"I didn't want my sister giving you more ammunition against me."

"I already know what kind of man you are, Colton."

"Do you? Or have you simply made judgments based on how I acted when I didn't care what you thought?"

Vida began to feel uncomfortable. She didn't want Colton's att.i.tude to change towards her. She was comfortable with the way things were with them except for this morning, which she had every intention of forgetting about.

Without answering his question, she waited for him to get on the bike before getting on herself.

It had rained while they were inside, but the motorcycle drove effortlessly on the wet pavement. Colton was able to even control the bike when a car pulled out recklessly in front of them. Vida felt safe, not frightened in the least when she felt the bike's wheels slide slightly before Colton expertly maneuvered the bike to a slow stop. Expecting him to rant at the stupid driver, he surprised her by slowly regaining his speed until they were once more traveling through the night traffic.

She was becoming tired by the time Colton pulled up in front of his apartment.

"Mind if I take the shower first?" Vida asked once they were inside.

"No, you go ahead."

Vida didn't take long, wanting to go to sleep. Putting on her pajamas and brushing her hair before braiding it, she went out to the living room to see that Colton had made the couch for her.

Coming to a stop, she appreciated his thoughtfulness. She really didn't know how to handle this side of him. He had never been mean to her, merely treating her as a stranger in his home. Which she was. Now, with his change in att.i.tude and how he treated her with consideration, almost like a girlfriend, she was beginning to be scared of the feelings it was bringing to the surface.

"Thanks, Colton." Vida stepped around him, moving towards the couch.

"No problem. I can see you're tired."

Vida lay down on the couch, already half asleep. Colton turned the light out when he saw she was settled. She was about to roll on her side when she felt him standing by her side.

"Colton..."

"I'm going to let you get used to the idea of us while I wait for my divorce." Sinking to the floor beside her, he reached out to cup her cheek. "When my divorce is final, Vida, you're going to be in my bed," he said firmly.

Vida was determined to shut him down before things could go any further. She was about to let him have it for his mistaken a.s.sumptions when his mouth closed over hers, his tongue driving all thoughts of denial away until he lifted his head, taking his mouth away from her and rising to his feet.

"Now you can go to sleep, if you can." Colton's thick voice had her wanting to drag him back.

Vida rolled onto her side, her body in turmoil and sleep no longer close by. It took time for her body and mind to calm. Her body wanting his and her mind telling her to jump up and escape. Weariness finally overrode both, providing her with the sleep she needed.

Chapter 13.

Vida took a long time getting ready for work the next day, which provided her with the perfect excuse to ignore Colton. The morning ride to the tattoo shop had been full of nervous tension for her. Colton, on the other hand, was laid back as if he actually believed all he had to do was wait and she would fall in with his plans of having s.e.x.

Vida didn't try to straighten his misconceptions out. She had plans of her own that didn't include an overconfident horn dog with the scruples of an alley cat. Vida's lips twisted at her comparisons, but they were the truth. Every woman that came into his shop was given the same gorgeous, seductive smile; they didn't stand a chance against his s.e.xual chemistry that seemed to put them under his spell. Vida was going to be the exception, the one that could respite his f.u.c.k me smile. She took it as her personal mission to help these women fight back against his s.e.xual allure, whether they appreciated it or not.

The shop was busy enough that with the extra part-time tattoo artist Colton had hired she could pick and choose which artist was given clients. It was easier to do with the appointments scheduled on the phone, but she learned a system of penciling in clients then erasing them and going over it in ink for the clients that came in the shop with nonscheduled appointments.

It took a couple a days before Colton became suspicious. By the fourth day, there was no doubt left in his eyes when he escorted his last client, a trucker who wanted a tattoo that would take at least a couple of hours. Vida gave him an innocent smile, but couldn't prevent the smile of satisfaction from her lips as Tessa's next client, who looked like a lingerie model and wanted a bunny tattoo, looked longingly at Colton as he left the room.

Later that evening, Vida powered down her computer, packing it away in her backpack, as she waited for Colton to clean his room so it would be ready for the morning. Colton drove everyone crazy on his habits of cleanliness, but Vida respected his concern for his clients.

