Innocent Ink (2 page)

Jed shook his head. “I’ll wear you down eventually. Until then … thanks.” He waved the envelope. “I really appreciate the photos. Did Mina tell you how much our business has increased since we launched those ads and added some of your photography to our artists’ portfolios?”

Karen grinned. “She mentioned it.”

Something vibrated in the vicinity of Karen’s left butt cheek, and she jumped.

Jed’s dark brows rose an inch or two. “You okay?”

“Just my phone,” she mumbled, pulling the object in question out of her back pocket. She swiped her thumb across the screen, keeping her head bowed – maybe reading the text she’d just received would buy her enough time to lose the blush that had burned its way across the bridge of her nose.

Just took some pumpkin pie out of the oven. Want to stop by for dinner? We can order in from that noodle place you like.

Karen read the text a second time, her gaze slowing over the glorious words ‘pumpkin pie’ and ‘noodle place’. Nothing compared to her grandmother’s pumpkin pie, but the soba noodles from her favorite Japanese restaurant were a distant second – and that was saying something.

“Everything okay?” Jed asked.

Karen shut her mouth as subtly as possible, cringing inwardly as the fact that she’d just licked her lips registered. “Yeah, that was just a dinner invitation.”

“A date?”

“No.” The fact that he thought she’d been licking her lips at the mere thought of a date caused her to die a little inside. “It was from my grandmother.”

He grinned again for some reason. “I won’t keep you, then.”

“Okay. See you around, Jed.”

She turned without tripping, stumbling or licking her lips and made a relatively cool exit, passing the door and emerging into the aisle between the artists’ half-booths. She strode down it, ignoring the butterflies that burst into flight inside her stomach at the buzzing sound of a tattoo in progress. Yes, she loved photographing tattoos, but watching one be done usually made her feel faintly queasy. Needles … ugh. She clutched her phone a little too tightly and typed a reply to her grandmother, Helen.

Be there in twenty. :)

“See ya, Mina.” Tucking her phone back into her pocket, she paused at the front desk. It wasn’t like she could leave without saying goodbye to her best friend, even if Mina
was
wearing an infuriatingly knowing little smile. It was easy for her to laugh at someone else getting flustered – she was already engaged to Eric, the artist who sat in the nearest half-booth and was responsible for the current buzzing sound.

With his dark hair and blue eyes, Eric was gorgeous, and perfect for Mina, but he didn’t hold a candle to Jed. Jed was taller, darker … more rugged. She forced herself to make eye contact with Mina, refusing to glance toward the back of the shop.

“What’d Jed think of the photos?” Mina asked, leaning on the glass display case full of body jewelry. Was it only a trick of the evening light, or did she actually waggle her eyebrows up and down a little bit?

“He loved them.”

“As usual.” Mina smiled and tipped her head, sending her dark, straight hair swinging.

“Yeah, well, it was the back piece he did for that McGuiness guy. The one with the sailing ship? It’s an amazing tattoo.”

“Mmmhmm.” Mina just kept smiling, looking like the cat that had eaten the canary.

For the millionth time, Karen wished for the ability to travel back
in time and stop herself on the night she’d split a bottle of champagne with Mina – to celebrate becoming a full-time photographer – and confessed how hot she thought Jed was. Just the thought of it was enough to turn her cheeks red; she’d actually used the words ‘tall, dark and handsome’ to describe him out loud.

 “What’s
mmmhmm
supposed to mean?” she whispered, just in case any of the other artists or clients were listening in.

“It’s just that he always loves your photos. He loves everything you do.”

Karen gave Mina her fiercest
for-the-love-of-God-speak-quietly
stare.

Mina just grinned. It was official – she was exacting revenge upon Karen for pushing her and Eric together. And she
had
literally pushed Mina out of her hiding place in a restaurant bathroom once, when Mina had been having doubts about whether Eric was really attracted to her.

Karen preferred to think that she’d assisted in boosting Mina’s confidence. And it had all worked out in the end – Mina and Eric were engaged now. Very happily engaged.

“Guess I’ll see you Friday,” Karen said, choosing to ignore Mina’s waggle-browed smile and teasing comments.

