Tangled Fury

by K. L. Middleton

  She rubbed her chin with her other hand and smiled wickedly. “Having you give me the pedicure. Bare-chested, muscles glistening with baby oil. Those large hands of yours massaging my feet, rubbing lotion all over them. Now that would be very pleasing to this customer. Don’t you agree, Sera? Doesn’t that sound divine?”

  Speechless, my eyes met Sera’s and I could tell she was smiling under her mask.

  “Oh, Monica,” laughed Sera. “I think you’ve embarrassed Thane.”

  I crossed my arms under my chest. “No, I’m very flattered, actually.”

  Monica wiggled her eyebrows. “Good. Then you’ll do it?”

  I laughed. “Uh, no. Sorry.”

  “But, what happened to ‘the customer is always right?’ she pouted.

  “If I were to take my shirt off, the stylists wouldn’t be able to concentrate on their client’s hair. Mistakes would be made, and the other customers would walk out of the salon, not very pleased with the service here.”

  “Oh, you’re no fun,” replied Monica. She looked at Sera. “I almost thought I had him, though.”

  “Me too,” she replied, looking up at me, her eyes twinkling.

  “How about one little peak at what you’ve got hiding under that shirt, young man? Give an old lady one last dying wish, before she meets her maker?”

  I stared at her in horror. “I’m sorry, are you… terminal?”

  She waved her hand. “No, but for heaven’s sake, I’m in my eighties. Every day that I still feel an excitement for life, and for men, is a miracle. Hell, it’s a miracle if I remember to put on underwear in the morning. Now, what do you say? Take pity on one of your oldest and dearest customers? Give me something to smile about when I go home and fall asleep in my recliner?”

  My eyes met Sera’s again. “Should I indulge this charming woman?”

  “It’s up to you,” she replied, a smile in her voice.

  Felicia popped her head around the partition that separated Sera’s table from the other stations. “Oh, for the love of God, show that woman some skin! Aint nobody else in the salon gonna see you back here!”

  “You women are making me feel very uncomfortable. Especially you, young lady,” I teased Monica.

  “I’ve learned that you get nowhere staying in your comfort zone. You throw caution to the wind, and who knows what the future will bring.”

  Sinclair and Tiffany also peaked around the corner.

  “It’s just your shirt,” replied Tiffany, who then blushed.

  “Isn’t this considered sexual harassment?” I said, untucking my shirt. “You know, if it was the other way around, and I asked any of you to remove your shirt, I’d have a lawsuit on my hand.”

  “Young man, I’ll take my shirt off if it makes you feel more comfortable,” said Monica, grinning widely.

  Trying not to laugh, I replied. “I’m pretty sure you’d mess up your nails and Sera wouldn’t be too happy. Right, Sera?”

  “Yes,” she replied. “We’d have to start over and I’m almost finished with this hand.”

  Felicia stepped around the corner, holding her phone. She smiled smugly and soon hip-hop music began to fill the room. “Okay, Thane. I’ve set the mood for you. Start shaking those hips and showing Monica how you men do it in Alaska.”

  “Don’t you ladies have customers?” I asked, staring at them incredulously.

  “We do. That’s why you’d better hurry,” replied Felicia. She looked at her watch. “My girl, Jackie, is under the dryer. She’s almost done, so get busy. Show us a little skin. Just a little. That’s all we’re asking.”

  Shaking my head and laughing, I turned back to Monica. The anticipation on her face reminded me of a child getting ready to open the largest present under the tree. Then there was Sera, who I could tell was also still smiling under the mask. Her emerald eyes were sparkling and it sent a shiver of excitement through me.

  Oh… what the hell…it’s just a shirt.

  Chapter Eleven

  Sera

  I sat there, stunned, as Thane began to roll his hips to the beat of the music. Then, he grabbed the end of his shirt and slowly began pulling it up, giving us all a glimpse of his tan washboard stomach.

  “Keep it going!” laughed Monica, now dancing in her chair. “Let’s see that entire six-pack of yours.”

