Collision Course (Westin Force #3) - Julie Trettel Page 0,1
do would have been to leave, but I was hungry.
I was already into my second burger when Cole and his mate stepped out. Her normally perfectly pressed clothes were disheveled, and her hair was a bit of a mess.
“I brought extras, Elizabeth. Help yourself. Sounded like you worked up an appetite.”
Her cheeks reddened, but she laughed and smacked me on the arm. Then she stole one of the burgers before kissing her mate and giving me a quick wave goodbye.
“You’re an ass,” Cole said with the shake of his head.
I handed him up a Coke and shrugged. “She loves me.”
We ate in comfortable silence.
“Thanks for the food.”
I smirked. “Sounded like you earned it.”
He snorted. “Love that girl. Always have.”
His words resonated with me. Cole and Elizabeth had been young when they discovered they were true mates. She’d denied it and they both had lived more than a decade in misery with an unresolved bond before finally getting together again.
Olivia and I didn’t have an unresolved bond, but my heart sure didn’t seem to understand that. What I wouldn’t give to someday have my girl back. I wasn’t jealous of my friend though. I was happy for him. I knew Cole before he reconnected with his mate and he’d been living in agony. I liked this newer Cole much better. No one deserved true happiness as much as him.
“So, you here to just hang or getting work done today?”
“I have a three-day weekend, so if you aren’t busy, I thought we’d work on the sleeve some more.”
“I can do that. Are we sticking with the blockish tribal-like thing we’ve got going on?”
“Yup. I want to add a ring around my wrist.”
“Is it okay to go that low?”
“Cole, I’m not actually in the military despite what Silas thinks. Patrick doesn’t define what we can and can’t do to our skin. I checked the contract to be certain of that.”
“Great. I’ll wash up and get things ready.”
He got up and started to walk back to his room.
“Don’t forget to scrub down the chair after your last little, um, session.”
He flipped me the bird and kept walking away.
I gave him time to clean up while I picked up the trash from my lunch and disposed of it. Then I walked back to join him.
“Take a seat and we’ll get started.”
I raised an eyebrow at him.
“Yes, I cleaned it already.”
With a smirk I sat down. “Just making sure.”
He already had everything prepped. He grabbed my arm and stretched it out to examine his new canvas while I gave him a quick description of what I wanted. We’d been working together enough times that I trusted his judgement and his artistic ability. There was no need for him to stencil it out. I was positive whatever he came up with would be perfect.
We chatted over the hum of the gun as he inked my skin. It wasn’t a big one so we were done in record time. He pulled back and examined his work, made a few last second marks, and then sat back and nodded.
“How’s that?”
I really took the time to look it over. It was perfect, exactly what I wanted.
“It’ll do.” I always told him that just to get a rise out of him.
Cole Anderson was a perfectionist and wouldn’t settle for anything less.
“Just okay then?”
“As always,” I teased with a grin.
“You really are an asshole. I don’t even know why we’re friends.”
“You have a big enough head around here without me gushing over your work like a little schoolgirl. Just keeping your feet firmly planted on the ground.”
“So I should thank you then?”
“Of course. I think a seventy-five percent discount would be appropriate in this situation.”
“Ten but only if in cash.”
“Deal.” I pulled out my wallet and paid him on the spot. I always pretended I didn’t realize he gave the same offer to all his clients, well, at least the shifter ones.
“Big plans this weekend?”
“I have absolutely no idea what I’m going to do with this much time off.”
“Kyle and I are going fishing. Come with us.”
“Fishing? Is that supposed to be some sort of code word for something else? Something actually fun perhaps?”
“Fishing is fun. Besides you’re a bear. Aren’t bears supposed to be great fishermen?”
“Probably. Do you really think I give a shit? I hated fishing growing up. I’m terrible at it. You’re supposed to be calm and quiet. That is at complete odds with my ADD.”
“Your ADD huh?”
“It’s not my fault I have attention deficit disorder. ADD is a