Inked in the Steel City Series (21 page)

“Thank you.” She resisted the urge to fan herself with the empty envelope as she studied him studying her work. With the exception of his ridiculously handsome face and his neck, Jed was covered in tattoos. There was even ink on his hands, dark and vibrant over the bulges of bones and sinew beneath the surface. It all added to his appeal. He was tall, dark and handsome in a bad-boy sort of way that made her head spin so fast she tripped a little and bumped her thigh on the corner of the nearby desk.

“You okay?” Jed asked, abandoning his perusal of the photos and shooting her a look full of concern.

“Fine,” she breathed, resisting the urge to search for a nearby rock to hide under. Most people didn’t trip while standing still. She was not most people.

She was so accident prone that she’d actually invented a few vivid fantasies that involved her tripping and Jed conveniently scooping her up, her knight in tattooed armor to the rescue… Thinking about those daydreams while standing right in front of him made her wish she could wipe her brain’s memory clean just in case Jed developed the ability to read minds.

“Are these the final images?” Jed asked, holding one aloft.

“Yes. I mean, unless there’s something you don’t like about them? I could always pop them into Photoshop and—”

“No,” he interrupted, “they’re perfect. It’s just that you’re usually so adamant about editing images before you’ll let me use them. I can never find anything I don’t like about them, but I’ve gotten to know you well enough to realize that your standards are higher than mine.” He grinned at her in a way he probably thought was good-natured. In reality, it made her feel in danger of melting from the inside out.

“I’ve already put those images through the editing process. Your client has great skin – I didn’t have to touch up much. I just brightened the colors and cleaned up the background a little.” Jed kept looking at her, and she knew she’d said all that needed to be said, but the words just kept coming. “Hardly any work at all, really, and
voilà
, they’re ready to go.”

Voilà
?

She was naturally chatty and she knew it, but when she was around Jed, sometimes she spoke just because the idea of silence made her nervous. Afterward, she almost always regretted it.

He still held her gaze captive. His eyes were so dark that his gaze always seemed intense when he turned it on her directly. “They look great. Thanks again for photographing McGuiness for me. I’m going to add these images to my online portfolio and the studio’s main page as soon as I get them in an e-mail from you.”

“Great. But it wasn’t hard to photograph, really – you did such an amazing job with that tattoo that it was easy to take a flattering picture.” The back piece Jed had done for McGinnis featured a ship sailing at full mast, riding waves that reflected the vibrant colors of a setting sun. It was amazing – so amazing she could almost see the waves moving and the sunlight shining on the water’s choppy surface when she looked at the pictures.

“Thanks.” He held her gaze for another moment before finally lowering his eyes and sliding the photos back into the envelope. “Do you need these back?”

“No, you can keep them. I can always print out more if I need them.”

“Thanks.”

“Yeah.” Her excuse for lingering in Jed’s office had evaporated like a drop of water in a hot frying pan, but her legs didn’t listen when she willed them to move. “So uh, just let me know whenever you have another spectacular project you want me to photograph, okay?”

She didn’t have any other sessions lined up for Hot Ink at the time, but she’d already photographed well over a dozen Hot Ink clients, plus the photo shoot with Mina and Eric that had started it all. Jed had been using some of the photographs in advertisements for the studio and on its website. Sometimes, when one of his clients had an especially unique or elaborate tattoo done, Jed offered them a Hot Ink gift certificate and free photo prints in exchange for posing for Karen.

The shoots were easy and fun – the unique and beautiful ink Jed gave his clients kept things fresh, made sure Karen had something different to photograph each time. And best of all, doing semi-frequent photo sessions on behalf of the studio meant she was often in contact with Jed – via e-mail, phone and all the in-person visits she could muster up some semblance of an excuse to make.

“I will,” he said, nodding. “Got a client coming in in a couple weeks for another back piece. If it turns out like I think it will, I’d love to have some professional shots of it for my portfolio.”

“No problem.” The soft lash of her own ponytail against the back of her neck alerted her to the fact that she was nodding too eagerly. Purposely stilling her bobbing head, she looked directly into Jed’s eyes. “Just let me know when the tattoo’s ready to be photographed – I can always find room in my schedule for Hot Ink clients.” After all, the first photo shoot she’d done for Hot Ink six months ago had been what had really launched her full-time photography career.

“About that,” Jed said, frowning. “I know your schedule has really picked up lately. I feel bad about taking up so much of your time when you’re so in demand.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Karen didn’t even try to restrain her movements as she shook her head, the end of her ponytail whipping her jaw. “The tattoo shoots don’t take long, honestly. I go into the shoot knowing exactly what I want to focus on, and I’ve picked up some tips and tricks on how to showcase tattoos.”

“At least let me pay you more. I know you’re shooting for Hot Ink at a much lower rate than you charge your other clients – I looked at your website.”

Karen’s heart did a funny little flip-flop maneuver at the thought of Jed browsing her website, taking in all the little details of her work – sort of like how she browsed Hot Ink’s website, frequently stopping by Jed’s personal page to stare at his portrait.

“No way. The rate stays as it is. I owe you a lot, Jed – that photo shoot I did for Hot Ink’s display windows and ads got me a lot of attention and gave me the confidence to quit waitressing and pursue my photography full-time. I’d still be hefting around platters of ribs and beer and waiting for a big break if it wasn’t for you.”

