"God, I hate Monday's." Lavender groans, flopping down on my recliner face-first.

I snort and lightly shove her with my combat boot from where I'm sitting. "Dude, get off. My client is going to be here soon."

She turns her face to look at me. "Wolfe? You're so fucking lucky to spend your Monday's doing that."

"I'm not doing him, I'm doing his tattoos."

"Still lucky. You get to touch those yummy muscles to your heart's content."

She has a point. We're already winding down at the one month mark with his fourth appointment today and I'm trying to savour our time together. Don't get me wrong, I always see him outside of work when I join Aria and the Fighter's Den gang for plans here and there and we've really clicked as friends. But there's something different about tatting him where it's just us and he actually opens up to me. When we're around his friends, he's the reserved and quiet Wolfe I met for the very first time. When it's the two of us, he's the Wolfe that tells me about parts of his life and occasionally smiles—yes, that wasn't a one time thing—at me. He shows me a different side to him that I'm growing fonder of and I genuinely think he's one of the coolest guys I've ever met.

We even text now that I have his number. The first time he ever sent me a message, I'd stared at the words and tried to imagine him speaking them, imagine what his voice would sound like. I still do that but try not to because it makes me feel like I'm not accepting him for who he is. He doesn't talk and that's that. And I'm honestly okay with it.

Although, I've had the same thought cross through my head over and over again especially as of late. I've been meaning to talk to him about it but in doing so, I'd have to admit something about my past and I'm not so sure if I'm ready for that. Still, I think I'm going to do it today and I hope like hell he won't be too curious to ask me questions.

"How's his piece coming along?" Lavender asks, snapping me out of it.

"Fucking epic." And that's the truth. "I have the entire drawing down and now it's all about details and shading and making it look three-dimensional."

"The hardest part." She nods.

"But also the best part. I can't wait to see what it looks like when I'm done."

"Me neither. You should have him put on a show and walk around the studio shirtless for an hour so we can all see."

I crack up, throwing my head back in laughter. "Go get laid, Lav."

"I plan to." She smirks at me but then her eyes drag up over my shoulder and she suddenly sits upright.

I turn around in my chair just in time to see Wolfe opening the door to my office. He has his usual stoic and closed-off expression that he wears when there's people around him, his eyes going to Lavender. He nods respectfully at her, standing by the door and giving us space. I shake my head as I observe him. It's crazy how unapproachable he seems right now, how he purposely makes himself appear that way to the world, and how I've come to know he's nothing like this deep down. It's weird to see his walls up when I'm slowly starting to understand what's behind them.

"Catch you later." I tell Lavender, hinting at her to get going.

"Right." She sounds breathless as she hops off the recliner almost nervously. Wolfe intimidates her much like he intimidates everyone else even though that's not his intention. It's time like these that I wish everyone else knew him the way I know him but I also like that I'm the only one, at least I think, that gets to see certain sides to him. "Bye, Lenny."

I wave at her as she heads for the door, mustering up some obvious courage to smile at Wolfe. "Bye."

He tips his chin in return and moves out of the way to let her pass, mouth turned down and brows creased together. I roll my eyes at how pissed he looks when I know he isn't. We've got to work on that.

As soon as the door closes behind him, he turns back to me and his features instantly melt. Those harsh lines disappear and one corner of his mouth quirks up about a millimeter invitingly. I grin right back. There you are, big guy.

"Come on." I pat the recliner. "Let's get started."

As he walks over to me, he grabs the collar of his shirt and pulls it off his neck to dispose it on one of the chairs. I shift in my seat and look away quickly. You'd think I'd be used to seeing him shirtless by now and get over it but my attraction to him is only intensifying. These appointments are seriously fucking torture. I'm just grateful the piece is on his back so I don't have to look him in the eye when I ink him. That kind of intimacy would only land in me trouble and I know I wouldn't be able to control myself.

He lies down on his stomach while I shuffle through my phone and pick a song. I've been getting him hooked on all my music and it's seriously doing a number on my ego. Between that and the fact that he'll have my work inked on him for life, I feel almost...possessive? No, that's too strong a word. Protective? Fuck, I don't know.

I play Killing Me Slowly by Bad Wolves and the beat immediately brings the room to life. I set my phone down, head bopping, and grab my tattoo gun to get started. The grim reaper stares back at me in all its dark glory but right now, it's completely two dimensional. Shading will bring it to life and small details like the pleating in his cloak and sharpness of his sword will make it even more badass.

