Inked (10 page)

Chapter 8

Brody stood outside her door and fidgeted with the item in his pocket. A month ago he’d been standing in the exact same spot the first time he’d laid eyes on his son. Everything and yet nothing seemed to have changed since then. He was a father now, but his son had no idea who he was. Avery was back in his life—and his bed—but she was no closer to being his one and only.

He hoped that after tonight things would be different between them, that he and Avery would share so much more than a bed. Tonight he would let her know how much she still meant to him.

The cracking sound of his knuckles against the wooden door reverberated loudly in the narrow confines of the hallway. Brody took a step back and waited patiently for Avery to answer. As he contemplated knocking for a second time, the door slowly crept open and he looked up. It wasn’t the sheer black dress that hugged her slender physique that caused his arousal to immediately spring to attention and strain against the coarse fabric of his dress pants, nor was it the teardrop earrings that glistened against her milky white complexion. It was Avery’s heart stopping smile that spread across the delicate features of her face as her eyes fell upon him.

“Hi,” Brody croaked out in a hoarse voice. His eyes roved her body from head to toe, drinking in the sight of her.

“Hi,” Avery replied shyly. Her smile noticeably widened and she giggled out loud when her attention was drawn to the growing bulge in his pants.

Memories of their previous encounter in the hallway that took place only a month ago began to sweep through his mind, but Brody quickly suppressed them. Tonight wasn’t about Parker, or private schools, or the cheque he’d given her that she had yet to cash. It was about them and about his efforts to win her back. When he’d messaged her earlier that day about accompanying him to dinner, he didn’t give her the chance to say no. And even though deep down a part of him thought that Avery would stand him up, here she was, standing in front of him looking exquisite and breathtaking. Tonight was his one and only chance to win her over and he wasn’t about to blow it.

Avery took a step towards him, their bodies gently brushing against each other as she stepped into the hallway and pulled the door shut behind her. Nonchalantly, she leaned into him and inhaled a familiar scent that was definitely male and distinctly Brody. And when she spoke, her voice was barely audible over the sound of her racing heart. “Are you ready to go?”

With his hand still in his pocket, Brody clutched the silk handkerchief tightly in his fist. “I have something I want to give you first.”

Her eyes fluttered shut and her body, as if having a mind of its own, swayed slightly and leaned in closer. Her lips pursed together and formed a small O, preparing for a kiss that never came.

“There’s gonna be plenty of time for that later, trust me,” Brody snarled, his voice heady and full of promise, “but this is what I wanted to give you.”

Avery’s eyes snapped open and a deep crimson blush reddened her cheeks. Embarrassment coursed through her.
Don’t be so goddamn foolish,
she silently scolded herself, but she couldn’t help it. Over the past few weeks Avery had allowed Brody back into her life, and into her bed. She knew that she was walking a fine like and that eventually she’d have to tell him everything, but not tonight. Tonight she was going to relax and enjoy his company, and if things were to… Avery’s thoughts began to drift off but Brody’s soft chuckle brought her back to the present. When she looked up, she looked into a pair of knowing eyes. It wasn’t hard to tell that his thoughts too had drifted to later this evening and to the promises it held.

“This is for you.” Brody held out his hand and unclenched his fist.

Her gaze traveled down the length of the sleek, black blazer that molded to the muscular contours of his body, past the still growing bulge in the front of his pants, and to his outstretched hand. There, in his palm, was a crumpled, gray silk handkerchief. Using his free hand, Brody began to peel back the corners, revealing what was hidden beneath.

Avery tentatively raised her hand to his. The tip of her finger skimmed the edges of the bracelet with slow and purposeful movements, as if she were committing every detail of it to memory. Crafted from sterling silver, two charms—one an intricately sculpted lotus flower and the other a miniature replica of a tattoo gun—hung amidst a string of silver beads.

“It’s beautiful,” Avery cooed, and plucked it from his hand.

