A Co-Worker's Crush

by Piper Rayne

  Suddenly fear grips my throat and I have a hard time breathing.

  “You okay?” Jax leans over.

  I swallow and nod. “Yeah, just nerves.”

  “Come here.” He tugs on my sleeve and brings me over to a sign that says, “The Tattoo Museum.” “Ready?”

  He poses us for a selfie and snaps it, types something on his phone, and a second later, my phone dings with an Instagram notification.

  He’s tagged me in the picture. Likes are already piling up.

  “Don’t you want this life again? Don’t you miss it?” I ask.

  He shakes his head. “No. Not at all. I’m a little annoyed right now.”

  “I thought you might say something to that Jimmy guy.”

  He looks at me for a second. “He’s an idiot. The man has no talent and that’s why his mouth is attached to Logan’s ass. He’s not a threat, but even if he was, I don’t handle my shit like that.” He steps closer, his hand cradling my cheek. “I’m not violent. I know I hit Michael, but that’s because of what he did to you.”

  I nod. “I know you’re not, but I guess I just assume that’ll be the reaction because it’s what I’m used to.”

  “Jax Owens, back in Vegas. It’s been a long time.”

  I weave to look behind him and find a cute tatted-up pink-haired woman with a short skirt and halter top showing off a belly button piercing.

  Jax circles and holds my hand. “Reese.”

  “You act like you’re not happy to see me. Like you didn’t think I’d be here.” She walks across the room as if she’s on a catwalk. “I heard about your girl.” She puts her hand out between us. “Frankie, right?”

  “Yeah.” I shake her hand, still trying to get a read on this situation.

  “Frankie, this is Reese. She’s like Jimmy,” Jax says, implying that she’s no good at tattooing either.

  “Logan keeps some of his special people in-house,” Reese says, flipping her hair. “I saw you on Instagram. Cute pic. Your work is interesting.”

  I say nothing but bite down my smile because she’s trying to bait me and I’m not going to take it. I’m here for the weekend and that’s all.

  “Thanks.” I look her body over. Her ink is decent, but I can tell she’s let one too many people work on her. “I like your butterfly.”

  “Oh, that’s Jax’s handiwork. He also did this one.” She lifts her shirt, exposing her tit to show me a row of butterflies all over one breast as though they’re flying away.

  “Jesus, Reese,” Jax says. “Put your damn shirt down.”

  I do my best to hide my irritation. “Jax is talented.”

  She nods. “He is. At more than just tattooing.” She grins and looks him over.

  “Christ, Reese, she gets the point. We used to fuck. Now move on with whatever else you have to say.”

  I’m glad Jax at least called her out.

  “Nothing,” Reese says. “I’m just surprised to see you. Are you done living like a monk? Coming back to real life?” She looks at me as if I’m some piece of trash he’s been sleeping with.

  “We’re all adults here. You can come right out and say whatever it is you want to say.” I raise my eyebrows at her.

  “Let’s go.” Jax tugs at my hand, but I keep my feet planted.

  “Jax has way too much talent to be hiding in some small town. It’s great that he found someone to keep his dick wet while he was there, but we’re ready for him to come home.”

  “Home? This is his home?” I gesture around us.

  She cocks her hip out and crosses her arms, so her tits are on display. I don’t have the heart to look at Jax to see if he notices. I’m sure he does.

  “I guess that’s his decision to make. But just a warning…” I lean in closer. “Just because you hang out with talented people doesn’t make you talented. Do you think I didn’t stalk your Instagram before we got here? I’ve seen your work. It’s really promising—for a novice.” I pat her on the back. “Keep up the good work, Reese.” I look at Jax. “I’ll be outside when you’re ready.”

  I’m not really a badass. People think I am because I have that “don’t fuck with me” chip on my shoulder, but truth is, I never checked Instagram and I had no idea about Reese. From the way she’s all protective of him, she must’ve thought there was something more between them. Or maybe he did too. Everything I know about Jax says I’m his first real relationship, but I only know what he tells me. Bringing me to the big question—do I trust Jax?