I start off by adding shading to the reaper's cloak using my 9 round needle. I need to give the cloak dimension so I'm looking for thick lines to make the pleats stand out as well as light shading to make the cloak look transparent. The reapers arms are stretched out beside him so the cloak starts on Wolfe's shoulders and expands to the back of his biceps. I have to be extra careful with this part so this piece doesn't intertwine with his sleeves.

As I starts adding large pleats to the cloak, Wolfe frowns at my phone then looks over his shoulder.

"What?" I ask, stopping the gun.

His brows tip up slightly as the lyrics blast around us, going even higher at some of the lines. The song is about keeping people at arms length and realizing it too late once they're gone.

I snort when I realize what he's saying. "Yeah, this one is a bit emotional but I think you're forgetting I have a heart too."

His expression shifts to concern and I realize he took the comment seriously. He tries sitting up until I set a hand on his back, holding him place. "Hey, I was just teasing. What's the point of having demons if you can't joke about them?"

He doesn't seem convinced so I start up the tattoo gun before he overthinks my statement to death. That and I don't want to start a touchy-feely conversation because I'm not good at those. I always come across as some damsel in distress when I reveal my past and I hate that. I don't want Wolfe to think of me as weak and helpless. I don't know when it happened but his opinion is one I actually give a fuck about now.

Reluctantly, he faces the other way and lets me work on him. He's still tense though and I'm torn between feeling annoyed that he won't drop it and feeling kind of warm that he...I don't know...cares.

Wanting to distract him, I figure this is a good time to bring up what I've been wanting to talk about.

"So, I wanted to ask you something." I start and he does that cute head tilt thing when he's letting me know he's paying attention. Oh, fuck me. Now I think he's cute? I clear my throat and go on. "I was wondering...do you know sign language?"

He shakes his head like I knew he would. I'm kind of surprised that he never learned and I also wonder why that's the case.

"Alright, well I was thinking that maybe knowing a bit of the basics could make it easier for you to communicate with others. It's completely your choice and I know you don't have any issues going about things the way you do now but it was just a thought."

I can't see his reaction since he's still face-down so I stop the gun and go over to where his head is on the recliner. He props his chin on it to look at me as I stare down at him. I shift my feet and reluctantly add the next part. "I...uh...I'm fluent in ASL so I was thinking I could teach you. It might make you more comfortable that way too."

His surprise is evident, a normal reaction I get out of people. I guess I'm the kind of person that doesn't seem like they would know sign language or something.

"So? What do you think?"

He sits up suddenly and I take a step back at the way his huge body invades my space. Good thing the recliner is there as a buffer because he seems way too close. He searches my eyes carefully, clearly debating what to say. I wait patiently. I know what I'm asking of him. Being able to do sign language will mean opening a new way for him to communicate and for others to communicate with him. I think he likes that people can't figure him out and ultimately leave him alone but if he starts signing, that gives them a way to reach him.

Eventually, he nods so slightly I wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't watching him so closely. My shoulders sag a little when I realize he trusted me enough to say yes and I blow out a relieved breath. "Cool. We can start off really simple. Numbers and the alphabet, how to sign the five W's, just basic stuff?"

He shrugs more uncertainly this time, starting to look a little stressed, and I instantly feel bad. I don't want to push him to do anything he doesn't want to or change anything about his speaking situation. What if he thinks I don't accept the fact that he doesn't speak? Fuck.

Before I can stop myself I come around to stand in front him, situating myself between his legs. He startles a little at my sudden proximity and I give him a moment to gesture for me to move back in case he doesn't feel comfortable with this. He doesn't.

"I only want to help you. I'm not saying you have to start outwardly signing for the world to know. You don't even have to tell anyone you're learning. It's just a good backup to have in case you need to be able to communicate with someone in dire situations. I'm just...trying to look out for you, I guess. I know you don't need my help and you're completely free to say you don't want this. I'm not trying to change anything about you, either. You know I think you're cool as fuck."

His mouth twitches at that and I offer the smallest smile back. Keeping his eyes on me, he nods much more confidently than before and my smile expands to a grin. I raise my palm for a high-five and he snorts before giving it back. "This is going to be fun. And we'll start off slow—you won't have to sign with anyone except me."

