Damaged and the Cobra (10 page)

Aaron loved to walk around shirtless and I
overwhelmingly approved of his choice. Having seen the gym in one of the
house’s tiny bedrooms, I understood how he kept so ripped. Every time he caught
me admiring the view, I pretended to be looking at his tats. He wasn’t fooled.

His little bungalow wasn’t what I expected when I
imagined Aaron’s house. Passing by the front, I likely would have thought an elderly
couple lived inside. The front yard was small and generic with grass and
nothing else. Aaron clearly didn’t have a green thumb.

Inside was remodeled and felt new and fresh. Aaron obviously
wasn’t afraid of using bold primary colors. A red kitchen with black and white
tiled floors. A black accent wall in the living room. My favorite was his chalk
wall in what was likely meant to be a dining room. This was where he sketched
out ideas and kept his grocery list jotted down.

Despite the quaint vibe of the bungalow, the place was
male. The big TV, the large comfy leather couch. No accent pillows or
knickknacks, just art on the walls. In the gourmet kitchen were cookbooks on
the shelf, yet everything so clean that I doubted he cooked much.

Aaron was an artist in the body of a biker. He
smiled easily like a sweet boy next door and glared often like a bad boy
looking for someone to punch. His irritation was mainly directed at the sounds
out on the street. Deputy Dickhead or someone else nannying the neighborhood.

I stood next to Aaron as he glared outside. The front
porch looked cozy and I wished to sit out there and watch the world go by. Of
course, I was supposed to be at Bailey’s and I didn’t want anyone telling Larry
otherwise.

Eventually, we took sandwiches and sodas to the
back screened in porch. As we ate lunch, the dogs ran around the backyard searching
for something.

“Rabbits,” Aaron said, answering my unspoken
question. “We get rabbits running around here and the dogs think they’re
hunters.”

“Is there a reason you have Boston Terriers?”

“Don’t you like them?”

“I like any dog that likes me. Larry’s dog thinks
I’m a rabbit needing to be hunted.”

Aaron smiled, but his blue eyes held anger whenever
I mentioned my stepdad’s name.

“My mom breeds dogs. Not like a puppy mill, just as
a hobby. She and Cooper are always talking dogs when they get together. He
loves them big and scary. She likes them small and cuddly, but they’re dog
lovers at heart. It’s pretty fucking adorable to see them showing each other
pics on their phones.”

When I grinned for too long, Aaron leaned over the
table and kissed me softly. Returning to his seat, I felt my skin flush at the
expression on his face.

“Anyway, my mom had these two sickly runts that no
one wanted. I took them since I had moved in here and the house felt creepy
back then. Like a horror movie house. I thought something might come up through
the floor as I watched the game. Figured if I had dogs, the monster would eat
them first.”

We both laughed as he glanced at Pollack chasing a
butterfly.

“The sad thing is I would try to save them. How
lame is it when someone tries to save a dog in horror movie. Fuck. I hate when
people do it, but I’d want to save the little turds. They’d expect me to save
them too. They’d stare with those big eyes and how could I say no?”

“I don’t even know them and I’d try to save them
too.”

“Yeah, but you’re a sweet dove.”

“I’m not sweet.”

“In my reality, you are the sweetest. I like my
girls sweet. I also like when they can throw a punch. My delicate roller derby
girl.”

“Do you want me to show more of my moves?” I asked,
wiggling brows.

“Soon,” he said, smiling in an odd way. “I wish I
could see you during the week.”

“If you still like me by the end of the weekend…”

“If?”

“Things happen.”

“Nothing is going to happen. What were you going to
say?”

“I could spend next weekend with you too.”

Aaron nodded. “For how long do we need to sneak
around? I get why you need to do it, but how long do we need to hide?”

“I don’t know. Larry is being an asshole. He’s been
an asshole since I met him, so I can’t imagine anything is going to change
soon.” After a quiet minute, I added, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I just want more of you and I
couldn’t give a shit about fucking Larry and his rules.”

“I want to go to college and I can’t do that and
pay for rent.”

“Maybe you’ll be in a position to live somewhere
else rent free soon.”

Avoiding his gaze, I tried not to read too much
into his comment. Aaron sensed as much and seemed cranky afterwards.

“Can we go to your studio so I can look at your
artwork?”

“Sure,” he said, sounding bummed.

