Haleigh's Ink (2 page)

She should have been mortified at her show of emotion and
might have been if the tingling in her fingers and lips would stop so she could
concentrate. Sophisticated men, that’s who she was supposed to be attracted to.
But none of them made her feel as alive as Scott had in what? Ten minutes? She
wished he weren’t handsome and so sure of himself. Maybe she’d feel more
comfortable if his name were Tiny and he resembled a three-hundred-pound
Polynesian woman covered in tattoos from head to toe. Who was she kidding? Even
then she’d still be freaking out.

Of all the places she’d thought she could go to be herself,
it was a shop like this. A place where people specifically went to alter
themselves, creating the ideal persona they ached to achieve. After the last
six years of struggling to survive another day, she finally came to the
realization she was more than those days and weeks and months of heartache.
Living under that cloud of pain and sorrow? She was the only one who could step
out from beneath and find another path.

Tired of hiding her scars behind respectable clothes and
elegant hair, she was ready to live again.

Darn this man for making her doubt herself. This was her
body and her decision and screw Mr. Hotness-and-I-Know-It behind the counter,
and what he imagined he knew about her. She should care less.

She grabbed her money out of her purse, whipping around,
fully prepared to stride over, plunk her cash on the counter and demand the
same service he gave anyone else.

She took one self-righteous step and froze.

Kyle Muse, one of her best friends from high school, whom
she’d lost touch with when she went away to college, was talking with the local
president of the Jerks Anonymous Club. They were in a heated discussion but she
wasn’t close enough to hear anything specific. It was rude to stare but she
couldn’t help herself.

She had always been a little bit in love with Kyle but
figured it was a crush and nothing more. All grown up, he was better than
good-looking, and the only other man who’d ever sexually excited her. He was a
couple inches shorter than Scott, with shoulders wide enough to blot out the
sun. His tapered waist hinted at his abilities while horizontal. He had
dusty-blond hair tucked behind one ear but it hung loose on the far side of his
face. It was long enough it still tucked into the groove of his jaw, making her
want to nose beneath his ear and see if he still smelled as good as she
remembered.

Seeing him again… The girl she used to be clawed beneath her
skin. It reminded her of putting on a shabby moth-eaten coat. The draft made
her chilly.

She’d been normal then.

“Perfect,” her mother would say.

It was all her parents focused on—getting her back to the
way she used to be.

That girl was dead and buried, never to return.

Haleigh edged forward one step and then another, until she
was within hearing distance, to do something she’d never done. Eavesdrop.
Sheesh, wasn’t this just the night of firsts?

“We’ll find you a date, Kyle. Stop worrying,” Scott said.
“We’ve still got nearly five weeks before we have to panic, though you’re well
on your way, like usual.”

“If you’d worry at all, maybe I could worry a bit less,”
Kyle spit out, running a hand through his hair.

Nostalgia hit her so hard she stumbled, catching herself on the
couch closest to the counter. His hair fell forward into his baby blues, and
her fingers twitched to tuck it back into place.

It reminded her of a simpler time, when she’d taken their
easy affection for granted.

When Kyle didn’t fix it, Scott reached up and tucked his
hair behind his ear. The gesture seemed like something a lover would do
but…that wasn’t right. Was it?

“Take a breather. Why don’t you head out and I’ll close up?
Duke went to The Library an hour ago and Oscar’s gotta tend the bar there as
soon as he’s done with his client. We aren’t crazy busy and I can handle any
other walk-ins. Be ready for me. You know how I want you once I arrive.” Scott
added the last two sentences in an edgier tone, making Haleigh shiver.

The Library?
Her mother was on the library committee
and it wasn’t open at midnight on a Saturday, nor did it cater to tattoo
artists, or have a bar.

She clutched her cash tight in her fist to keep it from
shaking, and her thighs trembled. Kyle’s eyes focused on Scott’s lips. There was
no mistaking what he wanted.

Scott grabbed Kyle by the back of the neck and yanked him
forward. Knowing what was going to happen didn’t stop her quiet gasp. They were
at the perfect height for Scott to dominate Kyle’s mouth. He didn’t give him a
light peck either. He devoured him. Haleigh’s jaw went slack. Scott’s tongue
peeked out then disappeared past her once-upon-a-time best friend’s lips.

It was the hottest kiss she’d ever seen in real life.
Tongues, teeth and suction used to leave marks jacked up her heart rate, making
her light-headed. It was an hors d’oeuvre to what came later. A prelude to hot,
sweaty sex and orgasms they’d need a fire hose to extinguish.

