Page 27 of Twisted Mates

“Wow,” I say, thinking again about all that beautiful ink covering his even more gorgeous body. “I guess it makes sense with you having so many.”

“Yeah, occupational hazard,” he jokes.

“If that’s a hazard, then consider me in danger because I’m really into it,” I admit. Unlike when I tried to flirt with Kai, I’m not embarrassed or questioning myself. I feel confident.Even if that line was borderline cheesy—okay, it was more than borderline—I’m not sorry I said it.

“So you mentioned before that you have one tattoo... tell me about it. When did you get it?” he asks.

“18. It’s small. Easy to hide from my parents.”

He laughs at that, and the deep baritone sound rumbles through me. “I got my first one at sixteen and hid it. It cost me three times what it should have, but it was the only way I could get a halfway decent artist to do it without my mom’s consent.”

I’m dying to know what it is—whereit is. Maybe we can share a little and get to know each other.

“I’ll show you mine if you show me yours,” I say slyly.

His lips part and he actually blushes, which gives me goosebumps on every inch of my body. “I—okay, I won’t turn that down.”

“You’ll only be like, the fifth person to ever see it, just so you know,” I say, sitting up so I’m leaning against the headboard. I don’t take my eyes off his as I hook my fingers in the waistband of my leggings and tug them down on the right side, noticing the way he tracks every move I’m making with what I swear is a hungry gaze.

It’s only as I’m uncovering my tattoo that I remember... I don’t wear panties with leggings. Oops.

Careful not to reveal too much, I show him the blue morpho butterfly I have tattooed right where my hip and pelvic bone meet. “I love butterflies. They’re just so...happy. They flit around from flower to flower and no one ever fusses at them for being all over the place,” I explain, wanting him to know I didn’t get a butterfly because it was one of the designs hanging on the wall. “And this is my favorite kind.”

“That might be the best explanation I’ve ever heard for a basic tattoo. Which makes it not basic at all.”

I smile at that. It wasn’t until a couple years ago that I felt like it might have been just a trendy design, and maybe something I should be ashamed of. But having his seal of approval makes me feel like it was a good choice. “And what about yours?” I ask as I position my pants back in place.

He sighs and lifts his hips from the bed. He pulls his pants down, revealing his boxer briefs and an onslaught of black ink on his thighs. With his pants sitting at his knees, he pulls up the leg of his underwear and points to a skull and crossbones surrounded by other tattoos. “No deep meaning. It was just an act of rebellion.”

I’m not going to lie; I can barely keep my eyes on the tattoo. The othersceneryis too enticing. Those boxer briefs are deliciously tight and if I’m not mistaken, the view I just gave him is having a bit of an effect on him. My nipples harden and I suddenly wish I were wearing something else besides this bralette and white t-shirt.

I drag my eyes away and back to his face, certain that my cheeks are blazing. “I—It’s nice. G—good line work,” I stammer.Line work. That’s a tattoo thing, right?

“It should be with how much I paid for it,” he says, pulling up his pants. “If you ever feel up to getting another tattoo, I’m game.”

I side-eye him as he returns to leaning back against the pillows. “I don’t know. I’d have to see your portfolio. You might be a shit artist.”

He laughs again, and goddess help me, that sound does something to me. I just might spend my night spewing playful banter to hear it again and again.

“You got me pegged. It is complete garbage. But I’ll still let you see it. Maybe you can find a piece in there that will redeem me.”

“It’s a deal.” I look around his room when he doesn’t move off the bed. “Well?”

“Well what?”

“Can I see it?”

“My portfolio? Right now?” he asks, that laugh dancing in his voice.

“You got somewhere else to be? Another girl to cuddle with?”

His gaze meets mine and he shakes his head. “No. Absolutely not.”

The way his tone changed to answer that question shouldn’t turn me on. I shouldn’t have even noticed it. But of course I did. I notice everything.

I smile. “Then let me see.”

“I don’t have the whole thing here, but...” He reaches over to the bedside table, grabbing his phone. He taps a few times on the screen and hands it to me. “Scroll right. There are a few photos for you.”

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