Laura Wright - First Ink

I never let him finish. I’m too keyed up, and this is it. My moment. To be accepted or to go down in flames.

“I love you,” I burst out.

The entire room goes silent. Rush’s face darkens. His eyes, too.

“Ads…”

“No,” I continue, sounding nuts even to my own ears. God knows what I must look like. “No, that’s not right. I’m fucking crazy about you!”

“Damn, brother,” Vincent mutters behind us.

Rush turns and snarls at him, “Shut up.” Then reaches for me. “Come on. Let’s do this in private, Ads.”

I draw back. “No.” I shake my head at him. “Five years ago, I insulted you in front of a room full of people. Today, everyone’s going to hear how fucking amazing you are.”

He looks a little stunned, but I press on, my stomach churning. “I’ve always been crazy about you. You’re it for me. Everything. My heart, my guts. My family, my best friend. You’re the hottest lover in existence. And you make me feel special, like I matter, like I’m the only one in the world for you.” I look at Vincent and flip him off. “That was for you, asshat.”

Everyone hoots, and Vincent grabs his chest and groans, “Oh hot damn, I think I love her.”

“No you don’t,” Rush snarls again. “And shut up.”

I stare at him. Eyes locked. I don’t care about anything else. “I want to do this, Rush. Me and you. Do you want to do this?”

“What about school, L.A., your paper?” His body, his sexy, inked-up body is so tense, so on edge. “Isn’t that thing due tomorrow?”

I grin. I grin so wide it hurts. “I don’t give a shit about my stupid paper. I’ll get a fucking extension.” I take a step toward him and stop. “I love you. Like crazy kind of love, understand me?”

He nods, real slow, his eyes so dark green they’re nearly all iris. “Yeah, baby, I understand. I fucking love you, too. Crazy.”

Tears scratch at my throat. I can’t believe what I’m hearing. Can’t believe we’re doing this. Again. Starting over. Starting clean.

His lip curls and he growls at me. “Get your sweet ass over here.”

I squeal and dive into his arms. He lifts me and grabs my backside, tucking me into him. Smiling like I just won the lottery—and let’s face it, I fucking did! I wrap my legs around his waist and cross my ankles behind his back, locking him in tight.

“What now, Rush?” I whisper against his mouth as everyone hoots and catcalls around us. “What do we do now?”

He grins, wicked and sexy. “Let’s start with an epic kiss, baby and see where we go from there.”

The End