Temporary (Indelibly Marked #2) (18 page)

Emily stared down at her lap.

“We had a deal.” Ivan straightened up. “We made your
magazine. You have to give us some time. I’m working on it.”

“If we don’t run the story soon, we will lose every bit of
our credibility.”

Emily stayed perfectly still.

“Do you or do you not remember who gave you full access to
the shop when you had only two views on your blog? How many exclusives has
Shane given you when you know we could have gone to a bigger outfit?” The urge
to jump off the table and shake the man overtook him, but he forced himself to
stay put.

Jake leaned forward. “Because of that, I got the exclusive
on the story.”

He clenched his jaw to the point his bones threatened to
snap. The exclusive only meant Jake controlled the first mention. After the
story broke, the world would run it.

“Let’s face facts. It’s an open and shut situation. It
happens. The sooner we get it over with the sooner people can move on from it.”

“Not for us.” Permanent was always in the spotlight. The
publicity wouldn’t go away or be forgotten. “How long do we have?”

“The story is running next Friday.” Jake’s voice lowered as
if that would soften the blow.

Nothing ever made it easier. Over the years people made
comments on his mother’s death, told him it was better that it happened fast,
or decided on their own it was better that she didn’t suffer. Others simply
pitied him and said it was easier when there was a warning. The truth of the
matter was, it didn’t matter. No matter how anyone was slapped with their
fears, it sucked.

“The baby’s due any second,” Emily whispered.

“You need to leave.” He jumped off the table. “If you ruin
anything for Shane and Lindsay and the rest of us, I will make sure you go down
with us.”

Jake stood. “Ivan, if it was anyone else, you wouldn’t have
gotten a warning.”

“Ivan.” Emily laid her hand on his shoulder.

He quite literally bit his tongue and took a breath. “Next
Friday.”

“I’m sorry. His attorney threatened us, said we were showing
favoritism to Permanent and told us we wouldn’t have given the same
consideration to any other shop. He even cited some shops that are up and
coming.”

“Oh yeah, like who?” Needing to end the conversation for
Emily, he corralled Jake over to the rest of his crew.

“I don’t know. Twisted Tattoo.” Jake shrugged. “They’re
coming back after being featured in the greatest tattoo fails several years in
a row.”

Ivan froze. Since taking over Permanent, he’d heard the name
Twisted Tattoo too many times. One of the stories flashed through his mind, one
on a horrible portrait. The tattoo looked nothing like the picture. Who did the
touch-up work? “Hey, I didn’t mean to get so upset. I am doing my best to keep
everything copasetic for Shane.” He held his hand out.

“Something tells me Shane’s not the main reason.” Jake shook
his hand and they both turned to Emily. “She was right. You’re great in front
of the camera once you get going.”

“Thanks.” With his mind still buzzing, he returned to her
and slid his phone out of his pocket.

“Ivan?”

“Do you want to see your tattoo?” He became lost in staring
at the screen.

“Not like this.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “Is
there anything we can do?”

“Hold on.” He held up a finger and brought up his web
browser. A few clicks later the name of the artist who had done the Twisted
Tattoo touch up was revealed. He wasn’t sure if he was onto something, but he
was damn sure he was going to find out for both of them. “I’m done waiting for
something to happen.”

Chapter
Sixteen

“Are you sure it’s okay if Tamsin meets me here?” Emily sat
on the edge of the bed and watched Ivan in the bathroom.

“Why? Where were you supposed to meet her?” He tightened the
towel around his waist and grabbed his toothbrush. After putting a huge dollop of
his special toothpaste on the brush he shoved it into his mouth.

“Well, I could have met her at the shop, or my apartment,
but I invited her here.” To prove her point, she pointed down at the floor.

Before answering, he scrubbed his teeth, taking great care
to go over every last bit of enamel. “But you’re here.” His voice came out
muffled through the toothpaste froth.

