about the deep rumble of his voice makes me imagine that if I fall again, he’ll catch me.
“I’m late for my appointment. Goodbye Luke.”
Chapter Ten
Luke
The parking lot at the salon is pretty quiet. A few SUV’s and a sweet little souped-up mustang, but no motorcycles, certainly no vintage Triumphs. I park my bike beside Olivia’s convertible, take off my helmet and stroll into the salon.
When I step in the door, I take off my sunglasses and look around. Several women, including Olivia, are getting their hair done. Every single person stares at me, and the woman working on Olivia gasps. I suppose a six foot four guy wearing black leathers makes an impression in a girly hair salon.
Her head is covered with little folded pieces of aluminum foil that look like shiny roofing shingles and her pretty lips form a perfect little circle and then flatten into a frown.
“What are you doing here?”
Damn, I like antagonizing this girl.
Her tone is accusatory, like she caught me spying on her in the bathtub or something. The salon is pure estrogen and I’m treading on thin ice by venturing into this territory.
I descend the steps into the lioness’ den and ease into a salon chair.
“I was thinking of getting a haircut.”
She rolls her eyes. “Because your buzzcut is getting shaggy?”
Her hairdresser is a skinny blonde girl with hair pulled back in a severe looking arrangement. She’s rail thin except for her lips which look like they’ve had those injections women like to get. Needles in the lips. That’s got to hurt like a sonofabitch. It never fails to astonish me what lengths women will go to snare men.
The blonde goes back to wrapping strands of Olivia’s hair in little packets. It’s weirdly mesmerizing, like a lot of the stuff in here. Bottles of serums and potions and liquids. Things with colors and numbers scrawled across with a sharpie. They probably have a room in the back where they keep the eye of newt and tail of salamander.
“Remember I’m your bodyguard? Your lawyer and my Dad called this morning asking about you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Olivia fumes. “I can manage just fine on my own.”
I shrug. “I’m not arguing with my Dad. Not over this.”
It’s true. He’s tried to run my life for a long time, telling me what schools to go to, what branch of the military to join, and what to do when I get out. And for a long time I fought him. But, when I found out about the heart attack, I stopped rejecting everything he said.
After my mom died, he buried himself in his work. I was only fifteen and my way of dealing with her death was acting out, picking fights and flipping off teachers. His solution was to send me away to military school on the east coast. Our relationship has been touch and go since then, but a heart attack has a way of clearing the air.
It’s not like I mind shadowing Olivia. I’d like to do a lot more than shadow her. I won’t start work for Thornton Construction for another three weeks. Might as well follow Olivia around and keep her out of trouble, unless it’s with me.
That morning, a guy was at the gate asking to see her. One of the housekeepers told me about it. Said he didn’t want to leave a name. I need to talk to everyone at the house about not discussing Olivia with anyone.
Olivia glares at me. “I don’t want to look stupid. Like I need someone to hold my hand to finish the deal. I have a lot riding on this, Luke.”
I stretched my neck and grimace, her words making me think about the dream I had last night. Olivia was in it and we were doing a lot more than holding hands. I shift uncomfortably and the hairdresser glances at me, smirking.
“Speaking of a lot riding on things, I need to work out later. Hit some push-ups.”
She draws a sharp breath and flushes. When she presses her lips together, I know she’s trying to keep from smiling at me. Here, in front of her peers, she’s all cool and distant, but with a few simple words, I
“I’m late for my appointment. Goodbye Luke.”
Chapter Ten
Luke
The parking lot at the salon is pretty quiet. A few SUV’s and a sweet little souped-up mustang, but no motorcycles, certainly no vintage Triumphs. I park my bike beside Olivia’s convertible, take off my helmet and stroll into the salon.
When I step in the door, I take off my sunglasses and look around. Several women, including Olivia, are getting their hair done. Every single person stares at me, and the woman working on Olivia gasps. I suppose a six foot four guy wearing black leathers makes an impression in a girly hair salon.
Her head is covered with little folded pieces of aluminum foil that look like shiny roofing shingles and her pretty lips form a perfect little circle and then flatten into a frown.
“What are you doing here?”
Damn, I like antagonizing this girl.
Her tone is accusatory, like she caught me spying on her in the bathtub or something. The salon is pure estrogen and I’m treading on thin ice by venturing into this territory.
I descend the steps into the lioness’ den and ease into a salon chair.
“I was thinking of getting a haircut.”
She rolls her eyes. “Because your buzzcut is getting shaggy?”
Her hairdresser is a skinny blonde girl with hair pulled back in a severe looking arrangement. She’s rail thin except for her lips which look like they’ve had those injections women like to get. Needles in the lips. That’s got to hurt like a sonofabitch. It never fails to astonish me what lengths women will go to snare men.
The blonde goes back to wrapping strands of Olivia’s hair in little packets. It’s weirdly mesmerizing, like a lot of the stuff in here. Bottles of serums and potions and liquids. Things with colors and numbers scrawled across with a sharpie. They probably have a room in the back where they keep the eye of newt and tail of salamander.
“Remember I’m your bodyguard? Your lawyer and my Dad called this morning asking about you.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Olivia fumes. “I can manage just fine on my own.”
I shrug. “I’m not arguing with my Dad. Not over this.”
It’s true. He’s tried to run my life for a long time, telling me what schools to go to, what branch of the military to join, and what to do when I get out. And for a long time I fought him. But, when I found out about the heart attack, I stopped rejecting everything he said.
After my mom died, he buried himself in his work. I was only fifteen and my way of dealing with her death was acting out, picking fights and flipping off teachers. His solution was to send me away to military school on the east coast. Our relationship has been touch and go since then, but a heart attack has a way of clearing the air.
It’s not like I mind shadowing Olivia. I’d like to do a lot more than shadow her. I won’t start work for Thornton Construction for another three weeks. Might as well follow Olivia around and keep her out of trouble, unless it’s with me.
That morning, a guy was at the gate asking to see her. One of the housekeepers told me about it. Said he didn’t want to leave a name. I need to talk to everyone at the house about not discussing Olivia with anyone.
Olivia glares at me. “I don’t want to look stupid. Like I need someone to hold my hand to finish the deal. I have a lot riding on this, Luke.”
I stretched my neck and grimace, her words making me think about the dream I had last night. Olivia was in it and we were doing a lot more than holding hands. I shift uncomfortably and the hairdresser glances at me, smirking.
“Speaking of a lot riding on things, I need to work out later. Hit some push-ups.”
She draws a sharp breath and flushes. When she presses her lips together, I know she’s trying to keep from smiling at me. Here, in front of her peers, she’s all cool and distant, but with a few simple words, I