Copyright © Kathy Kulig, 2017

“I think your lady is ready for another drink,” a tattooed guy said with a friendly tone. “Mind if my wife and I buy you two a drink?”

Anita stopped slurping the remnants of her cocktail and gave Sam a warning look. He loved his girlfriend dearly, but wished she wasn’t quite so conservative. This couple was just being friendly. But why did they decide to sit next to him and Anita?

Stop assuming the worst. Sam Quinn was used to expecting the worst in people—a side effect from working airport security. Terrorists at Seacrets were likely a low-risk concern. Perhaps this couple did have ulterior motives, like wife swapping. That wasn’t exactly Sam’s kink, but it didn’t mean he couldn’t have some fun chatting with them. “A drink? That’s nice of you to offer,” Sam said. “You don’t have to—”

“It’s our pleasure,” the woman added. “I’m Rene and this is my husband, Perry. We’re from Baltimore.” She rested her hands on the bar. On the back of Rene’s hand was a detailed rose tat. It looked 3D. Ink designs covered Perry’s hands too.

Sam introduced himself and Anita. Anita gave him a kick. He was going to get hell later, but the intricate detail of Rene’s tattoo was mesmerizing.

“Have you tried Swamp Water?” Perry asked Anita.

She looked confused.

“They’re good. They’re coconut rum, pineapple juice and Curaçao. Try one,” Rene said as she waved to the bartender and ordered two and a couple beers.

“We were about to leave, right Sam?” Anita shot him a look.

“Oh, you can hang for a drink,” Rene said. “It’s still early.”

Anita scowled at her murky green drink when it arrived but didn’t argue with Rene. Taking a sip, she smiled. “Mmmm. It is good.”

“What kind of work do you do, Sam?” Perry asked.

“TSA agent.”

“Interesting.” Perry locked his gaze with him. Red flags waved in the back of Sam’s mind.

As a TSA agent, Sam had an uncanny gift of reading people’s eyes, expressions and body language. Something in Perry’s gaze alarmed him. If someone had looked at him like that while going through his TSA check point, he would give them a pat down. What were his eyes telling him? A warning? Fear? A challenge or threat? Sam couldn’t figure it out. Something wasn’t right about these two. Or maybe he needed this vacation more than he thought.

“I’ve been admiring your tattoos,” Sam said as he watched their expressions. “Excellent work. It must’ve taken a long time to have those done. Were they all by the same artist?”

Perry and Rene exchanged a look. “Yes, she’s local,” Perry said. “On the boardwalk.”

“I don’t remember a tattoo parlor and we come here often.” Anita had sucked down half her drink. “What do you have on your neck?” she asked Perry.

Perry got up and sat on the stool next to her. Turning his head to the side, he elongated his neck, offering Anita a better view. “What would you call it?”

“It’s a dragon. A magnificent dragon. Look at all the colors.” While Perry pointed out his various tattoos, Rene showed the vine of roses coiling up her arm.

“Do the tats have specific meanings or stories?” Sam asked. “They’re very detailed.”

She laughed out loud. “Sort of.”

He noticed a shadow of sadness drift across Rene’s face. Anita was oblivious to his conversation. The designs on the man’s forearms enthralled her. She was literally staring. Fuck.

“Do you think tattoos are sexy?” Rene asked seductively.

“I guess.” He forced himself not to look at her deep cleavage and the tats that decorated her skin there. Man, he needed to take Anita back to the hotel and fuck her brains out before she got wasted on Swamp Water.

“How about mine?” Rene ran her hands over her arms, then stroked the tops of her breasts.

“Yes, I’d say so,” Sam replied. Holy shit, she was flirting with him. “There.” Rene eased the sleeve of Sam’s tee shirt up over his shoulder. “You have nice biceps and shoulders. The perfect place for tats.” Her fingernail drew imaginary designs on his arm.

He studied her with the narrowed gaze he reserved for troublemakers at the airport and added a cocky smile. “Think so?”

“Yes,” she breathed, leaning closer. “Men also look hot with tats on their calves and thighs. Her hand dropped to his knee, just below his cargo shorts. Would she slide those up too? His cock stirred. How much had she drunk?

Anita laughed. Sam glanced at Perry flexing his arm, making a scorpion tat appear to crawl. His girlfriend was amused.

“Have you ever thought about getting a tat?” Rene asked Sam with a sultry, teasing tone. “Or maybe you have one hidden?” She removed her hand from his knee. Sam released his breath. “No. I’ve thought about getting one. But I don’t have any.” Damn, it was getting warm. Was Rene coming on to him with her husband right there? He glanced back at Anita again. She was having another Swamp Water. Terrific.

“You should get one. You and your lady,” Rene said. “We get ours at Sinful Designs on the boardwalk. They do the best work.”

Ah, now he got it. “I suppose you two work there? Or own the business.”

She laughed. “You think we’re trying to drum up sales?”

Sam nodded.

“No, nothing like that. But there is something special about Sinful Designs that you won’t find at any other tattoo parlor.”

“Is that right?” Sam called over the bartender and ordered another beer and a drink for Rene. “Don’t take this the wrong way but are you two hitting on us?”

“Not exactly,” Perry said, looking up from his show-and-tell for Anita. “We saw you watching us earlier—”

“And you thought we’d like to hook up with you two,” Sam finished the sentence, sounding slightly annoyed but intrigued.

“That’s not it,” Rene said. “But I bet you wished you were out there having the most amazing sex with Anita. Am I right?”

“Sure,” Sam said.

Anita smiled nervously, then sipped more of her drink.

“What if I told you there was a way to increase your sexual enjoyment by at least ten times, be more adventurous, have longer hard-ons, and multiple orgasms?” Rene looked at Anita. “Anita, wouldn’t you love to have multiple orgasms whenever you willed them to happen?”

Anita rolled her eyes. “I have orgasms.”

“Four or five in one night, without being touched?”

“I’d say you’re full of shit,” Anita said.

Sam nearly choked on his beer. Anita Brooke never swore in front of strangers. She was getting drunk. Damn, he wasn’t getting any tonight.

“Do you believe in magic, the supernatural?”

“I try to keep an open mind.” Sam didn’t want to discount anything. But more than that, he wanted to see where this was going.

“Try one of these tattoos at Sinful Designs. Just one. I promise you won’t be disappointed.” Rene paused. “Don’t be surprised if you go back for more like we did.” Eyes wide, she glanced around the night club’s grounds, looked over her shoulder, then forced a smile. There was no hiding that look of terror. Cold fear flashed across her eyes. What had her so afraid? She didn’t look the type to scare easily. A shiver slid down Sam’s spine.

“Sounds too good to be true,” Sam said as he briefly fantasized a few possibilities—sex on the raft, sex with this couple, and a few positions Anita wasn’t crazy about trying. His cock throbbed as his heart pounded in his chest. The woman didn’t look like she was lying. Was business that bad that this tattoo parlor would think up this fantastical story to bring in a few customers?

Rene placed a hand on his arm. “Honest, Sam, we don’t make out financially if you get a tattoo. We’re just amazed by this woman. She’s a witch you know. Her name is Cassandra.”

“A witch?” Anita asked.

Rene smiled at Sam. “Trust me. You will have the most scorching sex you could ever imagine.”