  Chuckling, Thane pulled his shirt up, just below his nipples, and I felt my own harden as his hips gyrated faster and he started having more fun with it.

  “Damn,” said Felicia. “He doesn’t move half bad for a mountain man.”

  Smiling, I shook my head.

  “Go Thane! Go Thane!” chanted Monica, now waving her hands in the air.

  Laughing, he pulled his shirt all the way off and began waving it above his head.

  “Lord have mercy,” said Felicia, her eyes round. “They sure know how to grow ‘em in Alaska, don’t they girls?”

  Lord have mercy was right. Thane was more man than I’d seen in a long time. Just imagining my hands on his biceps was enough to make me tingle all over.

  Thane laughed and I noticed his cheeks grow slightly pink. For someone as ripped as he was, I found it appealing that he was also modest. Being so attractive and having a body like that, he had to be used to women drooling.

  “Oh, look at him. He’s blushing,” said Monica, taking the words right out of my mouth. “That’s almost refreshing coming from someone with the body like yours. All manly and buff.”

  Buff was right. Thane was the epitome of raw maleness - thick, hard muscular arms and a defined, rippled chest that rivaled any professional bodybuilder. He had to have spent a lot of time pumping weights.

  “You must live at the gym,” said Monica, nodding in approval at his abs, which had obviously graduated from a six-pack to an eight, some time ago.

  He tightened his stomach muscles even further and gave her a boyish smile. “Force of habit.”

  Felicia’s eyes widened. “Force of habit?”

  His eyes met mine. “Let’s just say… my last job required me to stay in shape.”

  “What were you, a ninja?” asked Tiffany.

  “A stripper?” asked Felicia.

  Sinclair laughed. “I know… I know… A Special Ops guy?”

  “I’m surprised that nobody mentioned a lumber jack,” he said, smirking at Felicia. “Especially you.”

  “You have to know that it was next on my list.”

  “So, tell us, Thane, were you one of those ax-yielding lumberjacks?” asked Monica. “With an ox as your side-kick?”

  Before he could reply, the front door jingled.

  “Oh, that’s probably my next customer, said Sinclair.”

  “Well, that sure is a wakeup call,” said Thane, grabbing his shirt. “And thank goodness. Okay, enough of the silly business. We all need to get back to work.”

  Sinclair and Tiffany rushed back to their stations and Felicia turned off the music.

  “That was tight, Thane,” she said. “You know, you could moonlight over at the club up the street. Thursdays they have male strippers. Lady’s night, you know.”

  “Hopefully you girls will all get back to work - make some money, sell some products, and pay next month’s rent so that I won’t need to moonlight,” he answered, putting both his shirt and his boss hat back on. “And thanks for mentioning Thursdays. I’ll be sure to avoid those nights if I feel like having a beer after work.”

  “What do you mean? That’s the best time to hook-up with a woman. They are all usually hot-and-bothered. Looking for some beefcake. They see you and they’ll think they hit the jack-pot,” said Monica. “Especially since you’re not a stripper and more accessible.”

  He turned back to her. “Beefcake, huh? Monica, how do you know that I’m not happily married?”

  “My dear boy - you’d be wearing a wedding ring if you were happily married,” she replied with a sly smile.

  He rubbed his ring finger. “Okay, how do you know I’m not unhappily married?”<
br />
  “Believe me, I know when a man is single. Really single. Besides, I asked Felicia if you were even dating anyone and she said that you couldn’t be. That you were wound so tight at work and needed to get your dick waxed-”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa…” interrupted Felicia in a loud voice. She laughed nervously. “Monica, I think you’re confusing Thane with someone else I was talking about. Right?”

  The old woman’s eyes widened. “I don’t think so. I believe you said it was him.” Her eyes lowered to Thane’s jeans. “And you’re right - the man probably has a buildup down there, making him cranky and irritable. You can tell he’s packing something substantial behind that zipper and -”

  Felicia put a hand over Monica’s mouth and stared at Thane. “Nah, nah, nah, she is just confused. I never said that about you, T.”

  He crossed his arms over his chest. “Really, because she doesn’t seem very confused.”

