Ariel

  Letting a guy you’d just met ink whatever he wanted onto your skin was probably not the smartest decision I’d ever made, but it’d really paid off. The tattoo Maddox had done for me was stunning. I’d never seen anything quite like it before. It was intricate and delicate, yet somehow; it radiated strength. It was a beautiful mixture of different symbols; some I recognized and some I didn’t. The whole piece was inked with multiple shades of vivid colors. It was one of the most gorgeous things I’d ever seen.

  When we walked back out to the reception area, Belle was already there. She was chatting with Wendy, and they both grinned when they saw that Maddox was holding my hand. I was in a bit of a daze from my tattoo session and that little kiss against the back of my neck, but I still knew what the smug look on Belle’s face meant. I was never going to hear the end of this.

  After a quick glance up at Maddox to make sure he wasn’t looking at me, I stuck my tongue out at my sister. Her eyes went wide, and she slapped her hand over her mouth as she started to giggle. It wasn’t the reaction I was expecting, but I understood it when Maddox bent towards my ear to whisper, “If you stick your tongue out again, I’m going to take it as an invitation.”

  Oh, my. I felt that sensual promise deep in my core as a shiver raced up my spine.

  “And on that note, I better drag Ariel out of here or else she’ll never leave.” Belle came over and tugged my hand out of Maddox’s hold, offering him an apologetic smile. “Sorry, but I kind of need her since she’s my ride. Griffith isn’t expecting us back for another hour or so, but he’s already blowing up my phone. Cyra came close to rolling from her tummy to her back, and he doesn’t want me to miss it if she tries again.”

  Any thought I’d had of suggesting that Belle could take my car and leave me here flew out of my head at the mention of my adorable niece’s possible milestone. “I guess we’d better get going then because I don’t want to miss it, either!”

  “Definitely, but first I have a bone to pick with Maddox.” Belle shot an accusing glare in his direction. “Wendy won’t let me pay for my tattoo. She said you sent her a text and told her that if I put up a fuss, she should just tell me to tip Candice what you’d normally charge for my session.”

  “Yup.” He leaned against the counter.

  Belle’s eyes narrowed. “Griffith pays you for his ink, right?”

  “Yup.” His lips kicked up in a small grin, and I had to stifle a giggle at how he was torturing my sister like he’d known us forever.

  “Then I don’t understand why I can’t pay for mine.”

  Maddox shrugged his broad shoulders. “And I don’t get why this is such a problem for you.”

  “Because you can’t just give me a free tattoo!” Belle stomped her foot.

  Their argument was going round and round in circles with no end in sight, so I raised my hand like I was a student in a class who had a question. I waited for both of them to look at me before I asked, “Is mine free too?”

  “Probably, since Wendy wouldn’t let me pay for yours either,” Belle grumbled.

  Maddox’s blue eyes flared with an emotion I’d only really ever seen in Griffith’s when he looked at my sister. “You’re sure as fuck are not paying to have my ink on your skin.”

  “Fine. I get it. I’m guessing that you’re not going to budge on this since I recognize that caveman look in your eyes. I see it all the time from Griffith,” Belle huffed. “As long as you keep it aimed in my sister’s direction, my hubby might get over the fact that another guy paid for something for me. Maybe.”

  “Trust me, he’ll get it.” Maddox kept his eyes locked on me as he walked over to the door and held it open for us. Then he followed us out to my car and waited until I was buckled in my seat to bend down and whisper, “I’m sure I’ll be seeing you soon, little mermaid.”

  After he shut my door, I watched him walk across the parking lot and back into Ink Addiction before I started up my car and pulled out. My sister only managed to wait about two minutes before she started in on me.

  “So.” Belle’s brown eyes twinkled with humor. “You let him call you little mermaid? I thought you hated that nickname?”

  “Don’t even go there,” I warned. “If you even think of using it, I’m going to go out and buy you every single piece of Beauty and the Beast memorabilia I can find. Then I’m going to tell your hubby how much you love the music from the movie so that he starts singing it to you all of the time. And how much you want him to role play as them...in bed.”