Jed smiled, flashing a half-grin that showed a little tooth and nearly stopped Karen’s heart. “You’re too kind. I feel like I’m taking advantage of you.”

“You’re not – I’ve actually been earning more since quitting my old job. I’m fine.” The admission sparked an internal glow. She
was
making more money as a full-time photographer than she’d been making as a full-time waitress and part-time photographer. That had been the case for months, but when she really thought about it, it still seemed a little surreal.

Jed shook his head. “I’ll wear you down eventually. Until then … thanks.” He waved the envelope. “I really appreciate the photos. Did Mina tell you how much our business has increased since we launched those ads and added some of your photography to our artists’ portfolios?”

Karen grinned. “She mentioned it.”

Something vibrated in the vicinity of Karen’s left butt cheek, and she jumped.

Jed’s dark brows rose an inch or two. “You okay?”

“Just my phone,” she mumbled, pulling the object in question out of her back pocket. She swiped her thumb across the screen, keeping her head bowed – maybe reading the text she’d just received would buy her enough time to lose the blush that had burned its way across the bridge of her nose.

Just took some pumpkin pie out of the oven. Want to stop by for dinner? We can order in from that noodle place you like.

Karen read the text a second time, her gaze slowing over the glorious words ‘pumpkin pie’ and ‘noodle place’. Nothing compared to her grandmother’s pumpkin pie, but the soba noodles from her favorite Japanese restaurant were a distant second – and that was saying something.

“Everything okay?” Jed asked.

Karen shut her mouth as subtly as possible, cringing inwardly as the fact that she’d just licked her lips registered. “Yeah, that was just a dinner invitation.”

“A date?”

“No.” The fact that he thought she’d been licking her lips at the mere thought of a date caused her to die a little inside. “It was from my grandmother.”

He grinned again for some reason. “I won’t keep you, then.”

“Okay. See you around, Jed.”

She turned without tripping, stumbling or licking her lips and made a relatively cool exit, passing the door and emerging into the aisle between the artists’ half-booths. She strode down it, ignoring the butterflies that burst into flight inside her stomach at the buzzing sound of a tattoo in progress. Yes, she loved photographing tattoos, but watching one be done usually made her feel faintly queasy. Needles … ugh. She clutched her phone a little too tightly and typed a reply to her grandmother, Helen.

Be there in twenty. :)

“See ya, Mina.” Tucking her phone back into her pocket, she paused at the front desk. It wasn’t like she could leave without saying goodbye to her best friend, even if Mina
was
wearing an infuriatingly knowing little smile. It was easy for her to laugh at someone else getting flustered – she was already engaged to Eric, the artist who sat in the nearest half-booth and was responsible for the current buzzing sound.

With his dark hair and blue eyes, Eric was gorgeous, and perfect for Mina, but he didn’t hold a candle to Jed. Jed was taller, darker … more rugged. She forced herself to make eye contact with Mina, refusing to glance toward the back of the shop.

“What’d Jed think of the photos?” Mina asked, leaning on the glass display case full of body jewelry. Was it only a trick of the evening light, or did she actually waggle her eyebrows up and down a little bit?

“He loved them.”

“As usual.” Mina smiled and tipped her head, sending her dark, straight hair swinging.

“Yeah, well, it was the back piece he did for that McGuiness guy. The one with the sailing ship? It’s an amazing tattoo.”

“Mmmhmm.” Mina just kept smiling, looking like the cat that had eaten the canary.

For the millionth time, Karen wished for the ability to travel back
in time and stop herself on the night she’d split a bottle of champagne with Mina – to celebrate becoming a full-time photographer – and confessed how hot she thought Jed was. Just the thought of it was enough to turn her cheeks red; she’d actually used the words ‘tall, dark and handsome’ to describe him out loud.

 “What’s
mmmhmm
supposed to mean?” she whispered, just in case any of the other artists or clients were listening in.

“It’s just that he always loves your photos. He loves everything you do.”

Karen gave Mina her fiercest
for-the-love-of-God-speak-quietly
stare.

Mina just grinned. It was official – she was exacting revenge upon Karen for pushing her and Eric together. And she
had
literally pushed Mina out of her hiding place in a restaurant bathroom once, when Mina had been having doubts about whether Eric was really attracted to her.

Karen preferred to think that she’d assisted in boosting Mina’s confidence. And it had all worked out in the end – Mina and Eric were engaged now. Very happily engaged.

“Guess I’ll see you Friday,” Karen said, choosing to ignore Mina’s waggle-browed smile and teasing comments.

“Of course you will.” Mina straightened, placing her hands flat on the countertop. “We’ll all be there – me, Eric, Jess and Jed.”

Karen’s heart stopped, then banged back to life again. “Jed?” Why in the world would Jed be at Ruby’s on Friday night? Had Mina actually invited him? Had he actually agreed to come?

“Didn’t anyone tell you? You two share the same birthday.”

“Who would tell me besides you?” Karen whisper-yelled, looking right into her friend’s eyes.

Mina grinned. “Eric just told me yesterday. We figured we could all celebrate together. Abby, James and Tyler are coming too.”