Under My Skin Read Online Free PDF Page A

hesitated for all of two seconds, then without giving himself a chance to think it through and reject the idea, walked to the glass door, which displayed a black and white “Closed” sign, and rapped on it with his knuckles.
    From this position he could no longer see the man, but he watched for his tall figure to appear in the back room doorway... and wasn't disappointed when, seconds later, that's exactly what happened.
    “Sorry, I'm closed,” Sebastian called, his voice muffled through the glass.
    Dylan stepped backward until he stood in the light from the overhang of the building to be sure Sebastian could see it was him. Of course, given the way the man reacted to him sometimes, it might be better if Sebastian didn't realize it was him.
    He saw Sebastian pause halfway to the door as he crossed through the store— no doubt he'd just recognized Dylan. Dylan couldn't make out the look on his face since the lights in the front of the store had been turned off and he was backlit by the yellow glow from the storeroom.
    Finally, though, he came to the door. The lock squeaked when Sebastian turned it, and the door opened with a jingle of the bell hanging from the top. Sebastian peered out at him, his expression a mixture of irritation and something else Dylan couldn't quite read.
    “I was leaving and saw your light on,” Dylan said. “Working late?”
    “Doing some month-end accounting. You?”
    “I had to set up some interviews for a job opening I have at the shop, and my afternoon appointment ran long. Soccer mom's first tattoo, so we took it slow and easy.”
    Sebastian gave him an odd look. “You tattoo soccer moms?”
    “Oh, yeah. Probably more than you might think. Soccer moms, grandmas, doctors, lawyers, teachers. I even have a sweet little old lady who reminds me of Bunny who used to own the yarn shop here. Her name's Clarabelle. She loves flowers— used to run one of the big greenhouses in St. Louis that supplied florists. She retired years ago. She comes in every month and has me add one more tiny little daisy to the chain we're doing around her wrist. She bakes good cookies, too. Always brings me a batch when she comes in.”
    Sebastian stared at him, and if Dylan wasn't mistaken, the man looked like Dylan had just thoroughly stunned him. Surely he didn't think only bikers and sailors and goths wore ink now, did he?
    “I... I guess I didn't realize your clientele was so diverse,” Sebastian murmured. Then he shook his head as if reeling himself back to the moment. “Did you need something?”
    Yeah, you. The words had been on the tip of Dylan's tongue before he realized it. He bit them back. “I want to apologize for Babs this afternoon. She's been one of my clients for a long time and she's a flirt and a tease and sometimes doesn't really know when to close her mouth. I hope she didn't offend you.”
    Sebastian's eyebrows pulled together for just a moment as if he were surprised by the apology. Then he seemed to gather himself and shrugged. “Nah. It's okay.”
    “Sorry, too, about the music. I'll have a talk with Ander tomorrow. He gets enthusiastic and, to be honest, when I'm right there working in it, he turns it up so gradually throughout the day I don't really notice until it's blasting. I'll make sure he keeps it down.”
    The surprised expression was back on Sebastian's face again. “Okay. Thanks.”
    Sucking it up, Dylan blurted out what he really wanted to say. “We haven't had a chance to get to know each other very well yet. If you're close to finishing up for the night and you don't have other plans, do you want to go get a drink somewhere?”
    He saw the quick rise and fall of the other man's chest beneath his white shirt. Sebastian's brows drew together again and his hesitation was almost tangible.
    Dylan held his breath, hoping, but was afraid he was about to be rejected.
    “I... ” Sebastian swallowed. His eyes looked troubled. And yet, Dylan swore he could feel the other man's