“Yep.”
“Can’t mistake the hair. Heard a lot about your art.”
I lift a doubtful brow. “Don’t believe all you hear.”
He laughs. It’s a good laugh, deep and happy. “You’re a funny guy. The rumors were true.”
You’d be surprised, I think morosely, and paste on a smile. “That’s me all right. All fun and jokes.”
He waves a girl and a guy over. “This is Sawyer,” he points at the blond guy, “and Mariska.” The girl with the wild curls and chocolate eyes grins at me. “We are Soul Stain.”
“Nice to meet you,” I say and shake hands all around.
“Nice hair,” she says and tilts her head to the side, studying me. “You dye it yourself?”
It’s none of her business, but I try to be polite. “Nah, there’s a hairdresser’s near where I live. He does it for me.”
It was one of the first things I did when Zane brought me in and I got my apartment and my first paycheck. Got my hair dyed. Reclaimed who I was.
Back when I raced, I did it myself. It was a mess.
Zane joins us, patting the trio on their backs. “You’ve met Ocean and Micah. Let me show you around and introduce our new inkers to you. They’re in the back.”
What, no swearwords? That’s a first. Not a single F-word.
He’s nervous, I realize as he ushers our guests to the back of the shop where Seth, Shane and Jesse are helping Amber set up a table with her jewelry.
Where’s Kayla? Wasn’t she supposed to be here, too?
Christ. Even though I don’t wanna hear what she has to say, I can’t help looking for her. Wanting her.
I’m so fucked…
And then I hear her voice, and she’s walking inside, her hair a mess, her eyes bright, a riot of colors with her blue jacket, red pants and yellow scarf. There’s a golden aura around her, a halo of vibrating energy, and I forget to breathe as I watch her high-five Ev.
“Skipping classes again, huh? Naughty,” I hear her say.
Classes. College. Fashion design. I wonder if she makes her own crazy clothes.
Ev laughs. “Look who’s talking.” She takes one of the shopping bags Kayla is carrying. “Have you thought up a design for my wedding dress yet? I decided I want a snake going around my torso. And spangles, maybe.”
“How else would I make your wedding dress but with a snake and spangles? Silly girl. You didn’t even have to tell me.”
I’m still not breathing, staring at her, wondering how it’s possible that she’s prettier every single fucking time I see her. How am I gonna get over her and stop staring like a creeper when I can’t even draw enough air in my lungs when she’s around?
I force myself to look away. I should be stacking up postcards with the shop’s logo, and straightening shit, and probably mingling, or something.
From the corner of my eye I see the two of them walk to Amber’s stall and start unpacking… clothes. Colorful clothes, bright shades of red and blue and green and yellow and pink. T-shirts, skirts, pants, but also gloves, and scarves and hats.
The girls laugh, trying one or the other item on before they place them on display. Kayla tries on a red hat and purses her lips, pretending to be posing for a photo, which Ev pretends to take. Then Ev whips out her phone and takes it anyway.
I want that photo.
Then Kayla says something to Ev and strikes another pose in front of her stall. She leans forward and licks her lips, smiling.
And just like that I’m hard, so fucking hard it hurts. Goddammit. It hurts to want her so badly, to need her so much.
What am I gonna do?