Oh, you know, just brewing a little potion at the ass-crack of dawn like some deranged bathroom witch. Totally normal behavior.
“Dyeing my hair.” I stirred with more force than technically necessary. “What does it look like?”
“Is it … supposed to look like—” he stepped inside cautiously, “well, like that?”
I rolled my eyes. “Yup.”
“How are you so sure?”
“Well, considering I’ve mixed this dye every four weeks for pretty much two years now, I daresay I've got the formula down by now,” I deadpanned.
His brows drew together. “Every four weeks? Why?”
“Because my hair happens to grow out of the top of my head. And no matter how hard I try, it just won’t come out dyed bright red already. So … I gotta do some maintenance.”
“Ohhh.”
The logical part of me wanted to be annoyed at him for barging in, but something inside me — something scared, jittery, and overwhelmed — eased.
Kai always did that.
He came and stood next to me and grabbed his toothbrush as though it were the most normal thing in the world. It was like we were an old married couple, just getting ready for the day.
“Let’s get going then,” he said, after rinsing his mouth. “I’ll help.”
“Have you ever dyed hair before?” I asked skeptically.
“Yeah nah, but I’m very talented with my hands.”
I choked on thin fucking air and his grin told me he knew exactly what he’d done.
For some unfathomable reason, I found myself handing him the brush anyway.
Kai tugged on gloves like he was preparing for surgery, then guided me to sit on a stool in front of the bathroom mirror. He parted my hair with those huge, shockingly gentle fingers and combed through the strands which had lost their vibrancy.
“Run me through what I’m doing here.” He lifted a lock to the light.
“It’s just the streaks,” I instructed him. “They fade faster than I’d like.”
“We can’t have that. Not if they make you happy.”
“I … suppose they do.” My throat tightened stupidly and I looked down so he couldn’t see me going all mushy.
Why did it feel like he knew me too well?
“Enough of a reason for me,” he said gently. “I’d do anything to give you a hand with something that makes you happy.”
Then he just got to work without commenting on why I’d got up or why I’d decided to dye my hair at this hour. A warmth spread through my chest, slowly but surely strengthening my resolve.
Carefully parting my hair, Kai selected the strand colored in a now faded red and painted on the vibrant dye. He touched me like I was something important while I tried not to lose my mind about … him.
The smell of dye mixed with his skin and the woodsy, warm soap he used. I could feel his body heat pressing close behind me and his breath occasionally brushing theback of my neck. Each time it happened, something deep inside me seemed to fracture.
“There,” he murmured after a while, smoothing foiled strands so they laid flush. “I reckon now we wait?”
I nodded, but my chest felt too tight. It was too full, bursting with emotions swirling around unbidden.
Kai took the gloves off and crouched down in front of me, locking eyes with me as he rested his hands gently on my knees. The sun finally crept through the blinds, the warm light playing on his hair, and his handsome face wore an open and patient expression.