Her nipples beaded beneath her padded bra. Scott tugged
Kyle’s head aside. He bit him roughly beneath his ear, making Kyle groan in
pleasure while kneading Scott’s waist. She groaned with him when his hand dug
beneath Scott’s t-shirt to touch him skin to skin. Her entire body jumped from
mildly aroused to a blazing inferno of need she didn’t understand when Scott
kissed him again. Slick moisture coated the folds of her sex as their bodies
met.

Seeing them, feeling the tension radiate from them, it
awakened something buried within her she was unable to ignore. They were sirens
calling to her, drawing her in.

She moaned again and gripped the counter to steady her legs.
She didn’t remember moving closer. She couldn’t concentrate on anything but
seeing them together.

Kyle’s lip slid from between his lover’s teeth. Before she could
stifle, another moan slipped out.

Scott glared at her for interrupting and she quickly glanced
at Kyle. His gaze remained unfocused for a few beats of her heart, and then
dread transformed his visage. His eyelids grew wide with something akin to
fear, breaking her heart.

“Haleigh?” he croaked.

The question mark on the end of her name couldn’t have been
more redundant. He’d recognize her anywhere. She was the one person he’d hated
to lose when he walked away right after graduation, and she’d just seen what
he’d kept hidden from her all those years ago.

“Hi, Kyle,” she said softly and removed her hand from the
counter.

He followed the movement up her arm, staring at her. She was
thinner than he remembered but her pretty blonde mane was the same honey-wheat
color that had always reflected the sunlight when they were out on the water
together. Her hair was longer too, hanging to right above her waist, and he’d
bet money it was held by a butterfly clip. A nickname he’d given her years ago.
It was her, and he did nothing but stand there and stare.

Two minutes ago he had waffled somewhere between having a
coronary and running through the streets, bat-shit crazy due to his sister’s
upcoming wedding. A sister he’d been estranged from for years, along with the
rest of his family.

And here Haleigh stood…another reminder of his past. His
very best reminder and one of his only regrets.

One minute ago, she’d seen his boyfriend, his Dom, kiss him.

But…she was moaning?

No.

He must have been hearing things, imagining a moan instead
of a gasp of disgust to make himself feel better in regards to what she had
seen. She was probably gagging.

What must she think of me?

It wasn’t a peck she’d witnessed either. It was more an
I-am-your-Dom-and-you-will-concentrate-on-nothing-but-me sort of kiss.

He licked where Scott’s teeth had bitten into his lip. His
dick pounded in protest since the endorphin-induced high would have to wait.

She had seen it all, heard it. At least he hadn’t grabbed
Scott’s dick like he’d wanted to. He cringed. Maybe sneaking out was an option…

“Are you going to gawk at me or are you going to come here
and hug me?”

Her eyebrow went up, reminding him of every time she’d
demanded his attention when they were kids. He smiled despite his unease and
slowly made his way in front of the counter, next to her. She looked a bit sad
and his chest clenched but then she smiled and she was
his
Haleigh once
more.

She took the last step toward him and he was prepared for a quick,
perfunctory hug and an air kiss, but he should have known better. She wrapped
her arms behind his neck and he returned the gesture, circling her tiny waist.
She hung on and before he second-guessed himself, he pulled her up into a bear
hug, until her feet left the ground.

She smelled like home and everything he wished his life
could have been.

He held her close and his erection let out a
hell yeah
at the contact. He hoped she didn’t notice the boner digging into her belly.

“I missed you,” she whispered next to his ear. There was so
much wrapped up in those three little words and his heart melted for her all
over again.

“Missed you too, Butterfly,” he mumbled, squeezing her tight
before setting her on her feet. Her green eyes sparkled with wetness. “I’m
sorry we lost touch,” he blurted out lamely after realizing he had so much to
say and no idea where to start. “How in the world did you find me?”

“Ahem,” Scott interrupted from the far side of the counter,
his forearms propped on the cold, flat surface. He didn’t appear particularly
pissed-off. “I gather this is a girl you knew back in the day?”

“Yeah. Sorry, man. This is Haleigh Grace, my best friend
from growing up and all through high school. And Haleigh, this is Scott
Preston, my…” Easier to rip the Band-Aid off quickly. “Boyfriend.”

Kyle wasn’t certain what he expected. Maybe gasping and
clutching her heart or fleeing into the street, screaming about the state of
the world. But he didn’t expect her to smile at him. “Yes, we’ve already been
introduced.”

