A movement in the mirror behind her alerted her that she was no longer alone. Turning her head she found Jared leaning against the top of the bathroom door, watching her in silence. Good lord, she thought admiringly, all that golden flesh, all that ripped, hard muscle. The already compact bathroom was suddenly tiny as he completely dominated it.
“Morning,” she said color rushing to her face. “What do you think?”
He cocked his head to one side, regarding her critically. “Different. I’ve never seen you wear your hair like that before.” He shook his head slightly. “Still pretty,” he concluded.
“What do you think of my eye liner?” she said tilting her head up so he got the full effect.
He rubbed the side of his nose, buying some time. “Makes your eyes look slanted.”
“Would you say it adds more drama to my face?” she asked hopefully.
Jared looked a little pained. “No guy would ever say that, babe,” he said.
“Does it make me look more exotic?” she persisted.
He cleared his throat. “Looks like you’re going out to a bar,” he said with an air of finality.
Pris turned back to the mirror and shrugged. “I’ll take that.”
“Hmmm,” he said, sliding his hands over her hips and pulling her back against him. “You smell good.”
“It’s that strawberry body-wash you bought me.”
“No it isn’t,” he nuzzled her neck and growled slightly. “It’s you.” His hands slid up under her blouse until he touched the bare skin above the waistband. “You smelled good all night. Good enough to eat. And goddamn it, I’m already half-starved for you.”
Okay… “Do…do you like my outfit?” she asked, wishing her voice was steadier.
He didn’t answer for a moment, just stroked his thumbs either side of her belly button making her shiver. When he looked up into the mirror she was shocked to see his eyes were glowing with a pale green unnatural light.
“J-Jared!”
“Just keep still,” he said in a gravelly voice. “I’ll have it back under control in a minute.”
Strangely, although she’d been alarmed, she wasn’t scared. Placing her hands on top of his, she leaned back against him as his eyes faded back to their usual steely grey. “Wow,” she whispered. “Your eyes are much prettier than mine.”
“You think?”
“Was that your were-bear?” she asked, feeling slightly awed.
“Oh yeah.” He shifted against her and she noticed he was sporting some pretty impressive morning wood. “He’s pretty damn close to the surface at the moment.”
“Why?”
“Why’d you think?”
“’Cos of me?” she hazarded.
“’Cos of you,” he echoed, watching her closely in the mirror.
“Does he like me?”
He gave a sharp laugh and released her. “Like doesn’t really cover it, sweetheart. Now let me take a shower. A cold one.”
Pris turned on her heel and made her way thoughtfully to the kitchen area where she made a pot of coffee. Retrieving her cream from the fridge she added some to her mug and left Jared’s black. She plunked both mugs on the small dining table and then slid into the seat next to the window. She took her first sip staring out at the blue sky trailing with little fluffy clouds and wondered why there weren’t any other trailers on the field. She couldn’t see that they had any neighbors for miles. Could it be a bear thing? But Jared had said that most of Cranston Falls were bear-shifters. She heard the shower shut off and tried not to think of Jared naked and wet and only a few feet away. She took a hurried sip of hot coffee as she heard the flimsy bathroom door push open and his footsteps reverberating through the trailer as he walked through in his bare feet with a blue towel wrapped around his hips and another over his head as he rubbed his dark hair dry. She had to turn her head back to the window to force her gaze away from that muscular torso with its rippling six pack and scattering of dark hair. Jeez, how in the heck had she managed to resist moving here before now she did not know! Not when you could wake up to that view every morning! She felt him lightly touch her head as he walked through to the bedroom to dress and cleared her throat.
“I made you coffee,” she called out.
“Be with you in a minute.” She heard him open and shut the wardrobe. “Do I need to pack you a lunch or anything?” she asked as the sudden thought occurred to her. “I could fix you something to take to work?” She heard a thud in the bedroom and wondered if he’d bumped his head on the ceiling.