“I am aware of where I am.” And that it’s where she had been
every day and night since she passed out. In fact, she hadn’t been to her apartment
in quite some time. Along with her clothes, the rest of her stuff seemed to end
up here. The other day Ivan even presented her with a box from her kitchen.

“You’re here.” He rinsed his mouth, rubbed his hands over
his face and got the can of shaving cream.

“So it’s cool Tamsin comes
here
to meet me?”

He shook the can and held it up to his ear to give it
another shake. The can sputtered out a small sampling of foam and he applied it
to his face. “Are you using this too?”

“Yes.” She tried to sound innocent. “Yours smells better.”
Well, it smelled like Ivan and was all creamy.

“Is this safe?” He picked up his razor.

“Completely.” One lesson she’d learned from having three
older brothers was to never use their razors to shave her legs. Never. She shuddered.

“Sweet.” He focused on the mirror.

“Are you going to answer my question?”

Once he finished shaving, he went to his crowning glory.
“What question?” He combed his fingers through his hair causing the still damp
strands to fall around his face, some even stuck to his cheeks.

Lord, his hair. She leaned back on her elbows and stared,
mouth half-open. Was it possible the man became more gorgeous as time went on?
She went into complete gawking mode as he applied his special gel to those
luscious locks.

“What is it?” He glanced at her on his way to the closet,
dropping the towel on the way.

She flopped back on the bed, but turned, not wanting to miss
the scene in front of her. It went without saying the man was built with the
perfect ass that made her want to take a bite. His smooth, muscular back
boasted an amazing tattoo consisting of interlocking gears, springs and pieces
of an old-fashioned clock.

After pulling on a pair of black boxer briefs, he turned to
her. “Are you okay?”

Not sure how to answer, she widened her eyes. Technically
she was okay if she didn’t count the lawsuit or the guilt that crept around her
whenever she forgot the lawsuit for a moment to drool over Ivan. “Are we at the
point where I can say you look hot?”

He raised his eyebrows and smiled. “I suppose, since we’re
at the point where you watched me get ready and it didn’t feel weird.”

Her heart sped up, her center heated and she put her nail in
her mouth as she focused on the front of his black boxer briefs.

“If you keep staring there, you are going to suffer the
consequences.”

“Who said I’d be suffering?” She lifted her knee, letting
her skirt fall down her thigh. “You’re the one who said we could do it any
time.”

“It’s about time you listen to me.” He inched toward her.

“Is that what you want? A woman who listens?” She put her
fingertip to her bottom lip. “Maybe one who obeys?”

“What if you don’t obey?” With his gaze laser focused on
her, he stopped short of the edge of the bed.

“Oh, I don’t know.” She turned over on her stomach, hiking
her skirt over her backside and gave Ivan a little wiggle. “Maybe there would
be a punishment in order.”

“Holy shit.” He came up behind her and joined her on the
bed, cupping her bottom and kissing the back of her neck. “Do something naughty
so I can discipline you.”

Unprepared for him to take her up on her offer, she paused,
arched her back and pushed against him but her creativity was saved by a knock
at the door. “You need to stop, Mr. Harlow.”

“Oh, that’s bad, keep going.” He moved her hair aside and
gently nibbled her ear.

Another knock came.

“Ivan.” She peeked behind her. “I’m serious.”

“If you make me stop, I may have to give you a spanking.”
His low laugh vibrated through her and he gave her rear a little pat. “Don’t
worry, I’ll make it better later.”

The knocking amplified.

“Ivan!” Summoning her strength, she pushed up and shimmied
out from underneath him. “Tamsin is here.”

“What?” He turned to his back and motioned down to the bulge
in those briefs. “What am I supposed to do with my situation?”

“I’m sorry.” She backed away toward the door. “Save it for
later and I’ll fix it.”

“What do you want me to do? Put it in my pocket?” He flung
his arm over his eyes. “Go to your play date.”

She winced, but with no choice she double-checked her outfit
was in place and opened the door.

