Page 2 of Burned By Love

“And if you don’t find anyone by the time you turn forty, I’ll marry you,” West said as he bumped his shoulder against Austin’s.

Austin grimaced.“We’re not doing that.I’d rather stay single than marry you.”

“I thought you loved me.”

“Notthatmuch.You’re on your own.”

West batted his lashes.“Are you sure?Am I not your type?”

“You’re not anyone’s type, West.You're annoying and gross.”

“Gross?What are you, six?”

“I call it as I see it.”

West picked up his clipboard and whacked Austin’s arm with it.“You take that back.”

Austin laughed and shoved West against the wall.He stumbled and caught his foot on a broom, sending it and the two brooms next to it crashing down.The sound was loud, and for a moment, West and Austin stayed still and listened to check if anyone had heard.Austin was biting his lower lip, while West was trying hard not to laugh.

They might both be single, but I didn’t mean they weren’t happy.

* * * *

JONATHAN FLOPPED ONthe couch by the tattoo shop’s front door.He stretched, then tilted his head this way and that, trying to get the kinks out of his neck.

“You have another appointment in fifteen minutes,” Christy announced from the counter.She was flipping through the planner they kept there.

Jonathan groaned.“Are you sure?I don’t remember scheduling so many people for today.”

“I’m sure.It’s your handwriting.”She squinted.“Only you can read that shit.What does it say?”

“I don’t even remember the customer.How am I supposed to know what it says?”

“Maybe you should check so you’ll be ready when they arrive.”

She was right, but Jonathan didn’t want to get up.He hadn’t slept well, and the many cups of coffee he’d already drunk today weren’t helping.There was nothing he wanted more than to stay on the couch and close his eyes, and he allowed himself to do it for a few minutes.Any longer than that would be dangerous, so Jonathan forced himself to sit up before he fell asleep.

Christy was watching him.She was sipping on her tea, the white mug a stark contrast with the black lipstick on her lips.Jonathan had always found her beautiful, and they got along like a house on fire.Some days, Jonathan wondered if the two of them would’ve been together if he wasn’t gay.Maybe, maybe not.As much as he loved Christy, sometimes, she made him want to scream.

“There,” she said as she turned the planner around and pushed it toward him.“What letter is that?”

“None of your business.”

“Excuse me?Itismy business.We work together.”

“We own a shop together, but we don’t work together.”

Christy sniffed.“That’s right.You wouldn’t be able to keep up with me.”

“I wouldn’t even want to try.”

Jonathan squinted at his handwriting.It was messy, but usually, he could read the notes he took.He was having a hard time today, but he suspected it was more tiredness than anything else.“This one’s a virgin,” he said.“I remember him now.He was super nervous when he came, but he wanted a massive back peace.”

Christy snorted.“I hope you said no.”

“I convinced him to do something smaller as a starter, just so he could see how it felt.”Most people ended up loving getting tattooed, but others were fine with having just one.It was a personal matter, but there was no way Jonathan would start such a big tattoo on someone who didn’t have any others.Besides, the guy had been too nervous for Jonathan to feel comfortable with that.He wouldn’t be surprised if the man decided not to show up at all.

Just in case, he headed to the room where he worked.He could hear buzzing and Ethan and Daniela talking.If he had to guess, she was tattooing him.He didn’t lean in to check, though.He had work to do.

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