"Did you lock the door?" Colton asked, coming in the room.

"Yes. Ready?" Vida stood up about to reach for her backpack.

"In a minute. Come back to my room. We need to have a talk."

"Can't it wait until we're back at the apartment?" Vida didn't like the grim expression on his face.

"No, it can't." Turning, he left the room while Vida followed reluctantly.

Entering the room, she saw he had his tray set out. She thought he would have put it away for the night.

"Have a seat."

Vida sat in the chair he used to tattoo his clients.

"Ever wanted to get a tattoo?"

Vida, expecting him to take her to task for the clients he had been given, was surprised into giving an honest answer.

"Yes."

"Why haven't you gotten one?"

"I really don't know. I couldn't make up my mind which one to get or exactly where I wanted one."

"Trust me?"

"Yes." Vida had seen his work since she had started at his shop and it was really good.

"Then, you're getting your first tattoo."

"My first? I only want one," Vida objected.

"n.o.body has just one tattoo," Colton said absently as he pushed the stool closer to her. Moving her top to the side, he took a cloth and wiped where she thought he planned to put her tattoo. Vida stared ahead as he began to work on the front of her shoulder next to her collarbone.

"I will," Vida said adamantly.

"We'll see." He continued to work on her. It wasn't as painful as she thought it would be, but was glad it wasn't overly large. She kept trying to look down to see what he was doing.

"Stop it, or your lines are going to be crooked." Vida stopped moving, straightening in the chair. "The shop's been busy this week," Colton said matter-of-factly.

"Yes, more money for you and your partners." Vida joked half-heartedly, dreading where this conversation was heading.

"Yes, it is." He swiveled on his stool and then dunked his needle in ink before swinging around to begin drilling into her again. "You doing okay?"

"Yes."

"I noticed something a little strange this week." He continued to work steadily.

"Oh really?" Vida tried not to look down at what he was doing.

"Um, hm."

"What did you notice?" she asked when he didn't continue. Her nerves were stretching to a breaking point.

"I have had three women this week. Two that are happily married, and one that wanted her wife's name on her arm."

"That's so sweet."

Colton paused, looking up at her with narrowed eyes. "Yes, it was. Can you explain how I had such an overabundance of male customers when I saw several female clients in Tessa, Reverend's and Carlito's rooms?"

"Luck of the draw?" Vida pretended to stare at one of his drawings on the wall.

"If you give me another trucker that hasn't bathed in a week, or a businessman who wants a p.u.s.s.y tattoo without it being my turn again, I'm going to turn that a.s.s up and smack it until you can't sit down."

Vida swallowed hard. "I didn't-"

"Yes, you did. Don't deny it." Colton didn't look up at her, merely continued working, wiping her shoulder off. He slid his stool back. "You're done."

Vida got out of the chair, going to the mirror to look at her new tattoo. Staring, she was tempted to touch it, but didn't. If was a beautiful b.u.t.terfly. Its fragile, colorful wings were captured in whirls of lines and colors.

"Thank you, Colton. It's beautiful."

"Glad you like it. Now let's go home." He put his equipment up after cleaning his station while Vida admired how professional he was, and surprisingly meticulous.

"Let me wrap it." Vida turned back to him as he placed a wrap on her tattoo. "I'll put some lotion on it later. Make sure you don't get it wet when you shower."

"I won't." Vida nodded happily at the same time that Colton smiled indulgently.

Turning of the lights in his room, they closed the shop and drove home. The night air on his bike always refreshed her, but much too soon, they were at his apartment.

Vida went to the kitchen to fix them something to eat. By the time Colton got out of the shower, Vida had fixed them chicken and rice. She had discovered both of them had big appet.i.tes, but didn't like cooking. To stay fair, they took turns cooking.

They ate while Vida questioned Colton how he had began tattooing.

"I always liked to draw and was really good at it. In the Predators, one of the brothers was a tattoo artist. He gave me my first tat then, seeing I was interested, took me on as an apprentice."

"You're really good," Vida complimented. "Do you miss not being in the Predators?"

