Marks on My Skin (Love & Ink #1) (18 page)

She smiled, pulling up that wall once more. Had she thought she’d frightened me this morning? Surely admitting ya enjoy someone’s company wasn’t that much of a confession…then again, maybe with her it was.

Shayne twisted the glass in her hand, frowning down at it. I caught the sadness in her eyes, though I knew she hadn’t meant for me to see it.

Sidling closer, I put my hand on her back, pulling her attention back to me.

“Look, we both had a shite day…it’s still early. Why don’t we go out and have some fun? I’ll drive since I doubt ya should be. Just tell me where ya want ta go.”

Shayne tilted her head, then decisively slid off the barstool and headed for the door. I looked around the room for Niall. He was busy talking to a couple girls over by the pool tables. I gave him a quick nod and followed after Shayne.

“Where we headed, milady?”

She snorted, fumbling with her keys and handing them over. “Milady? We’re going to the movies. I’ll tell you how to get there.”

I climbed into the driver’s side of her Thunderbird, stealing a glance at her pale thighs as she settled herself in the passenger seat. On her left thigh she had a white rabbit tattoo. He was falling, his coat tails flailed out behind him and his pocket watch trailing in the air above him. I’d noticed it before, but hadn’t really thought about what it meant. At first glance, you just think of tattoos as pretty, or cool, or interesting. But just like the marks Shayne had tattooed over on her arms, this one also seemed to hold some meaning. Without thinking, I traced a finger over it. Shayne tugged at her skirt and I pulled my hand away.

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.” Her own fingers were tracing the image, a thoughtful look on her face.

“Was that…from before?”

“Yeah, I got him after I was clean. A reminder.”

“I like it.”

We drove out of Midtown for twenty minutes, not saying much else until I saw a sign for a drive-in theater.

“Here?”

“Yeah. I used to come here a lot when I was younger. One of my favorite places.” A wistful look moved through her eyes as we drove under the lit sign displaying two movie titles.

I pulled the car up to one of the windows and got us tickets to the more comedic movie. I figured both of us could use a laugh after today. When I parked the car and turned the engine off, she smiled at me, and for the first time since I’d seen her tonight, she looked genuinely happy.

“So ya used ta come out here, eh?”’

“I’d sneak out and take the bus out here most weekends. Sometimes during the week too. My mother wasn’t usually home anyway, so it wasn’t hard to do and nobody paid attention to the skinny kid watching from the playground over there. Probably thought I was here with my parents so they never asked me to pay.”

A pang of sympathy hit me in the gut. After seeing her mother, I could only imagine how coming here and escaping reality for a couple hours at a time could be solace for her.

“My parents took me a few times. Not to a drive-in though.”

Shayne looked up at me, pursing her lips. “Liam told me they were killed.”

“Yeah. I was nine at the time. Niall was seven.”

Just the mention of my brother brought guilt. He had raised me and Niall after our parents’ murder. He’d given up a lot for us…and here I was with his best friend. Was it wrong of me? It wasn’t like people could help who they were attracted to. Then again if Kendall wanted to, she could use that same excuse for her indiscretions.

“Sometimes I wonder if it would have been easier if she’d just died.” Shayne glanced at me apologetically. “I mean…given how she is. I can’t imagine what you guys went through.”

“No, I get it. My parents were great. I miss them every day. But if I’d gone through what you had, I can’t say how I’d feel.”

My jaw tightened at the thought of my parents, the thoughts of our old home and our old life back in Ireland, but I forced them away. Shayne’s lips thinned into a straight line and she nodded, but I was relieved she didn’t push the subject of my parents any further. No doubt, she already heard the story from Liam at some point. She sighed, tilting her head thoughtfully at the screen. I wondered what she was thinking. Perhaps her life would have been better if her mother had just died, or perhaps not. I found my mind wandering as well, thinking about what my life would have been like if my parents had lived. Would I have come to America eventually? Stayed in Ireland? I might not have met Kendall…then again I might not have met Shayne either.

“Ya want anything ta drink? Any popcorn?” I asked after several minutes in an attempt to pull both of us from our thoughts.

Her eyes lit up. “Popcorn would be nice. I usually didn’t have money for it when I came out here.”

