo area to stop the ensuing upheaval between step-son and mother. Jamie bumped into her in his haste to also put some distant between the feuding pair, and they both went stumbling into the room.
“Hey, Corey.” She flashed a brilliant smile and swallowed her pride. Getting these two on neutral ground was more important that her anger and fears right now. She needed a quick reason for being here, and Bekka grabbed the first thing that popped into her head. “Sorry I didn’t make it over yesterday. I had to take some inventory in the store. I totally forgot about the tattoo. Every second Sunday of the month is my inventory day …” She realized she was on the cusp of rambling. “Hey Juanita!” Bekka veered course and walked toward the middle-aged woman, who was now sporting a shaky smile as she dabbed at her eyes. “Didn’t know you were coming into Moncton. How you doing?”
“I’m good, sweetie. Real good.”
Bekka wrapped the short, portly lady in a warm hug. As she pulled away from the embrace with her ex-mother-in-law, Bekka bumped into the wide, solid chest of her ex-husband.
“You came for the tattoo?” Corey frowned, darting a suspicious glance between her and Jamie, who blushed a telling red.
She flashed him an innocent, wide-eyed look and screwed up her face. “I know. My memory is terrible. Sorry I didn’t make it over yesterday.”
His dazzling smile hit her in the gut with both relief and love, and she knew, then and there, she could not write Corey’s offer of a second chance off as easily as she had vowed last night. But right now she couldn’t think about their future. Right now, winging it was all she could do, and she hoped for the best.
***
Once the heat settled, Corey ushered Jamie and Bekka out of the tattoo area while he had a quiet word or two with his step-mom. He and Juanita offered up a few smiling, forgiving words of apology to each other.
“I better go.” Juanita gave him a tentative kiss on the cheek.
Corey flashed her a sympathetic look when he saw the uncertainty in her wide brown eyes. She was so afraid of losing him, but she had to see that by smothering him in what she saw as “motherly affection” she was simply antagonizing their relationship and pushing him away.
“Give me a call when you get home.” He kissed her forehead and waved as she tossed a nod and another smile goodbye over her shoulder.
“I will,” Juanita promised, and then grabbed her purse from the far counter as she left the tattoo area and headed for the front entrance of the shop.
***
After Juanita left, Corey flashed Jamie a quick, secret look that let him know he wanted some time alone with Bekka. Blushing, and giving a quick nod, Jamie made some feeble excuse and left the tattoo shop.
Bekka fidgeted near the front glass counter where stainless, surgical steel body jewelry was displayed. She was pretending to look at the tattoo sheets on the wall, but Corey could tell she was stalling. He could feel the awkward energy coming off her after their recent fight, and admittedly he felt out of sorts, nervous and unsure of what to say first exactly.
“So…” he finally blurted, not missing the way she jumped slightly, startled by his voice. “Do you want to go with the same tattoo I removed—I still have the design sheet for it—or something different?”
She looked back to the wall of design sheets and then played with her full bottom lip. Corey watched her and felt the back of his neck grow warm. He cleared his throat—not to get her attention, but to clear the growing desire from his next words. “See anything you like, hon?”
Bekka crossed her arms beneath her ample breasts. She was wearing a snug, low-cut black tank-top today—a picture of one of her favorite horror characters, Pinhead, emblazoned on the front—and tight, low cut blue jeans. Damn, tattooing her wasn’t going to be easy. His adrenaline was thrumming through his body from today’s fight with his step-mom, and when his adrenaline kicked into high gear he grew hornier than hell.
Looking at her right now and thinking about last night’s fight, where he’d been truly terrified he’d lost her, Corey thought he’d rather suggest they go in that back room and use one of the two tattoo chairs for a better use than inking today. But, he didn’t know what kind of mood Bekka was in.
He knew Jamie had ran over to her apartment next door and got her to come over to break up the disagreement. Corey was no fool. In the past, any fight between him and Juanita over her clingy nature was always patched up by his quick-thinking, clever wife.
He also knew that didn’t necessarily mean they were back on good terms—let alone fucking terms. Bekka was wary of a second chance to begin with, so after their recent argument, and today’s display between him and Juanita, where did he really stand with her now? He was almost afraid to know, but he had to find out.
“What about something darker this time?” She wrinkled up her nose, and he just hoped Bekka didn’t notice his eyes glued to her well exposed cleavage. “I’m thinking a small portrait of H.P. Lovecraft.” She grinned wide. “To commemorate my love of horror—or maybe a small Cthulhu. What do you think?”
He couldn’t think. His gaze was still glued to those sumptuous breasts spilling from her shirt. Corey grinned and forced his gaze to meet hers. “I could do either.” He focused on the design sheet wall to keep his words and mind centered on the moment, instead of the lascivious thoughts racing through his head. “Where do you want the tattoo?”
