good bye, leaving her to wonder what the hell she’d just gotten herself into.
****
Score!
Nick couldn’t help but grin as he saved Lia’s phone number to his contact list. He was making progress. Yesterday she was reluctant to even speak to him, and today she was calling him up. His plan was working.
“What are you grinning for, boss man?” Janie asked, glancing over the reception area, from where she was updating their website with pictures of her latest finished piece. Nick made sure that the shop had a strong web presence, making it easy for potential customers to connect with them. The gallery of tattoos was just as important as the portfolio every artist maintained.
“I have a date tonight.”
Janie cocked a pierced brow at him. “About damned time. I was starting to worry. According to my husband, if you guys don’t get regular sexing, things start to fall off.”
“Nothing is in danger of falling off, thank you. But I’d appreciate it if you could hold down the fort for an hour or so while I go pick her up.”
Janie turned around in her chair. “An hour? What kind of date are you going on, exactly?”
And here comes the questions. He and Janie had worked together long enough to become fast friends, which meant Janie felt perfectly justified poking into his personal life. “I’m just going to pick her up from work. Her car’s at Jo’s garage. After that, I’m not sure what we’re doing. It’ll be the lady’s choice. By then it’ll be time to close up anyway.”
“You got it.” Janie’s grin turned wicked. “So, do I get to see this babe you’re actually leaving work to go fetch? She’s got to be someone special if you’re willing to take time off to see her.”
“If she wants to come in, I’ll introduce you. Just…behave yourself.”
“You are no fun. How can I decide if she’s worthy of your interest if I have to behave?”
“She’s a cop, Janie. If you don’t behave, she might shoot you in self defense.”
Janie’s mouth popped open. “Back up the truck. You’re dating a cop ? You. A cop. I think you just broke my brain.”
“I don’t have to put up with this abuse, you know. I could fire you and hire someone with a more respect for their employer.”
She flicked a chunk of violet and aqua hair out of her bangs with her middle finger. “You won’t fire me. I’m too good at my job.”
“Lucky for you, you’re right. I’m going upstairs for a bit, call me if you need me.”
“You got it.” Janie waved him off and Nick headed upstairs to his private loft. This space was one of the reasons he’d fallen in love with the location in the first place. Big windows let in plenty of natural light, making it the perfect art studio. It was his home away from home. The kitchenette was always stocked with snacks, beer, and soda, there was a daybed for those nights he opted not to go home, and he’d outfitted the space with a top quality stereo system. Janie and Jo called it his man cave, but he preferred to think of it as his penthouse studio.
He turned on the stereo, pulled out his sketch pad and settled down at his desk. He had a few hours to kill before picking up Lia and needed something to distract him from the wait. Doing some work on the chest piece he was designing for himself would keep him occupied until it was time to go. At least, he hoped it would. Otherwise he was going to spend every hour between now and then thinking about Lia and all the wicked things he wanted to do with her and to her.
It might be a very long afternoon.
Chapter Five
Lia felt more than a little foolish as she stepped outside, her magic wand gripped firmly in one hand. She’d tried tucking it up her sleeve or into a pocket, but there was simply no way to hide the fact she was a grown woman carrying a child’s toy. She had briefly considered leaving it at her desk, but then she’d remember the sultry promise Nick had made her about there being other things she could wish
****
Score!
Nick couldn’t help but grin as he saved Lia’s phone number to his contact list. He was making progress. Yesterday she was reluctant to even speak to him, and today she was calling him up. His plan was working.
“What are you grinning for, boss man?” Janie asked, glancing over the reception area, from where she was updating their website with pictures of her latest finished piece. Nick made sure that the shop had a strong web presence, making it easy for potential customers to connect with them. The gallery of tattoos was just as important as the portfolio every artist maintained.
“I have a date tonight.”
Janie cocked a pierced brow at him. “About damned time. I was starting to worry. According to my husband, if you guys don’t get regular sexing, things start to fall off.”
“Nothing is in danger of falling off, thank you. But I’d appreciate it if you could hold down the fort for an hour or so while I go pick her up.”
Janie turned around in her chair. “An hour? What kind of date are you going on, exactly?”
And here comes the questions. He and Janie had worked together long enough to become fast friends, which meant Janie felt perfectly justified poking into his personal life. “I’m just going to pick her up from work. Her car’s at Jo’s garage. After that, I’m not sure what we’re doing. It’ll be the lady’s choice. By then it’ll be time to close up anyway.”
“You got it.” Janie’s grin turned wicked. “So, do I get to see this babe you’re actually leaving work to go fetch? She’s got to be someone special if you’re willing to take time off to see her.”
“If she wants to come in, I’ll introduce you. Just…behave yourself.”
“You are no fun. How can I decide if she’s worthy of your interest if I have to behave?”
“She’s a cop, Janie. If you don’t behave, she might shoot you in self defense.”
Janie’s mouth popped open. “Back up the truck. You’re dating a cop ? You. A cop. I think you just broke my brain.”
“I don’t have to put up with this abuse, you know. I could fire you and hire someone with a more respect for their employer.”
She flicked a chunk of violet and aqua hair out of her bangs with her middle finger. “You won’t fire me. I’m too good at my job.”
“Lucky for you, you’re right. I’m going upstairs for a bit, call me if you need me.”
“You got it.” Janie waved him off and Nick headed upstairs to his private loft. This space was one of the reasons he’d fallen in love with the location in the first place. Big windows let in plenty of natural light, making it the perfect art studio. It was his home away from home. The kitchenette was always stocked with snacks, beer, and soda, there was a daybed for those nights he opted not to go home, and he’d outfitted the space with a top quality stereo system. Janie and Jo called it his man cave, but he preferred to think of it as his penthouse studio.
He turned on the stereo, pulled out his sketch pad and settled down at his desk. He had a few hours to kill before picking up Lia and needed something to distract him from the wait. Doing some work on the chest piece he was designing for himself would keep him occupied until it was time to go. At least, he hoped it would. Otherwise he was going to spend every hour between now and then thinking about Lia and all the wicked things he wanted to do with her and to her.
It might be a very long afternoon.
Chapter Five
Lia felt more than a little foolish as she stepped outside, her magic wand gripped firmly in one hand. She’d tried tucking it up her sleeve or into a pocket, but there was simply no way to hide the fact she was a grown woman carrying a child’s toy. She had briefly considered leaving it at her desk, but then she’d remember the sultry promise Nick had made her about there being other things she could wish
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