Solitude (Artistic Pricks Ink #3) (18 page)

“You don’t play fair,” I mutter against his lips.

“And you do?” he chuckles. “Two words, sweetness: broken headboard.”

“Mitch and Shelby, who thought we’d ever see them F-U-C-K-I-N-G,” Skinner sings, appearing from the hallway. Mitch releases me, both of us staring at Skinner as he shakes his ass, dancing around the room like a moron. “First comes, ah!” he cries thrusting his hips. “Then comes, ow! Shit!” he shouts, when Luke hops off the countertop and slaps him in the back of the head.

“The fuck did I say about twerkin’, asshole?” Luke asks with a grin.

“Hasn’t that song gotten old yet?” Chuck asks. “You’ve been singing it for weeks. I’m about to pay Shelby to go ahead and kill you so she can put us all out of our misery.”

“Come on,” he argues, pointing to us. “You gotta admit it’s funny.”

“Gonna be hilarious when Shelby gets her hands on you,” Luke replies with a laugh. “That ass beatin’ Mitch gave you was nothin’ compared to what she’ll do.”

All eyes are on me, the guys waiting for me to remove his nuts and shove them up his twerkin’ ass. Instead, I cross my arms over my chest and laugh. “Oh Skins, you sad, little man. Prepare.”

The bell chimes over the door. “I hope everyone is here and hungry!” Leah says, excitedly with Ki hot on her heels. “We’ve got brownies!”

“Oh baby!” Mitch shouts, skirting around me to get to Leah first. “You complete me,” he says, opening the bag and inhaling deeply.

Rolling my eyes, I shake my head. “For breakfast?” I ask, heading for the coffee pot to get a much needed cup of caffeine.

Mitch’s eyes widen. “It’s like I don’t even know you,” he mumbles around a bite. Walking over, he holds one out to me. “Come on, sweetness. Open that mouth for me, you know you want it.”

“Bet she hears that a lot!” Skinner laughs, earning him another slap from Luke.

“Okay, okay, you got me,” Leah sighs. “The brownies were an excuse to come down here. This is for you.” Handing Charlie his bag, she smiles. “Sorry, honey, but yours isn’t brownies.”

His brow furrows in confusion, opening the bag, he pulls out a small slip of paper. Blinking furiously, his eyes widen before it falls to the floor. “Fuck me,” he mutters, grabbing Leah by the arms. Lifting her off the ground, he crushes his mouth to hers. Choking on a sob, she wraps her arms around him and kisses him back.

Skinner scoops up the bag from the floor and dumps it onto the counter. Staring down at the bottle, pacifier, I can’t believe my eyes. “Fuck me,” I gasp.

Placing her back on her feet, Chuck falls to his knees and presses a kiss to her belly. “We’re having a baby?” he asks, staring up at her.

She nods, tears streaming down her face. “I’m twelve weeks,” she informs him. “Dr. Armon said there must’ve been something wrong with that box of tests I bought a few months back. With everything going on, I didn’t even realize I had actually missed any periods.”

“Chucker, the reproductive fucker!” Skinner shouts, fist pumping the air.

Walking over, I hug Leah. Kionna wraps her arms around the two of us, sniffling in my ear. “I’m so happy for you, sweets,” I say, laughing as I fight back tears. “Auntie Shelby buys the first round of beers!”

It’s no secret they have struggled with getting pregnant. For months, Ki and I have helplessly watched her worry herself into crying fits over whether she will ever conceive a child. Stories on the news about people abusing or neglecting children they never wanted make me unbelievably angry; especially now, having watched her struggle so much for an ability most people take for granted. It makes you question a lot about how life works, knowing that two people who would give anything to have a baby couldn’t, while some chick gets a book and movie deal just for hiding her unwanted pregnancy, giving birth in a truck stop bathroom, and dumping that poor baby in the trash like a used tampon.

Welcome to the new America folks, where reality shows are anything but reality and You-tube instructional videos turn what should be eternal shame into fifteen minutes of hashtag fame. Nothing says success like being a trending topic on Facebook.

“This is great news,” Luke says, clapping Chuck on the back. “Congrats.”

Releasing Leah, I turn and spot Mitch. He is smiling, but I know it’s forced. I can see something lurking beneath it that has me making my way over to him. “Hey,” I say, when his arm wraps around me.

