Under Your Skin (4 page)

How did his mom have a way of making him feel like a kid when he was a grown man?

Didn't matter how she did it. He knew that he'd have the guys come in through the basement door around back to keep them from her. She wouldn't be able to manage the basement steps for weeks. And if she could handle them, it would be time for her to go back to Jaleesa's.

After organizing his workout equipment, he went back upstairs to make sure the house was clean. The doctor had said his mom should be discharged within a day or two. He didn't want to hear complaints about dust.

By the time he made it to the shop, he was cranky and tired. The last thing he needed was Tommy and his sister standing at the counter laughing. Karla, his piercer, was laughing with them.

He looked at Tommy. “Don't you have work to do?”

“Client just left. I was giving Norah a tour.”

“And explaining some of the more creative slang you guys use around here. Pussyball is something that I know should offend me, but it's so ridiculous, I can't stop laughing every time I think about it.” Then she tossed a tennis ball at him. They handed the ball to anyone who couldn't handle the pain of a tattoo. Hence the name
pussyball
.

The sound of her laughter shot straight to his dick and that was all kinds of wrong. But it was like she knew the effect she had. She eyed him from behind lowered lashes, the same mischievous look he'd gotten from her on her last visit.

“See you for dinner tonight?” she asked Tommy.

“I think so.”

She stepped around Tommy and wiggled her fingers. “Nice to see you again, Kai.”

What made her think they were familiar enough that she should use his name like that? Wiggling her fingers and flirting.

“This isn't a social club,” he said to her.

“I know. I didn't come to socialize. I came in as a potential client.”

Kai scanned her body, the bare skin he could see, and saw nothing but stretches of smooth tan canvas.

“You're not getting a tattoo,” Tommy said.

“I'm an adult. I can do whatever I want with my body.” As she spoke that last part, she intentionally looked at Kai.

This girl was trying to stir up trouble.

“Isn't that right, Kai?”

He liked the way she spoke his name, like a tease.

Tommy spun around. “You can't ink my sister.”

Kai blinked to focus and pull away from Norah's hypnotic eyes. “She's right. If she's got the cash, she can do whatever she wants.”

“Told you.” Then she turned and pushed the door open to leave. “See you later.”

“She's my baby sister. You can't do it.”

That was no baby that just walked out. “Look at it this way—if she decides she wants a tat, she'll get it somewhere. Better here, by you or someone you trust instead of some dive.”

Tommy sank onto the stool behind him, looking devastated with the realization that Kai was right.

“I have art to work on. I'll be in the back.” As he walked to his office, an image of Norah splayed in his chair ready for ink flashed in his mind.

Shaking his head, he closed his office door. He had to stop thinking about her. She was off-limits. He didn't need to imagine her unmarked skin waiting for his touch.

* * *

Norah walked down the block away from Ink Envy feeling a little bit naughty. She had no idea what was wrong with her. The pregnancy hormones were getting out of hand. Instead of going straight to her car, she went for a walk in the sun.

She'd never admit it to Tommy, but she'd gone to Ink Envy today in hopes of seeing Kai. It was sick and she could admit that. She had no business thinking about sex, especially given her current condition, but she couldn't help herself. When she was there last time, something about the way he looked at her made her a little tingly.

Today was a test to make sure she hadn't imagined it.

Nope.

He might've been gruff and cranky, but a girl knew when she was being checked out. A simple thrill ran through her. She was aware it wouldn't go anywhere. That it couldn't go anywhere. But she enjoyed feeling like a woman. Plus, the hormones. God, the hormones.

She hadn't totally misled Tommy about her reason for showing up. She'd often thought about a tattoo. When she'd visited in the past, she'd tried to convince Tommy to draw something special for her, but he'd refused. She never had the guts to go somewhere else for one.

The fact that Kai didn't back down to Tommy was cool. Of course, he towered over Tommy so she didn't imagine Kai backed down to too many people. Something made him look almost menacing. He had longish hair that he kept tied back. His dark eyes revealed little. Maybe menacing was the wrong word. Gruff. That fit.

After a brief walk around the block, she went back to her car and drove home. At this point, she was just procrastinating, but she needed to call Avery. She still hadn't decided what to do about the baby, but breaking the news to him needed to happen. Preferably before she went into labor.

As she parked, she noticed Moira hobbling up the front steps with a plastic bin. From the sidewalk, Norah called, “Hey, what are you doing here? Moving in to make Sean crazy?”

Moira set the bin on the porch and turned around. With her hand over her eyes to shade them, she said, “Jimmy told me you didn't have any clothes that fit. My sister-in-law just had a baby so I borrowed her maternity clothes for you.”

Norah walked closer as Moira spoke. “You didn't have to do that, but thank you. I figured I'd make do.” She tugged her shirt and stretched it away from her belly.

“Don't thank me yet. Although I'm sure it'll fit, Quinn's a teacher and she delivered in early June, so she might not have a bunch of casual stuff. All she asked is that you return it in good condition. She's planning on more kids.”

“Let me get the door. If you kick it inside, I'll have one of the guys carry it upstairs for me later.”

She held the door open for Moira who hefted the bin and set it in the living room.

“So what do you have going on today?” Moira asked.

Norah looked around to make sure none of her brothers were lurking. “I'm going to call the baby's father and tell him.”

Saying it out loud felt like a real commitment.

“Wow.”

“You want a drink or something?” Norah asked as she pointed to the kitchen.

“I'm good.” She angled her head and studied Norah. “Would you like me to stay while you call him?”

The thought hadn't occurred to Norah, but the offer from Moira appealed to her. She didn't want to be alone, but she couldn't ask one of her brothers to be with her. They'd be too focused on gathering information about Avery instead of being supportive. “Would you?”

