Series: Little Cakes Series by Pepper North
Total pages in book: 50
Estimated words: 46837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46837 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
She grabbed his hips, partly to keep from swaying. “I’m ready.” She was shaking. It was kind of a big deal. If things went badly between them, she would have to see him all the time. She worked here. He was a regular member. A well-known one.
“Hey, how come you haven’t done any rope demonstrations the past two nights?”
“Because I’m with my girl.”
She licked her lips. “But you love Shibari. I don’t want you to stop doing what you love just because we’re, uh, dating, or whatever.”
He chuckled. “We’re not, uh, dating, or whatever, Riley.” He gripped her neck. “It’s much more than that. I hope you feel it too.”
She gulped. It was hard to believe that could be true.
“I know you’re in your adult skin—your badass adult skin—when you’re working the bar, but when you’re alone with me, at my place, in my car, at your place… I want you to be my Little girl. How does that sound?”
Like a dream. One that’s hard to believe. “Okay.”
“Just okay?” He slid his free hand down to cup her butt and squeeze it. “Surely you can do better than okay,” he teased.
She nodded. “I can be your Little girl when we’re alone.”
“Because you want to or because you think it’s what I want?”
She licked her lips again. She needed to look him in the eyes and be brave. “Because I want to.” There were several other things she needed to be brave about too.
There was a lot he didn’t know about her. Mostly because she was too chicken to tell him. She wasn’t sure why. It was just a habit. She had a private side that few people knew about. Namely her tattoo art.
Riley felt guilty every time he asked her about the art on her body. Thank God he thought she’d used an amazing artist. It would be a bummer if he pointed out any imperfections. Granted, he wouldn’t do that no matter what. He wasn’t that kind of guy.
Still… She should tell him. It was only going to get weirder and harder if she didn’t share who the real artist was. Especially if he was about to be one of the recipients of her designs.
She really needed to get this man naked and fast. Tonight. She would for sure get to see his naked body tonight. And then she could either confirm he was indeed the man requesting the Rapunzel tattoo or not.
And then what? Would she tell him? She wasn’t sure that was in her best interest. Maybe she should keep her identity as his artist to herself for now. At least until after she delivered the final design and he’d approved it.
Yes. She definitely had to keep that side of her life to herself for the time being. She’d be a fool to let him know she was the artist because then she’d never know if he actually liked her work or not.
Obviously, if he knew she was the one who designed it, he would never say a word if he didn’t like it. If he assumed the art was coming from a stranger, he could easily decline it and ask for something else.
That was the only option. Otherwise, Milo would end up spending his entire life with a rather large tattoo that he wasn’t all that fond of covering a good portion of his torso.
She shuddered at the thought. On top of that, she was beyond curious why he’d chosen the Rapunzel theme. She couldn’t wait to find out.
“You okay, baby? You kind of went into your head there for a minute.”
“I’m good.”
“If you want anything from your apartment, we could stop by there after you get off before we go to my place.”
She shook her head. “Nope. I’m good.” The last thing she wanted was for him to see her apartment. That would ruin everything. How could she possibly explain all the sketches all over her studio without him finding out she was the artist for his chosen tattoo parlor?
Worse than that she had the beginning of his own tattoo on one of her easels. If he saw that, she would be toast.
He narrowed his gaze. “You sure? You don’t have anything with you except what you’re wearing, and I happen to know your thong is soaked.” He grinned. “Of course, I certainly won’t complain if you spend the night naked in my house, but I’ve never met a woman who didn’t have at least a large overnight purse filled with makeup things and hair doodads and spare panties.”
She shrugged. “I’m not exactly like other women.”
“That’s for sure.” He kissed her forehead and spun her toward the door just as someone pounded on it.
“Can’t you read? It says no sex in the bathroom right on the door.” Bear’s voice.
Riley giggled as she opened the door, tipped her head back, and gave him a big grin. She lifted her finger next. “You can’t rush a medic. These things take time,” she lied.