“Hey,” he replies, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

He is distant, pulling himself from the situation and retreating inside his head. I’ve learned, especially over the last month, when something is a trigger for my guy. Right now, his mind is going to a place I wish it wouldn’t. Somewhere I’m not welcome, a place I don’t belong. He’s thinking of her.

I don’t tell him, but it hurts when he disappears on me this way. I can see how hard he tries to be here with me, so I focus on doing whatever I can to pull him back. I know he wants this as much as I do.

Just when I start to think we have gained ground, we take an abrupt U-turn back to the start. I have been reading the journals, when I am alone, in an attempt to understand and they have helped me anticipate a lot. I know what they had was special. I can feel how deeply they loved each other. I want that with him now and I know that what we have is just as powerful.

It’s not that he shouldn’t remember what they had, I just don’t want him to forget what he and I have now. I need more from him than the pieces to an incomplete puzzle, and though I have put together quite a bit of it, I have to admit I am greedy when it comes to Mitch. I want all of him in the here and now, with me. I’m not a horrible, unfeeling bitch or anything. I’d be more than happy to listen to him talk about her and help him through it, and I have said as much, but it’s a subject he dances around when it comes up.

That’s why I am finding myself fascinated with the journals and with her.

It’s also why I find myself hating her a lot of the time.

“You okay?” I ask, looking up at him.

He nods his head, but it lacks conviction. “Yeah. Crazy huh?”

“Mhm.”

“I gotta get set up, my appointment will be here soon.” Leaning down, he presses a kiss to my cheek. Releasing me quickly, he shoves his hands into his pockets and heads down the hallway.

Looking to Luke, I jerk my chin toward the hall. He glances that way, then back at me, nodding in understanding. Yes, he started the shop that employs most of us, but he is so much more than a boss. The man Leah and I jokingly dubbed the Hanlon Hottie, is a friend; a man that would give the shirt off his back if it made someone’s day, he cared about, easier. When things are going on in our lives, he is there, ready to take it on. Of course, he has known Mitch longer than all of us put together, so I can tell, by the look on his face, that he could feel the tension coming off him too.

Skirting around the celebration, I make my way down the hall. Pushing open the door to the storage room, I step inside. “Hey, you disappeared on me,” I say when I see him fumbling with packages of tubing.

“What are you talking about? I told you where I was going,” he says, not turning to face me. “Need my station set up before he gets here.”

“You checked out long before that,” I inform him, closing the door behind me. “About the time two of our best friends announced they’re starting a family.” Making my way over to him, I run my fingers up his arm.

“You want kids?” he asks, turning to face me.

The question knocks me for a loop. I hadn’t expected that to be the next thing to come out of his mouth, but at least it’s more than brushing me off. “Is there a drive thru on the strip for that now, too?” I ask, laughing nervously.

Mitch laughs. Shaking his head, he places the tubing down on the corner table beside the sink. “I wouldn’t doubt it, but I think you know that’s not what I meant, smart ass.”

I shrug. “Sure, I’ve thought about it, I guess. I’m not opposed to the idea of gracing the world with another me, someday.” Rubbing my hand over his abdomen, I look up at him and smirk. “You got somethin’ to tell me, hot stuff?”

“No, I won’t be bringin’ ya brownie bags full of sonograms and pacifiers anytime soon, if that’s what you’re askin’.” He laughs again, his eyes soften, losing focus as he talks. “I don’t know. Between Maddie, and now Leah, it just has me thinkin’ about my life. I just always figured I’d be a father by now, that’s all. I’ve always wanted a big family since I was an only child. I wanted to be the father I never had, you know? When Becky died, none of that stuff mattered anymore.”

“And now?”

I can’t help binging on his voice, on his words, as he speaks. Hearing him talk about personal pieces of him this way, letting me see those parts of him is something I can’t get enough of. I crave it, and the small doses are just never enough. There isn’t much I wouldn’t do to keep him talking like this.

“And now…” His arms wrap around me, pulling me into his chest. Tipping up my chin, I look into those brown eyes as he smiles down at me. His hands slide down to my ass, kneading my flesh with his fingers. My stomach flips, just like that I am ready to strip him naked and say to hell with the mound of paperwork waiting on my desk. “There’s something we need to do,” he blurts, taking me by surprise again.

“Mmm, is that so?” I purr, waggling my brows. “Lock the door, but we gotta be quick.”