Tamsin lowered her sunglasses down bridge of her nose. “How
goes it in the land of pink?”

“Pretty good.” She let Tamsin in and tilted her head. Aside
from the shop and a few restaurants or group things, she never hung out with
her. “How are you?”

“Let’s cut to the chase, Pinkie.” Tamsin put her hands on
her hips. “At the shop I can ink with the best of them, but today I need you to
take the lead.”

Emily chewed the inside of her cheek. “Can I do your
makeup?” She figured she would go for the universal language of girls.

“After you show me the stuff for the kid.” Tamsin nodded.
“We don’t have to go to the mall or anything, right?”

“Nope, I got it all.” Emily motioned to the couch and ran to
the front closet, to pull out her shopping bags and her makeup kit.

“Look at your options.” She plopped down next to Tamsin and
laid out her wares.

“What’s this?” Tamsin lifted a miniature yellow infant
pajama with feet between two fingers.

“It’s a little outfit.” Her teeth hurt, the tiny PJ’s were
so sweet. She reached into the bag and presented her with the matching hat.
“This goes with it.”

“The baby is this small?” Tamsin dropped the garment and
picked up a pair of booties.

“Well…” She was the baby, the youngest of her generation.
Her brothers would know. Maybe she needed to call Dillon. “The tag said for
infants.” She put some more clothes on the table and arranged them to attract
her picky buyer. “I also got toys.” She put a stuffed giraffe, a lion and a
hippo in a row, and some rattles.

“I don’t get it.” Tamsin inspected the offerings.

“Here are some blankets.” She hoisted a stack of bedding on
the table.

“Did the entire shop ask you to do the baby shopping for
them?” Tamsin sat back.

Before she answered, Ivan emerged from the bedroom dressed
in jeans and tight blue striped button down. He stopped in front of her.

“Are you okay?”

“No, but you can fix it later.” He narrowed his eyes as if
trying to send her a telepathic message.

She gave him a salute and attempted to keep her eyes anywhere
but the front of his jeans. “Tamsin’s here.” Maybe now he would understand she
invited someone there. Though they had been together every second, slept
together every night, and he said he would talk to her brother, would he
acknowledge they were a couple? Where exactly were they in their relationship?

“Tam.” Without skipping a beat he went to the dinette table
put on his watch, slid his wallet in his back pocket and disappeared into the
kitchen.

“What do you need to fix?” Tamsin waved her hand in front of
her face. “What’s so interesting? Did I miss something?”

“No.” How could she explain that watching Ivan completely
and utterly fascinated her? Simple things like him putting his change in his
pocket captivated her, but she wasn’t even sure if she was supposed to have
Tamsin here, let alone tell her what she would fix?

“Cool you got pineapple juice,” Ivan called from the
kitchen.

“It’s his favorite.” She sighed. He loved the little cans
that most people put in kids lunches and when she saw it the other day she
needed to buy it for him.

“Pineapple juice?” Tamsin wrinkled her nose, first at the
table full of baby things then in the direction of the kitchen. “You go grocery
shopping?”

Again before she answered, Ivan joined them. “Are you going
to go to the store today?”

Tamsin turned to her as if it was vital she know the answer.

She straightened up. “I wanted to make that chicken dish
with the gravy you like for dinner.”

“Nice. Can you add shaving cream and something coconut to
the list?”

Tamsin crossed her legs and put her hands behind her head.

“Sure. Do you need more blades?”

“Yeah, that would be great.” He lifted his chin in the
direction of the table. “Where did all the little person stuff come from?”

“Everyone at the shop gave me money for the baby stuff.” She
frowned. Apparently she was all things shopping.

“I knew it!” Tamsin high fived the air.

He laughed, picked up the giraffe and spoke to the animal.
“I better bolt.” He made the giraffe nod and returned it to the table.

Tam gave him a wave.

“Later.” He turned on his heel and left.

