Free Abiding Ink (Inked in the Steel City #4) by Ranae Rose Page A

was still funny to picture Jed tiptoeing around the empty boxes she’d wrapped and ducking under strings of paper gingerbread men – apparently, Abby’s niece had gotten in on helping with the party decorations, too.
    “I think she has a whole new scheme planned for the New Year’s party,” Jed said.
    “Yeah.” Jed’s New Year’s party – he always had a get-together on December 31 st . “About that. Is it cool if I bring someone?”
    “You know I don’t care. Bring whoever you want.”
    Tyler nodded, thinking of Mallory. He hadn’t mentioned the New Year’s party to her, but he wasn’t going to miss a chance to ask, when the time came. He’d call her soon, though he didn’t want to wait until the new year to see her.
    “I’ll see you tomorrow,” Tyler said, glancing at the clock. It was only seven-thirty – it only seemed late, thanks to December’s early darkness. Maybe when he got home he’d give Mallory a call and see if she was ready to set up their next date.
    Was it too soon to call again?
    Hell, he didn’t know. There was probably an unwritten rule book of dating etiquette and appropriate call-back times, but he had no freaking clue how long a guy was supposed to wait to call again after screwing up things with his date’s boss, being banned from volunteer Jell-O delivery work and then being cancelled on. It didn’t seem like the sort of situation there was a pat answer for, so he decided he’d just go ahead and call.
    To hell with unwritten rules. The seeming-cool ship had sailed a long time ago, back when he’d crashed the hospital meal cart into the doorway and then almost run Mallory over with it. Now that she’d been back to work, he could at least ask how that had gone. Hopefully he hadn’t fucked things up for her too badly.
    “Tomorrow,” Jed agreed, raising a hand in a good-bye gesture as Tyler headed for the door.
    Back outside in the snow, he drew deep breaths, letting the night air cool him from the inside out as he headed for his car. By the time he reached it, he was steeped in stripes of shadow and streetlight. Not far away, Hot Ink glowed like a beacon, its neon sign drawing the eye while the postered windows beneath spilled clear, muted light out onto the sidewalk.
    He’d just slipped into his car when a familiar-looking silhouette pushed Hot Ink’s front door open.
    A bolt of recognition hit his gut. Mallory? No, had to be someone else.
    But the woman who’d just exited the shop had Mallory’s shape and ease of movement, and given the amount of time he’d spent admiring her, it’d be hard to mistake those things. Drawing in a deep breath, he watched as she stepped into the full glow of neon.
    She was Mallory. Bright blue light shone down on her face, illuminating her features. He recognized the curves of her cheekbones, the irresistible Cupid’s bow formed by her lips. She’d pulled her hair up into some sort of knot, but a few curly strands had escaped to bounce around her temples. For a split second, recognizing her sent his heart rate ticking upward, pumping heat and desire through his body.
    Then it crashed, and each beat seemed to be driving a nail into the coffin of whatever chemistry they’d shared – whatever chances he’d had with her. He’d just been inside Hot Ink – she had to have been there too. Where?
    Inside a booth, maybe? He hadn’t paid much attention to who’d been in the shop. Abby had been tattooing, and so had James, though he hadn’t really glimpsed their clients. If Mallory had been lying down in a chair, she would’ve been invisible from where he’d stood by the front counter.
    The thought filled him with confusion and a potent jealousy that lay hot and heavy in his gut. Mallory, in a booth at Hot Ink, ignoring him?
    It didn’t make sense. Maybe she’d been in the restroom. Then again, the thought that she’d just happened to be strolling by Hot Ink and had stopped in for a bathroom break seemed pretty ridiculous too. His