Take Out Chef

Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter's song: Only love by Shaggy and Pitbull

I tried to distract myself and by six, I'd already called half of the suppliers on the list Bryan gave me. My eyes slid to the little clock in my screen for the sixth time in less than ten minutes, and I knew I had to call it a night. I took off my coat and folded it when someone knocked on my door. It was Bryan, with his chef coat in one hand a black leather jacket on the other.

"Are you ready?"

My mouth went dry. No. So not ready. "Yeah, I guess..."

He smiled and bobbed his head to the side. "Let's go, then."

The ride to the shop was awkward. For me, at least. Bryan drove through narrowed streets taking a shortcut to downtown. I wasn't scared of getting a tattoo, I was worried because I couldn't stop picturing him half-naked in my mind, wondering what he had and where he had it. Not to mention that the car smelled like him and it was driving me crazy.

My lips were pursed through the whole ride and I fidgeted with the sleeve of my sweater. I turned towards the window, while biting my lip. Bryan didn't say much, but I noticed the grin on his face as he turned to the left. I imagined that he probably though that I didn't want a tattoo, when I just wanted to rip that shirt of his to see where he had his.

Bryan parked. The car jolted forward as it stopped. "We're here."

Suddenly, my chest felt tight and warily, I turned to him. His eyes were glinting in a mischievous way, sparkling like a little kid that was planning something naughty while he grinned. That lopsided smile is going to be death of me.

One thing was clear, he was the most handsome man I'd ever met in my life.

His gaze was intense as he added, "You don't have to do anything that you don't want, okay?" I nodded slowly, too embarrassed to say anything without sounding breathless. He studied me for a moment. "Come on. I swear that Mark is nice." He frowned for a second and smiled again. "Once you pass the initial shock of meeting him." My eyebrows shut up and my pulse accelerated. "But I wouldn't have brought you if I didn't trust him." He sounded confident before he stepped out of the car.

Okay. That wasn't reassuring at all.

I took a deep breath before leaving the car myself. "Okay. Let's do this."

Bryan suppressed a smile. "Just a heads-up, Mark rarely calls anyone by their name. He'll give you a nickname as soon as he sees you."

Tilting my head, I gazed at him. "Really? How does he call you?"

He cracked up. "I'm just Bryan."

Huffing, I crossed my arms. "Well, that's not fun."

Bryan's eyes glint amused. He took a step closer and leaned next to my ear. "I have news for you Jessie. I'm pretty boring." He pulled away and my heart was racing too fast from having him so near.

I didn't dare to contradict him out loud, but he was wrong. He was too darn interesting.

Bryan opened the parlor's door for me, and a little bell chimed at our entrance. The shop was small but it looked classy. The walls were painted in a deep turquoise color adorned with artistic black and white pictures. A small caramel-leather sofa was placed in the corner, right next to the dark chocolate door where a large tattooed-man sauntered out.

I blatantly gaped at him. He was completely bald and his arms were buff. He looked like he could lift a whole car if he wanted to. He had a black t-shirt and every inch of his skin was covered with tattoos and he had two rings on his upper lip.