Page 38 of Ink Me Bunny

And I got some unfiltered messages from Dean’s fans who were less ecstatic about me working with him which I wasn’t thrilled about.

Jamey shouts across from me, “Don’t let some idiot who pretends to know it all discourage you.”

In the fast-paced world we’re living in, I just need a moment to breathe and stay away from the media as much as possible.

There’s a lot of good out there but it sometimes clashes with a lot of negativity. I simply don’t want that energy around me.

People will always have something to say or pass judgment on what I do, but it’s how I react to it that matters.

Accepting the fact I can’t change it can save me a whole lot of headaches and tears.

I’ll continue to do what I’m doing and whoever stays on this journey with me stays. For those who are not, the doors are always open and they can exit whenever they want.

Right as I say those words to myself in my head—shirtless and sweating, Dean carries himself with such grace, grabbing the surfboard as he crosses the yard and heads toward the ocean.

He’s ripped of pure muscle. Plains of hardlines are carved in a delectable way that water my mouth. Straight up immaculate.

Why he has to be so damn perfect?

So rude that I have to soak it in and pretend not to be affected by him when I totally am.

A sharp breath gets cut in my throat when he starts paddling on his board.

“Can you hear it?” Jamey says as he straddles his surfboard, waiting for a miracle to send us some waves.

I sluice my hand in the water, “What?” I already know what he’s about to say because I feel it too.

“The calm before the storm.” He finishes. “Be ready, something dope is about to happen. I want to see you perform what we practiced.”

Dean

Sweatisdrippingdownmy forehead.

I lift another set of my heavy weights in my home gym downstairs while Lenny occupies herself around the house.

I’m trying to shake the filthy thought of her from my mind, I almost do as I concentrate on my exercise, but then images of her flood my brain.

I am fascinated by dangerous degrees—degrees I have prevented myself from reaching for a long time.

She attracts me in ways I can’t describe. She’s Lenny, the special ray of sunshine that came into my life two and a half weeks ago and knocked me on my ass.

I knew she would.

That was one of the many things about her presence, I considered a distraction, especially around the shop. Not because I can’t control myself, I can.

I just can’t look away.

I can’t ignore her.

I can’t predict her.

And I don’t want to.

Her spontaneous spirit aligns with mine as we both calmly navigate the days passing by.

I try to shove away the thoughts about her but nothing works, being near her all the time doesn’t help either.

She’s my coworker.

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