“Of course you will.” Mina straightened, placing her hands flat on the countertop. “We’ll all be there – me, Eric, Jess and Jed.”

Karen’s heart stopped, then banged back to life again. “Jed?” Why in the world would Jed be at Ruby’s on Friday night? Had Mina actually invited him? Had he actually agreed to come?

“Didn’t anyone tell you? You two share the same birthday.”

“Who would tell me besides you?” Karen whisper-yelled, looking right into her friend’s eyes.

Mina grinned. “Eric just told me yesterday. We figured we could all celebrate together. Abby, James and Tyler are coming too.”

Abby, James and Tyler were Hot Ink’s other tattoo artists, and the fact that they’d be attending would make Jed’s presence seem more natural. Not that Karen’s shameless imagination wasn’t already perfectly convinced that Jed’s presence would make the night nothing short of magical. Amazingly, awkwardly magical, considering the fact that Mina would probably be waggling her eyebrows and scheming to embarrass Karen at some point. Where had her sweet, reserved friend gone?

Engagement had changed her. Before she’d placed the order for her Tattooed Prince Charming’s wedding tux, she’d never waggled her eyebrows at anyone.

“See you then,” Karen said, stepping away from the counter.

Mina smiled. “Bye, Karen.”

* * * * *

Black was a good color. You couldn’t go wrong with black, right? Jed shoved his shirtsleeves up to his elbows and rolled them so they’d stay in place. He hated when sleeves touched his wrists, so he’d compromised. Usually, he wore a t-shirt, but for tonight, he’d chosen a shirt that actually buttoned up the front.

Because it was Karen’s birthday. It was his birthday too, but that didn’t matter. He glanced at the rearview mirror and made sure there wasn’t anything on his face, like a giant sign reading
I wore sleeves for Karen because I think she’s amazing.

Nothing. He grimaced at his reflection and looked away, opening the door.

What the hell was wrong with him? Karen was too innocent, too young, too ambitious – too
everything
– for someone like him, and he hadn’t been interested in a relationship in years. How old was she turning anyway? He mulled the possibilities over as he exited his Charger, gripping a box he’d wrapped just hours ago.

Ruby’s, Karen’s former place of employment, was packed on a Friday night. The interior was loud, and a little dark. Even over the noise of dozens of diners, he was able to pick out Karen’s voice. “You have to try the strawberry lemonade, Abby,” she said from a corner table.

“Of course it’s alcoholic. And don’t worry – we won’t get stiffed on drinks here. Nate’s working the bar tonight, and he makes them strong.”

Jed arrived at the table just in time to see Karen winking at Abby.

Good God, she looked amazing. Not Abby – Karen. Abby might’ve looked good too, but Karen stole the spotlight so completely that there was no telling. Her blue-green dress stood in alluring contrast to her dark red hair and creamy skin, plenty of which was exposed by the low V-neck. She was leaning toward Abby, jabbing a finger enthusiastically at the drink menu, and the position showcased her ample cleavage like a dream.

“Jed!” Eric called out from one end of the table, where he sat with his arm around Mina. “Happy birthday, man.”

His words unleashed a floodgate. The entire table erupted in a chorus of well-wishes, drowning out the rest of the noise completely for a few seconds. The outburst took him by surprise; when he’d laid eyes on Karen, he’d forgotten that it was his birthday, too.

He strode toward the table, acknowledging their sentiments with a nod, and took the nearest empty seat. It just so happened to be the seat directly across from Karen.

Tyler elbowed Jed in the side. “Already ordered a pitcher of your favorite.”

“Thanks.” Jed’s mouth went momentarily dry as he stared across the table, and not just because Tyler’s statement had him craving beer. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken the seat across from Karen – he couldn’t help staring at her in that dress. He had to look like an idiot. He
felt
like an idiot.

A rush of hot air and a sizzle came from behind, and a waitress spared him by lowering a platter of battered, spicy-smelling shrimp onto the table in front of him. It was an appetizer platter big enough for the entire group, and she’d barely placed a couple bowls of dipping sauce on the table top before everyone began reaching for the food.

Jed grabbed one of the shrimp and dipped it blindly into a sauce bowl, forcing himself to look at everyone seated around the table as he chewed, not just Karen.

