Tangled Beauty

by K. L. Middleton

  “Yes. This is my bedroom, my shower.”

  “I thought it was Jesse’s.”

  “His is across the hall.”

  “Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said, looking mortified.

  I rubbed the back of my neck. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll just pretend it didn’t happen.”

  And that I didn’t see those sinfully, delicious curves hidden under that robe.

  “Okay.”

  “You’d better get out of here before Jesse comes looking for you. He might get jealous,” I said, biting back a smile.

  “Right.”

  “Sweet dreams,” I said, lying back against my pillows, my arms behind my neck.

  Blushing, she nodded. “Um, sweet dreams.”

  I watched as she left, hoping that my dreams would include me, joining her, in the shower.

  ***

  Sinclair

  I left Reed’s bedroom, my face still burning at the memory of seeing him naked. As I moved down the hallway to my room, thinking of all the wicked things I wanted to do with that body, I ran into Jesse, who was just coming from the kitchen.

  “Oh, good you’re done with your shower,” he whispered. “Did you find everything okay?”

  I told him what had happened and then had to actually cover his mouth as he began laughing, hysterically. “Stop, it wasn’t funny,” I whispered.

  “Oh my God, are you kidding me? That’s hilarious.”

  “It was mortifying.”

  He wiggled his eyebrows. “So, was he happy to see you?”

  “You mean aroused?”

  “Yes. Was he sprung?”

  “I didn’t even look,” I managed to say with a straight face.

  “Bullshit.”

  I smiled. “Okay, I guess he wasn’t totally turned off by seeing me naked.”

  Jesse bit his lower lip and got this faraway look in his eyes. “You know…I wonder if you could somehow seduce Reed. That would take care of the Sela problem.”

  I stared at him in surprise. “No, absolutely not.”

  He studied me for a minute and then smiled. “Okay. Forget I mentioned it.”

  From the look in his eyes, however, I knew he was still mulling the idea over in his mind.

  “I mean it,” I warned. “I would never do something like that. He’s engaged and I’m not going to come between that.”

  “I totally understand. Listen, don’t forget we’re going shopping for your dress tomorrow. So, get some sleep.”

  “Okay. I have to cut Reed’s hair in the morning, first.”

  “Right after that, then,” he said.

  “Okay, goodnight.”

  “Goodnight, Sin.”

  I stepped to my bedroom door and glanced back to find Jesse still looking at me.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Nothing,” he said, turning away. “Sleep well.”

  “You too,” I answered, knowing I’d probably sleep like an angel but dream like the Devil, if the images of Reed didn’t leave my sinful mind.

  Chapter Ten

  Reed.

  I’d fallen asleep alone but woke up with someone’s lips wrapped around my cock.

  “Jesus,” I gasped, as her warm, wet mouth moved up and down.

  “Good morning,” whispered Sela. “Miss me?”

  I couldn’t even answer- she had me, quite literally, by the balls. I closed my eyes and let her keep doing what she did best- fucking with me. As her mouth moved faster and I went deeper, an image of Sinclair, dripping wet in the shower, consumed me. I imagined it was her hands touching me, her mouth drawing me in and I exploded.

  “Wow,” smiled Sela, sitting up. “That was quick. I guess you missed me last night.”

  “I guess,” I answered, closing my eyes again.

  When I was able to catch my bearings, I opened my eyes and studied Sela. The scene with Jack in the library, really fucking disturbed me. I would have hoped that I could trust her- she was my fiancé. But the guilt in Jack’s eyes kept haunting me. Sela had already hidden the drugs from me, what else was she really capable of?

  “Tell me something, do you love me?” I asked.

  She frowned. “Do I love you? What kind of question is that?”

  “A pretty easy one. Do you, Sela?”

  She stood up, walked over to the mirror, and ran her fingers through her hair. “You make me happy. Isn’t that enough?”

  “I make you happy? It doesn’t seem like it.”

