Guided Love (Prick #1) (7 page)

“I see you found all of the snacks.” He shakes his head as he shoves some chips into his mouth.

“I forget what it’s like to actually have food in the house.”

I grab the bag of chips and start to munch as well. “I hit the jackpot with you, not only are you fucking awesome, but you absolutely love to eat! Damn, you eat everything in sight.” Camaron must have sensed my change as he looks me and I refuse to look at him. I am stone cold still, looking directly at the TV. I don’t even know what’s on, but I refuse to let him see that his comment hurt me or the tears I feel starting to pool in my eyes.

“Sam, look at me.”

I can’t. I continue to stare at the TV and say, “It’s fine, Cam, let it go, no biggie.”

That isn't the response he wanted, obviously, as he now is off the couch and on his knees right in front of me. “I'm sorry, beautiful, you know that I didn't mean anything by it. You are awesome just the way you are, okay.”

I finally look up at his face. He looks sincere and I give a small smile and nod as I put the bag of chips closer to him. I won't allow myself to eat them, not now. I get up, head to my room, and see that there is an air mattress in my room. Where the hell did that come from? I go to my suitcase, pull out my pajamas, and head to the bathroom. Before I get there, I step into the living room.

“Where did the air mattress come from?” Camaron turns around to face me “Oh yeah, babe, I went and bought that for you until your furniture comes. Do you like it? I bought you the best one. The guy says that it feels like sleeping on a cloud.”

Wow, another kick to the gut. I should have just stayed with the guys for drinks because this night just keeps getting worse. I smile at him, because, again, I can’t let him see what his words are doing to me. “I do, thank you, you’re very considerate.”

I turn and head down the hallway to the bathroom and I hear him yell back to me “Anything for you, Sam, you know that!”

I shake my head and close the door. I stand there looking into the mirror, hearing Gabby's voice in my head, “
He doesn’t think you’re beautiful, it’s just a term of endearment.”
Maybe she was right—maybe he’ll never see me the way I want him to.

The next morning I am up and ready by nine. I didn’t know what I was going to do if the shop wasn’t open yet, but to my surprise, Axel had the shop open already and was actually doing a tattoo. I walk in, wave good morning, and head off to my office where, hopefully, I will be able to avoid Camaron for a while. I know I’m pathetic acting this way, I mean he really didn’t do anything wrong. He was just being considerate, but it still stung. I did sleep really well on that damn mattress, it felt like I was sleeping on a cloud, but I would never tell him that. I open up my door and see vase of daisies on my desk. I head over and grab the card.
RC~ Welcome to the team

Carrie . . . she honestly is such a sweetie. I head back out to the front to find her and thank her, but as I look around, I don’t see her. I approach Axels’ station where he has this grown man looking like he is about to cry. The man’s arm is up over his face and he is moaning like he’s being run over by a Mack truck. Axel has his black gloves on, the gun in his hand, and is wearing black glasses that make him look so . . . hot. Axel doesn't notice me standing in the entryway just watching him ink this man’s stomach—he keeps focus on inking and then wiping away the excess.

“Excuse me, Axel, is Carrie around?” He stops inking and looks back at me.

“Good Morning, Samantha. No, she doesn't get in until about 11, why are you here so early?” I look at him a little confused wondering if she didn't leave the daisies, but that maybe he did.

“I just wanted to get a head start on all the paperwork I organized before our meeting this afternoon. Do you know who left the daisies on my desk? I thought it was Carrie, but if she isn’t here then obviously it wasn’t her.” I chuckle a little because, damn, I feel out of place with Axel staring at me and a huge tattooed giant looking up from the table.

“They’re from all of us. Carrie asked me to pick them up yesterday and I hope you like them.”

He turns back to the giant on the table and starts to ink again. “I do, thank you, Axel.”

I only get a grunt as I turn and walk back to my little office.

Later that morning, I hear the angels singing because I am completely done organizing the sales receipts and purchase orders. I am so excited that I do a little shake in my chair and I may have let out a “YES” as I pump my arms in the air. I take a few minutes to celebrate my pathetic accomplishment and grab a notebook to start my ideas on increasing sales. Just as I am about to start in, I hear Camaron entering my space.

“Beautiful, what’s wrong? You’re avoiding me.” I look up and see that he has a puppy dog look on his face but he knows that something is bothering me and he cares enough to come back here and find out.

“What do you mean?” I try my hardest to keep my face blank.

“I know you’re upset, babe, no one knows you better than me. After your shower, you went right to bed. You left early this morning and haven’t come out of your office all day. I tried giving you time, but you haven’t talked to me. Please tell me why you’re mad, what did I do?” His blue eyes are filled with sincerity and he truly looks disheveled.

“You didn't do anything. I'm sorry, it’s just me, I was being too sensitive.”

“Are you sure? We’re okay?” I nod and give him a smile.

