Music, Ink, and Love (26 page)

“Go, get her.” Why wait? He knew her, they’d been working together for some time, right?

“I will.” He tapped my shoulder in a friendly way. “When the time is right. I’ll get you another beer.”

I stayed in my corner for another hour, contemplating my approach and what I would say to her. No cheap pickup lines would work with her. It never was my thing, anyway. My charm had to be my best weapon and I had to use it.

Her eyes never looked in my direction. In fact, she didn’t seem to care for any of the guys standing before her. What about that Tristan guy? I needed to find out who I was competing against.

My star, the blonde, and the brunette danced together, something that reminded me of that shitty movie. A short choreography where they danced in a provocative way while shaking their shakers full of alcohol. It ended with a mass of people at their feet, asking for shots. Men were giving them tips and the girls loved the attention. Somehow, I knew she wasn’t that type of girl. She looked timid, reserved, but there had to be some fire hiding inside of her. The proof was that she worked here. One of the wildest, coolest fucking clubs in Seattle.

Tyler had done a great job with the place. While I studied to be a lawyer, he worked his ass off to get this place started. Back then, I was the nerd, he, the bad boy. I helped Tyler figure out everything about the laws and the rules he had to follow. I may look like a bum with tattoos now but back then, I used to wear a tie with shiny black shoes. Things changed, but I’m still the same old Levi at heart. Driven by my passion, living at the fullest, and obsessed by this blue eyed babe.

I drank the remainder of my beer. Not tonight, I said, looking at her behind the counter. Her loose hair falling over her shoulders, I could imagine the feel of those tresses in between my fingers. Her beauty was flawless. She was driving me insane. Kyle needed me at the shop and I knew the next few days would be busy. It wasn’t the time to play Romeo just yet. I got up, waved goodbye to Ty and headed to the shop.

I hadn’t been at the shop as much as I should have since my return. My dad wanted to see me so I stayed there the first night. It felt good to hang out with my old man, he couldn’t seem to stay away from his cell phone, but he did mention that he had a very demanding case to work on. The second night, I crashed at Tyler’s. I had to find a place to stay soon. Not that Ty’s couch wasn’t comfortable, but after spending months in New York, I kind of wanted to settle down here. I had sold my condo before leaving, which turned out to be a mistake since I came back only few months later. I guess it was a learning experience.

Mercedes hadn’t stopped calling me since the day I’d left. My dad raised me to be a gentleman so I told her nicely that we had to end whatever we had. I honestly didn’t know what to tell her anymore. A long distance relationship meant hard work and many trips to the East Coast, and I wasn’t ready for that. I liked her, we shared great memories but that was all. In the end, I had no desire to be serious with her. Eventually, I knew I would have to answer her call and remind her that it wouldn’t work. Besides, the beautiful blue eyed babe at the club had already captured my heart. She’d made me a fool and we hadn’t even exchanged a word. Soon...

“What’s up, Kyle?” I asked as I set foot in the shop.

“Hey, man, I thought you were going to be here this afternoon. I had scheduled an appointment for you. I told the guy to come back tomorrow.”

Damn, I hated doing this to my clients, so unprofessional and unlike me. “Why didn’t you call me?” My voice sounded frustrated at first, but I toned it down. Disappointment defined how I felt.

“I figured you were spending the day with your old man or that you were looking for a place to stay so I told him to come back tomorrow. He agreed, no big deal.”

“Alright, then. I thought it would be bittersweet, but I’m happy to be back here. This is where it all started and I think I’m pleased with the shop we have.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s good to have you back. Now tell me about the Big Apple.”

I told him everything from the pretzel I ate in Time Square to the parties I went to, and some details about the girl I used to date. Her name only made me feel uncomfortable. To me, it ended as soon as I left the city but to her, the end seemed unbearable and unacceptable. Something that required to be taken care. Even if I’d rather not talk to her, I couldn’t keep on ignoring her calls.

“If you have feelings for her, why did you end it?” I couldn’t believe that I was having this discussion with K.

“I don’t. I like her, but there’s no love involved.” I paused thinking about what I had just said. “On my side, anyway.” I added.  “Mercedes must have fallen in love with me.”

“Clear this up, man.” I hated to say it, but he was right.

I nodded silently, walking around the shop. Kyle had changed a few things while I was gone and it seemed a better fit. It looked bigger and more spacious. “What are you doing here anyway? It’s late?”

“I’m just working on a design, you know how it is. Trying to mix it with what he already has on his arm. It’s quite the challenge.” He chuckled.

