Page 15 of Strange Seduction (Strange #2)

You Know Wassup.

Day Three.

I was still half-asleep when I rolled over, landed half on top of him, and immediately got tangled in a mess of warm limbs and sheets. The light bleeding through the curtains was rude. So was the fact that he was already awake and staring at me.

“Creep,” I mumbled, my voice scratchy with sleep, eyes barely open.

“You drool in your sleep,” He didn’t miss a beat. “It’s cute.”

“Aww. You still into me even though I drool?”

“Unfortunately.”

I smacked his chest, but it lacked commitment. Stretching like a cat, I flopped onto my back and blinked at the ceiling. “Why are you still in bed, anyway? Don’t you have work today?”

“Took the day off. I wanna take you somewhere today.”

I perked up. “Somewhere like what, Teddy?”

“You’ll see.” He leaned down, stole a kiss, and started sliding out of bed.

I grabbed his wrist. “Mm-mm. No. Tell me where we’re going.”

He grinned. “Just get dressed. And wear something comfortable.”

“Like sweat pants comfortable or ‘we’re gonna end up naked somewhere’ comfortable?”

He tossed the question around in his head, visibly displaying his thoughts on his handsome face. “Maybe both. Never know where the day will take us.”

“So a dress then,” I stated aloud, racking my brain for any casual options I packed. “Should I bring the camcorder?”

“Sure.”

“So it’s somewhere interesting enough to record, huh?” I accused.

He laughed but didn’t answer. He just ducked out of reach before I could drag him back under the covers.

I flopped back with a dramatic sigh. “You’re so lucky you’re cute.”

˙???˙

The sun had barely burned off the morning chill when Theo pulled us into a narrow alley in Trastevere lined with faded murals and hand-painted signage.

A neon “Palazzo del tatuaggio” flickered overhead, half the letters blinking like they hadn’t decided to stay lit.

From my limited knowledge of the Italian language, gained from the book I read all those months ago, I had a pretty good idea of the day’s events.

“Wait,” I said, squinting at the storefront as we parked. “We’re getting tattoos?”

“We’re visiting a friend,” he said with a grin, then stepped out of the car. “The tattoo part’s optional.”

I followed him into the shop, excited by the idea of possible tattoos with possible piercings. The stereo played Frank Ocean, and I half-smiled.

There were Black people around.

A tall, dark-skinned man with a sleeve of black-and-gray ink looked up from his sketchpad. “ Finalmente, the prodigal son returns.”

“Ciro,” Theo said, grinning as they embraced in that weird way men hugged.

The Ciro man turned to me. “Carmen, I’m guessing?”

“That’s me,” I said, offering my hand, which Ciro shook with an exaggerated bow. He reminded me of Lucci. Theo had such weird friends.

“You Trini?” He asked.

“Almost,” I smiled. “Belizean.”

“Ohh. My bad,” he squeezed my hand apologetically. “My girl’s Bajan and you all sound alike to me. I always get them mixed up .”

“At least you ain’t confused me for Jamaican. I’d be a millionaire if I had a dollar for every time I get called one.”

He laughed.

“I feel like I know you already, considering I was the one who branded your name on his chest,” he pointed at a frowning Theo, annoyed that someone had the nerve to hold my hand.

Ciro must have picked up on the annoyance cause he dropped my hand immediately.

“You did?” I questioned to fill the awkward tension.

“Yes. Right here.” He motioned to the setup behind him. “He was one of my favorite clients back then. Now he’s my favorite student.”

My face screwed up in confusion.

“You teach him?”

Ciro nodded simply.

“I'm an apprentice here,” Theo explained. “Until I open my own spot.”

Ciro scoffed. “Tuh! You wish. Daddy Clayton would flip a lid if you even think of starting a business that doesn’t involve cement.”

“Stop saying Daddy Clayton,” Theo groaned.

Ciro laughed again before his eyes fell on me again.

“You’re even prettier than the way he describes you,” he said, winking at Theo. “And he talks about you a lot. ”

Theo rolled his eyes. “Ignore him.”

I looked around, brow raised. “I’m not surprised. You always talk about me.”

“ Always is a stretch,” Theo snorted as he opened a drawer and grabbed random tools. “I’m gonna go set up to practice. Coming?”

I floated behind him like a lovesick idiot, excited to see my man work.

When we got to his station, I crossed my arms as I watched him.

After a few moments passed, I asked, “So, what’d you tattoo first?”

He paused, holding a needle cartridge in his hand. “Myself. On my ankle.”

“The bird that’s flying backward?”

He shot me an annoyed look. “Yes. The phoenix . It was stupid. Didn’t mirror it properly.”

I stepped forward to get a better look at him as he prepared the tray. “Why didn’t you tell me you did this?”

He shrugged, not meeting my eyes. “I don’t know. I liked the quiet of it. Plus, having something to myself makes me feel like a whole person. It’s not just you, though. No one else knows I do this.”

