“See you then.” He left her standing there, gaping after him.
She followed him into the outer room and saw him wave at Tommie and one of the ladies still waiting with a magazine before he left. Of Cara, she saw no sign.
When the door swung closed behind him, Tommie turned to her with wide eyes. “Was that man real, or did Thor suddenly come to life and just leave with one kickass haircut?”
Stella grinned. “Rena, youhaveto put that picture of him and you on Instagram. He is hot, you’re amazing, and you look great together.”
“Oh, let me see,” Tommie insisted.
Stella grabbed Rena’s phone and showed the pictures to her, her client, and the lady still waiting.
But Rena’s attention had been caught by Cara, outside leaning against Axel’s truck, smiling as if she had a secret while striking a pose.
* * *
Axel did his best to get himself under control. Being around Rena always turned him on to some degree, but having her breasts brush against his back, her scent surrounding him, so close while she touched and stroked him, made his blood pressure rise and stay risen. Like other,harderparts of him.
He let the cold outside calm him down. By the time he felt like himself again, he’d crossed the lot to his truck. Only to see a woman standing against it. She’d been getting her hair done by the cute stylist with the neon-pink eye makeup when he’d walked in.
The woman leaning against his truck was pretty enough, voluptuous, and knew how to look her best. The stylist had done a pretty decent job on her, cutting her hair so that it seemed to float over her shoulders, the dark ends curling over breasts tightly wrapped in a dress meant for summer. The woman wore a thick jacket over it, but she left it open. To better showcase her assets, he imagined.
“Hel-lo, sexy.” She looked him up and down.
“Hi.” He waited for her to move, feeling someone watching him. He turned to see what looked like movement behind Rena’s shop door, though with the dark-paned glass, it was hard to tell.
“You want to grab something to drink, maybe come back to my place later?”
“I’m sorry. I have to get home.”
She reached out and stroked inch-long nails in a leopard print down his arm. Good God, how could she function with nails that long? “Oh now, come on. Wouldn’t you like to nibble on some of this?” She waved a hand down her body.
Not surprisingly, she left him cold. He’d long since passed the age where sexual conquest was the end-all. He didn’t want meaningless sex and never had. Axel prized emotion and connection over physical satisfaction. Before he’d become enamored with Rena, his past lovers had been women he’d known and liked, long-term sexual partners he’d enjoyed for companionship as well as sex.
But the moment he’d seen Rena, he’d ceased being with other women. Busy with work and family, he’d at first found that the lack of sex hadn’t mattered. He’d been hooked on Rena anyway. And then his mother had died, and he hadn’t done more than grieve. When not grieving, he only wanted one woman.
And it wasn’t this one.
He didn’t answer, just stared at her until she moved out of his way. She didn’t turn to watch him go, either, but hot-footed it to her sporty little coupe. Axel waved at the salon then got in his truck and left.
A new worry popped into his head. He had one more date to convince Rena to agree to see a hell of a lot more of him. Where the heck should they go? Should it be fancy or casual? Fun or more serious? Would she be insulted if he took her somewhere she didn’t consider date-worthy?
Hell. What to do? Once at home, he mulled over the list Del had given him of Rena’s likes and dislikes. And he thought about Rena and all he knew about her. He was in for the long haul, but he needed something huge to grab her interest and hold it.
Time to go big…and hope it was enough.
* * *
When Rena arrived home, she found her cousins waiting on her doorstep, both wearing wide, ugly grins.
“Oh, man.” She groaned. “Come on in.” She let herself into the townhome she used to share with Del before her cousin had married Mike. Rena appreciated having her own space for a while, but eventually she’d have a roommate again. “Have I told you how much I hate that you left me?”
Del nodded. “Ever since I moved out. But, hey, keep complaining every time I come over if it makes you feel better.”
“It does.” Rena grabbed a juice for herself and gave one each to her cousins.
Del looked around. “It’s emptier without me, isn’t it?”
“What’s with you and Heller?” J.T. asked, no preamble. “Sam forwarded me the photo you sent to Lou.”
