Bad Boys of Romance - a Biker Anthology (8 page)

“You're safe.” He laughed. “The only thing injured here will be my ribs.”

“Sorry.” I released my hold and took the helmet off of my head.

He stepped off of the bike and turned to help me down. I stumbled once my feet hit the ground and landed further into his arms. His chest inhaled sharply, and his muscles tightened around me.

“Thanks.” I stepped back and glanced down at my hands, suddenly feeling shy.

“If you ever need a ride, just ask.”

I looked up to see him smirking and instantly my face was the color of a cardinal.

“Okay, thanks.” I turned and quickly made my way to my apartment. I wouldn't allow myself to turn back. He was watching me. I could feel it. Once the door to my apartment was closed, I heard the bike's engine come back to life and roar down the street. I let out the breath I had been holding since I landed in his arms. Who was this guy who already had so much power over me?

Chapter 3

“I want a tattoo,” I announced as I walked into the living room.

“Whatever.” Hannah rolled her eyes from the couch.

“I'm serious.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I've always wanted one but he would never let me get one.”

“And what tattoo do you want exactly?” She turned her full attention to me.

“It's a quote about following your dreams. I want it on my side.” I watched to see how she would react.

“Are we going now or later?” she asked.

“Now.” I smiled.

I pulled my car into a space in front of a tattoo parlor that I had done way too much internet research on. They only had one bad review, and I wasn't getting anything pierced so the same issue shouldn't happen with me.

“I kind of want one too.” Hannah was flipping through books as I filled out the paperwork the receptionist gave me.

“You already have two.” I laughed.

“But I don't have one on my wrist.” She turned the page.

I tapped my foot nervously against the tile floor until a beautiful girl, who was covered in tattoos, walked into the waiting area and called my name.

“That's me.” I stood up, and we followed her back to her table.

“I'm Erin.” she smiled.

“Riley.” I smiled back. “And this is Hannah.”

She nodded at Hannah and turned her attention back to me. “What are you having done today?”

“It's a quote.” I pulled out the piece of paper from my purse. “I wanted it on my left side just below my breast.”

She studied the words before looking back at me. “Is this the font you want too?”

“Yeah.”

“Perfect. Let me work up a sketch and I'll be right back.”

I leaned against the table and took in a few deep breaths. I knew I was going to be nervous, but this was more than I expected. It was getting harder to breathe, and the room was starting to spin. There were several other men in the room getting work done and a woman at the front booth was getting her lip pierced. No one was screaming out in pain so that made me feel a little bit better.

“Are you going to puke?” Hannah cut into my panic attack.
“Because you look like it.”

“I've been tattooing for over ten years.” Erin was standing in front of me again. “No need to be nervous with me.”

“I'm probably going to pass out, just so you know.” I tried to laugh but nothing came out.

“It'll be okay, hon.
If you do, I'll just wake you up when it's over.”

She had me take off the gray t-shirt I was wearing, leaving me only in a black lace bra and low rise jeans. Once she had pressed a paper against my side and applied the tattoo outline, I looked in the mirror.

“I love it.” My nerves began to calm. “I really do.”

“Let's get started then.” She motioned toward the table and I climbed on where she had me lie partly on my right side and back with my arms above my head. “It's going to sting and burn at first. Just let me know if the pain gets to be too much.”

“Don't worry. I will.”

I sucked in a deep breath as soon as I heard the low buzzing of the needle and seriously thought about jumping off the table and running to my car when it felt like something was carving into my side.

“You're doing great.” Hannah was sitting on my other side and holding one of my hands. “She's already on the third word.”
“You're a liar,” I grunted out. “She just started. Tell a story or something.”

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

“What happened? Did something go wrong?” Erin stopped the needle and pushed me back onto the table.

“If you don't
lay still, I swear I will tie you down.”

“Oh, sorry.
I won't move again.”

“He's here.” Hannah was leaning close to my ear.

“Who?” I opened my eyes and followed her gaze.

Sitting a few tables down and talking to another artist was Luke. He was explaining something on a piece of paper that the artist eventually took and walked away with. I watched as he pulled his shirt over his head and leaned back against the table. His strong chest and chiseled stomach were screaming for me to run over and touch him.

“He's so freaking hot,” she said next to me.

Before I could agree, his eyes shot over and locked on mine. My mouth parted open to say hi but nothing came. Instead we lay on our separate tables and stared at one another. He looked down my body, reminding me that I was only wearing a bra, leaving half of my body exposed to him.

“Don't squirm,” Erin reminded me.

“Sorry.” I clenched my teeth as she pressed the needle against my skin again.

He smirked as he watched me lay helpless, locked in his gaze. His artist walked back to his side right as I heard Erin say she was finished. It took me a few seconds before I could sit up and walk over to the mirror. It looked better than I ever could have imagined.

“It looks amazing.” Hannah was staring in the mirror too. “And it's perfect for you.”

Don't Dream Your Life, Live Your Dreams
was written on my side. The author of this particular quote was unknown, but it had become my new motto for life. It reminded me that I was strong and staring at the tattoo in the mirror I felt empowered to chase after every one of my dreams.

Erin spread some ointment over the marking and covered it with a sterile bandage. “Keep this on it for about a week. You can take the bandage off later tonight.”

“Thank you.” I smiled but really felt like hugging her.

