Picture Her Bound-epub by Sidney Bristol Read Free Book Online Page B

of hard rock washed over her, calling to her, Come, sit, feel my needle .
    “Hey, cop lady,” the shop manager, Sassy, called out. She peered over the desk. “Did you bring my lover boy? Hey, Creature.”
    “I think you’re happier to see my dog than you are me.”
    Jacques’ hand at the small of her back urged her forward. She let Creature lead her to the front desk while Jacques took up a position by the shop windows.
    Creature strained against the leash as Sassy sashayed around the desk and went to a knee, the hem of her denim skirt riding up to reveal the lace band of her stockings. The bangles on her arms chimed as she scratched the attention-whore of a dog all over, speaking gibberish to him.
    “You look like you could use a cup of coffee. Late night?” Sassy’s grin threatened to split her face as she winked.
    “Two, one for each hand, if you have any around.” Odalia rested her hip against the desk and nodded to one of the other artists striding by. She’d spent hours in here getting tattooed. The shop felt like another home.
    “You into the dark chocolate now?” Sassy glanced meaningfully at Jacques, clearly not discussing coffee anymore. “I like mine with a scoop of ice cream. That voice, it could melt things,” Sassy whispered as she straightened.
    “I’ve always had a thing for dark chocolate. That’s nothing new.” Odalia’s nerves were wrung tight, twisted all in knots around the man. What was it about him? He wasn’t the first black man she’d been with, but when she looked at him, she didn’t see his job, skin color or lineage—she saw the man who made her breathless, nervous and empowered.
    “Is that who I think it is?” Rosie Gallagher, one of the shop artists and Odalia’s friend, yelled over the din. Her gaze skipped over Odalia and landed on Jacques. Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened.
    Shit.
    “I’ll get that coffee. Creature, want to come with me?” Sassy took the leash from Odalia, and they trotted off together, hopefully for that coffee.
    “Hey.” Odalia turned to the pint-sized woman and smiled. Rosie was one of the rare women she could call a friend in all walks of her life. Odalia credited the artist with introducing her to the dungeon scene at the Bastille.
    “Jacques?” Rosie pitched her voice low, peering around Odalia with one brow raised.
    “Uh…yeah.” Heat rose on her cheeks. Of course Rosie would recognize him. They were all card-carrying dungeon members.
    Rosie’s brows nearly disappeared under her bangs. “I like. When did this happen?”
    “I’m not even sure it’s happening.” She rolled her eyes, savoring the giddy, nervous sensations. It was a welcome distraction from everything else. Odalia dug an envelope out of her pocket and handed it over. “I got the royalty check in from the magazine.”
    “You must like him if you’re avoiding the topic.” Rosie pocketed the envelope without glancing at it.
    “When do you have time to do that voodoo love charm tattoo?” Odalia asked, ignoring the statement. She wasn’t ready to name this thing between her and Jacques. Spending the night in his arms again had done things to her, deep in her chest. Things she couldn’t bring herself to talk about yet.
    “Someone’s got a crush,” Rosie said in a sing-song voice.
    “I’m done talking to you.”
    “Yeah, whatever. You guys going to Bastille?”
    “Don’t know,” Odalia replied.
    Rosie snorted and gave her a don’t-shit-me grin. Odalia glared, but there was no heat there. She wanted this thing with Jacques to work, but she couldn’t pin all her hopes on him, not until he said something. It wasn’t as though she was hiding anything from him.
    Sassy strode through the shop, two steaming cups of her amazing coffee in hand, followed by Creature.
    “Here you are, two wake-me-ups. Don’t hog them.” Sassy winked again.
    “You guys going to hang out for a bit?” Rosie asked.
    “No, bounty hunter stuff to do.” Odalia sipped the