She swallowed and chewed on her bottom lip, and Corey wondered if she was feeling the same indecision, the same sexual tension, that he was.
“I was thinking of putting it in the same place as the last one.” She rubbed her arm nervously and his eyes were involuntarily drawn back to her chest with the hypnotic bobbing of her breasts. “On my left hip.” It seemed the words were hard to get out, and her voice was slightly shaky.
Sheesh, she doesn’t believe in making this easy on me. But then, maybe that’s her idea? Corey couldn’t say. Bekka wasn’t really giving signals either way, and he didn’t want to push her and have another fight erupt. He had her in the tattoo shop, ready and willing to put his ink back beneath her skin. So, he wouldn’t try any “funny stuff,” unless she initiated it, of course.
He nodded and crossed his muscular arms over the front of his snug t-shirt. “I’ll have to draw it up first and then stencil it.” He looked up a
t the clock “It’s getting kind of late to do the tattoo tonight. You want to come back tomorrow for that, and we’ll just design something today?”
Bekka clapped her hands in front of her and puffed a large gust of relieved air. No real touching today then. That was good. She was in a disoriented headspace right now—drained by the drama of the last few days—and sex was the last thing on her mind. “Sounds good to me.”
“All right.” Corey smiled, feeling the tension between them begin to ease, as did his tense back muscles from the stress of the last two days. “Let’s go into the tattoo room and look through some books and get an idea of what you want, then I’ll draw it up.”
Nodding, Bekka followed him into the back area of the shop. She wondered if he had confronted Juanita about the strange woman’s text, but that would have to wait for another day. She was in no mood for confrontation tonight.
***
Chapter 9
“What about something like that?”
He held up two art books for Bekka to peer at. One sported a picture of Cthulhu depicted as a half-human half-squid, breaking through the doors of his ancient tomb to free the Ancients from their sleep in R’lyeh. The other picture was an old photograph of H. P. Lovecraft, sitting with his hands folded in his lap in a wingback chair.
“We could combine the two,” Corey continued. “Have H.P.’s portrait fade into the picture of Cthulhu near the bottom of the tattoo.” He turned from the pictures to face her to see what she thought of his suggestion. “What do you think?”
Her gaze darted back and forth between the two pictures and she rubbed her chin with an absent hand as she concentrated. “I like it. Let’s go for that.”
He smiled at her approval. “Great. I’ll get started on drawing it up and I can call you tomorrow when it is done.”
She took a seat on a stool near one of the wash up sinks. “Look, Corey…” Bekka dropped her gaze to her boots and heaved a heavy sigh. “Let’s forget the other night, all right?”
His face fell and his stomach lurched. Here it comes… She’s letting me down easily.
“At least.” She looked up and grinned. “At least the fight part. Let’s just put it behind us and start fresh today, okay?”
He nodded, and a broad smile spread over his lips, making him sport the dimples he hated so much. “Sounds good to me, hon.”
He settled at his sketch pad in the work area set for his stencil and tattoo design. Corey propped the two books open at the top of his work area and studied both pictures for a few minutes before he turned to Bekka to ask, “Do you want H.P.’s portrait to fade in at the bottom left corner or top right?”
“Bottom left.” She pursed her lips as if she was going to add something else.
“What’s that?” He put the pencil down and waited for her to speak. Corey’s heart pounded in his ears. He could sense Bekka was uneasy—had something left on her mind to say. And he was just hoping it wasn’t bad news.
“Nothing.” She grinned and let out a little laugh.
Curious now, Corey turned from his drawing desk and faced her on the swivel chair. “Come on. You can’t do that. Remember your promise. Besides, you know I hate it when you leave me up in the air.”
She laughed again; a full rich alto that made his heart light and thumped him in the stomach with the presence of hope.
“Okay, okay.” She held her hands up. “I was just thinking of Jamie’s face today when he showed up at my door.”
“Ahah!” Corey stood as he crossed his arms over his broad chest. “I knew that little bugger snuck over there when Juanita and I had our…” He looked away, running a hand through his thick, dark long curls. “Little disagreement.”
She lowered her head and fidgeted with her hands in her lap, then sighed as she looked up at him again. “I am so sorry I caused that. I never meant to—”
Walking closer, Corey shook his head and interrupted her apology with a finger against her lips. “Don’t apologize. I love my step-mom, and you know I do, but…that had been coming on for a while now, hon, and we both know it. Sometimes, you have to get a bit firm with Juanita. She says she didn’t give my number to anyone, though.” He sighed and his jaw tensed then relaxed. Corey hated fighting with his step-mom. She was more of a real parent to him than his biological mother had ever been—even his father, really.
