Tattooed Emotions Read online

  After Tim opened the conference room door for me, I casually strolled inside where I came to an abrupt halt at the sight of the man across the room. Damien Heathman was standing in front of a long, narrow window with his right forearm resting on the side of the wooden trim, slightly above his head, with his torso facing me. The door closing behind me sounded at my back, but my attention was focused solely in front of me.

  “Oh God,” I breathed out in a whisper. My heart crashed against my breastbone at a dangerous speed, momentarily shaking my armor out of place, as I drank in the sight of Damien Heathman.

  His dark brown hair shone in the natural lighting beaming in through the glass, nearly making him glow. His shoulders and arms filled out every perfect inch of his black suit in all the right ways and narrowed in at his waist. His posture radiated strength and confidence that was palpable in the room.

  As I desperately tried to fortify the steel armor around my heart once again, Damien turned to face me, and a pair of shielded gray eyes met mine. They were so dark, troubled, and completely guarded that it was as if he were concealing himself from the world…and me. As his eyes effectively wrecked me with their intensity, my breath was knocked clear out of my lungs.

  Over the course of the next several beats, time appeared to suspend as our gazes remained locked on one another¸ green against gray, taking each other in, him assessing me and me gauging him. I was rendered speechless, completely riveted and captured by his powerful stare.

  When he finally made the first step toward me around the rectangular oak table in the center of the oblong room, my natural instinct to run slammed into me, begging me to get as far away from this man as possible, yet my feet remained unresponsive to my mind screaming at me to take flight. Somehow, I knew he would be hazardous to my heart.

  I tightly clutched my files to my chest like they were my lifeline, yet it didn’t stop my pulse from hammering and pounding wickedly in my veins. I wanted to break our connection, but I wouldn’t dare look away from those penetrating gray eyes that were still holding me as he continued to close the distance between us.

  I was a quivering mess, not him though. No, Damien continued straight for me with deliberate, purposeful strides. Each one seemed like an electrical spark to my heart, as if trying to bring it to life, and my body felt hot, really hot.

  He neared with confidence, and my impulse to flee grew stronger, as did my unexplainable resistance to leave the confined space.

  My mind continued to refute back and forth over its internal struggle until Damien came to a stop in front of me, and I was forced to take in the full impact of his stunning features. His strong cheekbones led to a square jaw, and his muscular, tall body towered over my petite frame.

  Oh, sweet Jesus. I drew in a shaky breath.

  He was utter perfection.

  As his gaze slowly traveled all over my face, lingering here and there, the hard edges of his own seemed to soften…or maybe they were just replaced with curiosity at my peculiar reaction to him—which of the two, I was unsure.

  When he outstretched his hand between us, I had no choice but to look straight into those powerful grays again.

  “Raelyn Jennings?” His voice was low and alluring.

  I was embarrassed by my lack of manners to introduce myself first, but my brain couldn’t string together two words for the life of me.

  “Yes,” I replied breathlessly, attempting to hide my bundle of nerves and how he’d deeply affected me. “Damien Heathman, I presume?” I gingerly set my hand in his.

  The shocking current I’d felt at the sight of him was nothing compared to his touch, and I jolted back from the connection.

  In a feeble attempt to sidetrack myself and regain my composure, I frantically let my gaze roam up and down him, searching for a nasty blemish on his devastatingly handsome tanned skin or a gigantic stain on the front of his black suit paired with a collared white shirt and black-and-gray tie.

  God, where is your mustard or ketchup or ranch stain? I need something! He has to have at least one flaw visible to the eye!

  Damien cleared his throat and laughed. “Excuse me?”

  My entire body went rigid, practically seizing with fright. No. No. I couldn’t have possibly said that aloud.

  A warm thumb and index finger gently clasped the bottom of my chin and lifted it until I had no other choice than to look at those gray eyes that rendered me speechless and stupid.