He considers that, starting to lie back down when I stop him with a hand to his shoulder. "Hold on, I want to do the cloak from the front of your body so I can see that I'm not overlapping with your sleeve. Keep sitting up."

I grab my tattoo gun and bring it around to him, starting it up by pressing the pedal. I slide one hand under his bicep, enjoying the feel of his rock-hard muscle, and turn it to face me until I can partially see the piece on his back. I bend my head to get closer and get to work, darkening the outline of the cloak so it can act as a boundary that I'll be able to clearly see and not clash with his other ink. I have to jerk my head to the side every few seconds because my hair keeps getting in the way and I curse myself for always keeping it down around Wolfe. I should have just tied it up.

I'm about to do that because I'm getting really fucking frustrated when I feel Wolfe's fingers on my forehead, grabbing my locks of hair and gently sweeping them to the side before tucking them behind my ear. I almost lose my grip on the gun, not expecting him to touch me like that, and turn it off before I tat something on him he'll regret. I peer up at him through my lashes, surprised to discover the look on his face. This is an expression I've definitely never seen before and I don't know what it is.

I clear my throat and go back to tattooing, losing myself in the small details I'm sketching on to his skin. It's hard to get completely in to it when I can feel his stare on me but I try anyways.

I figure conversation should help us move on from the moment so I tell him, "Oh, yeah. Charlie called me from his bar and told me he banned that idiot from coming there again. Apparently he was way too quick to agree."

I look up briefly to catch Wolfe shaking his head in exasperation and feign offence. "What? You don't think my moves rocked? I kicked ass, Emerson."

I back up and demonstrate a high-kick and two swift punches, pulling out all the stops. I look expectantly at Wolfe and my jaw drops when I find him covering his mouth with his fist. "Are you laughing at me? I won't hesitate to kick your ass either, asshole."

He holds his hand up in surrender but his lips are pressed together and I know he's holding back more laughter. My eyes narrow on him.

"Just because you're a boxer, doesn't mean you can judge my punches."

He raises a brow and I reconsider my words.

"Okay, technically that's exactly what you should be doing but I know how to throw a mean hook. I did break that guy's nose."

I demonstrate the punch once again, this time aiming at Wolfe and stopping inches from his face. Then I place my hands on my hips proudly. "How was that?"

He sighs a little and steps off the recliner, coming up to me. I watch curiously as he moves to stand behind me and grow hyper aware of the way his body heat radiates in waves, his chest brushing my back just barely when he gets in my space. What is he doing?

I tense up a little when his arms come up to take my tattoo gun from my hand and sets it down on my desk. Then he grabs hold of both my hands and brings my arms in towards my body, elbows in and fists to the sky. With a touch more gentle than I would expect from someone as big as him, he fixes the way I'm fisting my hands by moving my thumb to rest on the outside between the first and second knuckle of my index and middle fingers. Meanwhile, I'm rooted to the spot and have no idea what to make of this.

He's so fucking close. My back is completely plastered to his chest and one of his arms is wrapped around me entirely, almost holding me against him, his forearm brushing my chest. His other arm is pressing into the side of my arm and I feel boxed in by him. I watch his large hands work my smaller ones and fuck, they're just so hot. Big knuckles, dark ink, the glint of his rings, all of these attributes that are a stark contrast to his soft touches. Oh, yeah. And he's still shirtless so I can feel the heat of his bare skin through my clothes and...it's addicting.

When he corrects the way I should make a fist, his hands move to grip my hips and my breath stutters. Shit. There's so much confidence in the way he works me. He's so sure of how to touch me and what to do with me and it's seriously turning me the fuck on. I just about lose it when he uses his shoe to kick my feet apart, spreading my legs so they're lined up with my hips. My neck warms. Jesus, I could bend over right now and make this position a whole lot more interesting. The urge to press my ass against him is one that's difficult to fight against.

I bend my head back to look up at him. His chin is several inches above the top of my head because he's that much taller than me. "Okay, now what?"

He jerks his chin forward to ask me to look ahead and I reluctantly do that. I forget my reluctance altogether when he steps even closer and now our bodies are complete pressed together. Oh my fuck, he's like a wall. Solid, sturdy, so damn hard.

I swallow harshly and can feel my nerves light on fire when he lifts my arm up, fist at the ready, and aims it forward in a mock punch at the same he uses his grip on my hip to turn it simultaneously. He also uses his shoe to tip the heel of my foot up, basically angling the right side of my body slightly ahead as I "throw" the punch. It's only then that I realize I'm in the same stance the boys get in when they throw a jab, recognizing it from having watched their matches.