Damn, if he isn’t the sexiest man I have ever laid my eyes on. “Well, good, now that we have that behind us, let’s go! Allen, Axel, and I are grabbing a few slices at Sals and you’re coming with us.”

Something is off. Sitting here with Allen, Camaron, and Samantha, I know that something is off. I look between all of them and notice that Samantha, the self-proclaimed Queen of Food, is eating a salad.
What the hell
? She is actually nibbling on it like a rabbit. I know I haven’t known her long, but something isn’t right. I mean, damn, at Kester's she ordered pizza with four extra sides. I look over at Camaron and he is shoveling his slices in his face and staring at the waitress like nothing is wrong. I clear my throat and try to break the tension.

“So, Samantha, I hear you want to be an author?”

Before she even opens her mouth to speak, Camaron chimes in, “Dude, it’s Sam, not Samantha. She doesn't like being called Samantha and she will be an author. Once she gets settled, she’ll start writing that bestselling novel she has in her mind.”

I look at him. “Well, thank you, prick, I didn't realize I was talking to you.” I turn my attention back to the gorgeous woman sitting across from me. “Now, Samantha, and ONLY Samantha, what exactly do you like to write?”

She looks up at me with the sexiest smirk that I have ever seen on her face. She is trying not to laugh at my comments toward Camaron and she keeps biting her bottom lip. “I mainly write paranormal. I’ve written some short stories, but I haven’t found my WOW idea yet.”

“So, you write about vampires and shit?” Her face is serious and then she belts out a laugh that has Camaron turning his head and staring at her with amusement.

“Yeah, Axel, I write about vampires and shit.” I can’t help but join in on her laughter and just shake my head.

The rest of lunch drastically improved after that, the tension was gone. Every now and then, I could see Samantha staring off into space or looking at the pizza—I don’t think her salad was what she wanted. As the waitress brought our checks, I see Camaron reach for his wallet and say, “Damn, I forgot my wallet. Could you cover it this time, babe?”

Without hesitation Samantha just reaches for his check and gets up to pay.

“Dude, seriously, you’re gonna make her pay for your fucking lunch?”

Camaron just looks at me and shrugs his shoulder. “I have plans this week and don’t have the extra cash. No worries, Sam’s got it I'll pay her back.” I shake my head because, honestly, I have never seen him be such a douche.

I mean, yes, he’s a womanizer, but, damn, to take from your friend like that, it’s just a douche move. We all pay and head out, but I tell them I’ll meet them back at the shop as I have things to get done. I head back to the counter and buy a slice of pepperoni and a side of bake ziti to go. Walking into the office, I make a beeline down the hall toward the offices and stop in front of Samantha’s door. We’re supposed to be meeting about increasing sales, but we can push that back a little.

As I open the door, I see her rummaging through her purse mumbling to herself, “Where be that damn candy bar?”

I can’t help it, this girl has me laughing at every turn. She looks up from her purse and starts to turn red. “I don’t have a candy bar, but I do have a slice of peperoni and a side of baked ziti.”

She still is red and shakes her head at me. “I can’t eat that, Axel. I just ate a salad.”

“I highly doubt that lettuce filled you up. Who the hell eats just lettuce for lunch?”

“Barbie’s. Barbie’s eat lettuce for lunch and they are somehow satisfied. I'll get there, just has to take some dedication.”

She looks at me and all I see is sadness in her eyes. What the hell is going on with this chick?

“Well, Samantha, Barbie’s should come in all sizes. They should make a Chef Barbie who likes to eat. I don't see why you would want to change how you look anyway. You’re incredibly sexy, why change that?”

Unlike the last time I told her she was sexy, I actually see her response. She is blushing so much it’s all around her neck and heading off in directions I wish I could see.

“Thank you, Axel, I wish I could believe that.”

With that, I place the food down onto her desk, head to the door, turn back, and see that she is staring at me, watching my every move.

“I don’t lie, Samantha. You’re incredibly sexy and one day you’ll realize it.”

Things have been going good, I have been getting all of the websites updated as well as coming up with some great promotional ideas for the shop. One of the things I’ve done is develop a shop shirt that the guys are giving out as well as selling them at the desk that say:
Tattooed by Two Pricks.
I also have t-shirts specific to the artist. The colors are different: Allen’s are purple, Paul’s are neon orange, Camaron’s are yellow, Jay’s will be blue, once his apprenticeship is over and he is full time, and Axel’s color is Pink. The t-shirt’s logo is the same but on the back it says:

I was tattooed by a prick named (Axel, Camaron, Paul, Allen or Jay)

The shirts are huge sellers amongst the female clients and it’s funny seeing my designs along with the guy’s names walking down the street. Things with the shop are going well; not only have I increased sales but I am now helping Carrie with running the front end when she needs coverage as well as helping with closing each night.