  She held up her hands in a gesture of surrender. “Geesh! Pull out the big guns, why don’t you?”

  “Yeah, well. I didn’t want you to get any ideas.” I’d gotten a lot of The Little Mermaid jokes as a kid, which she was well aware of. “Just because I let a super-hot guy call me ‘little mermaid’ doesn’t mean I’m going to let anyone else get away with it.”

  “Since I have a super-hot guy of my own, I totally understand where you’re coming from,” she conceded.

  “But Maddox isn’t mine,” I denied. “We just met a few hours ago.”

  “Yeah, and I noticed you guys were holding hands when you came back out after your session with him. Did anything else interesting happen back there?”

  “No, of course not! Why would you even ask me that?” I protested, my cheeks heating.

  “What?” She blinked her eyes innocently. “I just figured there must’ve been a reason that he took you back to his private studio.”

  I didn’t understand the point she was trying to make. “Where else was he supposed to do my tattoo?”

  “He has a station a couple of doors down from Candice’s. She was surprised he wasn’t using it when she popped over to ask him a quick question after she was done with my tattoo. I guess it’s where he usually does his sessions. She couldn’t remember the last time a client was in his private studio,” Belle explained.

  “Oh.” I hadn’t thought twice when Maddox had walked me past a bunch of stations, but I really liked the idea of him doing my ink in his personal space. It made me feel like my tattoo was even more special than it already was.

  “While I was waiting for you to finish up, I asked Wendy about it. She thought maybe the last time he did a tattoo for a client back there was when he did work on some foreign dignitary who was in town and needed to have his security in the room with him, and that was last year.”

  When I pulled up at the next stop light, I turned my head in Belle’s direction and rolled my eyes. “You’re such a nosy Nellie! Did you spend all your time after you were done with your tattoo grilling Maddox’s staff?”

  “Of course I did, silly,” she laughed. “What kind of sister would I be if I didn’t ask questions about the guy when the chemistry between the two of you was probably visible all the way on the moon.”

  “Like you have any room to talk,” I grumbled. “I’ve seen how you and Griffith are together.”

  Belle flashed me a triumphant grin. “Exactly! Thanks for making my point for me, sis.”

  We bickered back and forth good-naturedly the rest of the way to her house. She practically leapt from the car when I pulled into their driveway. “Slow down before you hurt yourself,” I called as I exited the vehicle. “Or else you’ll end up in the emergency room, and Griffith will blame me for it.”

  “No, I won’t since I saw it all happen from the window,” he disagreed from their open front door. “Your sister’s right. You need to be more careful, baby.”

  He softened the warning by tugging her into his body when she got close and claiming her mouth in a deep kiss.

  “Where’s Cyra?” I asked after they finally came up for air, and we headed inside the house.

  “Sorry, she just fell asleep maybe five minutes ago. I tried to keep her up so you could see her, but my baby girl was beyond ready for her nap.” Griffith pointed at the monitor screen on the kitchen counter, where we could see Cyra in her crib. “What’d you two get up to while you were out?”

  I figured that my sister would prefer to show him her tattoo in private since it was going to mean a lot to him to see his name and Cyra’s on her skin. But, she hadn’t seen mine yet, so I decided to show both of them and then get the heck out of dodge before she told him she’d gotten one too. “Belle talked me into getting a tattoo!”

  “A tattoo?” Griffith echoed, his eyes narrowing. “You guys better have gone to see Maddox. I wouldn’t trust anyone else.” It wasn’t a surprise that he was worried. When he and my sister became a couple, he’d kind of taken on a big brother role with me. It was sweet.

  “Of course she did.” I tugged the soft material of my shirt so they could see the spot on my left shoulder where Maddox had inked me. Belle oohed and ahhed over it, but Griffith was strangely silent as he stared at my skin. “What do you think?”

  He pointed to at the top of his full sleeve where he had a smaller version of one of the unique symbols in my tattoo. When I looked closer at the very spot where his finger was pointing, I realized the center of the symbol was an M and an H. I gasped, and my eyes flew up to meet Griffith’s laughing ones. He grinned and winked. “He basically marked you as his.”