“Comin’ right up.” I winked at her then climbed out of the car and headed for the concession. The previews were just finishing up by the time I made it back to the car and her gaze was on the movie screen. Sitting there unaware of me, she looked blissful, and innocent. I could imagine her as a girl sitting on the nearby playground, engrossed in the latest film. A little sliver of happiness in a life that had been filled with heartache. She noticed me finally and gave me a curious sideways glance.

“You just going to stand there?”

I wiped the wistful grin off my lips and got in the car, handing her the popcorn. Shayne tossed a couple pieces into her mouth then held the bag out for me.

“No, I’m good.”

She watched me with a discerning look, determining whether or not to accept that as a suitable answer. I grinned at her and her eyebrow ticked up before she popped another kernel into her mouth and licked her lips.
No, I don’t want popcorn
, I thought, doing my best to refocus my attention from her lips to the movie screen.

She caught my attempt to subtly re-adjust myself, but kept quiet. A small grin crossed her lips as she popped more popcorn into her mouth.

“Adam Sandler, eh?” I nodded at the screen. Shayne giggled but returned her attention to the movie and relaxed against her seat, continuing her industrious munching. I watched her from the corner of my eye, her rapt attention on the movie. Not that it was all that good. Still, coming out here had lifted her mood, and for that I was happy. Something stupid happened on screen and she giggled, missing her mouth entirely and dumping a couple pieces down her shirt. She put the bag between her thighs and pulled her shirt forward, peering in for the stowaway kernels.

“Ya need help over there?”

“I can get it. Not the first time it’s happened.” She said, sticking her fingers into her cleavage. My lips twitched with mischief and I leaned over.

“No really, allow me.”

I grabbed her wrist and pulled her hand away, dipping my tongue between her breasts and coming up with the two pieces on the first try. Even that surprised me. I bit down, chewing them with a loud crunch then grinned at her. Shayne only blinked, equally surprised, before her mouth eased into an amused grin.

Spurred on by her reaction, I said, “Mmm, this popcorn is pretty good. Maybe I’ll have some after all,” and dipped my head down, fishing out a few more pieces from the bag still between her thighs in a very suggestive manner.

“Kieran!”

“Wherth? I warsh jhush gerring merrr popcern!” I tried to say through a mouthful.

Shayne shook her head at me and ran a finger across my jaw. “And now you’re covered in butter.”

“Mmm.” I flicked my tongue out and swiped it over her finger. I meant it to be playful, but her eyes widened, and I caught the flicker of her tongue brushing her own lip. She wiped more butter and salt from my chin and I grabbed her wrist, pulling her fingers to my mouth.

The mood in the car shifted and the air thickened. Neither of us paid any more attention to the movie on the screen. She kept her gaze intent on me and I slid her fingers between my lips, slowly swirling my tongue around them and emitting a throaty groan. A gleam moved through her eyes and she shifted against the seat, squeezing her thighs together, completely forgetting the bag of popcorn—which promptly exploded across the passenger side and the dashboard.

“Oh shit!”

“Well I’ve certainly never made a girl do that before.” I sniggered.

Her cheeks flushed and she reached out to clean up the pieces on the dashboard, but I stopped her.

“C’mere.” I tugged her arm and pulled her against my chest. Her mouth found mine and I caught her bottom lip, flicking my tongue across it and tasting the leftover saltiness there. Her body relaxed against me, and her lips parted, her tongue searching for mine. Shayne moaned and wisps of arousal ran through me at the sound. Despite the crap with Kendall and Liam, or whether this was right or wrong, I wanted Shayne. Her lips pulled at mine, hungry and wanting and I slid my hand between her thighs.

“Take off yer knickers.” I whispered, my voice thick and gruff. Shayne nodded, not pulling her lips away from me. She wriggled out of them and tossed them into the backseat. “Now touch herself.” I told her. “Let me watch.”

I had no idea where the words or where the commanding tone it came out in came from, but Shayne pulled away from me, laid back against her side of the car, and spread her legs. Her fingertips trailed her already moist folds up to their peak and she traced little circles around the swollen pink nub. She mewled softly, moving her hips with her delicate strokes. My breath caught and blood rushed down to my cock at the sight.

“Mmmmph, now taste herself.” I groaned, undoing my jeans and gripping the growing stiffness in my hands. Her gaze darted to my exposed cock and she sucked in a harsh breath.

