Page 118 of No Apologies
Chapter Twenty-One
“Colt?” Skylar pushed open the door of Fine Lines.
The new door, she smiled as she stepped inside the shop and looked around. The boys had worked fast to get it back up running for Colt in a matter of weeks. They’d also worked hard and the proof was in every detail. From the shining glass doors that matched the old ones perfectly to the brand new check-in counter that Bentley had built with his own hands, the shop looked even better than it had before the attack. It gleamed. They’d done a grand re-opening over the weekend and it had gone off without a hitch.
Despite their uncomfortable and frustrating meeting with Lincoln and the other boys, things had been quiet the past couple of weeks. She’d gotten, not necessarily accustomed to having one of the guys always hanging around the salon, but familiar with the routine of it. She’d spent time with everyone from Cash and Remy to Lincoln himself, though Bentley was usually the Bomar assigned to keep an eye on her and they’d found an easy friendship. She liked to ask when Ford would be assigned to her detail just to irritate Colt but the truth was, she hoped they were nearing the point the guys would stop the overprotective crap and they could all move on with their lives.
There had been no more attacks. No more threats. If there was news on whoever Lincoln thought was his rat, they hadn’t told her about it. Life was good and she prayed every day that it stayed that way.
“Colt?” She called again as the door swung shut behind her, “Remy said you needed me?”
“Back here.” His voice pitched loud for her to hear, “Lock the door, would ya?”
She raised an eyebrow at the odd request but did as he asked. She had no idea what her boyfriend was up to. Remy had strolled into the salon, grin firmly on his face when he told her that Colt needed her next door and then told Bentley his services wouldn’t be needed the rest of the night and to get lost. She’d just finished up her last client of the day so she’d grabbed her things, asked Rachel to close up, and high-tailed it next door to see what Colt wanted.
Another thing that had happened in the past couple of weeks, she’d stopped freaking out about leaving Remy alone with Rachel. The girl had a crush and it was kind of cute. She’d warned Remy that if he hurt her friend he’d have to answer to her but he’d only shaken his head and said the last thing he wanted was to hurt the girl.
That had helped to put her worries at ease but so had their interactions the past few weeks. He was kind to her, gentle with her and he went out of his way to make her smile. Whatever Rachel was feeling it was clearly reciprocated and that had put Skylar’s worries at ease.
Remy was a good guy. All previous evidence to the contrary, he’d gone above and beyond to help his brothers. He’d been there for them and intended to stick around for the long haul from the looks of it. He might be rough around the edges, but he was a Bomar so that came with the territory.
If Rachel wanted to be his friend, what could Skylar possibly say to the girl? She’d befriended her own Bomar boy knowing full well that it would come with a truckload of headaches and heartache. And if Rachel wanted more than that with the eldest of the bunch, who was she to warn her off? It might be a longshot but she and Jemma had both gotten their Bomar boy and their happily ever after so why couldn’t Rachel? The girl deserved it after the hell her family put her through.
All thoughts of Remy and Rachel dissipated when Skylar rounded the corner of the curtain and got a good look at her boyfriend. Her boyfriend! Ah, that felt so good, so right, when the man was the gorgeous Bomar boy that had stolen her heart.
Colt was sitting on his stool, his tray of inks and tools right next to him. He was dressed in his usual outfit of worn-in blue jeans and simple black t-shirt. His hair was spiked in a dozen different directions, proof he’d been running his hands through it, but he grinned when he saw her. Those dimples flashed and her heart stuttered in her chest just as it always did when he looked at her like that.
Happy Colt was truly a sight to behold. She was still getting used to seeing this particular side of him on the regular. She’d always wondered if his moodiness wasn’t a direct result of having to deal with his family when he didn’t want to but there was no question of that now. Free of Lincoln’s chains, he’d been more lighthearted and carefree than she’d ever seen him. He would never be considered easy-going probably. He was still overprotective and demanding but he smiled far more than he ever had before and she liked to think that was because of her.
“Hey baby.” She grinned back at him. “Whatcha doin?”
“Finishing what I started.” He motioned to the chair, “Hop up.”
“What?”
“We’re finishing that garter. Today. Now.” He shrugged when she only raised an eyebrow, “It’s been buggin’ me for weeks that it’s not finished, that I couldn’t finish it for you. It’s not perfect yet and it shouldn’t be on your body if it isn’t perfect.”
“That’s sweet.” She smiled as she eased into the room.
That was so Colt and so sweet, she had no words. He only wanted perfection for her. She leaned down and brushed her lips over his. She wasn’t surprised in the least when he took control and kissed her back just the way he liked, hard and dirty. Tongues and teeth and she moved closer, trying to straddle his waist but he grabbed her hips and held her in place when he groaned and pulled away.
“I’m glad you think so.” Colt swiped his thumb over her bottom lip, “Now get your sexy little ass in my chair.”
She laughed at the order, “I can’t. In case you haven’t noticed, I wore jeans to work today.”
“Take them off.” She raised an eyebrow at that and Colt gave another of those lazy smiles, “Angel, you and I both know you’re gonna end up naked with my cock buried deep inside you before this is over. Might as well lose the pants now and let me get started.”
Skylar shivered at the image he painted. How many times had she dreamed of that when Colt was tattooing her in the past? His rough hands on her body, the flare of pain from the needle, and her mind wandering to what it would feel like if he moved those hands to her breasts, to what he would say and do if he slipped them beneath her panties and found her wet. She didn’t have to wonder if he wanted her the way she wanted him anymore and he was right, they were going to have sex in that chair if he tattooed her again. There was no other outcome.
The locked door suddenly made complete sense. No interruptions this time. No brothers walking in on them. Just the two of them, the way they’d both wanted for so long.
She popped the button on her jeans and Colt groaned. She hid a smirk as she unzipped them slowly and then wiggled her hips to work the skin tight material down her legs. Colt helped, holding her upright when she slipped out of her shoes and then stepped out of the jeans one leg at a time.
“Jesus.” He whispered when she stood in front of him again, “I’m never gonna last until we finish the tattoo. Get in the chair, Sky.”
She bit her lip and walked backwards, keeping her gaze on him as she hopped up into the chair. His eyes were on fire as they traced her body lovingly. Her skin had flushed just from the way he looked at her and she knew that this was nowhere near the first time he’d noticed. It was the first time he’d had every right to comment on it though and as he scooted his stool closer and ran a finger up her calf he groaned.
“Seeing you like this, all spread out and flushed pink… it drives me crazy.” He grabbed her knee and spread her legs, putting her on full display, “Your breathing speeds up before I ever even put the needle on your skin. Your eyes dilate and I can practically hear your heart racing. Did you know that?”