“Of course.”

Norah pulled out her phone. “I think maybe upstairs would be best. You know, in case someone else comes in.”

“You want me to come up or wait here?”

“I might need you in the room to make sure I don't chicken out again.”

Moira followed her upstairs and when they were closed in the room, Norah sat on her bed. Moira took a chair on the other side of the room, offering some privacy.

Norah stared at the phone. Her thumb hovered over the contact for Avery. He might not even answer. She could be getting worked up and nervous over something that might not happen right now. Taking a deep breath, she hit call.

The ringing in her ear fought against the blood-rushing.

“Hey, Norah. Where the hell have you been? I've called you all summer.”

Well, damn. So much for hoping for no answer.

“Uh, I came back to Chicago.”

“Classes start soon. Will I be able to see you before I leave again?”

“No. I'm, uh, living here now. That's why I'm calling.” She took a deep breath and glanced at Moira. She was studying her cuticles, but Norah knew she could hear. “I moved back because I'm pregnant.”

There. It was out. Silence met her. “Avery?”

“Oh. Well, I know we didn't talk about exclusivity or anything, but I didn't expect . . .”

He thought it was someone else's. Damn. This was harder than she'd expected. “I'm seven and a half months. It's yours.”

“What?”

“Remember when you came home to Boston for a long weekend? By my estimation, that's when it happened.”

“You said you were on the pill.”

She hated the accusation in his voice. This wasn't going how she pictured. “I was. But I was getting over bronchitis and the antibiotics must've ruined the effectiveness.”

“Are you sure it's mine?”

Never had she thought he'd say that to her. What did he think of her that he believed she'd make this up? “Fuck you,” she whispered.

“Are you sure?”

“There hasn't been anyone else since we met.”

“I don't know what to say.”

“I know the feeling. That's why I haven't called.”

“What are you going to do?”

“I don't know.”

More silence. Then, “Let me know when you figure it out.”

He hung up. Norah stared at her phone. She was as alone as she thought.

Moira was at her side. “Should I even ask?”

“He questioned if it was his. Like I would lie about something like that.” Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Tears of hurt and frustration and disappointment. Avery was better than that and she knew it.

“Not that I'm defending him, but this was kind of a big deal to dump on a guy you haven't seen since what? March?” Moira pulled her into a hug.

“I know.” She also knew she had this coming. She'd always done everything on her own. This was no different.

Norah had never wondered what it would've been like to have a sister until now. She held on to Moira and let the tears fall. After a few minutes, she pulled away. “I'm not even sure why I'm crying. Hormones, I guess. They're running rampant these days.”

Moira nodded and didn't call her a liar. “I'm around if you need to talk.” She went to the desk and scribbled on a piece of paper. “That's my number. I work from home mostly, so I'm free for lunch or coffee or talking.”

“Thanks.” Norah wiped at her face. “I'm okay. I have more thinking to do, but it feels good having that weight off me. Do me a favor, though, and don't tell Jimmy I called Avery. I'll tell him.”

“I'll keep my mouth shut. For now. But you need to let your family in and let them know what's going on with you.”

“I know. It's just . . . I've been on my own for a long time. My aunt took care of me, but we were never close or anything. She policed me. Although Jimmy would help with anything I asked, I didn't want to run to him all the time. So I got used to figuring things out on my own.”

Moira swooped in for another hug and whispered, “You're not alone anymore.”

Norah bit her lip to stop the flood of more tears. This was why she came home. She knew she wouldn't be alone. Now she just needed to figure out how to deal with having a family again.

* * *

Kai watched as the delivery of rented hospital equipment was brought into his house. How could one woman with a bum knee need so much crap? His spare room was filled, but the most disturbing thing he saw in the room was a bedpan. Jaleesa said nothing about him playing nurse.
Take her for a walk. Help her do her exercises.
At no point did Jaleesa say
empty her bedpan
. He'd never been violent toward his sister, but this might push him over the edge.

His head thumped with a headache. He'd kept his schedule for the afternoon clear to get his mom settled in, but there was no way he'd miss hockey practice tonight. He needed to take the edge off. After he flipped off the light in the bedroom, he turned to the bathroom to get something for his head. There he saw grab bars installed by a toilet with an extra seat to raise the height and more bars and a bench in his bathtub. It was as if it wasn't even his house anymore.

He swallowed a couple of aspirin. If he was this stressed before his mom even got there, how would he last weeks of living with her?

Jaleesa honked from outside to let him know they were there. Kai went out to meet them and help get his mom in. At the car, she leaned pretty heavily on him to get out, but then she waved him off as she switched to a four-footed cane.

Her progress to the front door was approximately that of a sloth. Kai grabbed her suitcase and followed behind. By the time she got to his stairs, he wanted to scoop her up and carry her in, but knew she wouldn't have it, and she needed the practice. She gripped the cane and the rail so hard her hands shook with effort.

Over his shoulder, Kai asked Jaleesa, “Didn't they give her anything for the pain?”

“Don't speak like I'm not standing right here.”

Jaleesa shook her head. “She's on over-the-counter painkillers now. And she mostly refuses that.”

Kai bit down his response. He knew his mother. She'd raised them to suck it up and she expected no less from herself.

When she finally made it to the porch, he jumped up and opened the screen door for her. She hobbled through and paused in the living room. Kai waited for her to comment. Although she'd been in his house before, she would have something to say. He eased past her and pointed down the hall with her suitcase. “I have your room set up over here, Mom.”

Halfway to the bedroom, she paused for another break. Kai looked at Jaleesa who nodded to let him know this was normal. He waited in the doorway for his mom to catch up. She still hadn't said much of anything.