  Damien tilted his head to the side, thoughtfully perusing me. “I didn’t have mustard or ketchup or ranch for lunch,” he stated, confirming my worst fear, before arching a curious brow. “Is this how you greet all your clients?”

  Appalled by his question and my lack of professionalism, I gaped at him while my armor clamped back into place. “No, of course not!” I sputtered as my body temperature rose a few degrees against my will.

  The corner of his lip twitched, revealing a semblance of a smile. The faint movement created a slight dimple at the side of his full lips. “Just me then?” He grinned, his eyes pulling me further into a flustered state of haze.

  “Never.” I laughed to mask my embarrassment.

  “Interesting.” He thrummed gruffly from the back of his throat as his thumb trailed down my neck, sending waves of heat scorching in its path. “And this?” he stated, no doubt referring to the reddened flesh of my skin. “That’s not normal either?”

  Now, I was just pissed—not only at his brazenness, but also at my stupid reaction to a man I didn’t even know. Without a single thought, I slapped his hand away, the sound reverberating throughout the closed room.

  “No,” I stated harshly. “And how ungallant and egotistical of you to point it out.” At his stunned expression, I tried to recover myself. “This building is rather hot and humid in the summer months.”

  “Indeed.” He grinned mischievously. The look appeared to lighten the shield around his eyes, softening them.

  Dismissing his comment, I gestured to the conference table to get us back on track. “Please have a seat, Mr. Heathman, so we can begin our meeting.”

  Without giving him a chance to respond, I skirted around him, careful to make sure our bodies didn’t brush along one another. Here I was, falling face-first at this rude but gorgeous man when I had a job to do.

  Well, no more.

  My nude pumps clinked against the tiled floor as I went to the head of the table. I sat down and opened my folder, so I could organize my notes. Luckily, I knew my presentation well, but I still wanted to have them in the proper order.

  I was briefly surprised when Damien unbuttoned his jacket and seated himself in the first chair at my right side. It was entirely too close for my liking, but I quickly regained my composure.

  Once I was ready, I glanced over at Damien, who had been waiting patiently for me. I wanted to start our meeting out strong, so I kindly said, “So, Mr. Heathman, I presume Cale has informed you that I’ll be taking over your accounting needs from here on out.”

  His brows lifted at my confidence, and he retorted, “Actually, I believe I’m here for you to prove that you’re worthy of such a valued position.” He sat forward in his seat. His tall torso towered over me, giving me the impression that he was sizing me up. “I take my business seriously, Ms. Jennings. When it comes to placing my company’s finances in someone else’s hands, I expect nothing less than complete honesty and perfection in return.”

  “I absolutely agree, and that’s exactly what Adam and Jennings Accounting Services intends on continuing to give you.” I acknowledged him with a tilt of my head.

  Clearly, Damien Heathman played hardball.

  I handed him a few sets of copies of my numbers that I’d made for him. “I already took the liberty of thoroughly familiarizing myself with your accounts, and I have some great ideas to present you with.”

  “Good,” he replied, grabbing the papers to look them over. “Let’s hear your best pitch then, Ms. Jennings.” He leaned back in his chair and grinned. “I�
��m all yours.”

  He definitely was not mine, but I was more focused on clearing the other misconception at hand, so I told him, “Mr. Heathman, let’s just get one thing straight before I begin. I have no intention of pitching you anything. To me, it relays a fabricated speech with room for uncertainty and broken promises. I will give you nothing less than you deserve, which is showing you the numbers and facts because they never lie. Then, you’ll have every possible scenario in front of you to determine the future of your businesses.”

  I thought I saw a sliver of admiration in his eyes before they went unreadable. It gave me just the right amount of courage to go full speed ahead. I dived deep into each and every one of Damien’s companies, reviewing their expenses, where cuts could be taken, profit margins, and areas for improvement. I explained where a healthy calculated risk could be afforded and other areas that needed growth to increase revenue first. Then, I gave him the total numbers of all his companies together.

