Get Inked: A Pucked Series and Clipped Wings Crossover Novella (Pucked #5.5)(27)

“I hadn’t thought about that.”

I sure have, ever since that conversation with Lance last week about the artist being up in Lily’s business.

Hayden nods. “If you decide to get it on your hip, or that area, I’d say you might want to go this size—” He points to the smallest one. “—and depending on how low you’re going, sometimes you’re looking at towel coverage.”

“Towel coverage?”

“He means no panties while he’s putting it on.” I try really hard to keep my voice even.

Lily’s hand flutters to her neck. “Oh.”

“Obviously we’d do it in here. And you’d have privacy when you change—”

“And I’m gonna be here,” I bark.

Lily jumps a little, maybe at my tone.

“Sorry.” I mutter.

Hayden gives me a knowing look. “You don’t have to go with the hip if you don’t want. You could put it on the back of your shoulder, or high up on your arm. Depending on how visible you want it to be, you could always get it on the inside of your forearm, or your ankle. I’d say the top of your foot, but with you being a figure skater, that’s not a great place unless you have a couple weeks off to give it time to heal.”

Lily traces the design in the middle. It’s the one she keeps looking at the most. “I might need to think about the placement a little more.”

“Once you settle on a design, I can make up a few transfers so you can see what it would look like in different locations. Then you can decide what you like best.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Of course. And I’ll make copies of the designs for you to take with you. When you think you know which one you want, let me know, and if there are any changes, you can email them to me. Then we can schedule an appointment to check out placement. I can either book you on the same day the guys are coming to get their ink, or we can pick a different day.”

Lily nods. “That sounds like a good idea.”

Lily waits until Hayden leaves to make copies for her before she gives me the look I’ve been waiting for. This time it’s nothing close to sex eyes.

“I know, I know. I’m sorry. I’m just not keen on the idea of some other guy’s hands and face right up next to my favorite place to have my hands and face.”

She puts her palm on my thigh. “And moody dick, don’t forget him.”

“Yeah. He’s pretty unforgettable.”

“I don’t have to get it on my inner thigh.”

“You can if that’s what you want.” It would be sexy, and I’ll have to get over my serious aversion to Hayden’s hands being that close to my girl’s * if it’s the location Lily decides to go with.

“Maybe it should be more visible.”

“That might be nice, too.” I’m way more partial to it being on her shoulder, or even her forearm, although I don’t want it to interfere with her employability. It’s irrelevant for me. Tattoos have no impact on my hockey career, but a highly visible tattoo on Lily might be different. It’s another thing to discuss.

Hayden comes back a minute later with a rigid envelope that he passes over to Lily. “Usually I put them up in a place I like to hang out, like my living room or something, when I’m trying to make a decision.”

“That’s great. Thanks.”

“Just call when you’re ready, and we’ll set up a follow-up appointment. Unless you want to do that now? Say, in a few weeks? I’m guessing you want to wait until summer’s over since you’ve got a lot of light colors in there and you don’t want the sun to fade them out.”

Lily nods again, and we make an appointment for a few weeks from now, as well as another one for October, when I’ll be home between a series of away games.

We finish up, and Lily hugs the envelope to her chest as Hayden opens the door to the private room and stops dead.

“What’s going on here?” he demands. “You giving away all my treats while I’m busy?”

Everyone’s sitting around eating snacks. It takes me a second to realize they’re mowing down cupcakes.

Tenley, who’s close to the same height as Lily, but curvier, flips her hair over her shoulder and gives Hayden a look I’m very familiar with. “Relax, cupcake, I made lots, and there are plenty at home if you don’t get your fill here.”

“Oh, I’m pretty sure I’ll still be hungry when I get home, kitten.”

Lily leans in to whisper in my ear. “And I’m pretty sure he’s not going to be eating cupcakes.”

“Neither will I,” I whisper back.





Chapter 10


Cupcake

TENLEY





I seriously can’t get over the uncanny resemblance between Hayden and Randy. I mean, of course the beard is different, and Randy is way broader than Hayden, but put those two side by side, and they could probably pass for cousins, maybe even brothers.

Hayden has that look on his face—the one that tells me I’m the cupcake when I get home. Lily’s whispering something to Randy, and ironically, he seems to be wearing a similar expression to Hayden’s, and it’s directed at Lily.

Suddenly the only place I want to be is home. In bed. With Hayden. If we can make it that far.