o my ears, whooshing around. Mixing with my wild heart palpation, I thought I'd go deaf before I said a word to him

for stopping by, Mr. Cole!" And now what?

hidden underneath layers of brightly colored tattoos. I'd never noticed them before. The reds, purples, and yellows ascended toward his ears, their patterns intricate, almost delicate. They

he outlines of his tattoos. I could almost feel the texture of the ink beneath my fingertips, a sensation so vivid it made my stomach flut

between his legs. The thought sent a rush of heat through my veins. Colors decorating his abdomen, spiraling and intertwining in designs I co

My alcohol consumption had been the perfect excuse for my severely sex-deprived mind to start concocting vivid images of him

skull. They protruded through the colorful tattoos, as if the tattoos were a band-aid, trying to concea

g that close to him, made my breath catch in my throat. I didn't even know why I was so mesmerized by it. It wasn't like me. But there was som

g clicking against it. Condensation scattered like droplets of rain over his fingertips, causing

u

what they said. I didn't want to seem too desperate for his attention. Plus-I'd find out eventually,

Mercy. You're better than thi

o. How hard c

t me to just walk over, just speak. But my feet felt like lead, and my chest was so tight

s a live wire he wasn't sure he wanted to touch. His presence was a balm to my frazzled nerves, and for a moment, I tho

ng in his eyes that seemed to understand the internal battle I was fighting. He didn'

white from the grip I had on the surface. The bartenders had always been friendly enough, but they weren't the reason I came here. They w

cus. I had

at him a

at a moment's notice. That's what I couldn't figure out about him. His quiet confidence seemed to exude from every pore, but there was something behind his ey

ll was he w

icity shot through me, raw and potent. I blinked, as if breaking the spell, and quickly turn

wasn't what I was here for. I wasn't some random girl who could j

e air of danger that surrounded him like an invisible cloud. I wanted to know

yet. Not when I was

embled slightly, and I silently cursed myself for being this way, for letting the thoughts get to me. I needed to

. I reached for it without looking at him, my f

ep it toge

't listen. And neit