Some people literally asked the tattoo artist for a miracle. Not everything was possible if you want your body, your skin, your ink to look great.

We talked and I tried to help him out the best way I could. We stayed in the shop until early in the morning. I ended up crashing on the couch. Being homeless and dependent on my friends didn’t exactly go well with me. I needed to figure this out fast. Later that day, after a couple of hours of sleep, K returned and woke me up. My neck hurt and felt stiff. A shower would help, but I had no place to go, and very little time before my first appointment. Kyle lent me the keys to his place and I returned in less than an hour. I was anxious to tattoo again. Tattooing was my drug, I needed my daily dose and it had been a few days.

T
he night was young and Tyler asked me to stop by the club. I knew I was going to see her and I thought tonight would be the perfect moment to talk to her. For some reason, the idea of interacting with her made me nervous. My whole body transformed into a whirlwind of anxiety and excitement. There was a possibility that she would reject me, but I had my ways of seducing a woman. I was going to give everything I had.

The music of the club was so loud that I could hear everything from my car. My hands were moist and trembling. I had never reacted this way for a girl, not even for a first date. This woman had gotten under my skin. As soon as I was inside, my eyes immediately searched for her and she was looking at me as Tyler welcomed me in. I could see the surprise in her eyes.

Tyler wanted to talk about some legal questions he had. I was his unofficial lawyer, free of charge. Working in a firm wasn’t my thing, but I still got a kick out of helping and sharing my knowledge.

All this talking had taken time away from my plan to speak with her. I watched her for a couple of minutes and she seemed to be having a great time. Her smile, her eyes and her sex appeal, I liked everything about her.

“Can I get you anything?” she asked, taking the mess off the counter. I hesitated.
Do I ask for a drink or not? Do I ask her out? No, no that’s too soon. If I do that, I’ll just scare her away.

“A smile. Give me one and I guarantee you’ll get the biggest tip tonight.”
Really, Levi? That’s all you got?

“You don’t want a drink? How about some water??” She blushed. My words had surprised her, but she kept on rolling with her job. She was good at controlling her emotions, but I knew there was something there.

“No, just a smile. You're the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen and I’d be satisfied with a smile.” I ran my hand through my hair getting nervous about what her reaction would be to this.

She didn’t say anything back, but she gave me a smile. Not just a tiny one, a freaking loving smile. Fuck, that girl was beautiful. Her name tag said Phoenix, and I was thankful that I had the time to look before leaving. I didn’t want to stay longer. My goal was to leave her questioning herself. Walking away now seemed like the best idea.

“Thank you, Princess. You just made my night.” I said over my shoulder.

Her eyes burned holes into my shirt and my heart threatened to escape from my ribcage. The sound of her voice resonated into my mind and the sight of her beautiful lips haunted my mind.

Phoenix didn’t know it yet but soon, she would be mine.

F
irst, thank you to everyone who took the time to read Body, Ink, and Soul and reviewed it. It means so much to me. Big hug to you all.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for working through the edits. You are a great editor and it was fun to work with you.

Thank you Tami and Tracey for proofreading and helping me throughout the writing process.

Danielle, thank you for reading and giving me feedback. I appreciate it so much. You make it all better.

A special thanks to all the members of my street team... I love sharing my projects or teasers with you all. You are precious.

And my friends... You are all so special and important. Tracey, Sylvia, Lisa, Sandra, Gracie. THANK YOU.

Merci à ma famille et amis (es).

Jude xox

J
ude Ouvrard is an author who writes from the heart, and reads with passion and devotion. Jude enjoys stories of drama, true love, tattoos, and everything in between. While writing is her therapy, reading is her solace. Life doesn't get better than books and chocolate, and maybe a little bit of shopping.

A romance lover, Jude writes about love, pain, heartbreak and matters that will challenge your heart. A book can tell an unexpected story, no matter which directions it takes. Jude embraces words that have haunted her for years. 

Jude is a working mom who dedicates her time to a law firm and writing books. She has an energetic five-year old superhero son, and a supportive boyfriend of thirteen years. Her family is her rock; she could not survive without them. Born a country girl, she transformed into a city woman who now lives in Montreal, Canada. Although French is her first language, Jude decided to write in English because she liked the challenge.

Jude Ouvrard is the author of two novellas,
Under the Sun
and
Wonderland
, and three novels,
Lost Dreams
,
Body, Ink, and Soul
, and
Ophelia
. She is currently working on a new project.

"Drama, true love, and tattoos...and everything in between!"

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