  Chapter 4

  Maddox

  As soon as the girls left, I turned to Wendy. “When Ariel comes back, send her to my office,” I instructed as I walked past her desk. When another thought occurred to me, I stopped and pivoted around. “Unless the shop is on fire, I don’t want anyone disturbing me while she’s here.”

  Wendy’s eyebrows rose, but I didn’t wait around for her to say anything. On my way to my office in the back, I stopped at each station to check in with the three artists on shift today.

  Eventually, I got settled behind my desk and sighed in frustration at the mound of paperwork in front of me. I fucking hated paperwork. Wendy was doing her best to cover the front and temporarily fill the missing spot for an office manager. I really needed to find someone. Until then, I was doomed to a hell of my own making. So, I booted up my computer and got to work.

  * * *

  SLAM!!!

  I jumped in my seat at the sudden crash of my door being flung shut with the force of a furious woman. It probably wasn’t the smartest reaction, but I couldn’t help grinning at the sight of Ariel standing in my office, her blue eyes bright with fury, looking like she was going to breathe fire any minute. She looked fucking hot, and I was instantly hard as a rock.

  “What the hell, Maddox!” she yelled. “You marked me? This”—she pointed to her shoulder—“is freaking permanent!”

  I leaned back in my chair and threaded my fingers together at the back of my head. “Yup.” My smile widened when her skin flushed even more.

  “Who are you? Gary Cooper?” Ariel seethed and stomped her foot adorably. “What’s with the one-word answers?” She stormed over to my desk and bent over it, placing her palms on the top. “Explain yourself, Maddox Holt.”

  I stood up and mirrored her position from the other side, bringing our faces inches apart. Her breathing picked up, and a different kind of heat churned in her eyes. “You told Belle that it didn’t make sense for you to get a tattoo since you weren’t doing it for your man.”

  Ariel raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment, and I shrugged. “Since you’re mine, now you have one for the same reason.” Her jaw fell slack, and she just stared at me. “Honestly, baby. You’re lucky I didn’t just tattoo my name in big, bold letters,” I admitted with a smirk. “I haven’t ruled that out for the future.” I winked, and her face twisted into a scowl.

  She stood straight and crossed her arms over her chest, which lifted her tits up. Since I was a man and my woman had a fucking awesome rack, I was momentarily distracted. “What do you mean I’m yours?” she snapped. “I just met you”—I prowled around the desk while she continued to rant—"You can’t just decide something like that. I mean—”

  Her words cut off abruptly when I yanked her into my arms, pressing our bodies together. It was impossible for her to miss the large, hard bulge pressing into her stomach, and her mouth formed a cute little O. Her sweet, pink lips were begging for a kiss, and I was desperate to know if her mouth tasted as sweet as her skin.

  I grabbed her chin with one hand and crashed my mouth down over hers. Since her lips were already parted, I slipped my tongue inside and groaned at the delicious flavor. She was every bit as saccharine here, and I had no doubt she tasted this good everywhere. It was very likely that once I got my mouth on her pussy, it would become my favorite dessert.

  Ariel clenched the fabric of my T-shirt on my chest, almost ripping it off with the strength of her grip. I bucked my hips gently and was rewarded with a needy moan. I had to stop, or I was going to end up fucking her on the couch in my office.

  I started to pull back, but Ariel chased my lips and expelled a small whimper that went straight to my dick. “Fuck,” I grunted before giving in to her demand and taking her lips in another soul-stealing kiss.

  When she moaned again and gave as good as she got, I lost all sense. My hands went to her hips, and I slowly backed her up until she bumped into the wall by the door. I had just enough clarity to reach out and fumble with the handle until the lock clicked.

  I grabbed her ass and boosted her up; using the wall as leverage while I guided her legs around my waist. My cock was snuggled up against the warmth of her pussy. Ariel moaned and let go of my shirt, only to slide her hands underneath the hem to explore the ripples of my abs.

  My hips rocked involuntarily, and I groaned at the blissful sensation. Ariel’s head fell back against the wall with a thump, exposing her neck. I trailed my lips down her jaw and licked a path along her sugary skin. “Fuck, I want you,” I rasped. “I’ve never felt hunger like this.”

