Get Inked: A Pucked Series and Clipped Wings Crossover Novella (Pucked #5.5)(10)

She glances up. “Really? Does she know who your consult is this morning, by chance?”

I stop leafing through Randy’s folder. “What?”

“You told her who your consult is?”

“Well, yeah…” I don’t get why Lisa suddenly looks all smug.

“You know she thinks he looks kind of like you. Only, you know—” She motions to my face and then the rest of me. “—with a beard and fewer tattoos.”

“We don’t look alike.” I turn to Chris for confirmation.

He shrugs. “I guess I can kinda see it, except you’re all Gumby skinny, and he’s a tank.”

“I’m not f*cking skinny,” I snap. I turn back to Lisa, since Chris is no help. “So does Tenley actually like hockey?”

“She likes hockey for the same reason all girls like hockey, Hayden.”

“Which is because…”

“It’s full of hot guys with lots of stamina.”

“I have excellent stamina.”

Lisa rolls her eyes. “You sound jealous.”

“I’m not jealous.” I’m kind of jealous.

She pats my cheek. “I’m messing with you, Hayden. Tenley loves hockey. She knows all the Chicago stats. It’s almost creepy.”

“Why am I just finding this out now?”

“Maybe because you spend most of your spare time with your tongue in her mouth, and she hasn’t had an opportunity to tell you?” Chris offers with a smile.

I don’t bother answering. I just take my stuff to the private room where I’m meeting with Randy.

We’ve learned to do consults with high-profile clients away from the windows, so passing fans, or other clients who are fans, don’t turn a half-hour consult into a two-hour fangirl session, which very well may happen anyway with Tenley coming by later.





Chapter 3


Cupcake-Wrapper Porn

RANDY




No one’s sitting at the jewelry counter, which doubles as reception, when we arrive at Inked Armor. The shop is quiet apart from the low tones of rock music filtering through the sound system.

“Why don’t you have a look around while we wait?” I tell Lily, who’s hanging off my tattooed arm. Mostly I need her to stop touching me so I don’t get another hard-on. I had to work to contain one the entire trip over here while she talked about how she really likes the idea of an inner thigh tattoo.

It’s my own damn fault since I’m the one who suggested it in the first place.

She lets go of me and wanders around the shop, checking out framed designs on the walls. This isn’t like most tattoo shops in the area. The sign out front reads By appointment only, and stock designs aren’t typical here. Intricate custom pieces in various stages of completion cover the walls. Custom albums labeled with the name of each artist sit on the coffee table. My sleeve is in Hayden’s album.

Lisa, the lavender-haired piercer, comes out of the office and squeals her surprise. “Randy! Does Hayden know you’re here?”

I smile and lift a hand in greeting. “We’re a little early.”

She looks over to Lily, who’s stopped her perusal to check out the female voice associated with the enthusiastic greeting. Her expression is a mixture of mild shock, awe, and if I’m not mistaken, a hint of jealousy. I like Lily in green. A lot.

“Lisa, this is my girlfriend, Lily. She wanted to come along today and maybe see about Hayden designing a piece for her, too.”

“Oh? Awesome!” Lisa clomps across the hardwood floor, her heavy boots a serious contrast to her lavender dress, and extends a hand to Lily, whose lips turn up in a tentative smile. “It’s really nice to meet you, Lily.”

“You, too.”

“Hayden doesn’t have appointments scheduled until later this afternoon, so it shouldn’t be a problem to discuss a design for you.”

“He didn’t do that because of me, did he?” I ask.

“You know what he’s like. He doesn’t want any kind of divided focus. Oh, and Chris is here, too, so you can talk about the team designs, if you want.”

“That would be awesome. Hayden mentioned he had some preliminary sketches worked up.” My excitement over the new sleeve becomes more real now that I’m here, in the shop.

Hayden comes out of the private room where I had my sleeve done. He’s tall and kind of lanky, with full sleeves. His typically serious face breaks into a smile.

“Hey, man! You’re early.” He holds out his hand, and we shake while bumping shoulders.

“Is that okay? You know how it is when the excitement kinda takes over.”

Hayden pats me on the back. “I got you. I’m getting the itch again, but I’m running out of skin to put it on.”

“I’ve got a long way to go before that happens.” I glance over at Lily, who’s migrated to the jewelry counter with Lisa.

She’s not looking at the contents of the glass case. Her gaze is fixed on us, and it’s bouncing from me to Hayden. I motion her over and throw an arm around her shoulder. “This is my girlfriend, Lily. She wanted to come along and maybe talk to you about a design.”

Hayden turns his grin on her and extends a hand. “It’s great to meet you. We can definitely talk ink designs once we go through Randy’s, sound good?”