Hidden Depths (3 page)

"We have fun sometimes, don't we?"

Gia shrugged, tossing her head from side to side.
"Yeah, when you relax and quit being so uptight."

"You think that's why we argue so much? Because I'm
uptight?" He knew that wasn't why, but he couldn't tell her that either.

"Hell yeah... although I am starting to reconsider what
might be lurking underneath the uptight exterior."

He groaned under his breath. She had no idea what lurked
beneath the exterior. Hell, he wasn't even sure he knew the full extent of it.
Odds were pretty good he'd never find out. But there was a piece of him that
would love nothing more than to just let it all out. Maybe that was why he was
so drawn to Gia. Maybe it had nothing to do with physical attraction, maybe he
just admired her free spirit. That's what he'd been trying to tell himself for
the last eight years anyway. It was a hell of a lot better than facing up to
the one-sided attraction.

"Trust me when I say you have no idea."

"Well, I gotta say this was one hell of a way to blow
your image, lawyer boy. I think your car is about to become the least of your
worries."

He chuckled again. "Yeah, maybe it is at that."

"You're a natural at this by the way. We've been sitting
here an hour already and you're handling it like a vet."

"Ummm thanks... I think. Let me guess, you were
expecting me to puss out and walk away as soon as you hit me with the
gun."

Now it was her turn to laugh. Damn! That warm, deep,
rumbling sound sent the blood straight to his groin every time. Josh was never
so glad to be lying on his stomach.

"Yeah, I guess I was. It wouldn't be the first
time."

They chatted amicably enough while she finished the tattoo.
Nothing of any real importance, just lighthearted chat and easy banter.

She kept her tone casual, belying the tension she felt
seeping through every muscle in her body. She'd love to blame it on her hunched
position, leaning over his arm like she was, but she knew better. She'd spent
days in even stranger positions doing some tattoos on less accessible body
parts. It never fazed her before. Sure, her neck got tight, but that was
nothing like this.

She knew this feeling. This was arousal, plain and simple.
Josh with his rock hard body and six-pack abs was lying on the table in front
of her. That amazingly tight ass with those faded jeans hugging every curve was
within easy reach. Not to mention, she was watching a piece of her art slowly
develop across that broad bicep. It was hotter than hell. And she couldn't do
anything about it.

So, she ignored it. She shoved it down as far as she could,
sliding into 'work mode' where she made lots of idle chit chat with people she
didn't know. She listened with one ear and focused on her gun and the picture
that was emerging.

She hadn't been lying when she'd said he was sitting like a
vet. She knew his skin had to be tender. They were almost done with what would
be a good five hour tattoo. She had easily expected him to call it around the
three hour mark. She was doing her best to move around and give him a break
when she could, but that was a hellishly long sitting, especially for a first
timer.

As she wiped his arm again, she went back through, putting
in finishing touches, checking for detail. She wanted this to be the cleanest
work she'd ever done. If she only got one shot at this man's body, she wanted
to leave her mark and make it perfect.

When she was finally satisfied she sat back, one last swipe
and she set the gun down, standing to stretch her shoulders.

"Take a look. Tell me what you think. We're done for
tonight, regardless, but I can always touch it up later if there's something
that doesn't feel right."

Josh walked to the mirror, turning his arm left and right
looking at the detail, squinting his eyes as he took in the finished product.
She couldn't read anything in his expression, so she waited, every nerve in her
body running on high alert.

He turned to her, his lips finally curving up into a wicked,
heart stopping grin. Her breath caught, despite her best efforts, she found
herself trying to blow it out calmly and instead it hitched out in a deep sigh.

He watched her, seemed to be trying to read her expression.
She forced a small smile, hoping it looked calm, pleased he was happy with her
work. Instead he seemed to decide something. He started toward her with slow,
sure steps. Almost stalking her like prey. She felt like she should run, leave
as fast as she could possibly escape. That desire alone forced her to be still,
to stand her ground.

Two more steps and he was standing right in front of her,
his body almost touching hers, sending a little sizzle along those sensitive
nerves.

