“It can vary, based on when everyone else can work,” Lizzie says. “I don’t go in until four on Thursday, but that’s kinda last minute.”
“No, actually, that’s perfect,” Charli insists. “I have an eleven o’clock that just opened up on Thursday.”
“Okay, I’ll take it.”
“Great! And then when you’re here, you can talk to Lila about getting on her schedule,” Charli adds, referring to her friend who is also one of the stylists.
“Perfect,” Lizzie agrees, slipping her own phone back into her pocket.
“I don’t know why you have to pay someone for a massage,” I say, mostly because I know it’ll piss my sister off, and I love to push her buttons.
Charli rolls her eyes. “Because I’m amazing at my job and it feels phenomenal.”
“I could give you a massage for free,” I argue, looking at Lizzie, whose face is suddenly getting red.
“Oh, please! Men think they’re these great masseuses, but I beg to differ. After thirty seconds of rubbing, they’re hard and just want sex!”
Lizzie bursts out laughing.
“Not true. I could totally make it five minutes,” I insist, my eyes scanning her sexy body. “Okay, maybe three minutes.”
Charli waves her hand. “I rest my case. A woman doesn’t want to be getting felt up while she’s trying to relax.”
“Why not?” I ask, clearly not understanding. “I would. I think a massage sounds amazing.”
Charli rolls her eyes. “That’s not relaxing.”
“You’re right,” I confirm. “The relaxing comes after.” I waggle my eyebrows to punctuate my point.
“Gross,” my sister says. “I don’t want to think about that. It’s bad enough when a man gets an erection on the table. I don’t want to know how hetakes care of itafter he leaves.”
My mouth falls open. “What?”
Again, my sister waves off my outrage. “It’s biology, Collin. Happens all the time. It doesn’t mean they’re sexually aroused with me.”
I groan and run my hand down my face. “We need to go. I don’t want to think about that.” But then something else hits me and I stop, facing my sister. “You’re safe here, right?”
She rolls her eyes dramatically. “Of course I am, big brother. Like I said, it’s human nature, especially for men. Most pop boners easily when a woman is rubbing all over them, and the ones who don’t get an erection are so tense from trying to stop it, they don’t really enjoy the massage. Relax. Literally. I’m fine.”
I close my eyes and shake my head. When I open them up, I turn my attention to Lizzie. “She’s going to kill me. One day, my headstone will readDied of a Heart Attack Thanks to Charli.”
Lizzie giggles and reaches for my hand, threading her fingers in mine. “Well, I promise not to get a boner while she’s giving me a massage.”
My eyes narrow.
“Well, at least not a boner, boner. A lady boner is an entirely different thing,” Charli announces.
“Come on, we’re leaving. And you’re never allowed to be around my sister ever again,” I tell Lizzie, who is laughing and waving to Charli as we head for the door.
“Bye, you two little lovebirds. Have a boner-tastic day!”
The door closes behind us, and I don’t stop walking until we’re back at my truck. “She’s a menace,” I grumble.
Lizzie leans against the passenger door and offers a smile. “She really only said all that to get under your skin.”
“She makes my eye twitch,” I grumble, hating how easily she gets a rise out of me.
Wrapping her arms around my waist, she draws me against her body and smiles up at me. “That’s what sisters do.”
