House of Ink 1: First Impression

5, #WholeNewWorld

5,

#WholeNewWorld

The next few months passed in a blur. I moved in with Zander, and soon enough word got out that we were together. It was better not trying to hide it, anyway. I did end up sitting in his lap in a lot of meetings at work, and eventually my parents and sister caught wind of the relationship and demanded a wedding, practically at gunpoint.

Now we were five months away from getting married.

And that wasn't all—in my free time, I'd taken to photographing the body art of our clients, both the work our artists did for them and the stuff they were already wearing when they came in. Mara and Janet had written poems to go with each image, each tattoo, and we'd landed a tidy little deal for a coffee table book featuring my photos and their writing. It was a way to showcase unique tattoo artists as well as draw attention to Rollins Tattoo Boutique, where business was booming.

The true miracle was waking up in the arms of a real life prince charming every day.

Zander doted on me, treating me like royalty everywhere except the bedroom, where I became his pet—obedient, determined to please him, more in love than I ever thought I could be. Coming home with him, his arms wrapping around me and tossing me into our bed, that was everything I'd ever needed.

"If it isn't our First Lady," Janet teased as I stepped into the shop, sunlight streaming in behind me. I was carrying a bag of bagels from the cafe down the road, and I tossed them to her none too gently. "Back for more of your one true love?"

I ignored her batting her eyes at me. "Janet, I'm starting to like Mara more. You should be careful."

Across the room, Mara let out an ugly laugh, looking up from a client she'd been discussing plans with. "Yeah, right, twinkhead. You and me still have beef. I know you're taking my salads out of the staff fridge."

I shot her a dubious look as I crossed the room. "That sounds like something Tyson would do."

Tyson's head shot up from the tattoo gun he'd been inspecting. "How dare you. I'm hurt. Emotionally traumatized. And for the record, the salads weren't that good anyway."

I laughed as the door to the back room fell shut behind me, catching a glimpse of Mara as she shot across the room to smack some respect into Ty.

Zander's office door was closed, the drapes pulled across the glass wall to give him some privacy. I knocked before opening the door and stepping inside, finding him at his desk—which of course, still held fond memories—with papers spread around him, sketching. He grabbed a nearby remote and turned down the rock music that had been playing lightly, some mopey indie band ranting about cigarettes and roses and dirty sex.

"Babe!" He shot up and came to greet me, wrapping me in his arms and leaning down to kiss me.

I drew him closer, my arms around his waist, and deepened the kiss, grunting in satisfaction as he lifted me up and carried me back to where he'd been sitting, dropping down with me on his lap. "I missed you," I confided, kissing his jawline and relishing the brush of his stubble on my face.

"We been apart for less than two and a half hours," he noted, eyes twinkling in amusement.

"Way too long," I said, nuzzling closer.

Zander's hands roamed down over my hips, pulling me tighter against him. He let out a low rumble, chuckling lightly as I burrowed against his chest and made myself comfortable. "Way too long," he agreed, and bent to kiss me again.