As I walked to the studio, Aaron followed slowly
behind me. I felt him planning things that were too much too soon. A week
earlier, I barely knew him. Even after talking on our date and last night, I
was still learning about Aaron. He wanted to save me though. A part of me
wanted to be saved. A bigger part of me wanted to be with Aaron every possible
minute. The logical Lark knew we were rushing into things because of Larry. Of
course, the asshole wasn’t a good reason to ruin a good start to an amazing
opportunity.

Moving around his studio, I was again amazed by how
different I looked to him than the way I saw myself. In the art, my eyes were
full of such energy that I never saw in the mirror. Glancing back at Aaron, I
smiled. However, he was deep in thought and didn’t notice.

Wearing just his boxers, he looked too irresistible.
Especially since he was pouting. I joined him near the door and he stared down
at me with those amazing eyes.

“A whole week without you,” he muttered. “It’s
bullshit and I need to tell old Larry where to stick his rules.”

“Why force things when this weekend has been so
prefect?”

“Because I’m spoiled and don’t want to wait,” he said,
fighting a little grin. “If we leave shit to fate, nothing will happen.”

“You sound like a whiny baby,” I murmured, running
my fingernails down his chest as I knelt on the ground. “Someone needs a nap.”

Aaron sighed. “Don’t.”

When he reached to stop me, I slapped away his
hand. “Don’t boss me around,” I warned, running my tongue along the edge of my
top teeth. “I’m no one’s bitch and you will submit.”

Laughing, Aaron caressed my hair. “You can know how
hot the look was that you just gave me.”

“Will you draw it for me later?” I asked while
tugging down his boxers and freeing an erection clearly on a different page as
the pouty man attached to it. “Your cock missed me.”

“Damn,” he whispered, wanting relief immediately.
“Let’s go inside.”

Stroking him, I smiled at Aaron. “Tell me you’re
beautiful.”

“I’m beautiful. Let’s go inside.”

“Tell me your body is a work of art.” I whispered,
kissed the head of his cock.

“Lark.”

“Tell me your cock is a work of art.”

Shivering, he reached to lift me to my feet, but I
squirmed away. “I want you in bed.”

“I’m ignoring you now. I refuse to be bossed around
on my days off.”

Aaron started to laugh until I licked the head of
his cock. A soft exhale later and he was finally a quiet boy while I sucked him
soft then with more intensity. Enjoying the salty warmth of his skin, I licked
the length of him then teased his balls. As I sucked at the soft underside of
his cock, I swore Aaron stopped breathing. By the time he came, I knew exactly
how to make him squirm.

Licking away the last drops, I smiled at him.
“Aren’t you glad I didn’t listen to you and stop?”

“Baby, I’ve never been so glad about anything in my
life,” Aaron said, lifting me to my feet. “I take that back. I was happier when
I learned you were spending the weekend here. I was happier when you got out of
Bailey’s car and I knew I had you to myself all weekend. Every happy moment is because
of you.”

“I am pretty amazing.”

Aaron smiled. “You’re being sarcastic, but I’m not.
You’re mine.”

My smile faded and I stared into his eyes. “I want
that more than anything. Right here with you, I can pretend the world doesn’t
exist outside us.”

Wrapping his arms around my body, Aaron kissed me
tenderly. As he held me against him, we sighed in a completely relaxed way.

“I need to take you inside where I can do things to
you.”

“What kind of things?” I asked, grinning. “Will I
make your dogs howl?”

“Hell yeah,” Aaron said, lifting me up so I could
wrap my legs around his powerful hips.

“I’ve never done that before,” I whispered before
going inside. “You were my first.”

Aaron kissed my cheek. “I’m less worried about
being your first, Lark. I just want to be your last.”

Nuzzling the crook of his neck, I smiled into his
warm flesh. “I want to pretend nothing and no one especially not fate wants to
keep us apart. Can we pretend that the rest of the weekend and not think about
when Bailey will show up?”

“For you, I can pretend anything.”

Letting Lark get into Bailey’s SUV was torture. If
I had my way, she would move into the house and I’d enjoy every morning waking
to that lovely smile. Instead, I watched her disappear around the corner,
knowing I wouldn’t be alone with her again until next weekend.

Every morning Lark worked at the restaurant, I
visited and stole a few kisses while she served me coffee and French toast. She
was different now and I loved the changes. More confident, Lark smiled easily
and often. Whenever she glanced at me and beamed in such a way, I knew she
wasn’t faking anything. Lark was mine and wasn’t planning on letting me go.

The rest of my days were dull in comparison to those
fleeting moments with Lark. Hanging out with Cooper was annoying because he
kept talking about his sperm and his woman’s eggs. He knew I wanted him to shut
up which was why he talked about it more.