"Yes, they became my family. My dad took off when I was ten-years-old and never came back. Mom remarried; he was cool, but I could tell he wanted Mom to himself." Colton shrugged, taking the dirty dishes to the sink before grabbing a beer from the refrigerator and sitting back down at the table. "So when I was sixteen, I started hanging out at the Predators' clubhouse."

"Your mom didn't mind that you were hanging out with outlaw bikers?"

"No, because my stepdad was a Predator."

"Oh." Vida didn't know what to say. She couldn't ever imagine willingly letting a child of hers become involved in a motorcycle club.

"They're not all bad, Vida. The Predators are loyal. Their activities may not be completely legal, which is why the brothers can't let me visit without notice. If I'm around drugs, guns or convicted felons, I could lose my parole."

"I'm not going to say anything negative about them, Colton. They helped save me from Digger, and if they scare him enough to get Sawyer back, I'll owe them a big favor."

"Don't tell them that or you'll be giving private performances for the brothers at the clubhouse," Colton said seriously. "I'll handle any grat.i.tude they have coming."

Vida packed her own dishes into the sink and then filled it with hot water. "You going to strip for Ice?" Vida teased.

The dishes didn't take long, Colton sat at the table until she finished.

"I think I'll take my shower." Vida didn't want to sit and watch TV with him as she had the last few nights. She was beginning to look forward to spending time alone with him now that he was opening up, telling her about his past and drawing her closer to him.

Vida couldn't let herself get attached to him. She kept telling herself this over and over, remembering her mom after each and every one of her relationships had ended. Colton was more of a horn dog than any guy her mom had dragged home.

She showered, careful to keep her tattoo dry, and when she finished, she dressed in pajama pants and a top. After brushing out her long hair before she braided its thick length, she exited the bathroom to find Colton waiting for her.

"I need to rub some lotion on your tattoo and rewrap it. Have a seat on the couch."

"Okay."

Colton sat down on the couch, waiting expectantly. She sat down next to him, reaching up to tug her pajama top to the side, but Colton forestalled her by reaching out and casually unb.u.t.toning her top and sliding it off her shoulder.

"What the h.e.l.l?" Vida screeched, trying to pull her top back up.

"Stop it, Vida. Don't be ridiculous. You do realize I saw your strip act. Not only that, but I've had your nipples in my mouth." Vida didn't appreciate being reminded of him seeing her naked.

Gently, he unwrapped her tattoo.

He grew tired of her fidgeting with the top. "Sit still, Vida."

Vida pulled her top up to cover her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, making herself sit still as he rubbed lotion onto the tattoo before rewrapping the sensitive skin. When he was done, he tugged her top from her hands, helping her to slide her arms back into the sleeves. Before she was able to b.u.t.ton it up between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, he held the material apart as his knuckles stroked the soft globes.

Colton leaned forward to kiss the flesh between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Then, without rising up, he brought his weight forward. Vida leaned backward, trying to move away only to find herself lying on the couch with Colton above her. His lips traced towards a pink-tipped nipple. Laving it with his tongue, he surrounded the tip with his mouth and then sucked her into the erotic heat of his pa.s.sion.

Vida's head moved against the couch as he played with one breast before turning to the other, giving it the same tormented attention. All of Vida's good intentions disappeared as her insides clenched in need. She knew her body was telling her it wanted him; the warmth between her thighs was burning her, wanting instinctively to be filled.

Colton's mouth moved away from her breast, downward across her stomach, teasing her belly b.u.t.ton while making her stomach muscles quiver. Colton tugged her pajama bottoms off, letting them fall to the floor. Vida tried to slide out from underneath Colton, having no intention of having s.e.x with him, but Colton used the opportunity of her movements to slide down between her thighs.

"Colton, I'm not sure-"

"I know, baby. I'm not going to f.u.c.k you tonight. I'm just going to make you want me to."

Colton's mouth covered her p.u.s.s.y, consuming her in a fire she had never experienced before. His tongue slid between the cleft, finding her c.l.i.toris. Vida lost what little restraint she had left; her hips surged forward, trying to seek pressure against her where she needed it the most, instinct driving her movements to seek relief. Colton eased his tongue along the tip of her pa.s.sage, exploring the delicate flesh. She twisted not wanting gentleness, instead she wanted something to ease the building desire.