She glared at the door. A kiss would have been nice, an
acknowledgment. Anything.

“Pinkie.” Tamsin jolted her out of her self-loathing.

“Yes?” Emily picked up her makeup bag.

“Can you just pick something for me?” Tamsin closed her eyes
and allowed the makeup to be applied to her clean skin. “You’re good at that.
Shopping, all that stuff, it’s an art.”

“No it’s not.” Though Tamsin’s skin was already pretty
perfect, she made it positively porcelain, but natural. Thankfully she didn’t
have to worry about models and their quirks, or the clothes or the look. She
decided to play, and tested some eye shadows on a little tissue.

“Yes it is. You don’t know how lucky you are.”

She took a moment to truly look at Tamsin, study the shape
of her face and the little bit of sadness Emily never noticed; it was usually
masked behind layer of toughness. A vision of what look she wanted for Tamsin
entered her mind. She wanted to work with the true beauty, not try to come up
with
avant garde
looks.

Suddenly, the door opened and Ivan reappeared. “You didn’t
lock the door.”

“I didn’t stand up yet.” She blended a few different colors
and swiped it across her lid. Tamsin needed something natural to play up her
features.

“I don’t like the door unlocked.”

“Is that why you came back?” If memory served her, and it
did, she never remembered him locking anything, except at night.

He stopped, not saying a word until she finished with the
shadow.

“Mr. Harlow, did you forget something?” Out of the corner of
her eye, she glanced at him.

“I was just watching for a second.”

She continued, adding in some contours and highlights and
finishing off with the liner and the mascara. With a bit of a smile, she moved
her hand away to show Ivan.

“That’s perfect for her. It’s like she has makeup on but
doesn’t. Just turns up the dial.”

“Shut up,” Tamsin mumbled.

“That’s what I wanted. So will you now tell me what you
want?”

“I wanted to give you this.” He retrieved his wallet and
held out some cash. Quite a bit, in fact.

“What’s that for?” She didn’t touch it.

“Come on, I have to go.” He shook the money in her
direction.

“I don’t need that.” She worked on the other eye.

“Groceries, shaving cream and spending money for you.” After
he dropped the money on top of the baby blankets he left again, closing the
door behind him and taking care to lock it.

Tamsin opened her eyes all the way. “Spending money?”

“With all that has been going on, we sort of got our
finances scrambled.” Would she ever be able to call Ivan her boyfriend? She
headed the pencil toward Tamsin’s eye.

“Really, last time I checked, everyone who had been through
the Lindsay Elliott School of Accounting knew where every penny went.” Tamsin
closed her eyes. “I’ve never seen so many balanced checkbooks in my life.”

“You’ve never had your money frozen by Lindsay before.” Her
body chilled at the memory. Once Shane and Lindsay got married, her
sister-in-law took everything away from all of them until she fixed it. Emily’s
brown roots would never forgive Lindsay, but she would also never forget those
few months or get into that money mess again.

“I’ve never had anyone give me spending money before.” A
smile spread over Tamsin’s face, but she opened her eyes and focused just
beyond Emily. “As I said, you don’t know how lucky you are.”

Not sure if she should pry, she went for the redirect.
“Watch it or I’m going to give you a cat eye and bright red glossy lips and
post your picture at the shop.”

“What’s really the deal?” Tamsin caught her wrist.

“You only have one eye done.” She lifted her mascara and
used the bristled wand as tactical defense.

“Pinkie.” Tamsin batted her lashes at her. “No more makeup
until you tell me.”

“First you tell me.” Sometimes the best defense was a good
offense or something like that.

“Tell you what?” Tamsin continued to hold her wrist hostage.

“Why no one has ever given you spending money before.”

As Tamsin opened her mouth, the key scraped in the lock and
the door opened again.

“I think I need to get something for the lock. It sticks.”
Ivan bent down tried to peer in the little slot. “What if you needed to get in
or out in a hurry?” He made a
tsking
sound.