I smiled and folded my arms across my chest. “What makes you say that?”
Her eyes lowered to my flannel shirt and then to my brown boots. “You’re not exactly the poster-child for a California salon owner. Let me guess – you did it as an investment?”
“What if I told you that it was a dream of mine growing up?” I joked.
She smirked. “Seeing that you have enough of it on your head, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me. My offer still stands to cut it, by the way.”
“No way. Having it longer covers up my bald spot.”
“You don’t have a bald spot,” she said, squinting. “Come here.”
“I do, actually,” I answered stepping closer. I pointed to an area behind my ear. “If you look closely, you’ll notice where it is. Here, I’ll take out the ponytail and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
“Oh, I see,” she answered, after I pushed my hair out of the way. “There’s a scar there, too. What happened?”
“Got in a scuffle a few years ago. Needed some stitches, and now, for some reason, I can’t seem to grow hair in that spot anymore. Keeping it longer makes it less noticeable.”
“You know, it wouldn’t be noticeable if I cut it the right way,” she answered. “Your hair is thick and it’s not that big of a spot.”
“Well,” I said, stepping away. “It’s something to consider, I guess.”
“You should definitely consider it,” said Felicia, peaking around their divider. “You can’t be getting too many dates, walking around and looking like Tarzan.”
“I get my share,” I protested, although I hadn’t been with a woman in months.
Felicia walked over and put a hand on her hip. “Is that right? When was the last time you went on a date, Jungle Boy?”
“Why? Are you interested?” I teased. “You find yourself thinking about me when you’re testing out your online store?”
Sinclair and Felicia looked at each other and then both of them burst out laughing.
“Oh, hell no, you did not just say that,” said Felicia, still grinning as she fanned herself. “And here I thought you were an uptight log-jockey.”
“A… what? A log-jockey?” I asked. “Does that mean you thought I was gay, or something?”
“No,” she replied, wiping some moisture from under her eyes. “I mean…cause you’re from Alaska. I’ve watched Axmen and those other shows. Guys are always driving big-assed trucks and getting stuck somewhere in the woods. It’s like y’all see a patch of mud or a stream and just have to tackle it, regardless of how deep the damn thing is. Then some big old excavator has to travel twenty miles, through dense wilderness, to pull your asses out. That’s what I call a log-jockey.”
I chuckled. “Not all of us from the north tear down trees or go off hunting for gold.”
“Aren’t you from the Klondike area, or something?” she asked.
“You’re thinking Canada. The Yukon area. I’m from Anchorage Alaska.”
She waved her hand. “It’s all relative to me. Ice, snow, and… moose. So, what did you do back home? Let me guess – you were a fisherman? Crab catcher?”
I snorted. “The only crabs I’ve ever caught were from a girl I met in a bar, back when I turned twenty-one. Let me tell you, the only person paying for those little bastards are the ones catching them.”
Sinclair laughed and raised her hands in the air. “Okay, T.M.I, Thane. That’s not an image I need.”
I laughed. “I’m kidding. Just wanted to see your reaction.”
“Cute. I think you’re just avoiding my original question of – what made you buy this place?”
The front bell rang. “You hear that? Sounds like a customer,” I replied, changing the subject. I really didn’t want to get into any details about my past. I wasn’t proud of it. My life in California was somewhat normal, for once. Or as normal as it could be for a man who used to beat the shit out of other guys for a living. So, I kept my private life private. Unlike many of my employees. The things I’d learned when my office door was open, was enough to make me want to wash my ears out with sulfuric acid. I’d always thought that men were offensive and vulgar. These girls often made Lisa Lapanelli sound like Mother Goose.
Tiffany walked out of the backroom carrying her purse and staring down at her cell phone.
“You done for the day?” I asked.
She looked up and smiled. “Yes. By the way, how did your interview with Sera go?”
“It went well. She’s still in my office.”
“You didn’t scare her away?” she teased.
I feigned shock. “Me? Scare her away? Whatever do you mean?”
“You’re kind of a jerk.” She quickly added, looking almost apologetic. “I mean, you said so yourself last week.”
“I think the word I actually used was straight-forward.”
“Which also means that you can be a jerk at times,” added Felicia.
I smiled grimly. “Thanks for clearing that up, Felicia.”
“Someone has to. By the way, I sell products for men, too. Thinks that will take the edge off, if you know what I mean.”
I rubbed a hand over my face. “Jesus, the only thing I need right now is a stiff drink. I’m going to check on Sera and then head out early.”
Felicia handed me a card. “I accept cash, check, or charge. And,” she lowered her voice. “Everything gets delivered in discreet packaging.”
I handed the card back to her. “No offense, but I don’t need to pay to… get off, Felicia.”
“Well, then at least let one of us cut your hair,” she said, shoving it back into her purse. “So you do get laid and come in to work with a smile on your face.”
“I always smile,” I protested.
“Not the kind that reaches your eyes,” she answered, her voice softening. “And a guy like you deserves that kind of smile.”
“If I didn’t know better, Felicia, I’d think that you were finally warming up to me.”
“Maybe just a little,” she answered, walking away.
