Messy Love(15)

“Hey, you’re the one bitchin' about her, scowlin' at her as if your damn life depends on it. And now, you want to fuck her? Come on, what am I supposed to think?’’

“Great.’’ I grabbed a handful of hair on top of my head and tugged until the sting got my cock under control.

“What now? Are you pissed at me?’’

I turned my head toward him, and when he saw the look on my face, he winced. “You surprised? Damn it! Instead of judging me, you should try and understand this fucking mess. And next time, if you’re afraid for your little Marissa, don’t drag me with you in your plans to get in her pants. She’s all fucking yours.’’

He went to say something, but then Marissa walked out of the back room, notepad in hands. We both stopped fighting and looked at her as she took a couple of steps before she stopped at seeing us still in the hall. But these two steps were enough for me to see her round hips sway, the way the skin tight jeans showed off shapely legs, the kind you could hold on when you thrust into a woman balls deep, the kind that had a vice grip on you when you brought her to orgasm. Lust shot through me, and I had to close my eyes to stop my cock from getting hard again at the visual of this chick walking and the kind of thoughts it conjured up in my head.

If she had been any other girl, I’d have found a way to get Ralph to leave, and I’d have fucked her on that little desk in the room behind her. I bet I’d have a blast watching her come apart and trying to be quiet, so the others wouldn’t hear her.

“What are you doing here?’’ she asked, confused. “Never mind.’’ She closed the space between us. She held up the sketching pad for us to see. “Keep in mind this is just a doodle. I’ll have something more detailed another day if you like this.’’

“Shit,’’ I mumbled, eyes riveted to the drawing. “It’s really good.’’

She managed to capture a vague outline of Ralph’s tattoo and underneath, blending with the flames she had drawn embers burning. The colors, brown, black, orange and red, were coming together in such a way you’d think these were real. And then, in the middle, she’d let a few scribblings for where a quote would go, a touch lighter than the colors of the embers.

“Hmm… thanks, Wyatt.’’

Hearing my name coming from her mouth made me look at her again. Her cheeks were a bit red as if my compliment flustered her. I loved that idea. My mouth twitched when I felt the urge to crack a smile, but I tempered it. It wasn’t because she’s smoking and that I wanted to fuck her until she’s nothing but spent and boneless that I was going to get all soft.

“You have real talent, Marissa,’’ Ralph said after a few more seconds. “And you can do that on me?’’

She nodded and looked at her sketch again, determination hardening the look on her face. “I can. I don’t have the experience, but I can. Now, we just need you to give me a quote—something rather short—and then I’ll make the flash for the tatt. But before Kam gives me the green light, we need him to review the design.’’

“Let’s go see him now and book an appointment. I have a quote. ‘Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire.’’’

“How fitting for your ego,’’ I mumbled and got an elbow in my ribs.

“Do you have preferences for the font?’’

Ralph shrugged. “Not really. Don’t use something girly and I’m good.’’

She grinned and laughed to herself as she led us back to the main room, still busy with clients chatting with the artists and machines buzzing.

“Thank you, Ralph. I can’t tell you how much it means that you’re willing to let me put my design on you. It’s a first for me, and I won’t forget it.’’

Ralph smirked over his shoulder at me. “That’s really good, babe. Now, I know you won’t forget me anytime soon.’’

I ground my teeth again, and the muscle in my jaw ticked while my hands clenched. I put them in my pockets, hoping to hide how on edge I truly was and that it went beyond my usual disposition. Ralph had always known where to hit to make me go nuts, but right now it wasn’t just mildly annoying. I actually wanted to put some sense in his dumb head. With my fucking fists.

“Marissa,’’ Ralph said, a hand on her elbow to stop her before we reached Kam who was now applying antibiotic cream on the guy he’d been working on and giving him the usual warnings of how to tend to a fresh tatt. “Do you have somethin' planned tomorrow night?’’

What the fuck.

“Well, not really. I finish work here late.’’ She glanced at me over Ralph’s shoulder before she quickly averted her gaze when she caught me looking at her. I bet my dark eyes weren’t sending friendly vibes.

“It’s alright. A friend of ours is a bartender at QB District. Heard of it?’’ At her nod, he went on, ignoring the tension mounting from me, tension Marissa had a hard time ignoring as she fidgeted and toyed with the pages of the sketchbook. “Why don’t you join us for a drink. We have a few friends comin'.’’

I rolled my eyes and tried to remember why this guy was my best friend and why I shouldn’t shoot him in the balls here and there.

“Thank you, but I wouldn’t be able to get in. I’m twenty.’’