Free Permanent Ink (Something to Celebrate #1) by Laura Simcox Page B

liked to see cutting-edge event planning. She could take a ton of photos—of the vendor-booth area, of the town commons all ready to go—before the scarier-looking of the tattoo people got there, of course. Like the parade contest, Ink Fest might well propel her directly into her next job.
    She nodded, her head moving faster as she thought.
    “Does that mean yes?” Ben asked.
    She looked up at him—his lips were closer than they had been even a few seconds ago.
    “Okay,” she said, giving him a small smile before taking a step back.
    Surprise flickered in his eyes for a second, but then he smiled back. “Great. We’ll make sure to get Ink Fest completely cleaned up in plenty of time for the parade, okay?”
    She nodded. “I’ll build it into my plans to hire a crew. And the minute it’s over, they’ll get to work. I want anything and everything tattoo-related off the town commons before the parade floats need to get staged. Can we agree on that?”
    “Sure. All of this is not too much for you to handle is it?” He flicked a finger at the notebook in her hand.
    “Of course not. As long as we keep it all business,” she replied, forcing herself to keep her expression neutral. He wouldn’t bring up the kiss, would he? Damn. She probably shouldn’t have alluded to it at all.
    He met her gaze for a second, not moving, but then nodded. “I can agree to that. But just so you know, I’m flexible.”
    With a grin, he turned before she could comment and opened his arms wide to gesture toward the tattoo area. “Come on. I’ll show you where the magic happens.”
    She bet he would.
    …
    Humming filled the air in Skinnovations, and the sound of his tattoo machine brought a smile to Ben’s face. He curved the needle in a sweep, following the stencil as he applied a thin line of black to Crystal’s arm.
    Inking someone always centered him, and he’d felt unsettled since that moment with Blair in the alley this morning. He’d felt nervous, but something else, too. Something bordering on euphoric. She had kissed him. There was no mistake about it—she was interested and not just a little bit. Why else would she have agreed to plan Ink Fest for him?
    It was still hard to believe that she had agreed. Part of him was shocked, and the other part—completely relieved. He was in way over his head with that festival and even though he didn’t really know Blair…well, didn’t know her beyond a few heated conversations and even more heated kisses, he had a gut feeling that the festival was in great hands. She was a planner, through and through. She was methodical. And despite those less than exciting qualities, she was sexy as hell. Even if she wasn’t able to watch him work.
    She’d given it a valiant effort, but at the first wells of blood that had seeped up on Crystal’s arm, Blair’s face had turned a bit green. That’s when he’d told her about the stacks of tattoo-festival brochures in his office, and that’s where she was right now, poring over them. Probably making copious notes.
    He gave in to a chuckle and glanced down at Crystal Waters, who reclined, completely still, on the chair.
    “Doing okay?” he asked.
    She looked up at him, her eyes swimming. “Sure. I need a minute to adjust to the pain. Keep going.”
    Ben nodded and continued to apply the outline of the tattoo on Crystal’s arm. “Breathe evenly. So, how are things at the diner?”
    She blew dark bangs out of her eyes. “Same old, same old. Get up at five, open at six. Sling breakfast. Sling lunch. Prep for dinner, order supplies. Hand the keys to the night manager at six and go home to crash.” Her voice was a bit breathy. “Ow.”
    “Sounds like an exciting life, Crys.”
    She rolled her eyes. “Trying to tell me something, Ben? I’m not the only one who needs to get out more.”
    “Yeah,” he said noncommittally. He planned to get out a lot more in the very near future, and it wasn’t wise to advertise in a town this small,