Smiling to myself, I walked back to my office and found Sera, face-down on my desk, snoring softly.
Chapter Six
Thane
“Ms. Billings,” I said, tapping her on the shoulder.
Sera’s head popped up and she looked around in confusion.
“You’re still at Tangled,” I said, smiling in amusement at her lopsided eyeglasses.
Staring at me in horror, she wiped the drool from the corner of her lip. “Oh, my God,” she said. “I’m so sorry. I can’t believe that I actually fell asleep.”
“I take it the contract was nothing to write home about?” I teased, sitting down behind the desk.
“It was… fine,” she replied, removing her glasses. As she began cleaning them with a tissue, I found myself surprisingly fixated on her light green eyes and thick lashes. Although I could appreciate a woman with glasses, Sera was absolutely stunning without hers.
“I haven’t been able to sleep,” she said, still looking embarrassed. “With everything that’s been happening. Tell you the truth … getting this job seems almost too good to be true.”
“I’m sure you deserve it and hopefully you can put everything else behind you, soon. At least some of your financial worries.”
“I sure hope so.”
Her smile was radiant and it did something to me. I stared at her full lips and began to have some seriously wicked thoughts.
Damn you, Felicia.
Obviously, her mention of my sex life had stirred something up. Something I normally preferred to leave at home. I tried not to think about what was happening in my lap, and instead, thought about the bastard who’d used his fists on her.
How fucked up could anyone be to harm such a beautiful woman?
I was no saint. I’d beaten the shit out of many guys in cage matches for money. But, they’d known what they were getting themselves into and I’d taken my own share of beatings. Raising a hand to a wo
man was against everything I believed in. And to top it off, the guy was supposed to have been a cop.
“Is there something wrong?” she asked, putting her glasses back on.
“No, why?”
“You just looked upset there for a moment,” she answered, studying my face.
I leaned forward against the desk. The only thing upset at the moment was my dick, and it wasn’t calming down. Not with her in the room. “I’m fine. Did everything look agreeable in the contract?”
“Yes, and I signed it. One thing I wanted to ask you - is there some kind of dress code? I didn’t see any mention of it.”
“You can wear whatever you’d like under the salon apron. I’ll get you a couple of those before you leave.”
“So, casual would be fine?”
My eyes drifted to the blue silk blouse that outlined her full breasts. She looked like someone’s prim and proper secretary and it was suddenly very… sexy. I imagined her unbuttoning it and wondered what color bra she was wearing. And if it was a push-up.
“Thane?”
I blinked. “I’m sorry, what was that?”
“Just dress casually, then?”
“Wear whatever you want,” I said, a little more firmly than I would have liked.
Her eyes widened in confusion. “Are you sure that you’re okay?”
I smiled weakly. “I’m fine. Just have stuff on my mind. I didn’t mean to jump down your throat.”
“It’s fine.”
I started moving papers around on my desk, wishing she’d suddenly disappear, along with my woody. “Uh, why don’t you go and look around the shop?”
“Okay,” she said, standing up. “Um, you do want to show me around?”
“I’ll be out in a second,” I answered, trying to still appear busy. “The area you’ll be using is just around the corner, past the other hair stations.”
She put her purse around her shoulder. “Right.”
“Like I said, the last technician left some items and apparently, doesn’t need them. I also have the name of the distributor she preferred. I think she ordered most of her things through the website, but the company is located in L.A. It might be easier to take a trip out there and talk to them directly.”
“Actually, I did purchase a lot of supplies already. I wanted to make sure that I could start quickly.”
“Good. In fact, start Monday, if you’d like. That gives you a few days and by then, we can get your business cards printed.”
“Okay.”
I nodded towards the doorway. “So, yeah, just go ahead and make yourself at home. I’ll join you shortly. I’m going to make you a copy of your contract, now that it’s signed. So, you’ll also have one for your records.”
“Good idea.”
I smiled and she turned around. It was then that I noticed her shapely calves and slender ankles displayed below the mid-length black skirt she was wearing. I pictured those legs draped over my shoulders and growled in the back of my throat. Felicia was right. I really did need to get laid…
Chapter Seven
Sera
I walked out of Thane’s office and released the breath I was holding. I was actually relieved that he’d stayed inside. Not only was I still embarrassed of having fallen asleep, there was something about him that made me nervous and tense. He certainly was easy on the eyes, however, and I could tell by the way his clothing fit that he kept in very good shape. And those eyes… although intense, they were almost too ethereal for a rugged-looking man like Thane.
Stop it. The last thing you need is to develop a stupid crush on your new boss, I reminded myself.
Not only was it stupid, but I was still married to a psychopath. I couldn’t bring anyone else into such madness.
“Hey girl,” said Felicia as I drew closer to her station. She was putting small rollers into an older woman’s short, white hair. “How’d it go with the Lion King?”
I chuckled. “Well, he didn’t bare his teeth or roar in my face. I guess that was a good sign.”
She smiled. “A very good sign. So, when you startin’?”
“Hopefully, on Monday.”
“You hear that, Monica?” hollered Felicia.
The old woman sitting in her chair looked confused. “What?”