When he lets me go and steps back, I hate that the moment breaks. I know he's teaching me how to punch but it was hot. There was something so undeniable sexy about how authoritative he became when he's normally so reserved.

"Should I try?" I ask him over my shoulder, ignoring the slight rasp to my voice.

Wolfe nods and gestures at me to give it a go. I get back into normal position—legs apart, knees slightly bent, elbows tucked in—before turning my body inward when I stretch my arm out for a punch. The transition happens smoothly and the way I used my entire body to carry out the punch meant not having to use all my force in just my arm.

"Huh." I tilt my head. "This almost makes punching way too easy. You just taught the wrong chick, big guy. Don't be surprised if I land in jail and you have to bail me out."

He walks around to stand in front of me, amusement clear on his face. He pats his chest once, stationing himself with legs apart and stands tall.

I blink at him. "You want me to punch you?"

He nods, gesturing a hand at me.

I stall some more. "Are you sure? What if you get hurt?"

His answering smirk is way too arrogant and it pisses me off as much as it turns me on because Wolfe smirking? Instant panty-dropper. My mouth nearly dries up.

He waves his hand a little impatiently again and I snap out of it, shrugging. "Fine, you asked."

I take a breath and exhale slowly right before I swing out a punch like he taught me. It hits him square in the gut.

He doesn't even flinch.

I stomp my foot in frustration. "No fair, jackass. You have concrete where your abdomen should be so you don't even count. That would have hurt a scrawny guy, no problem."

Wolfe actually coughs into his fist and it looks like he almost choked on silent laughter. I'm definitely floored hearing the sound. It's just a cough but it's deep and and almost husky and my mind blanks out for a moment because...he just made a sound.

He holds his hand up and flicks his four fingers toward himself in a universal come at me gesture and I scowl. Is he really goading me? Because it worked and now I'm pissed.

I shake my hands out, bouncing on my feet a little. I definitely have to hit him harder than I did last time so I prepare myself to put some major force behind this punch.

You got this, Parks. Show him who he's messing with.

I exhale, my stance impeccable and fist at the ready, right before I strike out and hit him in the gut again. My knuckles actually manage to sink into the flesh a little right before I pull back.

This time, Wolfe grunts and his face contorts for a brief moment, his hand going to his stomach.

"Ha!" I jump up in victory. "That hurt, didn't it? Fuck, yeah."

He straights up and tosses me a dry look, clearly not as amused as I am. I clear my throat and drop my voice to a more serious note.

"I mean, are you okay?" I nod sombrely. But I can't keep up the facade and burst out laughing again. I hold a hand up. "I'm sorry. I'm just so proud of myself. Are you sure I can't try again?"

He rolls his eyes and heads back to the recliner but I catch the small twitch of his lips in time.

"Oh, come on." I say as he lies down on his stomach and I grab my tattoo gun. "You taught me well and now I'll return the favour. There won't be any punching in sign language but I can teach you the best cuss words."

This time it's him who holds his palm up and I laugh, high-fiving him.

I go back to working on his piece and focus on just doing that before we get distracted again. At this rate, an hour isn't enough time for our appointments.

"Thanks for teaching me, though." I tell him as I start shading the sword to make it look three-dimensional. "Defending yourself is also a really good thing to know. I feel, I don't know, safer now that I know I can throw a clean punch. If I could wind a big guy like you, I could take on anyone."

He turns his head to look at me over his shoulder. I can only see his side profile but I can tell his features are soft. I meet his stare and to my surprise, he tosses me a small wink before turning back around. I almost choke on my own spit. I always thought guys look like insane douchebags when they wink but seeing Wolfe do it? Nothing short of ridiculously hot. Like, really fucking hot.

I am so fucked, aren't I?

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A/N

Happy Valentine's Day!! A little Wolfe and Lenny swoony chapter for you all!

Please note that for the next couple of Sundays I won't be updating due to a very busy school schedule. Midterm season is approaching so the update schedule will slow down for a bit!

Also, I know you're all probably wondering if Wolfe's POV will be introduced or if you're going to get a look inside his head but...who knows? Just sit tight and keep reading. I know I'm torturing you guys, lol!

Please VOTE, comment and share if you liked this chapter!

Happy Reading :)