She’d always put her whole heart into relationships, but for once in her life, she just wanted to give in to that no-strings-attached lust and attraction instead of saving it all for a guy who’d only end up letting her down or hurting her in the long run. And at least with Eric, she knew the score and rules up front.
Her stomach danced with anticipation, giving her the answer she sought. If the situation or opportunity presented itself with Eric, she was all in for a weekend of feel-good sex.
CHAPTER SEVEN
At one thirty Monday afternoon, Eric parked his car in an open spot near Evie’s Beauty and Bliss Salon and Spa. Even though she wasn’t expecting him, he had a legit reason for stopping by. And no, he wasn’t stalking her.
After last night, he’d gone to bed with a smile on his face, and that hadn’t happened in forever and never on a Sunday night after time spent with his mother. But Evie had given him exactly what he needed last night and made him forget about the pain of his sister’s death and his family issues.
He had to admit that he enjoyed flirting with her, and if he had his way, they’d be doing a lot more than indulging in sexy banter when they were together. First on his agenda was stealing a kiss. And from there, he’d take his cues from her to see if they were on the same page when it came to taking their attraction to the next level.
Getting out of his car, he headed toward the salon, and as soon as he stepped inside, he was taken aback by all the women in the place and the amount of noise that greeted him—a combination of lively female chatter and happy laughter. The sitting area off to the side of the reception desk was filled with over a dozen clients who appeared to be waiting for an appointment while conversing with the other ladies and enjoying beverages and a table filled with various desserts.
It was a very different scene from the quieter one he’d encountered on Friday, when there had only been one client for each of the women working in the salon. Today, it appeared like he’d walked into a social gathering of some sort.
As soon as the women realized that a man had entered the establishment, the conversations died down, and they all looked at him a little warily, which he found odd. He offered them a friendly smile, then glanced toward Evie’s station just as she turned her head to see what had caused the sudden hush that had fallen over the shop.
She saw him and her eyes went wide with surprise. The delighted smile that immediately appeared on her lips made him feel a little sucker-punched, because he knew it was meant just for him. He gave her a small wave, and she said something to the client sitting in her chair, then made her way over to the reception area.
The group of females was still watching him tentatively as Evie approached where he was standing. As soon as she reached him, she turned her attention to the women for a moment.
“It’s okay, ladies,” she said, her tone light and gentle. “He’s a friend of mine.”
He was struck by how weird the situation was. Why did Evie have to reassure these women and clarify who he was? But as soon as she did, a collective sense of relief spread throughout the salon and the ladies gradually went back to visiting with each other.
She met his gaze again, her pretty blue eyes filled with unmistakable pleasure. “Hey, what are you doing here?” she asked, not explaining the strange scene he’d just encountered. “Were you in the neighborhood and couldn’t resist stopping by to see me?”
She was teasing him, and he liked it. “That’s definitely one of the reasons.”
Her cheeks flushed a light shade of pink. “And the other?”
“Well, I was hoping you might have room in your schedule to give me a haircut.” He ran his fingers through the strands that were longer than he normally let them get, and while he could have gone to his barber, the thought of feeling Evie’s fingers running through his hair kind of turned him on. “I don’t want to meet your parents looking like a bum, but you obviously have a full day of appointments,” he said, referencing all the women in the shop.
“Today is definitely a crazy day,” she agreed. “Normally, we’re closed on Mondays. We’re only open today because of the Beautiful You program, which we do on the last Monday of the month. That’s why it’s so crowded in here.”
She indicated a sign set up on an easel by the front door that said Welcome to Beautiful You Day! It didn’t explain what the program was, but clearly these women were at the salon and spa to be pampered in some way.