"It's exactly what I wanted, what I needed, today.
Thank you."

He leaned in, slowly, giving her ample time to pull away
from the kiss she knew was coming. She figured it would be a soft kiss on the
cheek. A thank you, nothing more. He took her right hand in his, squeezing the
fingers softly as he brought his other hand up to her face. He ran his thumb gently
along her jaw line, tracing the edge of her bottom lip. She actually felt her
body melt, her muscles turning into warm butter. There was some niggling
thought in the back of her mind that she needed to stop this, to move before
his lips touched hers, but she couldn't come up with why if her life had
depended on it.

At last his lips brushed against hers, a feather-light
touch, so soft she thought she imagined it. Until he did it again. And again.
Finally settling his mouth more firmly against her lips, Gia heard the moan,
felt it come from her own throat. She gave in, pressing her body more firmly
against his, exactly where she wanted to be.

The kiss turned heated, lighting off like fireworks on the
.Fourth of July. The soft tender kiss was gone, replaced by passion. He pressed
back, seeming to try to push their bodies closer together. She barely kept from
lifting a leg and wrapping it around his waist. His hands closed around her,
cruising down her back to settle lower, right on the round globes of her ass,
before pulling her even more tightly against him.

She could feel his erection pressing against her belly. That
surprised her, as did this whole situation. Josh had never thought of her that
way. She wasn't his type. Deb was.

That thought sent ice rushing through her with guilt
trailing hot on its heels. She pushed him away, managing only to mutter,
"No" as no other words could get past the restriction of her throat.

Josh stumbled back, falling against the bed he'd recently
been lying on, sucking in deep gulps of air. After a couple minutes, he started
to mumble.

"I'm sorry. God, I didn't mean... I never meant to...
I'm so sorry Gia. Shit. Fuck. I don't know how that even..."

"Never mind. You've been riled up all day, and the
tattoo caused an adrenaline rush. I'm sure this was a product of that mood.
After all, in eight years you've never once kissed me. I promise not to take it
personally."

She forced a smile she didn't feel, and stood on still
shaking knees. She grabbed her wipes and cleaned his arm one more time. She
rubbed ointment on it, refusing to look him in the eyes. After she had it
covered, she handed him her standard sheet of paper with aftercare
instructions.

"Call me or come by if you have any questions or wonder
if it's healing right."

Josh grabbed his shirt, yanking it over his head inside out.
He slipped his Birks back on and walked toward the door where she waited,
trying to keep that pleasant smile in place.

At the door, he stopped, facing her and waiting until she
finally looked up into his eyes. God, was that a mistake.

"Gia, I really didn't mean for that to happen. Not
ever."

"I know Josh. I meant what I said. I won't take it to
mean anything. I know it didn't. You love Deb. So, we'll just chalk this up to
a shitty day and forget it ever happened."

She gritted her teeth, forcing one more smile, hoping it was
enough to fool him. It must have worked because he nodded silently, pinched his
lips together and left. Gia locked the door behind him, turned off the lights
and made it all the way to her car before her legs collapsed into so much
jelly.

Chapter 3

Friday night Josh was out walking. He'd had a late meeting,
working until almost nine-thirty and he was exhausted. It had been a long,
strenuous day. Productive, but he was still exhausted. Once again he found
himself thinking about Gia. More specifically about that kiss. He'd wondered,
on many occasions, what it would feel like to kiss her. To feel her curvy body
pressed against his. He'd always suspected that the fire she displayed so
proudly in all other areas of her life would carry over into the bedroom.

He stopped outside the little tavern in the Village,
debating for all of ten seconds before deciding he didn't want to go in. He
didn't want to go home either. He kept walking, trying to deny the truth. He
wanted to see Gia.

By the time he made it to her shop, it was after ten and
they were closing up. He watched while the girl who worked at the front desk
cleaned up, flipping the sign to Closed and the neon lights off. He looked in
the door, seeing Gia wave to the other artist that worked in the shop and the
desk girl as they headed out the back.

