Tattered Love (Needle's Kiss)

the black iron-gilded mirror, making my insides heat as my breathing picked up to match his. Nothing was said for a few beats before his eyes lowered to take in the new artwork that had looked slightly red around the edges, fresh, angry and downright beautiful.
    He’d nodded once with a grunt, and moved to stand as I rolled backward on my chair. I stood, trying to ignore the tingling feeling running over my body and the butterflies going crazy in my belly. While he grabbed his shirt, standing only in a pair of perfectly fitting faded jeans, heavy army boots, and a thick black belt with chunky silver buckle, I found it impossible to pull my gaze away.
    I reached up to smear on some tattoo cream and put a clean dressing over the newly marked skin of his broad back, with slightly shaking fingers. As I did, he sucked in a sharp breath.
    “Sorry, did I hurt you?” I all but whispered.
    A slight shake of his head in the negative was the only reaction I received as he pulled his shirt back on. Which in my opinion was a shame, even though his well-worn grey shirt accentuated his large chest and made for a spectacular view.
    “You done?” Trip asked from someplace behind my station, scaring the shit out of me.
    “Mmm-hmm, yeah. You okay to do aftercare?” I asked looking to Trip. I needed some space before I embarrassed myself by doing something as stupid as reaching up and biting the tribal scorpion on his neck.
    “Sure, I'm gonna grab a bite with Mace, you want anything?”
    Shaking myself out of a lust induced stupor, I answered, “Yeah, whatever you grab me will be fine, thanks. Take your time. Remy'll be in soon; I can handle anything that comes in before then.” I started cleaning my station down, studiously ignoring the two buff men staring down at my no doubt very flushed face.
    “Later, babe.” I could hear the amusement in Trip’s voice.
    “Later,” I murmured
    “Thanks, Scarlett,” Mace said, his voice making my nipples peak and my body give a slight shiver. My mind instantly wondered what he'd sound like that just before he came.
    “Sure,” I almost whimpered, before clearing my throat to continue, “Erm, no worries. Make sure Trip grabs you some cream on your way out. Was nice to meet you, Mace.”
    I finished wiping down my table, re-wrapping everything with plastic and went into the kitchenette at the far back of the shop, grabbing a bottle of water. I threw myself on the black leather sofa against the far wall, trying to shake off the effect from my first encounter with Mace Torres, and hoping—against my better judgment—that it wouldn't be the last.

 

    I made it across the road and inside the coffee shop before Trip started with the questions. He might have been the fun joker of the family, but he had the uncanny ability to read between the lines, and pay far too much attention to what was going on around him.
    “So how long you back for? What’s the plan?”
    “For good now. I got out. Gonna find a place round here, settle it down.”
    “You’re out? Like done? Finished? Does Ma know?” Trip rambled.
    “Nah, haven't spoken to her yet. First stop, little brother, told you this,” I laughed, his excited ramblings were something I always gave him shit about.
    “Right, well, I’ve got an extra room you want it? It’s all set up. I just gotta make up the bed and shit.”
    I figured this would be a good solution. I really didn’t want to be staying at Ma’s while I was searching for a place, and I wasn’t used to living in the quiet seeing as I’d just spent a good chunk of time with a bunch of rowdy men, so having my baby brother as a house mate would be damn near perfect. “That’d be good. I gotta go buy a new truck and sort a few things out first.”
    “Take my bike, the car dealerships just down the road. Leave it there and I’ll pick it up when I’m done with work.”
    I nodded my head in thanks and asked, “You still ridin’ that hunk of metal?
    “Watch it! That hunk of metal’s my girl. Only chick I’ll ride twice, so be nice to her.” He gave me a cocky smile. Clearly, he still hadn’t settled down any. Trip never was a commitment kind of guy. He was looking for conquests not contentment.
    Halfway through lunch, Trip asked quietly, “What's that shit with Scar just now? Saw the way you were looking at her, man, and I gotta tell you, she's not the one-night-stand kinda girl.”
    My eyes snapped up to meet Trip’s. I cleared my throat wishing he