4

4

He really couldn’t have said why he found himself standing in front of Written On The Body just three days later.

Which was a total lie. The reason lay just inside. Jonah hadn’t been able to get her off his mind. Her voice, the way she smelled. The feel of her body against his own. She’d lodged herself under his skin, drawing his attention. And he didn’t care to fight it.

That night at his home he’d wanted her to stay over but she’d refused. Politely enough. But when he’d woken up alone and hard, it had only underlined how much more he craved from this woman.

She stood at the counter, grinning up at Brody Brown. Jonah frowned. Oh, he knew there was nothing romantic between them. Not anymore.

Just the evening before he’d seen Levi and Daisy at an art event in town and he’d opened himself up to so much trouble when he’d pumped Daisy for information about Raven. He’d never hear the end of it. From Daisy and from his brother.

He knew though that for a time, many, many years before, Raven and Brody had been a thing. That Brody had been in love with her, or had thought he was, and she’d never wanted to settle down and had been with someone else. Daisy had been careful to underline, though, that Raven, by all reports, had been clear with Brody that she wasn’t monogamous. It had meant something to know she hadn’t cheated.

But the two were close to this day. Daisy had indicated that there was trouble when Brody’s wife, Elise, had first come onto the scene, but the two women had worked things out, and that she was extremely connected to Brody and Elise’s daughters.

He knew she wasn’t seeing anyone seriously. Again, Daisy had underlined her lack of wanting to see anyone seriously. Which Jonah thought was bullshit. If anyone deserved some seriously, it was Raven. She needed a man to cherish her. To anchor her. He was old enough to understand this thing he felt about her was way more than infatuation. There was a lot of getting to know each other to be done. But he knew what he wanted, and he got what he wanted.

He wanted Raven.

She turned her head at the sound of the bell at the door and her smile changed when she recognized him. She was touched. And he was doubly glad he’d come by.

“Hello, Jonah. What brings you here?” She moved around Brody to him and triumph heated his gut.

He took her hands, linking his fingers with hers, tugging her into a hug. She went willingly, kissing the side of his neck as she did.

“You bring me here. Are you free for lunch?”

“I have a piercing coming in in five minutes. After that I’m free for a few hours.”

“You do piercings too?”

She smiled as he released her and she stepped back. “I do. Why? You got something you want me to pierce?”

“Maybe later.”

She laughed.

“So how about I hang out for a few and we can head out when you finish? Is that all right?”

She shrugged. “Sure. Or you can pop over next door and grab a coffee or something and I’ll collect you when I’m done.”

“Can I watch you work? Or is it a piercing in a place I can’t see?”

“It’s an eyebrow piercing so you can watch from this chair here. My station is there.” She pointed.

He grinned. “All right then.”

Her client came in and he didn’t fail to notice the more-than-friendly kiss the woman planted on Raven’s mouth.

“An ex. But really ex.” Brody stretched out in the chair next to Jonah.

“Am I that obvious?”

Brody laughed. “Nah.”

“I know there are women in her past too. I’m not shocked or anything.” If he couldn’t hold her attention, it wasn’t that he was male. He knew enough about their chemistry to understand it was more than that for her anyway.

Brody sucked in a breath and began to speak, but held back.

“What?”

“She’s a lot more than she appears to be on the outside. I know you’ve been asking around about her. She’s abrasive sometimes. Blunt. But she’s not as tough as you might think.”

“I’m not out to hurt her.”

“That’s good. Because she’s had enough of that in her life. Just don’t go thinking she’s someone you can tame. That way lies madness. Heartache.”

Well, Jonah tended to think that she’d find the right person one day. There was vulnerability there, just beneath her surface. That was the Raven that so fascinated him.

“I like her. She likes me. It’s a good start. And how did you know I was asking around?”

Brody laughed. “I suppose I should let you know that nothing stays secret for long in our group. Gillian is very protective of Raven. She knows from Daisy, who is one of her besties. And then Erin found out and told Elise, who then told me. They wanted to know about you. If you fuck her over, it won’t just be my foot in your ass. You’ll have a gaggle of pissed-off women to be scared of.”

Jonah knew enough of Daisy to truly understand that threat. The women who his brother’s lady love surrounded herself with were strong and fierce as well as hot. “I thought she and your wife had a strained thing?”

Brody snorted. “At first, yes. But that was years ago. Raven is really special to me and Erin. She’s good to my kids. She’s good to my wife. Once she lets you in, there’s a whole different side to her.”

“And you?”

“Raven has repeatedly been there for me when I needed her to be. Without having to be asked. She moved up here more permanently after Alexander was born to be with Erin when Erin needed her. She is a friend in the deepest sense of the word. She’s my family. And if you fuck her over, I will fuck you over right back.”

Raven finished up and turned back, raising a brow when she caught him talking with Brody. She took payment and waved as her friend left.

“Whatever are you two talking about?” She came to stand in front of Jonah, holding her bag.

“I was telling him that you’d do a great job on his tattoo.” Brody stood and Jonah did as well.

“Ready to go?” He held out an arm and Raven linked hers with it.

“Sure.”

“Know any good places nearby?”

“The café next door is good. Erin owns it and still works there a few days a week.”

“I won’t have you to myself, will I?”

“Probably not. I’m totally irresistible, you see. Everyone loves me.”

He put an arm around her shoulder to pull her closer. She wore snug jeans and boots with a really fantastic red sweater that hugged her curves. “I certainly think you’re irresistible. And you smell really good.”

“My goodness, I already let you see my boobies. You’re being awfully nice.”