  Our eyes met in the mirror’s reflection. “Well, you do, Reed,” she turned around smiled. “Very. That’s why we’re perfect for each other. Happiness and amazing sex.”

  “But not love?”

  She waved her hand. “Oh, come on, only fools believe in love,” she said. “As far as I’m concerned, people confuse lust with love. Love is a fantasy, not a reality.”

  “So, what you’re really saying is that you’re not in love with me?”

  She laughed. “Reed, admit it, you’re not in love with me, either! But, you have to admit, we are good together.”

  She was right. I guess I wasn’t really in love with her. The sex was good and we had fun together. Definite chemistry, but was that enough to spend the rest of my life with someone? It obviously worked for Jack, but he was an asshole.

  I got out of bed. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  She smiled coyly. “Would you like me to join you?”

  “No time. Have too much to do this morning,” I said, heading towards the bathroom.

  “What am I supposed to do?” she pouted.

  I glanced back at her. “Relax for a change. Lay out by the pool or go for a swim at the beach.”

  She raised her eyebrows. “Alone?”

  I shrugged. “Maybe Sinclair will join you after she cuts my hair.”

  Sela scowled. “I don’t like her.”

  “Why?”

  She raised her chin. “I just don’t.”

  I sighed. “Well, then I guess you’re on your own, until this afternoon.”

  “Fine,” she said, “but after you’re finished with everything, you owe me.”

  “You’ll have my full attention, I promise.”

  She pulled her robe in tighter and walked towards the door. “I can’t believe you’re letting that girl touch your hair.”

  “I’m sure she’ll do a good job.”

  Staring at me intently, she asked, “I wonder what your brother sees in her?”

  Sinclair?

  She was beautiful, witty, and sexier than hell. In fact, even now I was having a problem getting her out of my mind. But Jesse, what did my brother see in her?

  “I don’t know what he sees in her,” I answered, honestly. Sinclair definitely wasn’t his type. Not by a long shot.

  Pleased with that answer, Sela nodded and left the room.

  ***

  Sinclair

  I woke up around nine o’clock and noticed that the water was now working in the fine in the shower.

  “Of course,” I grumbled out loud.

  I took a quick one and then slipped on a pair of white shorts and a bright, coral tank-top. As I was putting my hair up into a ponytail, there was a knock on my door.

  “Hey girlfriend,” smiled Jesse, under his favorite Maui Jim sunglasses.

  “Hey sunshine,” I said, staring at his hot pink polo shirt and white chinos.

  “Hungry?” asked Jesse, pushing the glasses above his head.

  “A little.”

  “Let’s go downstairs. Gretchen usually has breakfast put away by now, but I bet we can scrape something up in the kitchen.”

  I yawned. “What about coffee?”

  “Well, that’s available all day long, silly girl.”

  I slipped on a pair of strapless white sandals and followed Jesse to the kitchen, where we found Reed, reading the paper at the counter and drinking coffee.

  “Hi,” he said, putting the newspaper down. “Was wondering when you guys were going to wake up.”

&n
bsp; Jesse put his arm around my shoulders and smiled. “Sin was feeling frisky this morning.”

  Reed grinned. “Is that so?”

  “Oh yeah. This girl is insatiable,” answered Jesse, turning on the coffee machine. “I’m going to be sore all day.”

  I elbowed him in the ribs. “You should talk- I’m the one walking funny.”

  Reed’s eyes landed on my crotch, triggering an immediate surge of heat. He looked away, quickly, and grabbed his cup.

  “Um, so, are you ready for your haircut?” I asked.

  “Yes, if you are,” he answered, finishing the last of his coffee.

  “My scissors are in my suitcase. Where should we do it?”

  “How about your bedroom? Maybe on the balcony?”

  “Sure,” I said as Jesse handed me a cup of coffee.

  “Even though I’d love to watch Sin do you on the balcony, I’m going to stick around here and eat some breakfast,” said Jesse.

  I turned back to look at Jesse, who had a big shit-eating grin on his face.

