Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1) (38 page)
Read Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1) Online
Authors: J. A. Howell
I found myself smiling as I read about the first time Kellan spanked Sara and the strange tingle of pleasure that ran through him at the sight of her reddened skin. I read about the party Sara took him to, the events that ensued there, and a tingle of pleasure ran through my own body at the memory.
Liam poked his head into the room momentarily but said nothing. I was tempted to flip to the last page to see what he or Kieran were up to, but no. If Kieran had gone through the trouble of writing all this, I’d read what he had to say. I’d follow his orders. For now.
My stomach growled. A few more hours had passed and I was hungry, but I couldn’t stop reading. Sadness seeped through my chest when Kellan left Sara behind, mixing with the anger from the still raw wound. Kellan was an idiot, but even he realized that. He’d betrayed Sara. She’d bared herself, her secrets, and he left. He’d believed his wife and went back, out of duty for the baby. But he couldn’t bare the sight of her and he couldn’t escape the thoughts of Sara. Or the longing for her.
Then I got to the part where he left his wife. Where he realized the type of person she was. At one time he had loved her, and his love for her blinded him to her flaws. But he didn’t love her anymore and finally he saw who she really was, what she really wanted.
The book skipped ahead four months, and Kellan was now on his own and he was happier. Still, thoughts of Sara pulled at his mind daily. He tried to work, to write a new story, but all the words that came out were about her. I read on, knowing exactly where the rest was going. I cringed, remembering that night, remembering the guilt, the shame, the complete loss of control over myself. But that wasn’t the same thing he saw. He saw Sara, alone, trying to be strong, trying not to slip into the void she’d watched her mother slip into so many times. Trying to forget. Trying to forget her mother and trying to forget him.
I like you, Shayne and nothing that happened yesterday, or the day before, or any time before that will change that.
I drew closer to the end, and it switched to Sara. She sat in her room at the tattoo shop, reading a book that Kellan had written for her. The book wouldn’t be printed for sometime, if at all, but he’d gotten a special copy made and bound just for her.
For the first time in several hours I looked up once more, sure that Kieran was watching me. He wasn’t, of course, but it was clear he had much more up his sleeve. Sara finished the book and found a note on the last page, telling her to meet him if she wanted to try again. Kellan would be waiting at a little Italian restaurant. The only one in town that made a decent pizza.
I flipped the page, expecting more, but instead I found another note from Kieran.
I’m not sure how this story ends yet, but I’m hoping you can show me.
It was cool out, but beads of sweat ran down my forehead. I wiped them away and looked down at my phone again. Liam’s text was still on the screen from twenty minutes ago.
:She just left. Didn’t say where she was going.:
I’d left his apartment as soon as I got the text and in a last minute decision, grabbed flowers from the shop around the corner. I glanced down at the small bouquet of tiger lilies and frowned. Maybe the flowers had been a stupid idea. The trashcan outside the restaurant a few feet away tempted me but if she was coming she would be here any minute. I didn’t want her to see me stuffing her flowers in the trash.
Twenty five minutes and there was still no Shayne. Maybe she wasn’t going to show. At the very least, then I would have my answer. I didn’t deserve a second chance, and I knew Shayne never did relationships. Asking for the possibility of both was a long shot. Five more minutes passed and I slumped down into a chair at one of the outside tables. The shop was a fifteen-minute drive at most.
She’s not coming.
Defeated, I dropped the flowers on the table in front of me, debating how long to wait. Another half-hour? Another hour? The prospect of her showing after that was even less likely. Fifteen more minutes passed and I eyed the bouquet on the table with disdain. A mixture of anger and disappointment ached through my chest. I snatched them off the table and strode toward the trashcan, gritting my teeth. “Stupid flowers.”
“They look nice.” A soft voice said behind me. I spun around and Shayne was standing there. I sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of her. It was Shayne but not the one I’d seen before. She still had a pair of boots on, but her usual little skirt and t-shirt ensemble was replaced with a gray and black dress that came down in a v-neck with buttons down the front. It hugged her curves and flared out into a full skirt, stopping just above her knees. She tugged self-consciously at a gray cardigan and shifted on her heels. “Were they for me?”
I let out my breath, not even realizing I’d been holding it, and handed her the flowers. “Yeah. I was afraid ya wouldn’t show.”
Shayne smiled and her cheeks flushed. “It took me a little while to get here. I wanted to look nice for our first date.”
I blinked stupidly, then nodded. “Ya look amazing.”