“Go on.”

She looked around, wary of the other moviegoers, then slowly brought her fingers to her mouth.

“Worried about getting caught?” I laughed, my own breathing heavy as I slid my hand over my shaft.

“A little.” She admitted with a sheepish grin and licked at her fingertips.

“Now let me have a taste.”

I motioned to her fingers, and she brought them to my lips. My tongue darted out, tasting her. Another jolt of pleasure ran through me, and I grabbed her wrist, sliding her fingers into my mouth once more, wanting to taste more of her. “Mmm, feck Shayne.”

I took her mouth and dragged my tongue across hers, tasting her there as well. My cock pulsed with need and Shayne reached down, sliding her hand over mine. I thrust into her grip, kissing her with deep, languid strokes, needing more, wanting more of her. It wasn’t enough. With Shayne, I never felt like it was. She was intoxicating, addicting.

“C’mere.” I grabbed her hips and slid her onto my lap, positioning myself against the slick warmth between her thighs. A visible shiver shook through her and passed through me. “Take me inside ya. All of me,” I told her, my voice thick and raspy.

Shayne glanced around at the other cars and the people milling around. I shifted my hips, encouraging her. Her eyes flickered back to mine and she slowly wriggled her hips, easing me inside her. The warmth of her stretched and enveloped my cock and I groaned against her neck. My fingers dug into her hips and I fought the urge to thrust full force inside her.

“Like that, Shayne. Just like that.” I whispered. In the dark of the car I explored the curves and contours of her body. My hands squeezed her luscious arse as my mouth found its way to her breast. She teased me with her slow, teasing movements, lifting herself so that I was nearly out of her before taking me in again, inch by torturous inch. I groaned, pulling her hardened nipple between my teeth. Shayne whimpered, a trembling sound that melted away any restraint I had left.

I released her nipple, letting out a sharp breath and pressing my head back against the seat. “Faster, Shayne.” The words choked out of me as I thrust into her. She whimpered again and brought her hips down to meet my strokes in perfect rhythm. One hand still gripped her waist and I reached up to grab a fistful of her hair with the other. I breathed in her sweet earthy scent that clung to her and mixed with the scent of sex. My cock throbbed inside her, and I sank my teeth into her shoulder with a low growl. I was close. So close.

“Like that?” Her voice trembled. I could tell she was close too.

My cheek brushed hers as I nodded. I caught her earlobe between my teeth and gave it an encouraging tug. “Come for me, love. Let me hear that moan of yers.”

Shayne bit her lip but the cry escaped her, unrestrained. Her arms tightened around me. She rode me, bouncing on my lap. Whatever curious onlookers she had been worried about had all but been forgotten as her body collided with mine. Another jolt ran through me and I held her tight, nails digging into her skin. With a high-pitched whimper, she threw her head back and her muscles clenched around me. I drove into her harder as the threads of my own control slipped away.

“Kier!” Her breathless gasp sent me over the edge. A deep groan escaped me as my hips bucked beneath her. I bit into her shoulder and Shayne’s body shivered in my arms. My own body convulsed and tensed as I succumbed to the waves of release rushing through me.

Several minutes passed and I just held her, breathed her in, and stroked her hair. She shifted in my arms, and I loosened my grip, my heart still pounding in my chest.

“You’re amazing, Shayne.” I said, sucking in a deep breath. Her cheeks flushed and she started to pull herself off my lap, but only succeeded in landing her arse smack dab on the car horn.

Several moviegoers in their cars and walking by stopped and looked in our direction.

“Did you still want to finish the movie, or would now be a good time to leave?”

She slid into her seat and ducked her head down, her cheeks now a dark crimson. “Let’s go. I can always rent it later.”

I smiled, tucking myself back into my pants and avoiding the disapproving look of one older woman.

“Yeah, that’s probably best. Let’s go get the popcorn cleaned up.”

CHAPTER TWENTY ONE

The Lube Incident

Work had become a lot less interesting in the last two weeks without Kieran there, but I didn’t want further tension between me and Liam. We hadn’t been talking much, only when necessary. I mumbled a goodbye and snatched my purse out of the office, heading for my car. With nearly perfect timing my phone buzzed in my pocket. Niall’s number flashed across the screen.