The Ink That Haunts Us

Chapter Nineteen

Kickboxing was not awesome. It was hard work that left me exhausted after every session. Derek and I trained every morning and after a week I was ready to throw in the towel. Derek seemed to think that I was on track and insisted that I was doing great, but it didn't feel like that to me. Between the early morning at the gym and late nights at the shop, it felt like I was piloting on little sleep which wasn't good for someone like me.

I needed my rest, so that I could focus on my work. If I lost focus I risked giving someone a permanent tattoo that they would forever hate. Derek was going to have to cut me some slack. I couldn't keep getting up every morning to go to the gym. We would have to settle on two or three mornings a week.

My phone dinged and I groaned as I reached for it. Even after a week, my muscles were still screaming. To no one's surprise, it was Derek.

Derek: I'm going to do a late gym session, want to join me?

Me: It's Sunday.

Derek: Okay?

Me: It's my day off. Pass.

Derek: So. Come on it will be fun.

Me: Negative. I've had a date all week with my bed and I can't miss it.

Derek: You're still in bed? It's almost one in the afternoon.

Me: And?

Derek: You are lazy.

Me: I am sore.

Derek: Get up. I'm coming to get you.

Me: No.

Derek: I'm almost there.

Me: Don't care. Still not going.

Five minutes passed and he never replied. Shrugging, I tossed my phone back onto my table and snuggled deeper under the covers. Closing my eyes, I focused all my energy on my breathing in hopes that it would help lull me back into the peaceful slumber I had been in and out of all day. Just when I started to drift off, my bedroom door creaked open.

I knew it was Derek and I gripped the covers in my hand assuming he was about to rip them off of me. What I hadn't expected was for the covers to pull back slightly and the bed dip under his weight as he crawled in beside me. He pulled me into his arms and I snuggled into his embrace letting his heat surround me.

His hand caressed me as he left a burning trail up the side of my body. When his hand reached my hips, he froze. His fingers had grazed bare skin. Last night I had been too tired to look for pajamas and settled on pulling a big t-shirt on after my shower. It was currently scrunched up around my waist, exposing my naked lower half.

I waited for him to speak, but he never did. Eventually, his hand moved and he rubbed the length of my upper thigh. When he moved his hand back up, I shifted causing his hand to move down towards my center. We both froze then and my body seemed to react before my brain. I rubbed my butt against him slightly and I could feel the length of him pressed against me.

A moan escaped my lips as I pressed into him harder. It had been so long since I had been intimate with anyone and I missed it. I knew I had said I wanted to go slow, but I never said fooling around wasn't on the table. Every part of me ached with need.

I reached for his hand and guided him lower. His breathing hitched as his fingers touched the inside of my thigh causing me to such in a sharp breath.

"Saw." His voice was breathy and a little choked. He definitely wanted this.