Tyler, James, Abby and Eric – all Hot Ink’s artists were there, plus Mina, one of the studio’s receptionists and Eric’s fiancée. Mina’s little sister Jess was there too, eating shrimp and smiling as she sat in her wheelchair beside a teenaged boy who had to be her boyfriend. The kid was grinning at Jess with a distinctly dopey, instantly recognizable young love kind of look.

The sight of the two kids smiling at each other and goofing off with a couple of severed shrimp tails sent a pang of searing nostalgia through Jed’s chest. His heart beat slowly but deliberately beneath the buttoned-up front of his shirt, reminding him that it was still stubbornly functioning even after being broken.

He understood the all-or-nothing nature of young love; the memory of it shimmered across the surface of his mind, startlingly vivid for a few fleeting seconds.

He shoved the memories away. He was in the middle of celebrating his thirty-fifth birthday, for fuck’s sake. There was no ring on his finger, though the band he’d once worn had left a permanent mark against his skin, fainter than a tattoo, but just as lasting. This was where the love that had once consumed him had left him.

CHAPTER 2

“It was a disaster,” Abby said, shaking her head, still in conversation with Karen. “Wasn’t it, Jed?” She turned blue eyes on Jed, snapping him out of his self-pity with her unexpected question.

“Disaster?”

“The cover-up job I finished today. The original tattoo was a disaster, wasn’t it?”

Jed grimaced. “That’s putting it kindly. It was a fucking travesty.” Remembering himself, he glanced toward the kids at the end of the table. Luckily, they were too absorbed in each other’s company to spare any attention for what he was saying.

Abby grinned, and Karen frowned. “See, that’s another thing that scares me about tattoos – there are so many horrible ones out there. What if you went to get something beautiful and it turned out to be an embarrassment?”

“A legitimate artist would make sure you got something that made you happy.” Jed’s gaze was drawn to the creamy skin of Karen’s chest and arms. An unblemished, unmarked canvas – her skin was perfect, and so fair that ink of any color would contrast brilliantly. If she ever decided to be tattooed … what wouldn’t he give to be the one to put the ink in her skin? “And they’d never even consider putting something as pathetic as the trash Abby covered up on someone’s body.”

“
Never
,” Abby said, raising her eyebrows as she turned wide blue eyes on Karen. “The scratcher who did the original tattoo should be thrown in prison, if you ask me.”

Jed’s lips threatened to quirk into a smile. Abby was generally quiet, but she had her convictions.

“If I ever got a tattoo, I know where I’d go,” Karen said. “Not that I want anyone to come near me with a needle, but if I did…” She met Jed’s gaze for a moment so brief he would’ve doubted it had happened if it hadn’t been for the electricity it sent crackling through his entire body.

Her gaze flickered downward just as the waitress arrived with what looked like the lemonade Karen had been talking about.

Karen gripped her glass, long fingers curling gracefully around the frosted surface, and raised it to her mouth. The plastic straw drifted through a sea of ice to part her lips, and Jed had to look away.

For the better part of an hour, he pretended to be deeply interested in the jokes, beer and food circulating around the table. After way too many shrimp, he devoured the ribs he’d ordered, and they were good, but it was hard to focus on anything when Karen’s presence drove him to constant distraction. The way her hair shone in the low lighting, the way her skin glowed – everything about her drew his eye, and it was hell trying to resist.

He was on his way back from a trip to the restroom when he ran into her – not quite literally, but almost – in the narrow hallway that led to the men’s and ladies’ rooms.

“Oh!” Her strappy sandals slid a little on the tile, but she steadied herself with a hand against the wall just as he reached for her.

His hand swept through empty air – she’d already regained balance. He lowered it, his fingertips tingling with unfulfilled expectation. “Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” She looked a little flushed – her fair skin was distinctly pink across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose, and her eyes were bright. If that was the effect the lemonade was having on her, he might just have to buy her a second one … as a friendly treat to the birthday girl, of course, nothing more.

“I’ve always thought this hall was way too narrow. Drove me crazy when I was working here.” She straightened the front of her dress, and for the first time, he noticed the sequins glittering at the hem. Blue and green, they highlighted the pale but healthy sheen of her skin.