After grabbing a sandwich with him where he
described how he likely knocked up Farah the night before based on the sheer
gallons of sperm he left inside her, I was fucking done talking to him for a
while. Cooper just laughed and ate a second sandwich.

“You’re so jealous!” he yelled when I flipped him
off and walked out.

Truth was I was jealous that he was with his woman
and I had to wait days to see mine. I wasn’t admitting any of this to Cooper
who was having too much fun at my expense.

Even before entering the tattoo shop, I heard
Jade’s voice and my fellow artist didn’t yell unless someone was on her last
nerve.

“You don’t know shit,” Jade hollered at Melissa who
shrugged.

Sitting on the couch in the waiting area was Jade’s
boyfriend Tony who worked as a bouncer at a local dive. The guy was huge and
likely got help of the injection sort to get so buffed. Yet, he was a teddy
bear with Jade and she cooed over his every boo boo. Now though, Tony was
flipping through a
People
magazine while his woman schooled Melissa.

“The guy looked like trailer trash,” Melissa said.
“No way does a guy with a mullet have the money to pay for a tat.”

“You can’t know what he does and doesn’t have if
you don’t talk to him,” Jade nearly screamed. “Where do you get off judging?”

Sighing, I nodded at Tony who gave me a grin. The
women ignored me though, so I stepped closer.

“Do we have to yell?” I said, turning on Professor
Longhair. Who could argue through the legend singing
Jambalaya
? Apparently,
these two chicks.

“She sent away a customer without even finding out
what he wanted.”

“The guy was trailer trash.”

“Melissa,” I said calmly, always the voice of
reason. “You can’t judge people based on their appearance. Haven’t we all dealt
with enough prejudice over the years from being tatted?”

“I’m not tatted,” Melissa reminded me.

“Well, we are and this is our shop. Next time
someone comes in looking for a tattoo, you have them talk to me or Jade. We’ll
see if we can help the person.”

“And if they can’t pay?”

“We’ll worry about that.”

“You’re the receptionist,” Jade added. “Not our
business manager.”

“I’m working on a degree in business.”

“Whatever you need to tell yourself, freshman,”
Jade said, spinning around and joining Tony on the couch.

“She’s a bitch,” Melissa muttered.

Sighing, I rubbed the back of my neck. “A bitch
that’ll ruin you if you don’t watch your mouth.”

Melissa started to complain then put on a smile as
the door opened. I knew it was Nick even before I saw him. Every time he came
in, his fellow freshman cooed and batted her eyes. Meanwhile, Nick acted like
she was a guy and he was incredibly heterosexual.

“Hey,” she said, ignoring his lack of interest.
“Are you going to the kegger at Jimmy’s house?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe we could meet up there.”

Nick pushed the bangs out of his eyes and displayed
a black eye. Melissa looked ready to touch it when he backed away.

“I’m dating someone,” he said quickly. “I’ll see
you around, Melissa.”

While Nick walked into my workroom with me
following behind, Jade laughed way too hard to be professional. I didn’t blame
her though.

“Who’s your chick?” I asked Nick while he yanked
off his shirt and got comfortable. “Anyone I know?”

Nick glanced back and shook his head. “There’s no
girl. I just don’t want to go out with Melissa.”

“She’s not your type?”

“I sent a guy in here to see about a tat and he
said the receptionist treated him like shit. I don’t need her treating me that way
one day too.”

“Besides, you’ve got your eye on a girl.”

“My girl is out of reach, but shitty seconds don’t
work for me either.”

“Fair enough,” I said, getting my needles ready.
“What happened to your eye?”

“A guy’s fist happened.” Nick pulled out his laptop
and sighed. “Do you mind if I ignore you so I can get my reading done? I’ll be happy
when the school year is done and I can get a break from this boring shit.”

“No problem.”

Nick glanced back again and grinned. “Lark seems
happy this week. Giggling over the smallest things. Girls like her don’t giggle
over nothing.”

“Lark is perfection, but you’re right about her
family. They’re bastards.”

“She’ll have to choose and Lark’s not stupid.
Sticking with shit isn’t her style. She’ll choose you and things will get
easier.”

“I hope you’re right.”

Nick nodded then the interest in his green eyes
turned off and I knew he was done talking. While he read, I worked on the last
part of his dragon. It wasn’t easy to focus on anything besides Lark, but I
finished his tattoo and headed home to another night alone. Two more days
before I’d have Lark back in my arms.