  “Stop,” I mouthed.

  His eyes widened, innocently. “What?”

  Reed stood up, looking yummy in a tight white concert Tee that not only emphasized his tan, but endless broad shoulders and a narrow waist. As he turned to rinse out the coffee cup, I quickly checked out his butt in the low-riding faded blue jeans and despised Sela more than ever.

  He turned back around and his lips curved up on the one side. “So, to your bedroom?”

  “Ah, yeah.”

  “I’ll follow you,” he said, walking towards me.

  We left the kitchen and walked up the stairs, me leading the way. For some reason I was very conscious of how my own butt looked and had an urge to glance back, to see where exactly his eyes were. Of course, I chickened out and just kept going up.

  When we entered my bedroom, I grabbed my makeup bag and pulled out the scissors. “So, just a trim, then?”

  He opened up the patio door. “Sure, sounds great,” he said.

  I followed him outside, to a tall metal bistro table. He sat down and looked at me, his expression unreadable.

  I bit the side of my lip. “We should really wet your hair, first.”

  “Should I take another shower?”

  Flashes of him naked and happy to see me, made my nipples tighten in my bra. “I… um…how about wetting your hair in the sink? That would be so much easier.”

  “Sure.”

  I followed him into the bathroom.

  “I’d better remove the shirt,” he said. “So it doesn’t get wet.”

  Oh, my God…yes!

  “Good idea,” I answered, in a surprisingly professional tone.

  Then, in what seemed like slow motion, Reed tugged his shirt out of his jeans, raised it over his rock-hard abs and lifted it over his broad shoulders while I watched- my mouth physically unable to close.

  Looking in the mirror, he quickly ran a hand through his hair, then turned back to me and held out his shirt.

  I stared at him in confusion.

  “Can you take this?” he asked, his mouth twitching.

  “Oh, yes,” I answered, flushed and breathless.

  As I hung it on a hook, behind the door, I could smell a trace of his cologne and had to fight the urge to bring the shirt to my nose, to inhale the wonderful scent.

  God, I was so pathetic.

  I turned around to find him staring at me in amusement, as if he could somehow read my mind.

  “Ready?” he asked, leaning back against the sink with his arms crossed.

  I managed a smile. “Yeah.”

  I tried to appear unaffected by him, but it wasn’t easy; not when I hadn’t had sex in so long and was this close to a half-naked man.

  And not just any half-naked man.

  This one was so effin’ hot, he could raise a girl’s temperature in the next state.

  “What do you think?” he asked.

  Oh my God…what did I think?

  His chest was perfectly chiseled and his abs, obviously, the result of countless crunches.

  And that was just what was above his jeans!

  After witnessing what was hiding underneath, last night, I was having trouble concentrating on much more. Without a doubt, I knew I was definitely in the danger zone, with Reed. In fact, if he even hinted at sex, I’d probably drag him by his hair into my bedroom and make sure both of us were sore for the next couple of days.

  Sensing my fugue, he repeated the question.

  “What… what do you mean?” I asked.

  “What do you think I should do? Put my head in the tub or in the sink?”

  “Oh,” I blushed, thinking of another place he could put his head. “The sink should be fine. If you won’t be too uncomfortable?”

  “It should be fine,” he said, turning around. He turned on the water and then bent his head down near the faucet, giving me a great view of his wide, muscular back. I imagined my hands exploring those hard planes and felt a fluttery tingle between my legs.

  “Sinclair, ready?”

  Jesus, get a grip, Sinclair.

  “Yes, sorry,” I said.

  My hands were trembling slightly as I bent over him and slid my fingers into his soft, brown hair. I exhaled slowly, knowing at that moment, I’d never wanted to touch anyone’s head as much as this man’s.

  “That feels good,” he murmured, as I ran my fingers through the wet strands and began massaging his scalp.

  “We usually massage the head before every cut, to relax our customers in the shop,” I said, my voice slightly hitched.

  “Is that right?” he asked.