I stared at him. “Your dad doesn’t approve.”

“No, he does not.”

I sighed. “You’re not in college anymore, Teddy. You can do something for yourself without his approval. You know that, right?”

“Yeah, but. He still owns the company. I technically still work for him, and that work is demanding as it is. I wouldn’t have time to do my own thing. Not yet. I’ll just…wait until he retires. Then I’ll start my shop. Swear.”

I tilted my head, and he shuffled under the weight of my gaze. I didn’t know why he tried to hide things from me because he broke the moment I asked. “Is that all?”

He sighed. “Maybe. Deep down. I just don’t wanna start a problem with the one parent I don’t have a problem with.”

I nodded in understanding. “Uh-huh.”

“Ugh,” he dragged. The thought of this conversation already overstimulated him. “Can we change topics?”

“If that’s what you want, sure.”

He sighed in relief. “How’s your dad doing?”

Doubt: Absolutely not.

“Next topic.” I shut that conversation down.

“Oh. Um. How’s your mom?”

I just stared at him.

“How ‘bout I just set up, and you watch?” He offered.

“Excellent.”

With a nod, he got back to it.

Our parents were not the best, so the topic rubbed us both the wrong way, but at least we both knew when to leave the subject alone and not push it further.

Deciding that him setting up was worth getting on camera, I pulled out the camcorder. He peeked at it but didn’t say anything. I powered it up and started recording.

Fuck. Just watching his hands open packages and seeing his tattooed bicep flex as he wrapped tape around his gun made me feral.

“This is kinda sexy, y’know.”

Theo looked up, surprised. “Sexy?”

“Yeah. This whole mysterious artist thing is kinda turning me on.”

The corners of his mouth twitched.

Okay, it was definitely doing it for me.

I hesitated for a second, then sat down in the chair, setting the camcorder on the table to face us.

“Gimme a tattoo,” I said.

Theo blinked. “What, seriously?”

“Dead serious.”

He dropped into the rolling stool in front of me, searching my face. “Okay… what do you want?”

I paused, then smiled. “A teddy bear holding a heart.”

He blinked. “Like… a literal teddy bear?”

“Mhmm.”

His mouth twitched like he was trying not to laugh. “Why?”

I looked at him pointedly. “‘Cause you’re my Teddy. And you hold my heart.”

Doubt: Corny.

His expression softened. “That’s… actually really fucking cute.”

“I know.”

“And where do you want it?”

I hiked the hem of my dress just enough to reveal the outer edge of my thigh, tapping the spot. “Right here.”

His gaze followed my finger, and when his eyes flicked back up to mine, there was heat in them. But he kept his voice steady. “That’s gonna hurt a little.”

“I can take it.”

“I’ll be gentle.”

“You better be,” I said. “You fuck up my thigh, and I’m not fucking you anymore.”

He scoffed, grabbing a marker. “Yeah, you will.”

I cocked a brow. “Wanna bet?”

Doubt: It’ll be a weak bet. You fuck him every time you say you’re not gonna.

Why are you still here again?

He laughed under his breath as he clicked the cap off. “Alright, alright. Hold still, Sweetness.”

He bent down, one warm hand anchoring my leg as he sketched on my skin.

I felt his breath fanning across my knee as he focused.

He pulled back after a few more strokes and angled my leg so I could see the design.

The bear was adorable—round belly, button eyes, tiny paws clutching a heart that said T in soft, curly script.

I laughed. “You gave my bear your initial?”

He shrugged. “Gotta brand what’s mine.”

My stomach fluttered.

“Okay,” he said, snapping on a pair of gloves and turning on the machine. “Last chance to back out.”

“Do it,” I said, gripping the edge of the chair.

His gaze found mine, steady and intense. “I’ll go slow.”

And then the buzzing filled the room and he began.

The needle hit my skin, and I sucked in a breath. It wasn’t the worst pain, but it wasn’t comfortable either. Theo’s hand gripped my thigh, steadying me as he worked. His gaze never left the tattoo, his focus absolute.

As time passed, I adjusted. The discomfort became more bearable, almost soothing in its predictability.

“You okay?” he asked quietly.

I nodded, biting my lip to keep from wincing. “Yeah. Just… getting used to it.”

“You’re doing so good.” He paused momentarily, and then his voice dropped. “This is gonna look so fucking good on you.”

I shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to sit properly for a week, though.”

Theo chuckled. “That’s the price you pay for art.”

I felt the needle buzz again, sharper this time as he worked on the detail of the teddy bear’s paws. The tingling, numbing sensation spread as he continued, but all I could think about was how close he was.

“I’m so happy you got this on camera. I can’t wait to watch this back and see your face.”

I wined and twisted as he raked the need across my skin, “Shut up, Theodore.”