She pointed to me and said loudly, “We have a new nail technician. Sera. You might want to make an appointment with her now. Something tells me she’s going to book-up pretty fast.”
“I might just do that,” replied Monica, smiling. “Do you have a card, dear? I need to check my schedule at home and then I’ll get in touch with you.”
I cleared my throat and answered loudly, “Sorry, not yet. But, if you call me on Monday, I’ll make sure to fit you in as soon as possible.”
She leaned closer to me. “What was that?”
“Call me on Monday!”
Monica looked frustrated. “Wait a second, let me turn on my hearing aid. I forgot that I’d turned it off.” She reached up and fiddled with the small gadget in her ear. “There we go.” She smiled. “You said Monday you might have an opening?”
“Yes.”
She pointed to her shoe. “Do you also do pedicures? I haven’t had a pedicure in so long. Now that Tom is gone, I think I could use a little pampering.”
“I’m sorry. Was Tom your husband?” I asked.
Her eyes sparkled. “Husband? No. My husband died fifteen years ago. Tom was my Submissive.”
I looked at Felicia and then back to Monica in confusion. “I’m sorry… what?”
“She used to tie him up and make him do all kinds of crazy, kinky, and sometimes painful, shit,” answered Felicia, chuckling. “And to top it off, the man begged her to do it.”
I was left almost speechless. “He… You… Really?
“Actually, there was a little more involved than just that,” replied the woman. “We also used to role-play and my, oh my… he was such a wonderful lover.” She smiled wistfully. “Nobody filled a cock-ring like Tom. Did I tell you he was nine-inches, Felicia?”
I blinked, unable to believe that this woman, who had to be pushing eighty, was so straightforward about her sex life. Thankfully, there was no one else in the shop, besides us, and Thane was still in his office. I couldn’t even imagine him walking into this type of conversation.
“Anyway, he used to do all of my nails. Unfortunately, he moved back to Germany a couple of months ago. So,” she raised her fingers and wiggled them. “They really could use some tender-loving-care.”
“Have you replaced Tom with another Sub?” asked Felicia, rolling another curler into her hair. “Cause if you haven’t, I’ll show you how to access my website.”
“Honey, I’ve probably got more things in my toy chest than you have on your entire site,” replied Monica. “Although I should probably ask -you don’t take in items on trade, do you?”
Felicia’s eyes widened. “You talkin’ used?”
She shrugged. “Well, they’re obviously clean. I haven’t used them in a while. Now they’re just collecting dust. I’ve already tried pawning my swing, but I just can’t get anyone to take it.”
I pictured skinny little Monica on a sex swing and stared at her in disbelief. She looked so dignified and prim. Yet, she talked about sex like it was an innocent little hobby, and obviously one that she really enjoyed.
“You could try selling it on EBay or Craig’s List,” replied Felicia.
“My goodness, Felicia, I don’t want any freaks coming to my house,” she answered, her eyes round. She looked at me and pursed her lips. “People are so weird. Especially in California.”
I tried to keep a straight face. “I could only imagine. Although, I’m originally from Wisconsin. We have our share of kooks there, too.”
“Wisconsin, huh? Not much to do there I suppose, but eat cheese and drink beer. That’s what I heard, anyway,” replied Felicia.
“They also like their winter sports,” said Monica. “Isn’t that right, dear?”
“I guess,” I answered. I wasn’t much of a beer drinker or a football fan. Not like Ray. He’d enjoyed both, which had probably ruined any interest I may have had. Especially that last few months we’d been together.
“I know one thing - people are weird everywhere,” said Felicia. “It just so happens that they’re just a little more open about it here.”
“Very true,” answered Monica.
I cleared my throat. “I’m going to take a look at my new work station. Thane mentioned that it was back that way?”
“Yeah. There’s a lot of stuff still sitting out from our last nail tech. Anything you don’t want, you can probably put it in the back storage area.”
“That’s what Thane said, too,” I answered, heading back towards a white curved table.
“What do you think?” asked Thane, approaching me a few seconds later.
“I like it,” I answered truthfully. The table still looked almost new and there was a small shelf on top, which still held several bottles of nail polish. She’d also left a lamp, a U.V. nail dryer, and wax warmer, which sat on a small cabinet next to the table. It was as if she’d just got up one day and walked out, leaving everything behind. “So, can I use that as well?”
He turned towards the black and white pedicure chair, in the corner. “Of course. She sold it to me at a very reasonable price. I guess this one has a built in massager.”
“I noticed that. It must have been very expensive. You know, I do have a little money saved. I can pay you for use of the chair.”
“Actually, the monthly lease includes use of that chair.”
“Oh, good.”
He looked down at his watch. “I’ve got a meeting I need to get to. Do you have an email address?”
“Yes,” I replied. “It’s on my resume.”
He grinned. “I guess we found a use for it.”
“I guess we did.”
He stared at me for a second and then said, “Well, I’ll send you an email to set up your business cards. Hopefully we can get them printed and here by Monday.”
“That would be great. I appreciate you giving me this opportunity, Thane. I’m sure you could have rented this spot out to a number of technicians. Ones with clients already established.”
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