Pretty Hurts (Left 1.50)

I scan the area, and my eyes rest on the woman coming toward me with gently swaying hips and a curvy frame. I laugh when I realize its Efia. She’s sexy as sin with long legs, wide hips, and a small waist. She’s wearing a floppy beige sun hat that does nothing to hide the fact that she’s bald. I’m proud of her. She’s come a long way over the past couple of months. There’s further to go, but I like to believe I’ll be around to witness it, and not just as her barber.

I stand, and she waves at me.

“You look amazing,” I say honestly.

“I think you’re inspiring my fashion choices,” she replies as she takes in my cuffed pants, black creepers, and a white T-shirt.

“I’m okay with that.”

“You should be. You have excellent style.”

I offer her my arm. “I figured we’d grab lunch and a few drinks at the Dive before we hit up the exhibits?”

“Sounds perfect to me.” She hooks her arm through mine, and I become insanely aware of the side of her body brushing up against mine. The base of my spine tingles. Her floral fragrance teases me. I lean in slightly and inhale. It’s intoxicating. My mouth waters and I swallow down the lust ramping up as we reach the ticket booth. I definitely need a drink or three.

“I got this. You can get the drinks,” I say before she can protest.

“Deal.”

After I purchase our tickets, we enter the building and head straight to the Dive. The low light cavern has a spectacular view of a built in fish tank that runs along the wall.

“You want to sit at the bar?” I ask, eyeing the families filling the majority of the tables.

“I think that’ll be the best way to go.”

When I press my hand to the small of her back, a jolt of electricity flows up my arm. I jerk my hand back and she peers at me. Did she feel it, too?

We find a spot at the end of the bar and I pull out her chair and she flashes me a smile that makes something in my belly tighten. She climbs onto the stool. I push her in and join her. We peruse the menu and end up ordering a sampler and Coronaritas—two margaritas that have a Corona bottle tucked into them.

The cool liquid hits my tongue and makes my taste buds dance. It does nothing for my heated flesh.

“How’s work been?” I ask, clutching onto a safe topic.

“Really good. I have a new client I’ll be working with that might end up being a long term thing. It’s kind of,” she glances around the room before leaning in and lowering her voice, “naughty though.”

“What? Porn?” I whisper back.

“No, boudoir photos. Sexy photos done tastefully in a pin-up style.”

I can’t help but think of her lush body laid out on a bed in white sheets and nothing else. My pants grow tight. I will my dick to calm down.

“Wow. I didn’t realize that was a thing.”

“This is an exclusive boutique. The have two regular make-up artists and one is getting ready to move to another state. I’m hoping to put my best foot forward. I love travel, but having a steady gig is appealing. It would let me pick and choose the out of town events, versus having to take them to pay bills.”

“So you’d be around more?” I ask, thinking of the weeks I didn’t get to see her because she was off doing a shoot.

“I would.” She tilts her head. “Would that be a good thing?”

“A very good thing. I miss you when you’re not around.”

She blinks and her face softens. “I miss you, too.”

The admittance is a huge step. I know she’s as into this thing between us as I am.

“Am I part of the reason you want to be close to home now?”

“If you are?”