Page 166 of After All This Time

I hop in the shower, adrenaline and nerves coursing through me as I prepare to surprise my guy. I throw on something that walks the line between casual andI haven't seen you in two months, and I want your hands all over me—because six months of separation deserves a little effort.

My car, bless its neglected soul, starts without protest despite sitting dormant for half a year. The drive to the studio feels like both an eternity and no time at all, my pulse hammering in sync with the anticipation building in my chest.

I pull up outside the studio, tires crunching against the gravel as I put the car into park. The engine barely has a chance to settle before I’m out, the door swinging shut behind me.

I step inside, and there he is—all broad shoulders and focus as he cleans his equipment, completely oblivious to the way my whole body hums just being in his space again.

"I'll be with you in a second."

"It's rude to keep a lady waiting." The words come out playful but charged, and I watch his entire body freeze.

He spins around so fast his tools hit the floor with a clatter that echoes through the studio. He quickly closes the distance between us, slamming his hand against the door as he flips the sign to "closed." Then, his mouth is on mine—his lips press hard, and his tongue sweeps in, as if he's staking his claim with every kiss.

His fingers move to tangle in my hair, and his tongue slides against mine like he's trying to taste every second we've been apart. I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him closer, needing more.

When he finally breaks away, his forehead presses against mine. "If you're not my next client, I swear to fucking god, I'm quitting."

"I talked to Lola." The confession comes out breathlessly as my lips curve against his.

"No wonder she bailed." His hands tighten in my hair, coaxing me into another kiss that's slower but just as intense. "Let's go."

"Wait." I press my hands against his chest, feeling his heart racing beneath my palms. "You're forgetting I have an appointment."

His eyebrow arches, that dangerous glint I love sparking in his eyes. "You want a tattoo?"

"That's why I'm here."

"That right?" The words rumble from his chest as his teeth catch my bottom lip, sending electricity down my spine. "Get in the chair."

My laugh echoes through the empty studio as I move past him and settle into the leather seat.

"So," he murmurs, his voice dropping to that register that makes my toes curl. "What do you want?"

"I want you to choose," I say, my voice steady despite the heat building between us. "And I want it to be small."

Tobias tilts his head, those blue eyes burning into mine. "And where are we doing this?"

Instead of answering, I slide my skirt up over my hips, leaving nothing but a scrap of pink lace between his gaze and my skin. His eyes darken instantly, locked on the place where my thighs meet, and I trail my finger just above the thin line of lace, pointing to the spot I want.

"Right here." The words come out breathier than I intended, heavy with weeks of wanting him.

"You're killing me, baby."

He sets up his station but pauses to pull out a cigarette. He lights it up, and the smoke wraps around him like some bad boy halo, adding an edge to how already devastatingly sexy he looks.

"Don't you dare tell Lola I smoked in here, or she'll have my balls." He exhales slowly, the smoke curling from his lips. "But I can't sit here with my face and hands that close to your pussy and not be eating it, so I need a fucking distraction."

God, I've missed his mouth.

"You ready?"

I nod, and the sound of the tattoo machine whirring to life sends electricity shooting through me. I've never been marked like this before, but I've spent countless hours tracing his ink with my fingers and lips, learning the stories written on his skin. Now it's my turn to carry a piece of him with me.

The first bite of the needle makes me gasp. It's not agony, but it's also not gentle—similar to how it felt falling for him.

"You good?" he asks, his voice low yet completely focused.

"Yeah."

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