  I rocked forward again, and she hissed, “Yes.”

  I couldn’t believe I was going to take her for the first time like this, rather than in our bed, but fuck, I didn’t have a shred of control left. Except…I lifted my head and stared deeply into her blue eyes; cloudy with passion and need. “If you agree to let me take you, there’s no going back, Ariel,” I growled firmly. “You’ll be mine completely, no arguing or denials. Is that clear?” Not that I would have really given her a choice, but it would be easier if she gave in and didn’t continue to fight me about it.

  “Do you want me inside you, baby?” I practically purred. “Because I’m dying to sink into your hot little pussy.” I circled my hips, and she moaned. “I bet you’re drenched, aren’t you, baby? Are you wet for me?”

  “Yes,” she whimpered, her hands grasping my sides as she moved her pelvis, searching for relief.

  My hands squeezed her ass. “Yes, what?” I asked firmly.

  “I’m…um…wet.”

  “And,” I prompted.

  “Please, I want you inside me.”

  Keeping her plastered against me, I backed away from the wall and carried her over to the black, suede couch on the other side of the room. Laying her down carefully, I let go and stepped back. Ariel squirmed and whined in protest. “Patience, baby,” I chuckled as I unsnapped her jeans. Sliding them down, I swallowed hard as her peach silk covered pussy was exposed. I tossed the pants on the floor and licked my lips. She reached for me, but I grabbed her wrists and shook my head. “I want to taste you first.” I glanced up, and my eyes raked over her beauty. “Lose the shirt, baby. Then I want you to keep hold onto the armrest behind your head. Can you do that for me?”

  She nodded before tugging her T-shirt off and tossing it on her jeans. She was left in nothing but her peach underwear, which made her look almost naked. I stood and stripped down to my black boxer briefs. A smirk tipped up my lips when her gaze locked onto my cock, the tip peeking out of the top. “I’m not sure you’ll fit,“ she said as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

  I crawled over her body to straddle her hips and cupped her face. “We were made for each other, Ariel. Trust me, when I’m ten inches deep in your pussy, it’ll be a fucking perfect fit.” Hands trailed down her neck and the valley of her tits before I popped the front clasp of her bra. Her breasts spilled free, and my dick wept with pre-come. Dipping low, I licked and sucked on one rosy nipple like a lollipop, scraping it with my teeth as I let it go before doing the same to the other.

  Ariel shuddered and cried out. I wanted to spend more time on her tits, but the desire to put my face in her pussy was too fucking strong. I scooted back, gliding my hands over her silky skin all along the way until they reached the waistband of her panties. They swiftly went the way of the rest of her clothes.

  When I saw the bare, glistening lips of her pussy, my cock jerked violently and spurted a little come onto her. However, my expression darkened into a scowl, and my hands clenched her thighs. “You better not have been shaving this pussy for another man,” I growled.

  Ariel shook her head frantically. “I just prefer it. It’s cleaner and easier maintenance.”

  My frown dissolved into a smile, and I petted her pussy lightly. “Good girl. No one else gets to be anywhere near this. It’s all mine from now on.”

  She cleared her throat and squirmed a little, but not from desire. “Um…you’re um…the only one…” Her cheeks burned with twin spots of red, and she looked away.

  Pride and happiness puffed up my chest, and I took hold of her chin again, forcing her to look at me. “You have no idea how happy I am to hear that, baby. I would want you no matter what, but knowing this pussy is and has only ever been mine makes me want to shout and beat my chest like a fucking caveman. I could come just from the thought of popping your cherry, baby.”

  Ariel giggled, and the color began to fade as she smiled with relief. Then her expression darkened a little and she gazed at me warily. “I don’t suppose…”

  “You’re not my first, baby. I wish you were. But you’ll be my last.” I shook my head. “I don’t even remember anyone before you. It’s been so long I couldn’t tell you the last time.” I hadn’t felt interested in a woman for years, and now I knew why. My heart had known I was waiting for Ariel long before my head.