“Nah, don’t worry,” he said emerging back into the kitchen in blue jeans and a grey t-shirt. He had a checked blue shirt over his shoulder. “Me and Luke will just grab something later.” He slid in the seat opposite her.
“I'll text you in my break,” she promised as she added her pink cell phone to her black purse along with her lip gloss. She frowned at the scanty contents and then noticed Jared had wordlessly slid a key to the trailer and a folded twenty dollar note across the table toward her.
“This doesn't leave you short of money does it?” she asked. He shook his head and she zipped it into the side compartment. “I should get a keyring, so I don't lose this.”
“You won't lose it. The Shackletons are dropping off your car later, but I'll pick you up from work today when you're ready. Text me, okay?”
“Will do,” she sent him a nervous smile.
He lowered his coffee mug and reached across the table. “You okay?”
She placed her hand in his with a small sigh. “Just want to make a good impression.”
“You will.”
“I hope so...You know, I really won't need a twenty - don't you have anything smaller?”
He swept his thumb over her palm. “We can take the long route into town and swing by the doughnut store. That'd maybe make a good first impression.”
Pris' eye brightened. “Good idea, honey,” she smiled slowly at him, feeling warmth spread throughout her at his thoughtfulness.
He tugged on her hand lightly. “Come and give me a kiss, Pris,” he said huskily. “It's safe. We have to leave in five.”
She wondered at his use of 'safe', but came out of her seat anyway as he guided her down onto his lap with one big hand clamped on her hip. Then the word didn't seem weird at all. Jared's kiss was hot and wet and she curled into him with a gasp of needy delight. Oh my god! He growled into her mouth and she felt it everywhere. Her body lit up with tingling awareness which zipped through her like a current of electricity. Her toes curled, her nipples hardened, and she dug her fingers in his shoulders as if her life depended on it. “Jared,” she whimpered in protest. This was not a 'have a good day at work' kiss! And It was in no way safe. This was a kiss of carnal promise and he had no business giving her this kind of kiss five minutes before they needed to leave! One of her hands fisted and she batted it against his shoulder until he lifted his mouth away.
“You need something?” he growled shifting his mouth to her sensitive ear, making her flinch and shift against him. “Just ask, I'll give it you Pris. Anything.” He took her ear lobe between his teeth and bit down sending a tremor through her.
“Oh!” She was breathing hard, her eyes closed. “Damn it, w-we need to leave!” she reminded him with a groan. “I need to go to work, baby” she whispered.
“Yeah you do. You better get off my lap, Pris.” His grip on her thigh tightened making escape impossible.
“Jared,” she gave a broken laugh. “We can do this later- tonight.” He growled. “Please.”
He held his breath a moment and then his grip relented. “Okay,” he grunted.
She disentangled herself on legs that shook and shut herself in the bathroom for an extra minute or two to repair the ravages to her appearance. To her astonishment she looked great. Flushed cheeks, bright eyes, well-kissed lips suited her. She re-touched her gloss, fluffed her tousled, big hair and straightened her clothes. Of course, she couldn't be sure but she had the oddest sus
picion she'd never looked better in her life. And she knew exactly why. She was crazy about Jared Hunt. Crazy, out of her mind, floating on a cloud in love with her hot bear-shifter fiancée. Her stomach fluttered. Her eyes turned dreamy. Now it all made sense. Leaving her career and former life behind her to move into his trailer and build a future with him. He was tender, caring and hot as hell. She was the luckiest girl in the world. What did a little amnesia matter when you had hit the jackpot in the relationship stakes?
“Babe? We need to get moving,” said a low, steady voice from the other side of the door.
She shot the bolt and emerged. “I'm ready,” she announced breathlessly.
His eyes travelled up and down her in a way that told her he wasn't quite as in control as his tone made out. Gulping, Pristine made to step round him but his arm shot out to drag her up against him. “You okay, beautiful?” he asked huskily against her hair.
“Great,” she blurted, her hands coming up to rest against his waist like it was the most natural thing in the world. She smiled up at him to reassure him and his nostrils flared.
