"I own the franchise. We’re Bonnie and Clyde. We do, whatever. the. fuck. we. want. And on that note, I’m walking you home, no ifs ands or buts. Policy, part of the company cock.”
I felt my heart leap at his words, but I wasn't willing to allow myself to believe that this man and I could ever be more than a one night stand. He was gorgeous and charming, and a goddamned tattoo artist. His interest would wander within a week, and I’d be the jilted waitress pouting because he didn’t pay enough attention to me. No thanks. I was better than that. While a team sounded tempting. I was a one man show and had goals to accomplish that didn’t include getting hung up on a Greek God, no matter how cute, or understanding, or totally perfect he was.
"It's Cherry Falls. There's no crime here, dummy."
Unless, he’s the one who’s going to commit it. My gran would kill me for all the choices I made tonight. I don’t even know this guy yet. I hope a ride home with a stranger isn’t the title of the true crime Netflix series they make about us. At least I got a very delicious burger out of it. Maybe they can estimate my time of death by how much I’d digested it.
"You never know. I'd feel much better making sure you get home safely. If it makes you feel better, tell yourself you're doing me a favor."
"Okay," I said, “Whatever you say.” I followed him to where I assumed his car was parked but instead came face to face with a motorcycle. I froze. This was, to me, potentially scarier than riding home with a serial killer.
"You can have my helmet," he said. He unlocked a padlock that held it on the handlebar and turned to hand it to me.
"Oh no, I'm not getting on that thing. Thanks, but not for me."
"It's totally safe. I mean, what kind of danger is there really on the roads of Cherry Falls? I’ll go ten miles per hour."
"I'm not a risk taker. It's cool. I don't live that far; I can just walk." I passed the helmet back like a hot potato.
"Then we'll walk," he said. He put his helmet away and came to stand by me, his feet crunching on the gravel. “As your husband and boss and future tattoo artist, I think it’s only fair if I accompany you home.”
I looked at my watch. It was just past the stroke of midnight. I nodded my acquiescence.
So far, he hadn’t gone poof and turned into a rat, his motorcycle into a pumpkin, and my checkered Vans weren’t glass, but still intact sneakers covered in stains of espresso.
Chapter 4
Duke.
"Look who fuckin' shows his face after blowing work off all day yesterday," Ozzie said the second I stepped foot in the shop.
"Mornin' to you too."
I walked over to my room in the back and started setting up my station. Ozzie followed me.
"Morning, that's all you got for me fucker? You missed two appointments and dodged all of my texts. I was about to send the cops out looking for you."
"I was busy," I said, annoyed at his nagging. "If I wanted a fuckin' wife, I'd have gotten married by now."
I pulled a new box of black latex gloves off of the shelf and popped the top on them.
"No, but after ten years of work, I'd hate to see you drag your ass back into the gutter."
Tension was rising in my shoulders and I had to tell myself to relax. I rolled my neck to crack it and rolled my shoulders back.
"No one's in the gutter, fuckin' relax. Ozzie, I was on a date."
"What? No you weren’t. You don't date."
"No, nope, nope, nope.” I shook my head at him. “I choose not to date. I never swore it off completely."
"In almost ten years, I haven't even seen you sniff around a lady once," he said as he scrubbed his jaw. Ozzie looked confused but also intrigued and the interest had calmed him down.
"Cause no one has been worth me sniffing."
"It's not like you can't get some if you wanted to. Every single chick that walks in here's looking at you like you're a T-bone, and they haven't eaten in weeks." Ozzie leaned back against the wall, an easy smile on his face. I was glad making fun of my love life cheered him up.
I glided a finger down my face. "I can't help it if God gave me the face of an angel and the body of a god."
Ozzie burst out laughing, "Yes, your celibacy would also be the reason that right arm is looking so fierce."
I tossed the towel at my station in his face.
"I'm left-handed, asshole."
Ozzie threw his arms in the air as he roared in laughter. "I'm just saying we've worked hard for what we've got. I don't want you throwing it all away as soon as you get your dick wet. No pussy is worth what we put into this."