Page 62 of The Fake Out

“Ah, she can take him.”

I laughed. “They’re an interesting couple.”

“They used to hate each other, which is baffling to me.”

“Oh, she told me the story,” I said. “I did an enormous piece on her thigh. We had a lot of time to talk.”

I wiped at his skin and smiled to myself, as this was looking perfect already. I still probably needed to do a touch-up after it healed, but so far, it was doing the job. We talked while I shaded his tattoo. I gave him a break after a little while, and then we were back at it.

I was almost done when I felt his eyes on me again. “Stop staring at me. I’m trying to focus here.”

“You’re sexy when you work.”

I stopped and lifted up my head to look at him. “Is that so?”

He nodded. “Yeah. You’re so talented. It’s a turn-on for me to see someone good at their job. I’m glad it’s you doing this for me.”

I beamed at his compliment and returned to my task at hand. “It’s kind of like when I watch you play hockey. You’re like…I don’t know…graceful, elegant even on the ice.”

“What? I block shots with my body and check dudes into the boards. I’m a rough and tumble guy.”

“I know, but there’s a beauty in it,” I explained. I wiped at his skin and assessed my work. “I think we might be good.”

“Let me see,” he demanded.

I handed him a mirror so he could see the three groupings of flowers on his chest that went up into his shoulder and blended into the phoenix on his upper arm. I was proud of this work and glad I couldn’t see that woman’s name anymore. Once it healed, we’d see if we needed another session, but I wasn’t sure it was needed. Maybe only one more to get the colors deeper.

“Thoughts?” I asked.

Blaise’s features softened when he looked at me, and he opened his mouth, but words didn’t come out.

“What? Is it okay?” I asked. I was never nervous about my work, but his silence sent anxiety through me.

“Baby…” he breathed out in awe. Relief spread through me that he liked it. I don’t think I ever had a client speechless before.

“Oh wow,” Liv’s voice said behind me.

She held up her phone to take another photo for the shop’s social media. Blaise pulled me toward him, hugging me to his side, and we smiled for the camera. Fake plastic smiles for our fake relationship that was on a ticking clock to expiration.

“Can you take one on my phone?” Blaise asked and handed Olivia his phone.

He kissed my cheek in this one, and I knew a blush was creeping up my pale face. Liv smiled at that, an expression suggesting we’d talk about that later. I’d rather not.

I patched Blaise up and went through the after-care stuff, even though he knew the drill. I always tried to make sure my clients understood how to keep their tattoos looking fresh.

“Am I your last client for the day?” he asked.

I nodded.

“You wanna get dinner?”

I should say no. We couldn’t go on dates. It was bad enough we were fucking while pretending we had a serious relationship. Plus, I had concept art I needed to work on.

“Can’t. I have some work I still need to do.”

“Go be with your man,” Alex yelled after me. He stood at the front desk talking to Liv, and they both grinned at me.

“Yeah, the team travels again tomorrow,” Seth cut in.