“Huh?” I snag a breadstick from the table and break off a piece to pop in my mouth.
“It’s so happy.” He reaches across the table and pokes my cheek with his breadstick. “Why are you happy?”
I laugh and knock him away from my face. “I’m not allowed to be happy?”
“You’re doing it, too.” Austin narrows his gaze on Opal before giving in to a laugh. “What the fuck did you two do today?”
“Shit . . .” Trent swears and rubs his temples.
“You two didn’t . . .” Sean’s eyes go wide and I hear him whisper next to me, “Fuck?”
Opal’s cheeks flood with heat.
“Jesus!” I shout a little too loudly. “We just got tattoos!”
Austin’s gaze bounces between us. His brow furrows and he scratches his head. “Like, matching ones?”
“No.” I let loose a laugh. “That would be crazy.” It would. It’s insane. But somehow the thought of having the same symbol inked on her skin as mine sounds fucking hot. I must be losing my mind.
Trent’s gaze is serious and his voice level as he turns to Opal. “You really got a tattoo?”
She grins, but it’s forced and she worries her lip between her front teeth. “Sure did.”
Trent releases a breath, his eyes widening as he scrubs a hand over his face. “Lexi’s gonna kill me.”
Why would Trent’s girlfriend care about Opal getting a tattoo?Unless . . . I could already piece together there was more to their connection than a hired assistant. But how exactly? Is she a friend of Lexi’s? Relative?
“I’m just saying . . .” Trent pushes his hair back from his face, his displeasure evident.
“What? What are you sayin’?” Opal’s voice wavers as she meets his stare.
“Trent,” Sean warns, dragging his name out.
“Fuck. I don’t know. It’s just . . . Ink is permanent. For life. You shouldn’t rush a decision like this.”
Opal’s lips press into a thin line and by the glassy sheen in her eyes, I’d say she’s seconds away from crying.Shit. What is wrong with Trent? This isn’t his choice. Opal can tattoo every square inch of her body if that’s what she wants.
Irritation sparks in the pit of my stomach. I shouldn’t get in the middle of this. I don’t need any more problems than I already have, and starting beef with a bandmate isn’t gonna help. But before I can open my mouth to come to her defense Opal surprises us all.
“Y’all need to take a step back.” She shoves to her feet, her chair scraping with a loud screech against the floor. She glares hard at Trent, Sean, and Austin. I’ve never heard Opal raise her voice. Not once, but she’s raising it now. “This ismybody. I’m a grown-ass woman. And while I appreciate everything y’all have done for me, you do not get to control what I do, where I go, or what I ink onto my skin. That clear?” Her hands go to her hips and she glares, practically begging someone to argue.
Take-no-shit-Opal is sexy as hell.
Trent sits up straight in his chair, his eyes wide as he nods. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good.” She heaves an exhale that relaxes her shoulders and sits back in her seat.
“You gonna show us?” Austin’s grin spreads across his entire face, his eyes practically eating up every inch of her exposed skin in search of the tattoo. Fuck. I hate the way he looks at her. More, how she lights up when he does it.
A surge of possessiveness invades my thoughts. I really don’t want her to show off her tattoo—to Austin or anyone. It’s something we shared. The two of us. It felt special. More than simple ink on skin. A first for both of us. A liberation into the creative freedom we’ve been denied. Also, it’s sexy as fuck.
“Hmm?” She glances up.
“The tattoo.” He points to her. “Can we see it?”
“Oh, um, no. It’s private.” Her eyes meet mine as heat travels up her cheeks.
Trent groans and runs a hand through his hair. “Dear God, please tell me you didn’t tattoo your who-ha.”