  He comes out five minutes later. “Want to walk to the hotel? I need a breather.”

  “Sure.”

  We’ve walked for about ten minutes, dodging the tourists, when he finally speaks again. “It was never serious with us.”

  “Okay.” I smile on the outside because I don’t want him to think I needed the reassurance. How weak would that make me seem?

  “It was just sex.”

  “I said okay.” I clamp my teeth together because I do not want to hear about my boyfriend’s sex life with some other chick.

  “So you’re good? Not jealous?” he asks.

  I ignore the green liquid running through my veins. “Nope.” I leave it to one-word responses so as not to give myself away.

  He stops us at the corner light. “You sure?”

  I nod. “Totally. I mean… we all have our pasts.”

  He kisses me, takes my hand, and leads us back to the hotel. Once the hotel room door shuts, he fucks me so long and so hard that the fear that he’s thinking of Reese and not me trickles in.

  Jesus, Frankie, do not ruin this for yourself. Jax has done nothing but show you that you can trust him.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Jax

  * * *

  “You’re wearing that?” I stare at Frankie’s ass in a snug pair of black leather pants.

  She stops applying her makeup and turns around. “Yeah, why?”

  “Because I’d like to be able to pay attention to my clients and not want to beat down every guy who’s checking you out.” I break the distance between us, placing my hands on the smooth leather rounding her hips. “Your ass looks so good I want to take a bite.”

  She leans forward to continue applying her mascara.

  “Perfect position.” I thrust my growing dick into her ass.

  “Jax, you’re gonna make me mess up my makeup.”

  I thrust into her ass again, and my dick gets harder.

  “Put it away, we don’t have time,” she says.

  I’ve already fucked her twice today—the second time was after we saw Reese. I’m happy Frankie wasn’t jealous of Reese—because she should feel confident in us—but damn, she didn’t blink an eye.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to wear something else?” I ask.

  She turns around and I take in her shirt that reveals her stomach. The stomach I purposely came all over this afternoon as some caveman claim that she was mine.

  “Goddamn, I should just ice my knuckles now in preparation.”

  She giggles and pushes me back. “Stop it. Let’s go.”

  Her phone rings right as she’s putting it into her purse. I snatch it up, thinking it’s Jolie, but the name Aiden flashes on the screen. Who the fuck is Aiden?

  “Here you go.” I hand it to her.

  When she sees the name, she squeals and slides her finger over the screen. What am I missing? She walks away from me and I act as if I don’t care as I lie on the bed, but one ear is on her conversation.

  “Aiden!”

  “Shut up?”

  “Seriously?”

  “You’re here?”

  I groan. Why are we excited some other guy is here?

  “Yeah, I’ll be there.”

  “I could totally use a friendly face.”

  Um, hello, I’m a friendly face.

  “Can you get in?”

  “That might not impress them.

  “Yeah, let me talk to Jax.”

  Great. Now she’s going to ask m
e to get some guy into the event.

  “It’s new.”

  “She’s good. She’s home though, with Michael’s mom and some of our friends.”

  “She would have loved that.”

  “Okay, great. How many of you are there?”

  “I’ll let Jax know. I’m sure it’s fine. I’ll call if there’s a problem.”

  “You too. I’m so excited.”

  Should we all do a happy dance that Aiden is in Vegas? I think not.

  “See you tonight.” She hangs up and jumps on the bed, crawls up on her knees, and her smile couldn’t be pulled off her face, it’s so big and wide. “That was Aiden.”

  “I heard.”

  “He’s my cousin, and he’s in town with two of his friends. He saw our Instagram picture.”

  I nod. The relief that washes through me should probably concern me.

  “And I haven’t seen him in so long. He plays hockey for the Florida Fury and I’m not sure, but is that enough to get him tickets?”

