He has me there, but I don’t give in easily. “No, not recently.”
It wasn’t meant to be funny, but he chuckles. “I’ll go if you can convince me the form you entered was legit and the meeting you zoomed into was-”
“I did notzoominto anything. The cat rolled on the keyboard. You want to blame someone, blame her.”
“Ah. Tabby-gate. I stand corrected.” His mouth curls and a small dimple which I hadn’t noticed before, appears in his cheek.
I close my eyes, count to ten, and try to think of the least sexy moment in my life. There’s been a lot, so it’s hard to choose. Eventually, I settle on a vision of my eighty-year-old Nona’s dildo on the short bookcase beside her bed.
“You okay?” He leans in and as his scent sends the clit-twins into ecstasy, my head spins.
Stepping back, I mutter a plea for divine mercy and look to my sister’s statue for guidance.Holy Mary, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Mary-in-a-bathtub smiles back, so I assume I’m in her good graces and open the front door. So much for miracles. My first customer is late.
Mr. Sexy-Bod stretches, presses against my back, and follows my gaze. “So, have you recalled anything more about your foray into the dark web?”
“Not really. It all happened so fast and when Sam started yelling, she scared the shit out of me. I do remember a male voice said something starting with ever. Ever-clear, Ever-after, Everglade…”
Maybe if he’d move to the other side of the room I’d do better. His proximity turns my brain to oatmeal.
“What else, Rose?” He boxes me in against the glass door with elbows on either side of my head and as I swivel to face him, my tits brush against his chest.
“A college. Maybe NYU. Then, some numbers.”
“C’mon now.” His disbelieving tone pushes my what-the-fuck button.
Trying to escape, I push on his abs and almost break my wrist. “Yeah, well, next time I’m on the dark web, I’ll hire a stenographer to take notes. And by the way, as long as we're having this heart-to-heart, do ya mind telling me what I did wrong at the rink?”
“What do you mean?” He tries to play dumb but he and I both know it’s bullshit. Besides, I just said a Hail Mary and you get one miracle per day, per salon, and I haven’t used mine yet.
“Was it the kiss?” One glance at his face and I’m certain I hit paydirt. Fuck. I knew I should’ve had a breath mint.
“I’d rather not say.” He rakes his hand across his chin’s dark stubble. Somewhere, there’s an online class for sexy moves, and he aced it.
“I understand you’re trying to be nice but if I’ve lost my touch, you’d be doing me a huge favor to let me know what I did to make you bolt. I’m not getting any younger.”
His eyes go wide. “You serious?”
“Hell yeah, I am. Are you gay? Is that it?”
“Did I kiss like I am?” His mouth drops open and as his eyes widen, I smile like Catrina eating a fly.
“How would I know? I’ve got nothing to compare it to. Just tell me what turned you off. It’s no big deal. I won’t get mad.” I tap a toe, cross my arms over my chest and as I wait for his response, the door chimes with my first client of the day.
“Saved by the bell.” He mutters this loud enough for me to hear.
Throwing him a snotty look, I help Mrs. Murphy out of her coat and lead her to the hair washing station.
Once she’s seated, she whispers at full volume, “Who’s the hunk?”
“He’s a homeless man. I let him come in out of the rain. It’s all but stopped so he’s leaving.” I glare over at Mr. Kiss-and-Ditch, hoping he understood my not-so-subtle hint.
The bodyguard grins, picks up his magazine and sits in a closer seat, under a hairdryer. “I think I need a cut.”
My dear senior citizen opens her wallet and waves a twenty at him. “This is for you, young man. There’s a thrift store right around the corner. You buy yourself a nice suit and I’m sure someone will hire you.”
“Thank you.” He walks to my station, smirks, and kisses her cheek.