  Cale quietly entered the room somewhere in the middle of my presentation. I momentarily faltered as Damien’s demeanor shifted, and he narrowed in on my partner. Cale seemed oblivious to Damien’s peculiar assessment though. When Damien returned his attention to me, I quickly shoved the thought aside and recovered flawlessly, knowing I had a job to do.

  All the while, Damien came at me left and right with solid questions. I was proud of myself for being able to answer all of them. My preparation had paid off, no doubt. I instantly admired Damien for keeping up on his companies as well as having a professional accounting service as a second opinion. I personally knew firsthand that one could never be too safe. Whether someone was in charge of billions or just a few hundred, they needed to account for every hard-earned penny, and Damien didn’t fall short on his involvement.

  When I finally finished, I was nearly out of breath.

  Regarding me, Damien sat quietly in his chair and stroked his thumb back and forth across his pen until he finally softly said, “I have to admit, you’re not what I expected.”

  At my left, Cale leaned forward and linked his fingers together with a broad smile on his face. “See?” He smirked at Damien. “I told you, no one is more thorough than Jennings.” He pointed at the north end of the building. “Her name is on the front of my office for a reason. Raelyn is one of the best.”

  I ignored the urge to correct Cale and say our building since our partnership was fifty-fifty, but I refrained. It was probably an honest mistake, and I was too eager to hear Damien’s thoughts. Plus, I was confused as to why the whole time Cale had spoken, Damien had kept his attention on me without a single glance at Cale. It was rather unnerving. My instincts told me there was some kind of unspoken animosity between Cale and Damien, and I was clearly out of the loop. I swallowed thickly, suddenly feeling uncomfortable at my discovery.

  Damien distracted my reservations by lifting his hand to run it back and forth along the base of his chin, intently observing me. “You’re very good at your job. I’m quite impressed.”

  “Thank you,” I replied. Gathering my paperwork, I gave him my most valued motto, “Numbers never lie.”

  “They don’t,” he agreed with a tilt of his head. Then, his eyes went black, and his jaw twitched. “Or they’re not supposed to.”

  I was about to ask what he meant when Cale leaped to his feet. The movement sent his chair flying backward. “Well, spectacular job, Rae.” He clapped his hands together. “I’ll expect an update on Mr. Heathman’s file on my desk each month.”

  Damien shot Cale a cold stare. “That won’t be necessary. I believe Ms. Jennings is fully capable of taking over my accounts from here on out.”

  Cale shifted on his feet, making me frown in confusion. Yes, something was definitely going on between these two, and suddenly, I didn’t want to find myself wedged in the middle of it. I’d have to voice my concerns to Cale later when we were alone.

  “Very well then.” Cale cleared his throat and faced me. “Be in my office in ten.”

  The atmosphere instantly went tense. I didn’t need to look at Damien to confirm the animosity pouring out of him. I could feel it.

  I decided to be the go-between just once. “All right,” I told my partner. Then, I gave my full attention to Damien. “Let me see you out, Mr. Heathman.”

  I advanced toward Damien while gesturing at the door. “Right this way.”

  Seconds felt like hours before Damien tore his gaze away from Cale and peered down at me. His eyes were fully guarded and distant, but his head nodded subtly.

  Together, Damien and I ambled out of the room. All the while, I felt Cale’s heated eyes on my back. I had no idea what in the hell was going on, but I intended to find out.

  Once Damien and I reached the front doors of the building, Damien opened it and spoke softly, “Walk me to my car?”

  I wanted to say no. I really did, yet for some reason, I found myself nodding my head in agreement and crossing over the threshold.

  I squinted at the bright light that assaulted my line of vision until my eyes adjusted. The tinge of humidity in the air did nothing to ease my irritation. My mind was scattered. I had so many questions for Cale, and nothing would help my qualms until I had answers.

  Damien and I crossed the parking lot and came to a stop in front of a shiny black Mitsubishi R8 with matching rims that had a hint of chrome around the edges. It was sleek and sporty.

  “Wow,” I murmured in awe.