But because of her sympathy for Corey as a young teen, growing up with a single dad who she later married, Juanita still seemed to think he was that angry, quiet, scared kid, and that he still needed her mothering. But at twenty-nine, with the profit he’d made selling one successful tattoo shop and the comfortable income he expected to make in this place, Corey was in no need of the constant nurturing he’d required in his sadder, dysfunctional youth. Now, breaking that to his step-mom in a tactful but firm way was, often, the hard part.
“I hope you didn’t say anything too harsh.” Bekka winced.
“No.”
He turned back to the pad, but thoughts of their fight took his mind from the page. Corey rose from the chair and walked to where Bekka sat.
“Look.” He paused and ran a hand through his hair again, like he always did in an uncomfortable situation. “About our little disagreement—”
“Forget it, Corey.” Bekka stood and wrapped her arms about his neck. “It’s over. In the past. We start fresh today. How does that sound?”
He raised an eyebrow at her. “That’s not the way the Bekka I used to know would be. You sure you aren’t going to give me the “cold and clipped” routine for a week?”
She slapped him on his well muscled bicep and he laughed.
“I’m not holding any grudges anymore. I want to take this slow and easy, and you have to be patient with me but…” She placed her hands on his broad chest. “I’m willing to give this another go—if you still are, that is?”
Corey rubbed his palms over top her fingers. Do you even have to ask?” He kissed the tip of her nose and chuckled.
She pulled back a bit and heaved a sigh. Bekka was tired from this afternoon and their recent quarrel. All she really wanted to do was head back over to her apartment and climb into bed, pulled the covers over her head, and fall into a blissful sleep. But if she made an excuse and left now, Corey would surely think she was still mad at him and simply hiding it. And Bekka didn’t want to leave him with doubts running through his head. Plus, part of her wasn’t ready to leave just yet. It was nice to be with him. Smell his cologne and hear his warm chuckle, his soft and deep voice, again.
“Are you somewhere else?” He tipped her chin up so their eyes met. Corey had caught her daydreaming.
“No, no.” She smiled and took his hand, squeezing it to reassure him. “I was just drifting.”
“Ahhh.” He waved a finger in front of her face. “No secrets this time.”
She smiled. “I was just thinking I’m a little tired.” She looked at him sheepishly. “I’m going to head home and go to bed early.”
He put the pencil down and turned to face her, rubbing his hands up and down his jean-clad thighs. Bekka’s gaze molded to his movement, to the snug denim hugging his strong legs, and thoughts of a much different nature took root in other parts of her body. She cleared her throat and pulled her eyes away.
“Sure.” Corey straightened and stretched. His black t-shirt pulled tight over his broad chest, accenting the definition there in his naturally muscular physique. “Do you want to come upstairs for a bit? Have a coffee? I was just going to make a bite to eat too after you left. You ate dinner yet?”
“No. I was just going to throw a cheese sandwich together or something.” Bekka wrinkled her nose.
Corey laughed and wrapped a big hand around the back of her neck then kissed her forehead. “That’s my girl. Can’t cook to save her life. Come on, I’ll make you a pizza.”
***
They ate dessert, consisting of chocolate mousse Corey had whipped up from a box, off of each other. Bekka swirled the thick chocola
te cream over the head of Corey’s cock and he moaned when her whole mouth took him in. They played that way in the chocolate mousse for over an hour. Corey positioned a bowl on the nightstand near the bed. The sheets were old, and he could strip the bed when they were finished their chocolate feast. Right now, all he wanted and all he cared about was exploring new ways to make his woman come after far too long apart, and far too long without the touch, the taste, of her body.
Corey smeared cream across her breasts, kneading and squeezing her firm generous tits, the chocolate oozing and dripping between his fingers. He sucked and licked the scrumptious treat from her nipples and lapped every drop from the soft white flesh of her breasts.
“Lay down,” he commanded in a gruff whisper. His passion made him twist from beneath Bekka and force her to the mattress the way he knew she liked. His Bekka liked her sex rough and intense, adventurous and hot, and Corey was more than eager to please. His cock was so hard it throbbed to the point of aching.
Corey dipped his four fingers into the bowl of mousse and made a scoop with his fingers. He shoveled up a generous helping and then laved Bekka’s dripping pussy with the cool, sweet chocolate. She moaned and arched up to meet his swirling hand.
“Mmmm…like that?” Corey licked his fingers clean and then spread her labia with them, inserting two digits, working her g-spot with lazy, slow strokes. “That chocolate sure does taste good, doesn’t it, sweetheart? Want me to lick all that sweet cream off your sweet pussy?”
He grinned down at her as he stroked his cock with a casual grip. She looked up at him through hooded eyes. “Don’t torture me any longer Corey, please?” She thrust her pelvis upward, as if she were begging him to eat her now. “I need release, please, baby, eat me. Make me come”
Shifters & Bad Boys Bundle (Shifters & Bad Boys. Man love, bdsm, and rockstar romance. Book 1) Page 43