"You have to understand that this is a sensitive topic for me, only Aideen knows I write and now you. You're still new-"

"I'm trying to get in a little wear and tear with you so I'm not so new anymore. The more we talk, the more that happens. You talk, I'll listen. Tell me about your writing."

I furrowed my eyebrows together and asked, "Are you serious? You really want to talk and listen to me?"

Alec frowned at me. "Why is that so shocking to you? People converse daily."

"You have only talked about sex since we met. I'm honestly haven' trouble separatin' that part from 'serious' you right now."

Alec smiled. "You don't know me, kitten. You know what I want from you but that's it. You don't know me at all."

I felt like he was challenging me.

"Well, maybe I want to get to know you. Maybe I want to get inside your mind and figure it out too. I want to understand you."

Alec reached his hand up to my face and ran his fingertips over my cheek.

"You'd lose your mind trying to understand mine, kitten."

"Don't be cryptic with me, I like you better when you're straight forward."

Alec drew back his hand and laughed. "I like your honesty kitten, don't ever lose it."

"I don't plan on it."

"Good. Come on, we can finish this conversation later, I want to go out."

"And do what?"

Alec pulled me from the bed and onto my feet then into a hug. "Now that we're friends, let's go get our hair done."

I pulled back and gave him a look.

He smiled at me. "You need a wash and blow dry."

I rolled my eyes then looked up to the Heavens. If I didn't kill him by the end of this trip then I would believe that miracles really did exist.

"I got my hair done because you hounded me for the last hour, but I'm not gettin' a tattoo and you can't make me."

Alec groaned out loud for the tenth time in thirty seconds.

"For the last time, I'm getting inked, you're just going to sit there and be quiet. I won't be long-"

"No, you're not leavin' me out here on me own, what if one of the artists thinks I want to get a tattoo and then they force me into gettin' one?"

Alec rubbed his eyes with both hands before he focused on me. "Sweetheart, I don't think anyone could force you into something you didn't want to do even if they tried."

"Whatever, I'm comin' into the room with you."

Alec groaned out loud again but instead of arguing, took my hand and interlocked it with his. "Come on then."

Victory!

I huddled close to Alec as we moved closer to the reception desk in the tattoo parlour. Okay, it wasn't exactly a reception desk, but it was clearly the place to go when you wanted to talk to the person in charge. The man in charge just so happened to be a six foot tall black man who was covered in tattoos.

"What can I do you for, mon?" Ink God asked Alec.

I smiled, he said 'mon' instead of 'man'.

It's pretty self-explanatory why I have dubbed the man Ink God.

He. Was. Stunning!

"I'm looking to finish my sleeve. I've a patch of white skin on my tricep that I want covered and blended."

Ink God nodded his head. "Let's have a look at what I'm workin' with."

I noticed the man's Bahamian accent caused him to drop his G's and I liked that because I did that when I spoke too.

Alec was complying with Ink God and opened his hand and tried to pull it from mine, but when I didn't let go he laughed and kissed my head. "I'll give it back to you in a second, promise."

I flushed with embarrassment when Ink God chuckled and tried to cover it up by coughing. I let go of Alec's hand and stood idle next to him as he took off his t-shirt. When he was bare chested, he bent his elbow then lifted his arm up in the air, showing the ink free part of his arm. Ink God looked it over few times before nodding his head.

"Forty minutes, tops. You got a design in mind?"

Alec nodded his head and stuck his hand inside the pocket of his shorts, pulled out his phone, tapped on the screen then turned it to Ink God. Ink God didn't say anything, he only put the phone down, got some see through paper then started drawing on it.

I was bored just standing there so I turned my head to look around the shop and when I spotted a huge wall with nothing but tattoo designs on it, I moved towards it without evening realising. I flicked my eyes over hundreds of beautiful designs. I smiled when a slight breeze hit my back just before a body pressed into mine.

