“My buddy’s dad owns the joint across the street, Mountain Breath. Maybe I’ve seen you there?”
“Oh, my god!” I screamed, pulling the gun away from Dane’s chest. It finally clicked. I even had to put the gun down because my hands started shaking so badly.
“What?” The surprise that raked across his face was hilarious.
“You’re fucking Dane Pearson! Holy fuckingshit!”
He nodded, completely taken aback. “I’m really glad my name makes you so…jubilant? I guess that’s a good word for this.”
I took a few sharp, deep breaths in and wanted to die from the embarrassment of my fangirl freak out.
“You okay?” Dane looked overly concerned, lying on the table, propped up on one elbow.
“Uh huh. I just can’t fucking believe it!” Trying to still my hand or my voice was completely futile at that point.Dane. Fucking. Pearson. In my freaking chair!I shrieked to myself as he looked up at me, completely confused.
“Believe what?”
“That you’re Dane Pearson from The Hysterics and I am fucking tattooing you!” My voice was pretty shrill at that point.
How the fuck am I going to finish this tattoo?
“You know my band?”
“Know it? Iloveyour band!”
I could hear my heart thudding my chest.
Is this fucking normal? Am I about to have a heart attack from fangirling?
Is that a fucking thing—death by fangirling?
He chuckled a little and that made me want to die a thousand deaths right on the spot. I even contemplated diving head first under the tattoo table.
Dane pointed to his bare chest. “Do you think…?” He trailed off with an eyebrow raised as I continued to gawk at him like a fucking idiot.
“Oh yeah! Shit! Ok!” I tried to laugh off my nervousness, but holy shit balls of fire, I was still freaking out. Thankfully, the chick Dane had come with emerged from behind Cruz’s curtain and they started chatting a bit. I needed the distraction to get back into my tattooing zone and calm my fangirling a bit. Somehow—and for the love of god, I have no idea how—I composed myself enough to continue to drill ink onto one of my favorite drummers of all time.
I started to wipe Dane’s chest again, checking for smooth lines and anywhere that might need a second pass, when the tall tattooed woman leaned over Dane’s chest. “Oh, Serena, it’s breathtaking!”
“Thanks! I actually didn’t get your name.” She was out-of-this-world pretty, totally someone I would have filmed with. I caught myself tripping back into my old ways and it felt so good to be able to stop myself and remember that I was out of that world for good.
“Fae, my name is Fae. It’s nice to meet you. Take care of him, will ya? He’s my ride.” I watched the cute exchange between Dane and his girl, and I could see how much he loved her. A stab of jealousy took me by surprise, not of being his or in her position specifically, but of the way he looked at her. I had never had someone look into me and really see me for more than a hot chick with awesome tattoos that can eat pussy like there’s no tomorrow.
Someday. Someday that will be me looking into loving eyes.