Page 32 of Bad Boy in Her Bed

For this one, he needed to work it out on skin.And Jocelyn’s was perfect.

Hell, everything about her was perfect.

She was this beautiful safe haven with a killer body, an incredible mind, and a voice that knocked his knees out from under him.

Her only flaw was seeing something remotely worthy of her in him.

The chimes clanged through the office, and he felt Jocelyn startle under his hand.

“Hey, you two,” Ryder called out as he strode in.“I’d apologize for being late, but it looks like you found a way to pass the time.”Walking up behind Birch, he knelt down to inspect the artwork.“Are those the new temporary pens you were talking about?They’re pretty sweet.”

Angling his hand to allow Ryder a better view while blocking Jocelyn’s, he nodded.“Jocelyn volunteered to be my test subject with them.”

Ryder stood up, setting his keys on the cabinet beside her purse.“Make sure to take a picture when you’re done because I guarantee that one will become a favorite.”Extending his hand to Jocelyn, he gave her an amused smile.“I’m this thug’s business partner, Ryder Drayson.”

He glanced up to watch her reaction, his stomach knotting until she smiled up at Ryder and shook his hand.“Jocelyn Carter.Nice to finally meet you.”

Pulling up a chair, Ryder straddled it and got comfortable.“You went to Jersey for school, didn’t you?Still living it up on the coast?”

“Sure did and sure am.You two have a nice place here.”

Birch kept his head down, anxious to finish his work.He knew she wouldn’t let it slip that she was on his partner’s tail, but it didn’t sit well with him, putting her in the position to lie.

Ryder craned his neck to watch the movement of the pen.“Yeah, we’ve been doing all right.This guy here has the steadiest hand in the state.What do you do over in New Jersey?Runa gym or something?You went on a track scholarship, right?”

She laughed.“I did, but now I just run as a hobby.I went into the exciting field of bean counting.”

“Right.Birch mentioned that.Some accounting-type thing?”

“That’s right.”

Ryder nodded slowly, nothing in his expression showing he connected any dots.“Birch and I should hit you up some time.We might need to get a new accountant down the line.”Adjusting his position he leaned forward, Jocelyn’s job forgotten.“So, what are you doing slumming it up with this loser?”He elbowed Birch and almost caused an unwanted streak of red ink along her knee.

“I’m using him for his skilled hands.”

Ryder let out a bark of laughter and Birch looked up at her, smirking when she merely cocked a brow at him.

Blending the final blue hues with his finger, he sat back.“All done.”

Despite the fact it was temporary, he held his breath while she angled her leg to see the design that he’d put on her.It wasn’t a piece done for her.It was one done for him.A melted clock sitting on the sand of an hourglass, the grains dropping onto the fine bars encasing the house at the bottom.A delicate hand with a tiny unmistakable scar was pressed against the shattered glass in the middle, keeping the last of the sand from spilling further across the base.

The seconds stretched out to what felt like hours as she studied it, her steel eyes finally looking to him.“I should have said I was using you for your skilled hands and beautiful mind.It’s incredible.”

“I’ll snap a pic,” Ryder stated, pulling out his phone.“I’m telling you, Birch.This one will sell, and it’ll sell high.”

He capped the rest of the pens and tapped a quick beat on the desk while he read over the schedule.“You have two piercings coming by in an hour, and Kaley Basco wants you to finish the color on her devil after she’s done work.”

Ryder snapped a few pictures of Jocelyn’s leg and nodded.“Are we stocked with juice?She nearly fainted on me during the outline.”

Helping Jocelyn to her feet, he slid the tattoo pens into his back pocket, reached over, and checked the fridge.“Good to go.Offer her an energy bar before you start, too.”

With a grunt of acknowledgement, Ryder passed Jocelyn her purse.“I’ll text you after I do the deposit tonight.See you tomorrow afternoon.”

Waving as they walked through the door and out of Ryder’s sight, Birch exhaled.“That wasn’t awkward or tense or anything.”

Jocelyn hooked her arm in his and led him along the strip mall over to the coffee house at the end.“I doubt he even knows the Serpent’s Tongue account is being reviewed.Most people assume financial evidence is taken to the cop shop and left there for lawyers to use.They don’t consider the fact lawyers aren’t tax experts and don’t always know what they’re looking at until one of us numbers nerds points it out.”

He opened the door for her, instinctively unhooking his arm from hers when they walked in and one of the customers gave him a disdainful once-over.“Have I told you lately how hot I think numbers nerds are?”

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