Page 28 of Moments in Ink

“How about that Thai place?” Zia asked out of the blue. I blinked, trying to come back to the conversation.

“Thai place?”

“The Thai place. For dinner? We were just talking about where to go. Unless you’d rather I go home. It’s been a long day, a long drive, and all of that to Denver and back. I didn’t know if you were planning on spending the whole day away from the house or not.”

I heard the easy out she’d left me in her voice, and I hated that I had done that to her.

I was such a fucking bitch. I needed to get my head on straight and figure out what I wanted. Because if I didn’t do it soon, if I didn’t figure out exactly what I needed, it would hurt her beyond reason. And I would deserve whatever came to me.

In answer, I leaned forward, brushed my knuckles across her cheek, and then kissed her softly.

“I think Thai sounds great. But promise me I’ll only eat half of my meal, and you’ll let me take the rest home.”

I snorted. “Yeah. I don’t think I can do that. You know I always overindulge with you.”

“Okay, fine. But you’re going to have to help me roll out of the place.”

“I’m the one with the new ink. I shouldn’t be rolling at all.”

I licked my lips and leaned forward, biting hers.

“We can always order in. And you can come. We can always order in, and we can stay home. And I could see exactly what you look like with that ink. And only that ink.”

Zia let out a moan that went straight to my pussy. “We’re going to have to be careful if we do that.”

I didn’t know if she meant about the ink or her heart.

Or mine.

I took another step closer to her, my lips a breath from hers.

“Hi,” she whispered.

I smiled, licked my lips, kissed hers. “Hi.” I stuck my hands in her back pockets, careful of her new ink.

“Should we order first and see how many times I can get you to come before the delivery boy shows up?”

“I think that sounds like a plan. However, I’m going to get you off, too,” Zia said with a wink.

I laughed, smacked her on the ass once she ran away from me, and went to get the takeout menu.

We ordered way too much food, and I was thankful because that meant I wouldn’t have to cook for the next couple of days. I was just leaning down to kiss her again when the doorbell rang.

She frowned and looked at me.

“Okay, I know their delivery is quick, but notthatquick. Our pants are still on.”

She pouted, and I shook my head. “I’ll see who it is. Probably somebody trying to sell me something.”

“You need ano solicitingsign.”

“That doesn’t help. Believe me.”

I went to the door and opened it, freezing and knowing I should have looked through the peephole. I had been so complacent. Had gotten so used to happiness and warmth and the woman behind me that I hadn’t stopped to think.

My nightmare stood before me, my past, my present.

“Meredith? Who is it?”