Burying his face in my hair, he laughs, his entire body shaking against mine. “Not exactly what I meant, sweetness.” Pressing a kiss to my collarbone, he brings one hand up to cup my face and meets my eyes. “After work, I need to take you somewhere.”

“Does it involve a drive thru?” I tease him.

He shakes his head, a grin spreading across his face. My fingers go into his hair, pulling his lips to mine. My tongue skims his, tasting what’s mine. Every time I kiss him, the same electricity courses through my veins.

Turning us, Mitch presses my back to the counter. His hips rock into me, his erection pressing into my belly. Fuck. Moving his fingers up, he pushes beneath the hem of my shirt. The second his hand connects with my bare skin, he groans, the sound has me wobbling on my unsteady legs.

Without missing a beat, he hoists me onto the countertop. “Can’t have you on your knees just yet,” he chuckles, kissing his way down my jaw.

“Feel free to hit yours anytime, prick,” I breathe, tilting my head back to give him better access.

Holding me on the edge of the counter, Mitch grinds himself into me. His hard cock presses into me, exactly where I want it. His other hand comes up, palming my breast through my shirt. My nipple hardens beneath his touch, begging to be freed and taken by his mouth. “How do you make everything so much better?” he asks, brushing his lips over the hollow of my throat. “I can forget everything when I’m with you. Even my own name.”

“Superpowers,” I reply breathlessly. “Don’t worry, if you ever did forget your name, I always end up screaming it anyway.”

“See,” he laughs, kissing the corner of my mouth. “Always lookin’ out for me.”

“What can I say, I’m a giver.”

The door flies open, making me jump in Mitch’s arms. Looking over, I find Luke taking up the doorway. “Why is it every time you two wander off, we catch you in here in compromising positions? You’re worse than horny teenagers.”

“Holy shit!” Skinner’s voice echoes from behind him. “Is she naked? Why am I not in there to watch… I mean serenade them with my song?” he asks, his Mohawk peeking up from behind Luke. “Shelby and Mitch, if Luke would move, then I could see, them f-u-c—“

Luke rears back his arm, silencing him with an elbow to the gut. “Do we work around here at all?” Luke asks sarcastically, rolling his eyes. “Your appointment is up front, Mitch. The paperwork is all signed on the counter already and Kionna is showing him to your station now. While Shelby handles the payroll for the week, I’ll be in my office Googling chastity belts and shock collars.”

“Damn, Luke,” Skinner says following Luke up the hall. “You’re a kinky fucker.”

“I told ya to lock that,” I remind Mitch, pressing my face into his chest.

“You did,” he agrees. Helping me down from the counter, he kisses the top of my head. “We’ll pick this up later at my place.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

He presses a kiss to my lips, lingering just enough to stir up the butterflies in my stomach. “Go ahead, I’m fully prepared to tie you to my bed to return the favor.”

Winking, he releases me and disappears from the room, leaving my knees wobbly and my entire body sparking from his kiss.

“Shit,” I mumble, blowing out a shaky breath. Forcing my legs to work, I head back up the hall to tackle the mountain sized stack of paperwork that is waiting for me.

Sitting at my desk, I glance over at Mitch’s station. His client is on his stomach, on the table, while Mitch is bent over him, applying the outline for the tattoo along the back of his shoulders. The muscles in Mitch’s back and biceps flex and shift against his t-shirt as he works. My stomach flips. My fingers itch to touch him, to feel his body beneath my hands as he moves inside me.

Taking a step back, Mitch glances my way. He winks at me, a sexy smirk spreading across his face. He knows I’m watching and he knows what it does to me. Asshole. Shaking out his arm, he flexes his bicep before grabbing his gun and turning away from me.

Fuck. It’s going to be a long day.

“Where are we going?” I ask Mitch as he steers my car through traffic.

The minute I shut off my computer for the day, he is waiting beside me, impatiently. Now, here I sit in the passenger seat of my beautiful Mustang while my favorite prick navigates the interstate like it’s his rookie year in Nascar.

Removing his hand from the shifter, he reaches over and squeezes my knee. “Can’t you just enjoy the ride?” he asks, taking my hand in his and placing them on the gear shift.

“I love a good ride,” I say, when I see him glancing at me out of the corner of his eye. “Generally, I’m the one driving.”

“Sweetness,” he purrs, squeezing my hand. “Let me tell you a secret. Even when you’re driving, I’m still in control of the wheel.”