She looked amazing, as always. Her hair was purple today.
She must have redone it. The braid was still hanging down her back, but long
pieces swept the sides of her cheeks, escaping their confines. She wore a black
T-shirt with some sort of skull pattern across the front in white. A short
black skirt with silver buckles and those knee high socks she was so fond of
with black and white stripes going around them. Her skirt was short enough to
offer a tantalizing glimpse of bare thigh above the socks. Before he could
think better of it, he opened the door, just as Gia turned heading over to lock
it up for the night.

She froze mid-stride when she saw him, surprise clear in her
wide hazel eyes. After a moment she gave him that snarky little grin.

"Twice in four days. To what do I owe the pleasure? Is
something wrong with your arm?"

"Nope, arm's fine."

She waited a beat for him to continue. When he kept silent
she finally asked, "Then why are you here?"

He walked toward her rather than answering, taking slow,
measured steps, giving her a chance to run if she wanted to. Or even to simply
tell him to stop.

She didn't.

He heard her breath catch as he got closer, felt the sigh
shudder out against his neck as he stopped an inch from touching her.

"Tell me no, Gia. Tell me that you don't want me and
I'll leave."

She shook her head from side to side, but no words came from
her parted lips.

"Say it. Say you don't want this or I'm going to kiss
you now. And once I start, I don't intend to stop. Not this time."

Instead of words, she grabbed onto his shirt, making little
fists against his chest, and pulled his lips to hers.

He was lost. All rational thought fled, his mind became
totally focused on the feel of her lush body pressed firmly against his. The
kiss was a battle of wills, a dueling of tongues, both fighting for control.
His shaft strained against his slacks, the dress fabric of his suit doing nothing
to contain his raging erection.

He wanted her. More than he could remember ever wanting any
woman. All the dominance, the power that Josh fought down on a daily basis
surged to the fore. In this he would not be passive, not with her. He was in
control and he would prove it to her.

He pulled his head away, scanning quickly for the nearest
hard surface he could find. They were standing right next to one of the tattoo
beds. He spun her around, backing her up until her ass bumped the edge. He met
her mouth, this time more forcefully, nipping and sucking on her lips. When she
whimpered, he took that as agreement. He lifted her slightly, setting her onto
the bed, shoving hard at her shoulders until she lay back.

Normally he was a gentle, considerate lover, taking time to
prepare his partner, making sure she reached climax before he did. Not tonight,
not with Gia. He needed to take her. Hard and fast.

He leaned over, sucking her nipples through her shirt,
biting down gently, then a little harder when he found them already erect.

"Your body says you want this. If I reach between your
legs will I find you wet?"

She moaned, a little whimper escaping her throat. He felt
his cock leap in response. "Answer me, Gia. Are you wet?"

He trailed his hands gently down her legs, past the edge of
her skirt, softly teasing the backs of her knees before sliding them up the
inside of her thighs. She tossed her head from side to side, but still didn't
answer his question.

He trailed his hands higher, pushing her skirt up as he
went, stopping when his thumbs rested at the apex of her slightly parted
thighs. Pushing them open further and moving to stand between them, he waited.
Still no words.

"Do you want me to stop?"

Her hips lifted, bumping into the air, her body wiggling,
trying to get closer to his hands. He kept them firmly against her thighs,
letting his thumbs softly tease the silky triangle of red lace between her
legs.

He could smell her arousal. See it in every move and wiggle.
But he wanted to hear her say the words.

"Tell me if you're wet, or I will stop. Are you ready
for me? Do you want me inside you?"

After another little whimper, she finally blurted out,
"Yes! God yes. Please, Josh."

He grabbed the strings of her lace panties and pulled,
tugging them down her legs and throwing them off to the side. Finally she was
bare to him. He could see the folds of her sex glistening with moisture. He
wanted to bury his tongue there, taste every delicious inch of her, but he knew
he'd never be able to hold off, and he desperately needed to fuck her. Tasting
would have to wait for another time.