Living Out Loud (Austen, #3)(35)

And I found myself blushing, my mind on Greg.

He knew the extent of how many firsts I still had to cross off the list, and that knowledge made me feel vulnerable in the most decadent way; he knew my secrets, and he would handle them with care.

“All right, let me cover this up for you, and I’ll get you some salve and instructions.”

Greg stood. “I’m gonna use the restroom. Be right back.”

I sat up as Penny gathered tape and an opaque sheet of plastic.

“So, how long have you and Greg been dating?”

My cheeks caught fire. “Oh! No, no—we’re not…we aren’t…”

She raised one brow at me in the mirror in front of me, but she was smiling. “Well, why not?”

I made some sort of airy noise and rolled my eyes. “Because he’s, like, way older than me.”

“So?”

“I mean, I’m only eighteen.”

“I know. But I honestly don’t think that really matters if you’re into him.”

Was I into him? I didn’t know for sure, and the thought made me uncomfortable.

“Well, I think he’s into you. I’ve known Greg for a while, and I’ve never been able to figure out why he hasn’t been snapped up yet. He’s hot, he’s funny, he’s got a great smile, that jaw…I mean, the guy’s a catch.”

“He’s my boss.”

It was her turn to make a noise like an air leak. “Please, Cam and Rose don’t give a shit about that. But do you?”

“Do you what?” Greg asked innocently enough that I knew he hadn’t heard us.

I said a little prayer to Ganesh in thanks.

“I asked if she needed to hear the instructions for tattoo care again,” Penny said like the hero she was.

“Nope!” I cheered. “Got it all the first time. Locked in. Right here.” I tapped my temple like an idiot.

She laughed. “I bet you do. Come on, let’s get you checked out.”

A few minutes later, we said goodbye to Penny and were standing on the sidewalk, the itinerary cleared—even the sushi dinner, which I had decided I should have left alone—and the day was done. My feet were sore, my heart was full, and I’d had one of the best days of my life.

But it was over. And that shouldn’t have made me so sad, but it did.

Greg and I stood outside the tattoo parlor, watching each other for a moment, and when we spoke, it was at the same time, my, “Well, I should probably—” on top of his, “Can I give you a ride home?”

“A ride home?” My brows pulled together.

He smirked. “On my board.”

I eyed it sticking out of his backpack. “Is that…how do you…”

“It’s easy. I have a longboard. You stand on the tail; I stand on the deck. I skate; you just hang on.”

“I don’t want you to go to any trouble, Greg. You’ve already wasted your whole day on me.”

“Trust me, it wasn’t a waste, Annie. Not at all.”

I looked up at the quality of his voice, dusky and rough, but he looked away, slipping off his backpack to unstrap his board as he kept talking.

“I bet you’ve never ridden a skateboard before.”

I chuckled. “How’d you guess?”

He glanced up at me, smirking. “Just a hunch. Let’s cross off another first. Come on, we’ll take the traverse through the park.”

“Is that safe at night?”

“Sure, on the bike paths and main roads. They’re well lit. You get in trouble when you go wandering around in the park. And anyway, you’re with me. I wouldn’t put you in any danger.”

I knew without a doubt that was true.

As he put one foot on his board, he looked up at me with truth in his deep blue eyes, backpack in one hand and the other extended, palm up. “Do you trust me?”

I slipped my hand in his and said, “I do.”

He kept hold of it as we walked out to the street, only letting it go to dig around in his backpack.

When his hand reappeared, it was with a navy sweatshirt, which he pulled over his head, then a sweater cap, which I expected him to put on his head. But instead, he stepped into me and slipped it on mine, tugging it over my ears.

“It’s gonna be cold,” he said as he situated it, taking a moment longer than was necessary.

My heart stopped, my breath frozen. His face was so close to mine, I could see the tiny creases in his lips.

He stepped away, breaking the connection when he grabbed his pack and put it on backward.

He’d kept my breath, taking it with him. I wondered if I’d ever get it back.

I wondered if I even wanted it back.

“Okay, so stand back here on the tail, feet next to each other, parallel to the deck. You’re gonna have to hang on to me, which will help our balance. Just lean with me; don’t try to stand still.”

“Got it.”

“All right. Alley-oop.”

The board was crowded with both of us on it, but I found my footing on the back and wrapped my arms around his waist, slipping them between his pack and his sweatshirt.

“Put your hands in my pockets—they’re freezing.”

“Thanks,” I said, sliding them into his kangaroo pouch.