Her smile widened and I kissed her on the lips, unable to resist. Relief, excitement, and a multitude of emotions ran through me. Shayne kissed me back then slowly pulled away, a sweet smile still on her lips.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come back. I can give you a second chance, but I know there’s some things you wanted that I won’t ever be able to give you.”
Her gaze darted downward and the memory of Kendall’s words burned. I had left because of the
baby
…something she couldn’t have. I slid my fingers under her chin and lifted her lips to mine once more, giving her a slow, lingering kiss.
“I made my choice. I don’t want those things. I just want ya.”
Her lips eased back into a smile. I slid her hand into mine and pulled her toward the restaurant.
“C’mon. Let me buy ya dinner.”
CHAPTER FORTY ONE
Breakfast In Bed
Four months later
The smell of cooking pancake batter filled my nostrils as I awoke. I stretched my arms above my head and rolled over, sniffing the delightful scent. In the kitchenette, Kieran hummed to himself with his back to me and I admired his ass in a nice pair of faded low-fitting jeans.
I shifted against the bed and Kieran looked over his shoulder. “Finally awake? Sleep okay?”
I nodded and a grin spread over his lips.
“How many pancakes ya want?”
I held up two fingers. He plated two warm pancakes, drenched them in butter and syrup just the way I liked, then placed them on a tray along with a glass of water and sweet tea.
“So, Darren texted me earlier. Wanted ta know if we wanted ta come over tonight. Ya up fer it?”
I nodded again and Kieran’s lips pulled into a mischievous grin. He lifted the tray off the counter and carried it over to the bed, still humming to himself. With a soft kiss on my cheek he placed the tray on the bed next to me and busied himself with cutting up the pancakes. I brought my hands back down into my lap, and pushed my feet against the mattress, sitting up against the pillows. Kieran was turned partially away from me and I watched the muscles in his shoulder shift. I had the urge to reach for him, to feel them move under my fingertips, but I knew better. His pale blue eyes glanced down at my hands and he gave me a knowing smirk.
“Alright love, breakfast is ready.” Kieran pushed my hair off my shoulders and reached around, unbuckling the leather strap and taking the bit gag out of my mouth. Instinctively, I worked my jaw, but it wasn’t too sore.
“Here, rinse out that pretty little mouth.” Kieran held the glass of water to my lips. I drank, swished the water around, then spit it back in the glass. He smiled and brought a napkin to my lips, dabbing them and wiping off leftover lip balm from last night.
“Better?”
“Yes, sir.”
Kieran’s gaze raked over my naked body, from my breasts, down to my wrists and ankles that were bound in leather cuffs. I shifted against the bed, a tendril of awareness running through me at his slow perusal. I arched my back and pushed my breasts out, willing him to touch me. Instead he stabbed a fork into a square of syrup-drenched pancake and lifted it to my lips.
“Open up, love.”
I parted my lips a centimeter and he pushed the fork against my lips, then frowned at me. Syrup dripped onto my bottom lip and I opened my mouth, finally taking a bite with a satisfied smirk.
“Now, Shayne. I know ya know better than that. Don’t go makin’ a mess.”
Placing the fork down, Kieran tilted my chin up with his thumb and index finger and leaned toward me, licking his lips. I let out a slow breath and closed my eyes, waiting to feel his teasing lick. Instead I felt a napkin and a soft laugh brushed my ear.
“Nice try.”
“Sorry.” I tried to hide my disappointed pout as Kieran sat back and stabbed another piece of pancake with the fork. He cocked an eyebrow at me and held the fork to my lips and this time I took a bite without hesitation.
“No pouting. Be a good girl and finish yer breakfast, then ya know what comes after that.”
A slow grin spread across my face as he brought the sweet tea to my lips.
“Yes, Sir.”
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
J.A Howell is an office drone by day, and a writer by night. Her love of writing took off when she was eleven years old and decided to fill a composition notebook with stories to read to her friends. Many years (and notebooks) later, not much has changed. She still loves writing and sharing her works with others. When she isn’t writing, she can often be found trying her hand at whatever artistic pursuit strikes her fancy. J.A. Howell resides in Apopka, FL with her husband and their menagerie of animal children.
You can learn more about her and her books at:
http://www.midtown-underground.com
www.sidestreetcookiepublishing.com
Other Books By This Author
Mistaken
The Possess Saga
Possess
The Untimely Death of Brody Walsh
Possess My Heart
To Have & To Haunt
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