“Jesus,” he breathed. “I don't think I'll ever get used to that smile.”
She gave an unsteady laugh. “I'll have to give it to you more,” she teased. “Am I mean with my smiles?”
“Apparently not,” he muttered giving his head a small shake.
She frowned and opened her mouth but he forestalled her with a swift, hard kiss.
Let's go, baby.” He snagged her hand and before she knew it she was in his truck and weaving down toward the main road. She didn't think they'd have time to swing by the strip mall for the doughnuts, but somehow Jared made it so they did. She couldn't remember how many employees worked in the beauty parlor, and besides it was better to have too many than too few, so she snagged a tray of fifteen jam doughnuts covered with pink icing and sprinkles. When she reached the till she found herself asking for a skinny latte and then, realizing that for all she knew they could be on perpetual diets she ordered five more skinny lattes to make sure she'd catered for everyone. Jared declined more caffeine and took everything from her, so all she was carrying was her purse.
“Am I going to make it for nine?” she asked as they made their way back to the truck.
“Absolutely.”
It wasn't an idle boast. She made it with three minutes to spare and he helped her to carry her first day offerings inside.
“Morning all,” she sang out as she set down the doughnuts.
Jared slid the tray of coffees onto the counter, “Bettina,” he said nodding at the older woman who was passing Pris an unflattering pale green apron.
“Jared,” she answered him with a smile that showed her teeth. “Well aren't you the gentleman, escorting Priscilla right inside?”
“She goes by Pris,” he answered with a nod of his head. “And I'm very conscientious with what belongs to me.” He caught Pris's wrist and pulled her in for another quick, hard peck of her lips. “Text me in your break,” he reminded her in a low voice.
“I will.”
“Don't forget.”
“I won't.”
“Remember,” he said heavily. “You don't like it, it won't matter a damn.”
She caught her breath. “Jared, I'm a big girl. I'll be just fine.”
Pris watched Jared leave and then turned back to her colleagues. There were actually only three of them, all wearing the unflattering sage-green tabards. Bettina, the owner who looked about sixty or thereabouts, her hair still jet-black and teased up in a bouffant helmet around her head and a full face of make-up. Her mouth quirked up at the corners as she greeted Pris, but the smile didn’t reach her eyes. “I’m manicures, waxing and spray-tans,” she said, then gestured towards a frazzled looking blonde in her forties. “This is Lois who does hair, and this here,” she said sourly and gestured toward a sulky-looking teen wielding a broom. “Is Billie. She’s our part-timer and Saturday girl.”
“Hi all, I’m really pleased to meet you,” said Pris with a bright smile. “I’m Pris. I’m really looking forward to getting to know you. Please come and help yourself to coffee and doughnuts. I’m not above trying to bribe my way into your good books!”
Lois straightened up and crossed the salon floor. “Hey Pris,” she said in a warm drawl. She extended a hand and they shook. “I’m glad to meet you. Been too long since we had a resident make-up artist. Hopefully you’ll bring us in some new clientele.” She released Pris’ hand and turned round. “Billie’s my daughter,” she lowered her voice. “Difficult age,” she mouthed, then added louder. “Billie, come say hello to Pris.”
Billie’s shoulders hunched and she shuffled forward, her eyes still downcast. “Hi,” she mumbled.
“Hi Billie,” said Pris. “The coffees are skinny lattes, hope that’s what everyone likes.”
Bettina sniffed. “I never drink those fancy coffees. Filter’s just fine for me.”
“Lois?”
“Oh, that is just darlin’ of you,” replied the blonde helping herself. “Billie honey, you like these. Come and have one of Pris’ coffees. She brought one in just for you.”
Billie shrugged and slouched so her dead straight purple bangs fell forward almost obscuring her features. “I’ll get one in a minute.”
“Maybe the first customers could have some,” suggested Pris. “I’ve brought way too many. I don’t know why, but when I came in yesterday I could have sworn there were more of you!”