  I sit up straighter. “Wait. Your cousin is Aiden Drake? Why am I just now finding this out?”

  She nods. “Do you follow hockey?”

  “I did before Paw Patrol took over my television.”

  She giggles. “Do you think you can get him in?”

  I pull my phone out of my pocket and message Logan that Aiden Drake needs an in plus two. I know he’ll do it. Anything that gets his place on the lips of more people. “He’s in.”

  “Thank you,” she says and hugs me.

  I take advantage of the moment and grab her ass with both hands. “Quickie?”

  “You’ll ruin my makeup. You have me all night once it’s over.” She slides off me, and my dick and I have a little pity party, commiserating together. “Come on. I don’t want to be late.”

  I roll off the bed and grab our bags before we leave the hotel room. We arrive at the museum and there’s already a line to get in, so we slide in through the side entrance.

  As we each prepare our workspaces, I can’t help but check out Frankie. Her smile almost makes me happy to be here. I didn’t think I’d want to come here again, but I booked it with Logan as a final thank you for everything he did for me. But being back in this atmosphere again, I’m annoyed and remembering how used I felt when I left. Now they have the audacity to make fun of Cliffton Heights? Then there’s Reese saying I’m too good to be in that town. Hell, she only wanted me for what it got her.

  But I see Frankie enjoying tonight, and I worry she’ll want to do more. Sadly, this is my last one. After this, I’m done. If someone wants a tattoo, they’ll have to book me at Ink Envy.

  “I’m so excited.” Frankie comes over and sits on my lap once she’s done with her setup. I kiss the nape of her neck. “I’m nervous though.”

  My hand falls between her legs. “You know an orgasm is the perfect way to make those nerves go away?”

  “Really?” She stands and takes my hand. “You are the expert in this area. I might need you to show me.”

  She pulls me behind the black curtain, and I flip the button of her leather pants while she palms my hard-on through my jeans. Damn, we’re going to have to sanitize this bench again.

  Logan comes in and announces each of us as if we’re rock stars. I knew he’d never make Frankie seem less than, because he wants people to spend money and they won’t spend money on someone they don’t think is the best out there. After tonight, Logan will see he was mistaken for questioning Frankie.

  I’m not sure if it was planned or just coincidence that I get a woman and she gets a man right off the bat. My client wants a heart I designed on her pelvis, so she has to unbutton her pants, whereas Frankie’s guy gets his on his bicep.

  She looks at the faces plastered to the wall but buries her head, working on the tattoo. Once the music starts, Frankie does what she does best. She works and makes her client feel comfortable. Having conversations with everyone, talking about Jolie—turns out I miss the little girl a lot—so I join in talking about how awesome her daughter is.

  Most of the time, it’s the two of us talking with our clients about anything from what someone did on the Strip, to where they’re from, or our personal lives. This is what I miss most, but I have this in Cliffton Heights too. Maybe if I always had Frankie with me, this atmosphere would be tolerable.

  Midway through the night, when my hands are cramping, Aiden Drake taps on the glass. Frankie smiles and waves to her cousin. He’s with two other guys.

  “We have a break in ten,” I tell her, and she puts up ten fingers so Aiden knows how long it will be.

  “I’d never heard of you,” Frankie’s client says. “But when I looked you up, I saw that Hennessy uses you, huh?”

  Frankie dips her gun. “Only for her holistic designs, but she’s been my client for a while.”

  “I think she’s been keeping you a secret on purpose.”

  Frankie laughs, but I could see it. Some people don’t think tattoo artists can design an array of different things, and they don’t want a copy-and-paste tattoo on other people.

  “I follow her. One time she got this tattoo done by Choi.” The girl looks at me because she’s done her research and clearly knows I did my apprenticeship under Choi. “I tried to get in to see him, but I have a better chance of winning the lottery.”

  “He really only does his regulars now,” I say.

  The girl smiles at Frankie. “Maybe you’ll be my new tattoo artist. I do love Hennessy.”