“Not as beautiful as you.” Brody retrieved the bracelet from between her fingers and raised his arm, his hands encircling her wrist. “May I?”

Avery nodded and smiled.

The close proximity of his hand to her body caused droplets of sweat to form on his forehead and Brody shifted from one foot to the other as his erection strained uncomfortably against its woolen barrier. Maybe going commando tonight wasn’t the smartest choice he could’ve made.

When the bracelet was fastened, he took a step backwards and examined the vision before him. As exquisite as the silver charm bracelet was, it paled in comparison to the woman wearing it. A mass of sandy blonde curls gathered at the nape of her neck, leaving the creamy skin of her throat and shoulders exposed, but two loose curls hung freely down her back, brushing lightly against the soft thatch of skin between her shoulders. The empire dress—black, sheer, and strapless—hugged every inch of her luscious body, stopping just above her knees. A row of black glass beads lined the top of the dress and followed the curve of the neckline to where the fabric formed a V in the center of her chest. There was no doubt about it. Avery was absolutely stunning, and Brody, well, he was a goner.

“Now I’m ready to go.” He smiled and took Avery by the hand, leading her in the direction of the elevators, but not before casually adjusting himself and saving her from the potential embarrassment of the neighbors seeing him at full salute.

They rode the elevator in silence, each of them stealing a sidelong glance at the other when they thought they weren’t looking. The elevator slowed as it approached the lobby and Avery stole one last glance in his direction. Yes, his body was leaner and more muscular than before, and he wore his hair slightly different now, but standing before her was the same man she’d fallen for ages ago. Aside from the slight differences in his appearance, there was something very different about Brody’s demeanor, something Avery couldn’t quite put her finger on. Ignoring her curiosity—and the sudden urge to lean over and kiss him—she stepped out of the elevator and followed him through the lobby to the waiting car.

“I was going to bring my bike,” he muttered sheepishly, “but I figured you wouldn’t be dressed for it.”

Avery suppressed a giggle. Of course she wouldn’t be dressed for it. Wasn’t he the one who told her to dress nice? And he seemed to be almost… nervous? It was endearing and definitely not what she expected. How could a guy of his height and girth, covered head to toe in tattoos, be intimidated by the likes of her? But Brody’s nervousness only added to the fire that had slowly begun to spread through her body the moment he knocked on the door.

Very few words passed between them as they drove the sixteen miles from Avery’s apartment to the Boston Harbor. It wasn’t until they approached the waterfront that Brody finally broke the silence that had settled between them.

“Have you ever been here?” he asked, but quickly answered his own question. “Of course you have. You live here.”

“It’s been years, but I wouldn’t mind bringing Parker here one day.” At the mention of Parker’s name, Avery felt Brody’s stare boring into her.
Just two old friends catching up,
she politely reminded herself.

Sensing her trepidation, he softly replied, “I think Parker would love it down here. Maybe next time we’ll bring him with us.”

At his suggestion, her shoulders visibly relaxed. He’d known about Parker for almost a month now but they’d yet to discuss what role he would play in his son’s life. That conversation was inevitable, but not one she wished to have tonight. It was a bridge they’d cross when the time came.

The sound of her heels echoing off the cobblestone walkway danced across the air and mingled with the cool breeze drifting in from the ocean. Avery shivered and slowly gravitated closer to Brody. Her mind justified this move as a need for warmth, but her body knew otherwise. She liked being near him as they casually strolled along the waterfront, watching the light of the city dance across the surface of the water. She liked feeling their bodies accidentally brush up together when he pointed out another landmark and babbled nervously about its historical significance. But most of all, Avery just liked being close to him. She loved the images her mind conjured of ripping that stiff suit from his body piece by piece.

As they neared the restaurant, Brody rambled on about this being the hottest place in the harbor. “You’re going to love it,” he gushed. “Their specialty is oysters.”

“That would explain the name.” Avery laughed as she read the sign above the entrance. A blue neon sign shaped to form the words ‘Aww Shucks!’ hung above the door, its bright lights piercing the blackened sky above the marina and casting a blue tinge on the boats moored nearby.