Lois laughed. “Well there were a couple of customers in here. Mrs Swanston didn’t stop talking about what a pretty, fresh-faced thing you were for a…” she broke off hurriedly. “I mean, you look young for your age,” she recovered swiftly. “Hardly a day over twenty!”
Pris took a hurried sip of her latte. “Well that was sweet of her,” she said hastily to cover the awkward silence. “Was she the one getting the blue rinse?”
“She surely was,” agreed Lois with a sigh. “She’s one of my regulars. I could do with a few more.”
“You can put your purse in the closet out back for safe-keeping,” said Bettina. “I don’t expect you to be checking your cell phone every two minutes.”
The beauty parlor was a large property, but half of the space wasn’t being utilized, thought Pris as she crossed the floor to hang her bag next to the others.
“That chair’s yours,” said Bettina gesturing to an empty workstation. “For the week anyhow.” Then she pointed to a large clunky black plastic display shelf covered in dusty cosmetics. “This is the kit you’ll be using.”
“Great,” said Pris moving toward it. All the products were brand spanking new and in their wrappers but it looked like Bettina had, had them in stock for a good while. Pris examined the brand logo which was unfamiliar to her. Matinee cosmetics.
“We only use Matinee products in this establishment,” explained Bettina.
“I see. Could I get a duster?”
“Cupboard over there to the right.”
Pris carried the bulky display unit over to her workstation and placed it on her shelf. It just about fit. Then she drew on her tabard and helped herself to a duster, a cloth and some cleaning spray and made herself busy tidying up her space and polishing her smudgy mirror until it sparkled.
“Billie was meant to have cleaned that up for you,” said Bettina dryly.
“Oh, it’s clean,” said Pris quickly shooting a smile at Billie. “I just want to shine it up.”
She wiped the chair down with spray and then started removing all the make-up tubes and jars and wiping them clean of their dust. Lois shot her a sympathetic look and mouthed ‘hang in there, honey’ from across the room. Pris smiled at her. She liked Lois. She noticed Billie drift toward the desk and help herself to a latte.
Bettina walked to the door to flip the sign to ‘open’.
“You got anyone booked in, honey?” asked Lois with interest. She was flipping through the appointment book. “I got Mrs Peterson at 9.15.”
“I hav
e,” said Pris unruffled. “She isn’t due till ten though. It’s her day off from the diner.”
“Misty Collins?”
“No, Carole-Ann, you know her?”
Lois rolled her eyes. “Everyone knows Carole-Ann Shackleton, honey. She won’t let me get my hands on that rat’s nest hair of hers though.”
Pris cast her mind back to Carole-Ann’s no-fuss bun from the day before. Her hair was red, and she definitely didn’t make the most of it. She carried on thoughtfully slotting the make-up products back into the display as she wiped them. “Is it okay if I open a few of these up to get ready for my customer?” she asked Bettina.
“If you know you’re gonna use ‘em,” said Bettina. “And don’t forget to push them, we get twenty-five percent commission.”
Pris unwrapped a ‘maximum volume’ mascara tube. It didn’t look terribly exciting out of its clear packaging as it was just a plain black tube. Then she unwrapped a black liquid eye-liner and a tube of primer. She’d decide on the shade of foundation, blusher and lipstick when Carole-Ann arrived. As she got ready she let her eyes wander over the interior. There were a few scattered close-ups of models that looked like they had been taken from beauty magazines in the nineties and framed in black plastic frames. In the window were a couple of pot plants, and a list of prices were displayed on an old fashioned peg board with white plastic lettering. Another displayed the store opening times.
What a shame, she thought distractedly, that they hadn’t gone with the fifties theme like Misty had with her diner. The exterior looked so cute and retro with its pink paintwork and fancy scrolling sign that the inside was quite frankly a disappointment. Everything looked a little worn and tired. She liked the pale pink painted walls and the black and white floor tiles but frankly the pine wooden units could do with being ripped out and replaced, and so could the generic black seats. The chairs ought to be duck egg blue, she thought. The whole place could do with being re-vamped and accessorized.
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