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I'm not sure why that feels like more of a win than anything else that happened in this bed.

Ruby settles against me again and runs her fingertips over the tattoo once more.

"We're probably going to do this again," she says.

I smile. "I was hoping you'd figured that out."

"Don't get ahead of yourself."

"I'm trying."

"That sounds difficult for you."

"Extremely."

She laughs softly, and I tighten my arm around her.

The first time, we called it a mistake before the sheets were even cold.

Neither of us is doing that now.

Whatever this is, we both came here knowing exactly what we wanted.

And I'm already pretty sure one night isn't going to be enough.

Chapter fifteen

RUBY

By three o’clock, I’ve redrawn the same cluster of leaves four times.

My client wants a botanical piece wrapping from the inside of her forearm toward her wrist, and every version I’ve sketched so far gets too heavy near the bottom. It’ll look good while her arm is flat on a table, but the second she turns her wrist, the whole thing will bunch together.

I erase two leaves and move the smallest flower higher.

Better.

I’m leaning closer to the page when the bell over Black Fern’s front door rings. Nell is at the desk, so I don’t look up immediately.

“Hey, Zander,” Nell says. “You looking for Ruby?”

That gets my attention, and I look toward the front to find Zander just inside the door with a thin black folder tucked under one arm. He’s in jeans and a dark T-shirt, and seeing him is enough to bring back a few very recent memories that have nothing to do with tattoos.

His eyes find mine, and his smile comes easy.

I put my pencil down. “What are you doing here?”

“Wanted to talk to you about something.”

My gaze drops to the folder. “That looks suspiciously official.”

“A little more official than dropping by to say hi.”

Now I’m curious.

I get up from the stool and nod toward the back. “I’ve got about twenty minutes before my next client.”

“That’s all I need.”