  Monica growled in the back of her throat and then bit Felicia on the hand.

  She squealed and let go. “Damn, woman! Why are you trippin’ like this today? What’s gotten into you?”

  “You are not my Dom and certainly do not have permission to subdue me like that, Felicia.”

  Felicia waved her hand frantically, wincing in pain. “Damn, that hurt.”

  “Then keep it to yourself, next time,” she replied with a smirk. Her eyes softened. “You know, you’re lucky I love you so much or I’d cancel my next appointment.”

  “Well, I love you, too.” Still waving her hand, she sucked in her breath. “I don’t need shots, do I?”

  She rolled her eyes. “Very funny. Anyway, I didn’t even puncture your skin. My dear, you’d never make it as a Submissive.”

  “Submissive? No, that lifestyle doesn’t interest me in the least,” said Felicia. “This girl likes to give as much as she gets, you know what I’m sayin’? Plus, I hate pain.”

  “I see that,” replied Monica. She turned to Thane. “What about you, Thane?”

  His eyes widened. “What about me?”

  “Would you ever submit to a woman? Let her tame you into doing whatever she asks?”

  “Is this some kind of a trick question?” he asked, his lips twitching. “I mean that doesn’t sound that bad, but something tells me there’s more to it.”

  “There is,” said Felicia.

  “It’s all in your perception and an honest question,” she answered. “But, before you answer it, you need to know that when I say ‘anything’ she asks, it could require you to go way out of your comfort zone.”

  He chuckled. “Oh, you mean would I ever get married?”

  I laughed.

  Felicia snorted. “That’s out of most men’s comfort zone.”

  “No. I’m talking about the act of humbling yourself to someone else. Making yourself obedient and compliant to whatever they wish, even if it was… humiliating?”

  “To be honest, I really don’t know. I usually like to be the one in control in the bedroom.”

  I pictured him naked in my bedroom and heat pooled between my legs. I crossed them and pretended to be looking through my bottles of nail polish.

  Monica smiled. “You like to be in control. Well, that sounds heavenly, too.”

  Sighing, he shook his head, looking exasperated. “I can’t believe I’m having this conversation right now. Actually, I can. You women have tainted me into thinking it’s okay to talk about this at work. Like it’s nothing. When in fact, it’s grounds for a sexual harassment lawsuit against yours truly.”

  “Oh, settle down,” said Monica. “You haven’t made anyone here uncomfortable, so don’t get your undies in a bundle.”

  “What if I said that you’ve made me uncomfortable?” he said with a straight face.

  “You mean gave you a boner?” replied Monica, also with a straight face.

  “Takes more than that, Monica,” he replied, his eyes catching mine for a brief second.

  I began to perspire.

  Monica laughed. “I’m sorry if I’ve made you uncomfortable. Just don’t sue me.”

  “I’m just giving you shit,” he answered. “I don’t mind if you girls talk sex, just be considerate around people that might get offended. Especially other customers.”

  Monica waved her hand. “The women of this town are outspoken, confident, and not afraid to ask for what they want, especially when it comes to sex. You’d better get used to it.”

  “Is that right?” he said.

  “It certainly is.” She smiled. “Welcome to Sunny California, Thane.”

  He grunted.

  Felicia looked at her watch. “Shit, I should get back to work.”

  “Yes, you should,” replied Thane, tucking in his shirt. “Jesus, I can’t believe I let you women talk me into this.”

  “Come on, you enjoyed it. I’ll bet you haven’t been that naked in front of a female, let alone a group of them, for a long time,” said Monica.

  “Monica, you’re really starting to make me feel like a pathetic loser.”

  “Why?” she asked.

  “Come on now. You really have to ask?”

  “Oh, we all go through dry spells. Wait until you get to be my age and the spells last years instead of months.”

  “Something tells me that you’ve never had to wait too long,” he said, turning towards the partition and walking away. “Tell me I’m wrong?”

  “Oh, you’re right about that,” she answered, checking out his rear. “Life is too short to wait for handouts.”