“I’m a nice guy.”

“You’re pretty nice. And you eat pussy like a champion.”

He paused, swinging her to face him. “It’s a beautiful pussy.” He kissed her quickly and released, pulling her back to his side as they kept walking.

“There’s a little Thai place just ahead. I like it. The food is decent.”

“Some tea would be good.”

The place was packed, but after a five-minute wait they got a table and settled in.

He pulled her chair out and to his surprise, she allowed it. But when he sat, she put the napkin on his lap.

They ordered. She waited for him to lead, which . . . affected him and he wasn’t entirely sure why.

But she was sure to order tea for them both and when it arrived she poured it out. “Do you take sugar?”

He took her hand instead, kissing her palm. “I like it that you’re taking care of me. That you know I’m capable of it but you do it anyway.”

She smiled. “Oh. Well. Thank you.”

Shy fit her well. He loved her boldness, yes, but this side to her was alluring as well.

He let go. Reluctantly. Sipping his tea, he took her in.

“What?”

“Do I make you nervous, Raven?”

“You know you do when you do that look thing you’re doing now.” She sipped her tea. “And. You like it.”

He laughed. “I guess I do. Are you having a good day?”

“Much better now that a handsome man swept into work and took me to lunch. How about you?”

“I had a hearing this morning. Went to a charity board meeting up here, that’s why I was in the neighborhood.”

“Which charity?”

“It’s one of my mother’s favorites. Created Families. A program that gives support to foster parents. It’s a tough thing. Half a million kids are in the foster care system. They don’t get the support they need and we’ve essentially just been writing off generations of kids. And the families who are in the program struggle. They have good intentions but often get lost in the system.”

She stiffened and he put his cup down, concerned.

“Everything all right?”

She took a deep breath. “Yes. Fine.”

“Liar. Is it the foster care stuff?”

“I am not opposed to foster care.” She said it so carefully, so very stiff.

“You sure you didn’t go to law school? That answer was pretty classic. These kids need help. There aren’t enough homes for them. No one should have to spend their childhood bouncing from place to place.”

“No, they shouldn’t.”

Then he got it. “You were in foster care?”

She looked down at her plate for long moments and he was sorry he’d followed up because while he wanted to know her, he didn’t want to cause her heartache.

“I was, yes.”

The food arrived and she busied herself dishing things up, asking him what he wanted and how much. It seemed to smooth them both a little.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

She waved it away. “I was in and out of foster care from four to seventeen. So I know firsthand that kids shouldn’t bounce around from place to place. It’s nice that you’re trying to help.”

He wanted to say more but the look on her face told him she was done talking about the subject.

“So how about you come over Friday night? For the first tattoo installment. I promise you dinner and well-made martinis.”

She pulled her phone out and checked her calendar. In some women he’d have suspected it was an affectation made to appear busy, but he saw plenty of things written down. And then got annoyed that she didn’t say yes right away.

Which then annoyed him that he’d expect something like that.

“Friday works. I can come over at eight thirty.”

“Good. Do you have days off?”

“Yes, usually one weekend day and one weekday. It gives Brody time with his family if I spot him on the weekends. Why?”

She used her chopsticks like an expert. He liked the grace with which she moved. And the way she seemed to step in and help her friends.

“Come spend the day with me. We can go see the leaves. Drive up north a bit, have a nice meal, drive back. Do you like jazz?”

“I like most kinds of music. Especially live.”

“There’s a place. In SODO. Big band jazz. We can stop off at the house and then go for a drink and some music.”

Her face lit and he was glad he’d suggested it.

“Yes. I’d love that.”

“All right then. I have some work Saturday, but I have Monday off.”

“Okay then.”

He wanted to push it a little. “You should wear red. I like you in red. And your hair down.”

She looked him over as she ate for long moments. “All right.”

Raven liked how he backed off after she’d told him about being in foster care. She liked how he’d opened her door and pulled out her chair. It had been . . . odd, yes, odd the way a thrill had rushed through her when he’d told her to wear red and leave her hair down.

If another man had said the same thing, in the same bossy tone he’d used, she’d have gotten up and left the restaurant. But he wasn’t another man. And her pussy seemed to really like it when he got bossy with her.

Probably something she should get therapy for, like everything else in her life, but a girl needed a few issues, right?

He insisted on paying and she let him. It was thirty bucks anyway. He insisted on walking her back, her hand in his as he spoke about this or that, nothing serious or heavy.

He shielded her body with his own, walking on the outside, moving in front of her if a crowd came walking from the opposite direction. It was courtly. Gentlemanly.

No one treated her that way. But he did.

It shouldn’t have mattered. It was just manners. But it did. And she wasn’t sure if she wanted it not to matter more than she liked that it did.

At the door to the shop he paused, pulling her out of the doorway. He pulled her close and she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Thanks for sharing your time with me.”

“I’m glad you came out. I know it’s not exactly near your office.”

He shrugged. “My office is in the north part of downtown. It’s really only about ten minutes away. And.” He paused, bending down to kiss her, warmth rushing through her system at that contact. “I like seeing you.”

“Like fried food.”

Confusion washed over his features. “Hm?”

“I really like it. But it’s super bad for me. And yet, I can’t get enough. You’re like egg rolls.”

His confusion was replaced by a rather rakish grin. “I’m way less fattening.”

“I’ll keep that in mind. See you Friday at your place, then.”

He let her go, hauling her back once more for another kiss before finally opening the door.

“Just gonna watch you walk away. Your ass is spectacular.” He said it quietly, his breath brushing against her ear and sending a shiver through her.