  Damien’s eyes were on me. “Do you have a thing for cars, Ms. Jennings?”

  “Oh, yeah.” I bit my lip, imagining what it would feel like to slide down the plush leather seat and take it for a spin. “And this one’s a beauty.”

  His eyes glowed with mischief, almost as if his gray irises shimmered with sparkling silver. “Glad you think so.”

  He grinned devilishly. The look was so unreserved and strikingly hot that it nearly knocked me off my feet.

  Before I could connect my brain and body together, Damien asked, “Do you have your phone with you?”

  “Yes.”

  He outstretched his hand between us. “Can I see it?”

  “Sure,” I answered without a second thought. I reached into the pocket on the front of my plum-colored knee-length skirt to hand my iPhone to him. “Wait. Why?” I asked, baffled, as I tried to snatch it back.

  Damien dodged my efforts and tapped his fingers against the touch screen. “A great accountant should always keep in touch with her clients, and vice versa.”

  The quick change of topic back to work had my nerves resurfacing. I felt like I was on a roller coaster, getting whiplash.

  “Damien, wait,” I repeated, gently setting my hand on his.

  His movements stopped, and he looked down at me.

  Again, that same spark of electricity ricocheted throughout my body. It was stronger this time. But what captivated me the most was how Damien’s irises flickered with light. They almost mirrored the way I felt inside when we touched. His eyes were stunning. He was stunning.

  Gasping, I yanked my hand away, as if I had been electrocuted.

  He opened his mouth to speak, and then he closed it and shook his head from side to side in wonder. I didn’t need to ask what he was about to say because we had both been on the receiving end of something inexplicable.

  I needed to get out of here. It was now or never, and it had to be now.

  Cautiously, I extended my hand to him. “I must get back to work. Can I have my phone back?”

  He drew his brows together. “Raelyn?” he said my name, as if in question.

  “I have to go.” I folded my fingers into my palm and out again in a flicking motion. “Please?”

  “Okay.”

  He handed it to me, and I tucked it into my pocket.

  I had to end whatever this was that was transpiring between us. He deserved the truth.

  So, I took a small step away from him and let out a deep breath. “I’m not sure I can be your accountant.”

  Sho
ck flitted across his face before he quickly recovered. “Why not?”

  I shook my head and put more space between us, so I could think more clearly. “There is obviously something going on between you and Cale, and I don’t want to get in the middle of it.”

  He considerately looked at me and seemed to silently deliberate on something before he asked, “Did Cale say that?”

  “No, but I’m not blind.” I unleashed a humorless laugh. “I could feel it back there in the conference room. Whatever issue you have with my partner, you need to work it out with him.”

  “I don’t have a problem with Cale,” he deadpanned.

  “And I don’t believe in bullshit,” I tossed back.

  He narrowed his eyes, challenging me. “Neither do I.”

  “Good,” I said, relieved, as Damien said at the same time, “But if it’s thrown at me, you’d better believe I will fire it right back.”

  “I haven’t the slightest clue as to what you’re talking about,” I said defensively. “But I hope you’ll understand that’s why I have to walk away from your account. I’m sure Cale will be happy to assist you.”

  “That’s not an option.”

  He closed the gap between us, and my breath quickened. That palpable energy returned between us.

  I willed my body to appear indifferent to his proximity, but even I could hear the change in my breathing as he murmured, “Our meeting changed everything, Raelyn. It’s too late for me to walk away, and we need to talk. Have dinner with me tonight.”

  “Are you crazy?” I gawked at him and nearly tripped over my feet in an effort to get away from him.

  “Absolutely not.”

  “I’m busy,” I replied with a straight face. I wouldn’t be going anywhere with him.

  “Then, tomorrow night.”

  “I have plans.”

  Damien lifted his hand and tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear. It made my heart pound erratically in my chest.

  “You’re not going to win this argument, Raelyn.” A small smile played at his lips. “I’m a man who goes after what he wants, and I always fight to get my way.”