Page 7 of Inked By the Mountain Man

"I didn't sleep."

"Because you were thinking about Liv."

"She's twenty-three." I sigh.

"And?"

"I'm thirty-three."

"I'm still waiting for the problem." She taps her finger against her chin.

"I don't date."

"You don't do much of anything."

"Kira."

"What?"

I pick up my coffee. "I'm not discussing this."

The bell rings, and in walks Liv, causing Kira to nearly choke on her coffee.

Liv holds up a paper bag. "I brought peace offerings."

"For what?" I ask.

"I might have been annoying yesterday."

"You were."

She smiles. "Then I brought apology muffins." Kira reaches for the bag, but Liv pulls it away. "Not you. Keanu did the tattoo.”

"I answered the phone," Kira argues.

"Fine." Liv hands her a muffin, then she looks at me. “Can you check it?"

"The tattoo?"

“Of course, the tattoo—what else would I want you to check out?”

She follows me into my station. I examine the tattoo. Everything looks normal. “Looks good."

"That's it?" Her brows wrinkle.

"That's it."

She doesn't move—neither do I. “Coffee?" I ask.

Her eyebrows rise. “Are you asking me out?"

"Yes." I finally say.

As we walk two blocks to the café. I tell myself I'm only going because refusing would make this weird. That excuse lasts until she smiles at me over her coffee and I realize I'm memorizing the tiny crease beside her mouth. Then I have to admit the truth: I wanted this. I wanted time with her that had nothing to do with needles or aftercare instructions.

And somehow an aftercare check stretches to forty-five minutes together. She tells me she hates spreadsheets. I tell her I hate social media. She offers to run mine. I tell her I'd rather close the shop. She looks personally offended, and that’s when I realize I’m falling for her harder than I ever imagined.

five