“Now I come with references, princess.” Scott wagged his
eyebrows. “So. You ready?”

“What? You mean you aren’t here to see me? You came to get
something done?” Kyle asked with nothing short of shock.

A lovely shade of pink crept up her cheeks and she stammered
for an answer.

Always one for tact and diplomacy, Scott blurted out, “She
came to get her nipples pierced.”

Kyle’s jaw dropped. He didn’t have a clue what to say.

Her cheeks warmed to a darker shade of pink and she glared
daggers at Scott.

“What, princess? He works here too. He’s not going to freak
out because you came here to get something done.”

“Doesn’t really seem like it to me…”

His brain had short-circuited during Scott’s speech. “Fine”
was the last term he’d choose to describe himself with. He made two fists,
picturing Scott alone with Haleigh and her bare nipples. He didn’t like the
idea of Scott piercing her, much less the actual act of it being a possibility.
She was too pure, too innocent for anything so delicious.

His dick weighed in on the idea, standing at attention with
the mere thought of
both
of them modifying her tits. He barely heard
Scott offer to let him do it himself, since all the blood had already rushed
south in case it was needed. He relished the idea of saying yes and punching
Scott in the kisser so he could take her in the back room…in private. He wanted
everything she’d give him and more…

WTF am I doing?
She couldn’t possibly want anything
to do with him. There’s no way she’d accept his relationship with Scott. Her smiling
was probably good manners and nothing more. He shook his head and willed his
voice to be steady.

“You’re in great hands,” fell from his piehole. It was a
much better option than the fist fight his adrenaline was pushing him toward.
“Scott, I’ll be at The Library.” He gave Haleigh an awkward hug. “Great seeing
you. Yeah, you know…great. Call me so we can catch up.” He tacked the last part
on the end then totally forgot to give her his cell number. Not that he could
have remembered all ten digits anyways. Without so much as another grunt, he
hoofed it out the door as if a tank of nitrous were strapped to his ass.

He wanted to ogle her through the glass because she looked
like an angel, but he got in his truck instead and peeled out of the lot.

* * * * *

Kyle had never been prone to fits of stupidity or even
rudeness, which made the last few minutes more than a bit odd. Scott shook his
head and figured he’d work the details out of him later. Probably a combination
of seeing Haleigh again and something to do with Kyle’s sister asking him to be
in her wedding. Kyle thought he had to bring the perfect girl. One he could
show off as the epitome of a white-collar politician’s wife since somehow they
still expected him to follow in his father’s footsteps. A woman who came along
with glittery expectations of the two and a half kids they’re going to pop out,
while Kyle painted the white picket fence.

Scott had much better uses for the wood.

Picturing his submissive tied to a cross in their playroom
had him mentally checking off his to-do list.

First to mark off had to be the Jerry Springer reunion
special he’d just been a part of.

He turned toward Haleigh, to see if she was ready to sign
the consent form or if she was gonna bail.

Disappointment twisted her features…and it was aimed at
Kyle. Scott got so pissed he almost fucking choked.

“At least you had the decency to hide it from him,” he
growled and crossed his arms to keep from shaking her. He’d been trying for
years to get Kyle to open up to his family and friends and come out of the
closet. This was what he faced as soon as he did?

Here he’d thought she’d been turned-on earlier when he’d
claimed Kyle’s mouth.

Guess he was batting a big fat zero since she’d stepped
inside.

Kyle still second-guessed walking away from some wonderful,
perfect, blah blah girl he’d put up on a pedestal. Scott would bet his right
nut this was that girl. Boy, he couldn’t wait to knock her down a few pegs.
These silver-spoon brats were all alike.

“Hide what from him?” Haleigh asked quietly and he called
bullshit. She knew exactly what he was talking about.

“Your disappointment, princess.”

“I can’t help how I feel. I’ve fantasized about seeing him
again for years. I finally do and he can’t take off fast enough.” She closed
her eyes and rubbed her forehead, appearing weary through to the marrow of her
bones. “It’s how things go for me though, so I don’t know why I should be
surprised.”

Huh?

“Aren’t you disappointed he’s gay? Ashamed? Grossed out?”

“Why in heaven’s name would you say that?” She jerked her
chin up and faced him full-on, going so far as to poke him in the chest. This
pint-sized pit bull was ready to take him on. The fact he stood almost a foot
taller and outweighed her by more than a hundred pounds made no difference. “He
can love anybody he wants, even if it’s the tall, dark and rude man standing in
front of me. Shouldn’t you have gone after him, anyway? He seemed upset.”

