Devil in Texas (Rugged and Risque 1)

He grinned that adorable, lazy grin. “Get to work. I’ll pick you up at six-forty for our double date.”

“Don’t be late.” She turned on her heels and glided across the hardwood floor, bouncing down the stairs and out the front door.

Her stomach was already growling in anticipation of whatever wicked creation Mike had planned for this evening’s special at Pietro’s. And whatever creative sexual adventure Jack might come up with afterward…

Chapter Fourteen

Unfortunately, her bliss was short-lived.

Carrying the lingerie bag into the cottage, Liza ascended the steps that led to the kitchen and went into the bathroom, consulting the clock along the way. She’d left Jack’s early enough that she could highlight her hair before showering and heading into town to meet Jess. She fished out the drugstore bag from the larger one and set the highlighter kit on the granite counter. She opened the box, then retrieved the instructions. She read them carefully and deduced, once again, this wasn’t rocket science. It didn’t take a Cosmetology license or a degree from the Vidal Sassoon Academy to apply some chemicals to a few strands of hair.

Positioning the plastic cap on her head—certainly not her best look—and using the clever little hook provided to pull through the strands she wanted to color, she strategically selected the best location for the highlights. Then she mixed the chemicals according to the directions, slathered them on with the little spatula and wondered why on earth she’d paid a stylist nearly six hundred dollars every five to six weeks for a cut and hair weave.

Frowning, she realized that she could use a trim too, but her style was still intact, so it would really just be a matter of snipping here and there. And as for the color, the chestnut was natural and, obviously, she was proving that giving herself some flattering highlights wasn’t nearly as complicated as renowned stylist Miguel Delgado had always made it seem.

Hell, she’d sit in his chair for nearly four hours each session. But according to the chart on the outside of the highlighting kit, she didn’t need more than twenty minutes to achieve the look she wanted.

Feeling particularly pleased with herself, she spent her twenty minutes setting out the few knickknacks and books she’d brought with her and tidying up the cottage. When the timer she’d set on the stove started to beep, she turned it off, removed the plastic cap and stepped into the shower.

It was actually very liberating to be living such a simple life. She’d saved five-hundred-and-ninety-dollars-plus-tip on hair care. At least a hundred dollars on lingerie. The rent she’d paid on the cottage was a quarter of what her apartment had cost in Manhattan. And Ruby had bought her lunch yesterday. That put her a few steps ahead of the game.

Smiling as she shut off the water, she towel-dried her hair, then wrapped the material around her body. She swiped a hand over the mirror that hung above the vanity.

And screamed bloody murder at the vision before her.

Holy shit!

What had she done?

Liza stared at her reflection—and the vibrant copper streaks that ruined her six-hundred-dollar hairdo.

She gasped again.

“No, no, no!” she cried, wiping away more of the steam on the mirror and staring closer at the mess that once was a very chic coif. “Oh. My. God!”

Her so-called highlights weren’t the warm golden color the box had promised. They were a glowing copper that made her look like a punk rock star!

“Fuck!”

She tossed the box and its second application into the trash.

She was totally screwed. Because the only one who could help her correct this horrific mistake was the one woman in town who loathed her.

Lydia Bain.

Damn it!

Grumbling as she reached for the blow dryer and brush, she cursed Lydia’s name over and over again. How could her luck be so bad that her nemesis was Wilder’s Queen of the Coif and… She doesn’t like me!

After drying the wildly mismatched hair, she had no choice but to pull it up into a high ponytail in order to hide most of the highlighted strands that made her look like a rebellious teenager. Several thick streaks of copper still showed and there wasn’t a damn thing more she could do about it.

She dressed and left the cottage. She drove into town and pulled up in front of the flower shop just as Jess was climbing out of her sedan.

“Hi,” Jess said with a cheery smile. She didn’t seem to take note of Liza’s hideous do-it-yourself highlighting job, for which Liza was grateful.

“Good morning.” She followed Jess into the shop, excited about what the day in the Land of Flora might hold for her, despite her debacled ‘do. “So what are we working on?”

Jess gave a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness you’re so enthusiastic. I was kind of worried. I mean…” She shrugged as she rolled her hazel eyes. “I thought you were just being nice last night when you expressed interest in the job.”