"See anything you like?" Alec asked as he lowered his mouth to my ear and kissed it.

I shivered making him lightly chuckle.

I cleared my throat and said, "I like loads of them, they are gorgeous."

"Why don't you get one then?"

"Because tattoos are not somethin' I can take back after few days if I change me mind. They don't have a thirty day guarantee."

Alec turned me to face him. "You're one of those chicks who keeps the receipt for everything, aren't you?"

Were there some women who didn't keep their receipts?

"Of course, I wouldn't trust anyone who didn't keep the receipts for the items they buy."

Alec chewed on his lower lip. "I don't."

I snorted. "You're datin' me now honey, that will change."

A smile stretched across Alec face as he lifted his hand and brushed loose strands of hair out of my face.

"I like you, kitten."

I smiled. "I don't believe you."

"I do, I like you a lottle. It's like a little, except a lot."

I rolled my eyes. "You can't take cute sayin's from the internet and try to make them yours."

Alec gasped. "I would never! I made that up-"

"I've seen the little penguin picture with the lottle word on it, you're lyin'."

Alec grunted. "Fine, whatever. I saw it on Facebook somewhere, but it's cute and it fits how I feel about you."

"I smell bullshit."

Alec smiled. "You know I'm serious."

"No, I don't believe you," I whispered.

Alec raised an eyebrow. "You want me to convince you?"

"I don't think anythin' you do will convince me."

Was I flirting?

"You think so?"

"Oh, I know so."

Yes, yes I was.

"You really shouldn't challenge me, little girl," Alec said in a low, threatening voice that I didn't find scary, only sexy.

"Or what?" I asked, keeping direct eye contact with him.

"I'll accept and see that I complete the challenge to the best of my abilities."

I swallowed. "Prove it-"

His mouth was on mine before I could finish my sentence.

Alec has kissed me a once or twice before, but those were pecks on the lips and were mostly to annoy me. But this kiss, this kiss was something else entirely. I felt it not only in my mouth but in other parts of my body as well.

"Alec, stop," I mumbled into his mouth.

He lifted his hands from my waist and placed them on the side of my face, holding me in place connected to him. He applied more pressure to the kiss, and swirled his tongue around mine, thoroughly kissing me. My hands were frozen on his bare biceps and I don't know whether my grip was to keep him from getting closer to me or to keep him from moving away from me.

I felt him pull back from me, and the little nip he gave to my bottom lip was the jolt I needed to come back down to Earth, because after that kiss I was somewhere miles away.

"Keela?" Alec whispered.

My eyes were still closed as I hummed in response.

"I don't like the word 'stop', but I do like hearing you say my name."

I blinked my eyes open and through my thoroughly kissed daze, I smiled.

"You're a really good kisser."

Alec laughed and kissed my forehead. "Kitten, you have no idea. Just wait till I get you back to our room."

I blinked and snorted at his cockiness.

"You're a good kisser, a really good kisser, but don't think that will be enough to get me into bed."

Alec winked. "We sleep in the same bed."

I playfully swatted his shoulder. "You know what I mean."

Alec chuckled. "Yeah I know, and I already accepted that challenge back home. As you just found out, I'm very good at completing challenges."

I raised my eyebrow. "What challenge did you just complete?"

"I convinced you that I like you."

He did?

I rolled my eyes. "You convinced me that you're a good kisser, that doesn't mean you like me."

"I'm here pretending to be your boyfriend with the possibility of getting zero benefits from you. Trust me kitten, I like you. I like you a whole lottle, remember?"

I groaned. "You should not be able to say things like that."

"Why?"

Really?

"Because it's too bloody cute, that's why."

Alec smiled. "Yeah? Well, it's true."

I was wary, I wanted to believe that someone like Alec could even remotely think of liking someone like me, but I couldn't because my mind and heart wouldn't allow me to.

"Yeah, yeah, Romeo."

Alec frowned at me. "Why do you do that?"