  And so it begins. The whole “if you’re good enough for so and so, you’re good enough for me.”

  We finish the tattoos, and Jimmy tells everyone we’re taking a break. His brother Timmy brings us some food.

  “Hey, Jimmy, those three guys can come in,” I say, pointing at Frankie’s cousin.

  Aiden and his buddies make their way through the crowd, and Jimmy lets them pass him while all the people groan and ask why they’re allowed in.

  “Because Jax said so,” Jimmy says, passing the buck off to me.

  “Aiden!” Frankie stands and rushes toward him. They look nothing alike.

  “Hey. How are you?”

  She leaves his arms and steps back. “This is Jax.” She waits for me to come forward.

  I put my hand out to shake his. Aiden’s handshake is firm, and he gives me the once-over. “Hey, Jax. This is Maksim and Ford.”

  I nod. “I know. It’s great to meet you. Frankie’s been keeping the fact her cousin is a hockey player under wraps.” I’m doing my best not to fanboy in their presence, but I’m not sure whether I’m succeeding.

  Aiden almost looks sheepish. “I can guess why. We’re both the black sheep of our families.” He winks at her, and she smiles.

  I sit on a table and open our bag of food. “Are you guys hungry?”

  Maksim steps forward, and Aiden puts his hand out to stop him. “No, we’re good.”

  The Ford guy is looking at my arm as though he wishes he had a magnifying glass. “We saw that arm downstairs. You’re pretty well-known, I take it?”

  Frankie laughs. “Jax is very well-known in the industry.”

  Ford looks around. “I had no idea there were these things. I mean, I know there’s been some reality shows on tattoo artists, but this is like your own little world.”

  “You have to excuse Ford. He comes from the land of the rich and famous.” Aiden uses a fake uppity accent.

  “You’re from New York?” I ask Ford, recognizing his slight accent.

  He nods. “Yeah, you too?”

  “Yeah, but pretty sure we didn’t travel in the same circles.” I chuckle.

  “Which is why I had no idea you could be a tattoo celebrity.”

  Maksim lifts his shirt in front of Frankie. “What do you suggest?”

  Frankie laughs. “Um… whatever you want, but I’m not sure I can do it now. But you guys should come to Cliffton Heights next time you’re playing in New York.” She touches Aiden’s arm. “You can see Jolie.”


  “Show me some pics?” Aiden asks and sits next to Frankie.

  I glance between his friends. Both Maksim and Aiden have ink, so I say to Ford, “You have any tats?” He shakes his head. “You’re the only one out of your friends without tats, huh? We could pop your cherry this weekend.”

  “I thought we were all booked?” Frankie asks.

  “I’m sure I can squeeze you in,” I tell Ford.

  “I have no idea what I’d get.”

  “A tribal band?” I joke, and Maksim laughs along with me. “Whatever speaks to you.” I shrug.

  “I suggest for the first one, you really think about it. Jax can sketch something and make it personal,” Frankie pipes in with her opinion.

  I look at Aiden’s arm tattoo and ask Frankie, “Yours?”

  “I really should touch that up, Aid. You trusted me before I knew what I was doing.”

  Aiden laughs. “I love it. And the fact that you did it.”

  It’s good work. Sure, it might not be as original as she is now, but everyone starts somewhere when they’re developing their talent. She has a specialty she’s perfected now, but I’m not sure Aiden is the type of guy to sport a holistic tattoo.

  “Tattoos are supposed to speak to the person and those ones seem like they fit you?” I ask Aiden.

  “Thank you, Jax.” He points at me. “I like him.”

  Frankie looks at me, and I can’t stop myself from bending down and kissing her.

  Jimmy walks in. “Time’s up, guys.”

  “Oh, I haven’t even eaten.” Frankie opens the bag and grabs a fry.

  “We’re going to hit a club. Want to meet us after?” Ford asks. “You used your clout for us, let us use ours for you.”