Page 6 of Inked By the Mountain Man

"Laugh."

"I'm laughing now."

"Exactly. You're welcome."

He shakes his head. When he's finished, he wipes my skin carefully. “Want to see?"

He hands me a mirror. I look, and my chest tightens. It’s beautiful. Exactly where I wanted it—exactly mine. “Oh."

Keanu watches my face. "You like it?"

"I love it." I look at him. “Thank you."

His expression softens. "You're welcome."

Neither of us moves. Then Kira shouts from the front. “Is everyone wearing pants?"

Keanu closes his eyes. I burst out laughing. “Unfortunately," I call back.

Keanu mutters, "I'm firing her."

"No, you're not."

"Why?"

"Because you love her."

He looks at me. Yeah." The simple honesty does something unexpected to my heart.

I fix my clothes carefully as Keanu explains aftercare. I try to listen. But my mind keeps replaying the way he said easy. The way his hand felt steady against me. At the door, I turn. “Hey, Keanu?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you did it."

His gaze holds mine. “So am I."

I walk outside. And suddenly the tattoo isn't the wildest thing I've done today.

Flirting with Keanu Reed might be.

four

Keanu

Ithink about Liv all night. I try not to romanticize it. Attraction is attraction. A good conversation is just a good conversation. A beautiful woman laughing in my chair should not rewrite thirty-three years of carefully constructed emotional distance. Unfortunately, my brain seems to have resigned from following instructions.

This is irritating. I like sleeping. I’m good at it. Yet at two fourteen in the morning, I'm staring at my ceiling, remembering Liv laughing in my chair. At three twelve, I'm remembering her smile when she saw the tattoo. At four-oh-five, I'm thinking about how she's ten years younger than me. At four-ten, I'm telling myself it doesn't matter because I'm not going to do anything about this attraction. At four-fifteen, I'm wondering whether she likes coffee.

By nine, I'm at the shop. Kira arrives with two coffees. She sets one down. "You look terrible."

"Thanks."

"Thinking about Liv?"

"No."

"You're a bad liar."