  “Yeah.”

  “You okay?”

  “I’m fine. Are you okay?” I managed to say, wondering which was wetter at the moment, me or his hair.

  “I’m great. In fact, you can massage my head anytime,” he answered, a smile in his voice.

  I didn’t trust myself to answer. Instead, I turned off the water and began patting his hair with a towel. “You ready?” I asked, clearing my throat.

  He stood up and looked down into my eyes. “I am, are you?”

  I swallowed. “Um, sure, let’s go back outside.”

  His eyes lowered and his tongue licked the side of his upper lip. “Looks like I got you wet,” he said softly.

  My eyes widened. “What?”

  He raised his fingertips and touched a spot right above my breasts. “Water.”

  I looked down and smiled, sheepishly. The fact of the matter was the entire front of my entire tank was pretty damp. “It’s okay, I’m used to it.”

  He grinned and motioned towards the doorway. “After you.”

  I cleared my throat and proceeded to walk back out to the balcony. When he sat down I picked up my comb and scissors.

  “How did you sleep last night?” he asked, as I began combing his hair.

  “Okay,” I said, trying to avoid his icy stare. “You?”

  “Actually, I had a hard time sleeping.”

  “Oh?”

  “I thought since I’d had a few shots of tequila, I’d sleep like a baby. But, no such luck.”

  “Hmm…,” I said, not knowing that he’d been drinking. Maybe there was a chance he’d forgotten our little encounter?

  “Fact is, I only got a few hours of sleep.”

  I leaned over him to grab my scissors, the side of my breast brushing his shoulder. “Sorry,” I said.

  “I’m not complaining,” he said, his voice low.

  Our eyes met briefly and my mouth went dry.

  “I’ll be right back,” I said, stepping backwards. “I need my other comb.”

  And to break this freakin’ sexual tension for a few seconds.

  ***

  Reed

  “Okay,” I said and then nonchalantly put my hand over my jeans to cover up my half-cocked hard-on. Ever since she’d started undressing me with her eyes and massaging my head, I hadn’t been able to think straight.

  “What�
��s Sela doing, today?” she asked, returning a little while later.

  “Relaxing.”

  She began combing my hair, again. “So, when’s the big wedding?”

  I sighed, feeling my hard-on begin to recede. “We don’t have a date set, yet.”

  She leaned in front of me, giving me a partial view of her cleavage.

  “How short do you want it?” she asked.

  “I’ll let you decide.”

  She studied my hair, intently. “Okay, I think I’ll just take a little off.”

  “I’m yours, do whatever you want,” I said, knowing I was playing with fire. I knew it was wrong but I couldn’t help myself.

  Her cheeks turned pink and I wondered what was going through that beautiful skull of hers. I hadn’t planned on flirting with her at all, but the electricity between us was staggering. I was no longer thinking with a clear head, just a stiff one.

  “So, you and Jesse are pretty serious, huh?” I asked after a few minutes of silence.

  She shrugged. “We’re just having fun right now.”

  “I see. You know, he never really dated much, when he lived here.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Fact is- I could have sworn that he was gay.”

  Her hands paused. “Really?”

  “But, now that I’ve met you, there’s no doubt in my mind that he’s straight. Or,” I smiled. “If he was gay, you must have certainly converted him.”

  She chuckled. “I doubt I could convert Jesse into anything.”

  “Believe me, if anyone could convert a gay man, it would be you.”

  Sinclair stepped back and looked at me, her full lips forming into an amused grin. “Are you flirting with me?”

  “Who me? I’m just telling it like it is. You’re a beautiful girl.”

  “Well, thank you,” she said, raising the scissors, again. “Sela is also very beautiful.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  She frowned. “She doesn’t seem to like me very much.”

  “Don’t take it personally. Sela feels threatened by most other women, one way or the other.”

  “That’s too bad. She seems to have everything- beauty, a successful career, a nice guy.”

  I cocked an eyebrow. “You think I’m nice?”