It was like playing Ping-Pong with his emotions and his
skull was the paddle. He was at a loss for the second time in less than an
hour. Both shots scored by her. He had no clue what game she was playing. For a
Dom of more than a dozen years, she was a new experience. He didn’t get struck
stupid too often.

“So you aren’t disappointed he’s gay?” He repeated it again.
She shook her head and raised an eyebrow. He saw her mind rolling the syllable
“duh” around but figured saying it wasn’t going to happen since it wasn’t
polite or some shit. “Woman, you are confusing as all hell.”

“You have atrocious language skills.”

“There goes the good manners badge I was working on. And
princess, I haven’t used any really bad four-letter words since you walked in
but if you don’t start talking, I’m going to drop F-bombs left and right. So
stop stalling and spit it out. Jesus. And you’re about to keel over.”

He grabbed her arm, kind of gently, and dragged her in front
of the couch facing the wall of photos. He pressed her shoulder until she sat
with a thump, and before she scrambled up, he planted his fists on both sides
of her on the cushion, caging her in. She opened her mouth to tell him to shove
it, probably, in the nicest of terms he was sure, but he pinned her with a
stare that scared most full-grown men.

He cocked his head, waiting until she huffed out, “Fine.”

It sounded like “Yes Sir” to him and hot damn, she made Mr.
Stiffy jump up to say hello.

He stalked off, snagging her a cup of water from the cooler
in the corner. Her focus was trained outside where Kyle had gone. Scott glanced
up, catching Oscar staring at him with a grin. He glared at the water in his
hand and at Oscar again. Oscar’s grin grew from tiny to ginormous. Damn, looked
like “ridicule boss” just got added on to Oscar’s to-do list.

He scrubbed his face and gave Haleigh the cup.

“Thank you,” she mumbled, even though he could tell she was
still a bit miffed at his handling skills. He sat beside her and she tried to
scoot away. Awareness of her emotions skated up his spine, making everything on
his body tingle.

She strained to see out the window.

“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. He needed time to himself. I’ll
take care of him tonight.”

She turned, watching him, and he knew what he looked like.
Dominant and severe on his nice days. He expected his intensity to scare her,
but instead only her frown deepened.

“There you go. Looking like that puppy of yours got a good
kick in the pants.”

She tried to hide her emotions, which cheesed him. If she
didn’t want to be upfront about things, he’d bulldoze through all her walls
anyway.

“So if where Kyle dips his wick isn’t the problem, enlighten
me on the puppy-dog expression.” He gazed at her intently, watching her inner
deliberation on what to say. Her face revealed everything. Honesty was his only
policy so he hoped she’d trust him with the truth. He actually held his breath,
forcing it out on the next exhale. He was acting like a teenage girl at her
first sleepover.

“I’m a bit upset he didn’t confide in me when we were kids,
but he could marry an aardvark and eat tofu for the rest of his life if it
makes him happy.”

“There’s more to it than simple hurt feelings.”

“Maybe…”

He remained quiet until she continued. Thankfully his powers
of persuasion were still intact.

“I’d always harbored this little dream in my head. You
know…seeing him again. That he’d regret walking away and disappearing on me.
We’d meet, fall madly in love and he’d sweep me off my feet, like every knight
in shining armor does, obviously. We’d start our perfect life together. I get
it, I do.” She waved between them before he had a chance to speak. “Stupid
girlish fantasy. I get it, but if you’ve loved someone since the ripe old age
of eight and they disappear with no explanation, it’s kind of tough to handle.
Then…life got hard. I needed a happy place to go to, to get through. Kyle’s
been that for me. Where I let my mind go if I need to escape. Guess I’ll need
to find a new one.” She was quiet for a minute, so sad, as if the lamp in her
lighthouse had gone dark and her ship was crashing on the rocks of Kyle’s
shore.

“A new what?” he asked as he scooted over to comfort her. He
wanted to hear her answer and he cared what she had to say all of a sudden. His
reaction to her was out of the damn
Twilight Zone
. A few short minutes
ago he’d been goading her something hardcore, and all of a sudden it was just
different.

She peered up at him and he had to fight from getting sucked
into her gaze. “A happy place.”

He liked women fine, had been in relationships with both
women and men off and on for years before Kyle. Gender didn’t matter much.
Everything boiled down to whether they were submissive. If they were able to
submit to his needs, and he fed their desires in return, he could get his rocks
off and be happy about it. A good time being had by everyone and all that jazz.