  He laughed and disappeared around the corner.

  Monica turned back and offered me her fingertips once again. “I’m telling you, honey, you’ve gotta tap that. Because if you don’t,” her eyes glittered, “I will.”

  Chapter Twelve

  Sera

  After Monica left, Tiffany and another stylist, named Angie, set me up with two more clients.

  “Thanks for doing that,” I told them, when I was finished for the evening, and packing up to leave. “I really appreciate you guys helping me find all of these customers.”

  “No problem,” replied Angie, who I’d learned had just turned thirty and had recently gotten engaged to some famous British actor. With her platinum blonde hair, bright blue eyes, and perfect body, it didn’t surprise me in the least. “Too bad you can’t do hair. I’d give you all of my clients when I leave this place.”

  “When is your last day?” asked Tiffany.

  “We’re getting married in three months. I just have to decide when I’m going to put in my notice.”

  “You’re so lucky,” sighed Tiffany. “Marrying an actor, traveling around the world, never having to worry about anything other than what designer dress you’re going to wear to his premiers. What a dream...”

  Angie smiled. “I still can’t believe it myself.”

  “How did you meet him?” I asked.

  “Believe it or not, he rear-ended me at a stop-light. He’d just purchased a new Bentley, and was playing with some of the dials, when it happened. ”

  My eyes widened. “Seriously?”

  “Seriously. I guess it was fate, though. He wasn’t paying enough attention and plowed right into the woman he would someday marry,” she said, grinning.

  “Wow. So, were you hurt?” I asked, knowing all about fate.

  She touched the back of her neck. “My neck was stiff and pretty sore for a few weeks, but other than that… not too badly.”

  “How in the world did you two start dating?” I asked. “After that kind of meeting.”

  “He sent me flowers and then we met for coffee, two weeks later. After that, we pretty much became inseparable.”

  “That’s pretty amazing,” I said. “You know, I’ve never seen any of his movies, sorry to say, but I hear he’s a fabulous actor.”

  “His movies are great,” said Tiffany. “I especially love the one where he’s a CIA agent and falls in love with the woman he’s supposed to be investigating.”

 
“Midnight In Paris,” said Angie. “I didn't see that movie until we’d started dating. Now, I can’t sit through the entire thing without getting a little jealous. I mean, I know they’re acting, but when they’re in bed together, kissing, it make my blood boil.”

  I laughed. “Obviously, you’re going to need to get over that if you’re planning on marrying an actor.”

  “I know. It’s a work in progress,” she said.

  “So, I take it the press hasn’t caught on to your relationship?” I asked.

  “No, otherwise they wouldn’t leave me alone. He usually sends a car for me or disguises himself, when we’re together. I mean, they’re going to eventually figure it out, I’m sure, but for now, it’s been quiet here and at my place.”

  “That’s why it’s important not to tell anyone, Sera. If word got around, the paparazzi would be banging down the doors,” said Tiffany.

  “Don’t worry, her secret is safe with me.” I looked at Angie. “I’d never give it away.”

  “I didn’t think that you would,” replied Angie. “You seem pretty trustworthy.”

  “Thanks,” I answered.

  Thane approached us, holding a briefcase and a set of car keys.

  “Are you leaving?” asked Tiffany.

  “Yeah. I told a buddy of mine that I’d spot him at the gym, today. So, that’s where I’m headed. Can you lock up tonight, Angie? I think Sinclair said she’d be working until close,” he lowered his voice, “but I don’t want her, or any of you, alone in this place.”

  “Of course,” she replied. “I have some late appointments anyway.

  He looked at me. “What about you? You sticking around or heading out too?”

  I looked at my watch. It was almost four o’clock. “I think I’ll leave, too. Emma should just be getting home from school.”

  He nodded. “Sounds good. Great job today, Sera. The three clients you helped had nothing but good things to say about their nails, I heard. They were all very pleased with your work.”

  I grinned. “Even Monica? She was too busy plotting to get you alone to give me much feedback about her nails, I think.”

  He chuckled and shook his head. “She’s quite the character.”