Alec

I chuckled. "I like it too, it's pretty."

"You're pretty."

I deadpanned, "Stop that."

"Stop what?" Alec smiled while giving me the 'fuck me' look.

"That! Stop tryin' to seduce me."

Alec blinked his eyes, stared at me for a moment then laughed. "I'm sorry, I didn't even realise I was hitting on you."

"Maybe because you flirt with people so much it has become second nature to you, just like breathin', you do it and don't even notice."

"It's a skill."

"It's a pain in the arse, that's what it is."

Alec waggled his eyebrows at me. "I know something else that can be a pain in your ass-"

"Alec, I swear to God, if you finish that sentence I will shove me foot so far up your arse that you will need a surgeon to remove it."

Alec stared at me blankly, unblinking then mumbled, "You're even more creative with your threats than Bronagh."

I inwardly smiled. "I'm sorry for threatenin' you, and while I'm at it, I'm sorry for bein' such a bitch to you. Why don't we start over. Hey, I'm Keela Daley, nice to meet you."

Alec smiled at me and took my hand in his. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed my knuckles before he said, "Nice to meet you, Keela Daley. I'm Alec Slater."

I sighed as I blew out a breath, which caused Alec to chuckle.

"So, Alec, what do you like to do for fun? Keep it PG."

Alec smiled, then shook his head and said, "I like animals. When I'm back home, I help out with the local shelters that the DSPCA runs. They have very limited funds so volunteers are always welcome. I donate money as well, but donating my time is something I enjoy. What about you, what do you do for fun? You can get as explicit as you want with your answer, just throwing that in there."

I wanted to laugh at the ending to his sentence but I didn't because I was too busy processing the fact that he volunteers at animal shelters because he enjoys it.

That just added to how attractive he was.

"Um, I like to write. It's nothin' as cool as volunteerin', but-"

"Don't do that, don't put something you like to do down. Don't even compare it to something someone else likes to do. It's yours so put it on a high pedestal."

I blinked.

"What?" Alec asked as I stared at him.

I cleared my throat and said, "I've never had someone, besides Aideen, be so direct with me before."

Alec shrugged. "Spend a little time with me and you can see how direct I can be, kitten."

I raised my eyebrows. "Was that suggestive? I can't really tell."

Alec chuckled. "Never mind, let’s get back to you, what do you like to write."

I felt my cheeks heat up with the spotlight suddenly on me and my writing, I was about to take an out when Alec leaned and gripped my chin with his fingers and said, "Don't even think about it, kitten. You started this conversation and I'm seeing that we finish it."

Well, excuse me.

"You have to understand that this is a sensitive topic for me, only Aideen knows I write and now you. You're still new-"

"I'm trying to get in a little wear and tear with you so I'm not so new anymore. The more we talk, the more that happens. You talk, I’ll listen. Tell me about your writing."

I furrowed my eyebrows together and asked, "Are you serious? You really want to talk and listen to me?"

Alec frowned at me. "Why is that so shocking to you? People converse daily."

"You have only talked about sex since we met. I'm honestly haven' trouble separatin' that part from 'serious' you right now."

Alec smiled. "You don't know me, kitten. You know what I want from you but that's it. You don't know me at all."

I felt like he was challenging me.

"Well, maybe I want to get to know you. Maybe I want to get inside your mind and figure it out too. I want to understand you."

Alec reached his hand up to my face and ran his fingertips over my cheek.

"You'd lose your mind trying to understand mine, kitten."

"Don't be cryptic with me, I like you better when you're straight forward."

Alec drew back his hand and laughed. "I like your honesty kitten, don't ever lose it."

"I don't plan on it."

"Good. Come on, we can finish this conversation later, I want to go out."

"And do what?"

Alec pulled me from the bed and onto my feet then into a hug. "Now that we're friends, let's go get our hair done."

I pulled back and gave him a look.

He smiled at me. "You need a wash and blow dry."

I rolled my eyes then looked up to the Heavens. If I didn't kill him by the end of this trip then I would believe that miracles really did exist.

"I got my hair done because you hounded me for the last hour, but I'm not gettin' a tattoo and you can't make me."

Alec groaned out loud for the tenth time in thirty seconds.

"For the last time, I'm getting inked, you're just going to sit there and be quiet. I won't be long-"

"No, you're not leavin' me out here on me own, what if one of the artists thinks I want to get a tattoo and then they force me into gettin' one?"

Alec rubbed his eyes with both hands before he focused on me. "Sweetheart, I don't think anyone could force you into something you didn't want to do even if they tried."

"Whatever, I'm comin' into the room with you."

Alec groaned out loud again but instead of arguing, took my hand and interlocked it with his. "Come on then."

Victory!

I huddled close to Alec as we moved closer to the reception desk in the tattoo parlour. Okay, it wasn't exactly a reception desk, but it was clearly the place to go when you wanted to talk to the person in charge. The man in charge just so happened to be a six foot tall black man who was covered in tattoos.

"What can I do you for, mon?" Ink God asked Alec.

I smiled, he said 'mon' instead of 'man'.

It's pretty self-explanatory why I have dubbed the man Ink God.

He. Was. Stunning!

"I'm looking to finish my sleeve. I've a patch of white skin on my tricep that I want covered and blended."

Ink God nodded his head. "Let's have a look at what I'm workin' with."

I noticed the man's Bahamian accent caused him to drop his G's and I liked that because I did that when I spoke too.

Alec was complying with Ink God and opened his hand and tried to pull it from mine, but when I didn't let go he laughed and kissed my head. "I'll give it back to you in a second, promise."

I flushed with embarrassment when Ink God chuckled and tried to cover it up by coughing. I let go of Alec's hand and stood idle next to him as he took off his t-shirt. When he was bare chested, he bent his elbow then lifted his arm up in the air, showing the ink free part of his arm. Ink God looked it over few times before nodding his head.

"Forty minutes, tops. You got a design in mind?"

Alec nodded his head and stuck his hand inside the pocket of his shorts, pulled out his phone, tapped on the screen then turned it to Ink God. Ink God didn't say anything, he only put the phone down, got some see through paper then started drawing on it.

I was bored just standing there so I turned my head to look around the shop and when I spotted a huge wall with nothing but tattoo designs on it, I moved towards it without evening realising. I flicked my eyes over hundreds of beautiful designs. I smiled when a slight breeze hit my back just before a body pressed into mine.

"See anything you like?" Alec asked as he lowered his mouth to my ear and kissed it.

I shivered making him lightly chuckle.

I cleared my throat and said, "I like loads of them, they are gorgeous."

"Why don't you get one then?"

"Because tattoos are not somethin' I can take back after few days if I change me mind. They don't have a thirty day guarantee."

Alec turned me to face him. "You're one of those chicks who keeps the receipt for everything, aren't you?"

Were there some women who didn't keep their receipts?