Brody willed himself to relax. The sight of Avery looking as fine as she did was driving him mad with need. He needed to touch her. He needed to feel her. He needed to
taste
her. Every nerve ending in his body was electrified by the sight of her. It took every last bit of hit self control not to sweep her up in his arms and whisk her back to his apartment, but tonight was about winning her back, not ravaging her before they even made it to dinner.
Keep your head in the game, man.

“Did you say something?” Avery asked, turning her attention back to Brody.

I didn’t say that out loud, did I?
“No, I didn’t say anything.”

“I could’ve sworn you just said something.”

“I think you’re hearing things,” Brody laughed, and offered her his hand. “Shall we?”

Avery could feel the clamminess of his palm as their fingers entwined. The feeling of her hand in his was familiar, but at the same time felt different. She knew every inch of his body, every crease in his skin. She’d committed it to memory just as she had memorized every other detail about him, but there was something in his touch that had never been there before. Tension.
What is he up to?
A million different scenarios ran through her mind. Did he want her to tell Parker that he was his father? No, it was far too soon for that, and Brody had already agreed to wait until the time was right. Was he expecting her to have sex with him tonight? If he was, it wouldn’t take much convincing on his part. Oh God, what if he wanted custody of Parker? This was something she’d never considered before now, but was a very distinct possibility. Brody had already made it very clear that he thought Parker was going without the day he showed up at her door with hundreds of dollars worth of food. And the cheque! It wasn’t really for Parker’s education. He’s already told her to spend it on whatever she wanted. And maybe that’s why he was so insistent on her joining him tonight. That had to be it. Brody wanted custody of Parker.

Avery launched into panic mode and quickly snatched her hand from his. If Brody wanted cu
stody of Parker he would send his lawyer after her, not treat her to an expensive dinner at the city’s hottest restaurant, wouldn’t he? Not wanting him to see her panic, Avery slowed her pace and fell into step behind Brody, averting her gaze in an effort to avoid his curious stares.

They stood patiently in the foyer as they waited for the hostess to escort them to their table. Avery busied herself with watching the TV that hung above the bar, while Brody leaned on a nearby wall and casually observed her, wondering what caused the sudden change in her mood. Was she having second thoughts about their date? About him? They’d barely spoke two words since he’d picked her up at his apartment. Things were not going according to plan. He had to do something, anything, to salvage this date.

“Screw this,” Brody hissed, and pushed off from the wall. Joining Avery by the bar, he kept his distance as he casually asked, “Can I get you a drink while we wait?”

“Umm, sure.”

Umm, sure? That wasn’t even a real response. There was definitely something up with Avery and he needed to fix it. Fast.

He returned from the bar a few minutes later with drinks in hand. “You’re going to like this. It’s the house special.”

“Thanks,” she replied stiffly, and took the drink from him. A viscous, blood-like substance filled the glass and was garnished with a bushy stalk of celery. A small plastic sword impaled a pickle and two cocktail onions hung unsteadily from the rim, which upon better inspection appeared to be coated with some sort of salt. Avery raised the glass to her lips and took a tentative sip. The flavor exploded in her mouth as the red viscous liquid rolled across her tongue: tomato, spices, and a hint of something she couldn’t place.

“Do you like it? It’s called a Caesar.”

“I love it,” Avery gushed, hastily wiping a drop of tomato juice from her lip and temporarily letting her guard down.

“That’s the clam juice.”

“It has clam juice in it? Hmm, I never would’ve guessed.”

At last Avery’s carefree mood seemed to have returned, but only for a moment. The second Brody took a step towards her, she resumed the same cold and awkward persona that she’d adopted upon their arrival at the restaurant, making it perfectly clear that whatever was bothering her had something to do with him. Frustrated, concerned, and unable to hold his tongue any longer, he blurted out,” What’s wrong, Avery? You’ve been acting weird ever since we got here.”