Bare Skin (Skin Deep 5)

“It wouldn’t be so bad if their mommies didn’t have such potty mouths,” a voice drawled from the kitchen.

I looked up just as Emma jumped up and bounded into the kitchen, straight into the arms of the gorgeous man that had snuck in without us hearing. She kissed him, and then smiled when she heard her daughter screech for her daddy, reaching for him so frantically that Calland had to set her down quickly to toddle over to him or risk losing one of his charges.

Emma introduced me to her husband, Luke, who, she explained, had gone down to the shop to help with something for a bit. Luke scooped his daughter up in his arms, kissing her on both her cheeks and hugging her tightly to his chest.

But, I must have looked confused because Emma laughed and told me just what the shop was.

“Ahhh,” I said, smiling at Luke. “Sounds like my kind of place.” I gave a half-hearted wave towards my own tattoos and piercings.

He jerked his chin up in one of those man-nod acknowledgements, patting his daughter’s back as he said, “Nice work. Whoever did it does a kickass job.”

“Thanks,” I replied softly, a pain shafting my chest as I thought of who had done it. I tried to change the subject quickly to avoid the usual questions that followed. You know, who did it, where at, why…things I just couldn’t get into.

“You’ve got some nice ink yourself,” I commented, glancing at his arms. “Do it yourself?”

“Some. Others were done by my brother, Brandon, who owns the shop with me. And I had a couple new ones added recently by our other partner, a real good artist who Brandon convinced to leave the bright lights of L.A. and come here. Name’s T.J. Not sure how we managed to snag him, but we’re not letting him go.” He grinned and winked at his wife, and I could immediately tell how fond they were of the guy.

I managed to nod and smile, moving to take Kaden from Allie where he was starting to fuss a little.

Pretending that my stomach hadn’t just taken a dive to my toes.

Pretending that my world hadn’t just flipped upside down.

And hoping it wasn’t just a coincidence…