Hannah was already sitting on the table showing Erin the interlocked hearts she wanted on her wrist. Since it was a small tattoo, she said she could fit it in before her next appointment. I put my shirt back on and stood next to Hannah. I found myself looking up at Luke. He was still watching me but something had changed in his eyes. There was a needle pressing into his arm so that could have been part of the change, but it seemed like he was trying to figure something out about me.

I raised my eyebrows at him causing him to come out of whatever thought he was stuck in. He shook his head and turned his eyes back up toward the ceiling.

“That's cute.” I looked at Hannah's wrist as soon as Erin was done. “I really like it.”

“Thanks. I like it too.” She let Erin smooth the same ointment over her wrist. “You should get a matching one.”
“No, I'm good.” I shook my head. “I've had enough needles for today.”

I glanced over to see Luke still leaned back on his table, staring at the same ceiling tile. We thanked Erin and paid for our tattoos before walking outside to my car. It was more than uncomfortable to sit down and even more so to put the seat belt on.

“I need to get home and lay down,” I whined. “Or stand up somewhere. This hurts.”

“Maybe you should have Luke come over and rub some ointment on it,” she teased. “I would let him.”

“You're terrible.” I laughed. “But I wouldn't tell him no if he offered.”

We rode home laughing and talking about boys and our new tattoos. The rest of my day was spent lying on my tattoo free side on the couch and watching TV. The pain was getting better and became more of an
unscratchable itch by the end of the night, but I still wasn't ready to get up and move a lot. Hannah had left about an hour ago with Trey and probably wouldn't be back until late tonight or tomorrow morning. I was walking to the kitchen when I heard a knock at the front door. It was probably our neighbors needing to borrow something.

I opened the door to find that pair of green eyes staring back at me. I was standing there wearing a pair of old black sweatpants and a worn gray t-shirt. My blond hair was knotted on the top of my head, and I had already washed my face for the night.
Fantastic.

“Hey.” I know I sounded confused, but in my defense, I was.

“Hey.” He continued staring. “I just wanted to check and make sure you were okay after getting your tattoo today.”

“How did you know what door was my apartment?” I asked.

“I watched you walk to it the other day.” He shrugged like it was obvious. “After I gave you a ride home.”

“Oh.” I forgot about that.

“How's your side feeling?” he asked again.

“It's fine.” I lightly ran my fingers over the bandage under my shirt. “It just really itches at this point.”

“That's pretty normal.” He pulled something out of his pocket and held it out to me. “I brought you some better cream than what Erin would have given you. This will help with the itching.”

“Um, thanks.” I took it and looked down at the small tube and blushed when I remembered what Hannah and I talked about earlier. “That was nice of you.”

We stood in the doorway waiting for the other one to talk again.

“Well, okay then.” He pushed his hands down into his pockets. “I guess I'll get going.”

“Did you want to come in?” I asked. “I'm just watching TV and have a pizza in the oven. Hannah is out with Trey.”

“Okay.” He stepped forward.

“Okay.” I opened the door wider and let him in.

He walked into the living room and scanned the room, making no comments about the black and red furniture or the rose paintings that hung on the walls. I heard the timer go off in the kitchen and hurried to get the pizza out of the oven. When I came back into the living room, he had already changed the channel to a basketball game and made himself comfortable on the couch.

“Make yourself at home.” I laughed and relaxed a little.

“I did.” He winked at me, and I felt my face turn red.

I placed the pizza, two Cokes, and two plates on the black coffee table before taking my seat on the opposite side of the couch from him. I reached for the remote and changed it back to the romantic comedy I had been watching.

“Rule number one.” I pointed the remote at him. “Never change the channel on my TV.”

He laughed and relaxed even more into the couch as we watched the movie and ate pizza.

“Do you like magazines about decorating?” He nodded to the stack of home magazines on the coffee table.

“Yeah.” I shrugged. “I like to design my dream home in my head and pick out pictures of what I would want the different rooms to look like.”

He sat there as he considered my answer.

“How many tattoos do you have?” I asked when the movie ended.

“I lost count a few years ago.”

“Seriously, you have that many?” I had only seen a few that his t-shirts didn't cover.

“I would guess around thirty or so.” He shrugged. “What did you have done today?”

“It's just a quote,” I answered.

He turned and looked at me and waited for me to continue.

“It's about following your dreams. One I've liked for a really long time but am just now following its meaning.” I wanted to change the subject. “What did you have done?”

He shook his head. “I want to see it.”

“You didn't get a good enough look in the shop today?” I raised my eyebrows.

A look of shock crossed his face, but he quickly recovered. “Hmm, okay.
Maybe another time.”

It was my turn to look shocked, and my cheeks were burning hot. I reached for the remote and found another movie to fill the silence that was starting to consume the room.

He stood and flipped the light switch before claiming his spot back on the cushion. His strong arms reached over and pulled me close into his side. I brought the blanket I had been sitting underneath with me and draped half of it over his legs. My head was spinning, and I knew I was probably sweating and breathing loud. My heart was pounding so hard against my chest, I was sure you could see it through my shirt. My body was doing none of the attractive things you want it to do when trying to act calm in front of an incredibly hot guy.

“Relax.” He spoke softly before kissing the top of my head. “We're just watching a movie.
A terrible chick movie at that.”

I let out a small laugh as my shoulders loosened up and head leaned against his chest.

It was after two o'clock in the morning when he left. We hardly talked again after the second movie started, but I had the best time I'd had in years. This stupid smile was going to be stuck on my face for days.