“It’s not fine with me,” she said, putting more emotion into the words than she’d planned.
His brows rose as his puzzled glance scanned her face. “No, really, it is. Normally, we limit our browsing to when we’re apart for long periods, but I was happy to make an exception for you, Piper. I’m sure you’re not someone who’ll fall in love and try to break up our marriage. You get it,” he added confidently.
“I really don’t,” she insisted. “On many levels. But even if my own mother appeared on this beach to give me permission, I wouldn’t agree, Tim.”
He stopped and looked at her for awhile, as if she’d changed in the last few minutes and he had to make sense of a shifting landscape. “Why?”
She wasn’t about to say the truth. That even though she’d tingled from head to toe the first time they’d met—and who wouldn’t?—her attraction for Meredith had disappeared. Completely. But she knew in her heart that Tim would take offense at that, so she tried to soft-pedal it by telling a different, no less sincere, truth. “I never have sex with people I’m not connected to. I don’t have to be in love, but I have to be headed that way.” As his mouth opened in astonishment, she continued. “If I were to have sex with your wife, you’d quickly realize that I don’t get it at all. I’d be trying to win her over.”
He was clearly surprised by that, and his surprise let his mouth start talking before he’d thought it through. “Good luck with that,” he said, actually scoffing a little.
“Are you trying to be rude?” She stopped and put her hands on her hips, glaring at him. “I’m just an object your wife wants to play with, nothing you have to worry about?”
“Oh, shit,” he said, massaging his temple as his eyes closed. “I didn’t mean it that way. I meant…” Sighing, he said, “Oh, crap, I did mean it that way. Meredith is very content in our relationship. She just needs some variety.” He gazed at her for a few seconds. “You know, there’s a reason she’s a universal sex symbol. She’s beyond awesome in bed.”
“Your sex life isn’t awesome enough to keep you both from wanting other women, so…” She knew she was way out of line at this point, but she didn’t care. He was acting like he owned her, and that was never going to go down well.
His hand rose and made a dismissive gesture. “That’s just for fun. It’s like going out to dinner with someone. A memorable hour or two that satisfies a basic human need.”
“You have your definition of what sex means to you, and I have mine. And mine doesn’t include having sex with people I don’t care for.”
“What’s the longest you’ve been in a relationship? Five years? Ten years?”
“Less,” she admitted. “Three.”
He gave her a smile that could easily be classified as gloating. “I rest my case. You obviously break up with someone when you need variety. The way we do it is a lot smarter.”
“Needing variety is not why I’ve ever broken up with a woman, Tim. It’s always been because of some kind of incompatibility. Monogamy isn’t that hard for me.”
He almost looked sorry for her when he said, “You’ve got a very naïve view of the world, Piper.”
A smile crept onto her face when she said, “If that’s true, I’m perfectly happy with it. Actually, I’d love to be naïve until my last breath.”
“Again, good luck with that.”
They didn’t speak on the walk back, with Piper so irritated her head ached from going over the conversation repeatedly. She’d known several couples who had successful open relationships, but she’d never known of one where one partner tried to find dates for the other. That just seemed weird, not to mention improper, given the power imbalance between her and Tim. If she hadn’t been an experienced adult, and able to stand her ground… Not for the first time, Haley’s words came back to her. It would be so easy to let your morals adjust to whatever would help your career the most. And that wasn’t just a Hollywood thing. Granted, it was easier when you were on location. Everything seemed possible in this fantasy world. But when the movie had wrapped, you had to go home and face yourself in the mirror. No matter what, Piper was determined that she’d never be ashamed of the image that stared back at her.
***
Haley sat at a round table in the dining room the next afternoon, watching Piper and Charlie scarf down food like they were in a timed competition. It was almost four o’clock, and all of them were finished for the day—a rarity. Tim had them work through lunch to capture something he clearly saw in his head, but his actors clearly didn’t. He was getting frustrated, but he kept at it until he was satisfied, then released Charlie and Bobby the parrot, keeping the other actors to catch some reaction scenes.
Now, the sisters made up for their missed meal, with Charlie going for healthy volume, and Piper picking a moderately sized, but not calorically reasonable repast.
Piper dipped the last of her fries into a small lake of ketchup and popped it into her mouth. “I’m not sure how they make the fries so good, but they’re kind of epic,” she decreed, pushing her tray away.
“Mrrff,” Charlie said, unable to enunciate with her mouth full of lettuce, beet, and orange sections.
“She makes fun of me,” Piper said, tossing an arm around her sister’s shoulders, “but she could beat me in an eating contest.”
“Now that the starvation diet isn’t in effect, I’m pretty sure Charlie does eat more than you do, Piper. But her mountain of vegetables contains a lot fewer calories than your chicken tenders and fries,” Haley said. She let her gaze travel down to assess Piper’s midsection. “I’m not sure how you’ve lost weight with the junk you eat, but you definitely have.”
“Just a couple of pounds.”
“She doesn’t like the fries at the hotel,” Charlie said, smirking at Piper. “They substitute veggie chips, which she hates.”
“And I’m too tired to drink beer,” Piper added. “So, my diet hasn’t changed by choice, but it has changed.”
“I’m eating better here than I do at home,” Haley said. “I sure don’t recall catering in Romania being very good, but someone here loves vegetables.”
“Not me,” Piper said, standing to give Haley an impish look. “I’ve got almost two hours before the chopper takes off. Who wants a haircut?”
“Are you serious?”
“I never kid about haircuts.”
“It’s driving me absolutely crazy,” she said, sticking her hand it in and rubbing it roughly. “Name your price.”
“A simple thank you will be plenty.”
“How about a simple thank you and…” She thought for a second. “I’ll teach Delta a cute trick.”
“Done.” Piper extended her hand and they shook. “I think I’m getting the better end of the deal, though.”
“But my hair won’t be falling in my eyes, my fondest wish.”
They walked across the compound, and when Piper tried the door to the hair and makeup cabin, she let out a satisfied purr. “Locked up tight,” she said, reaching into her pocket to extract the keys. “We won’t have to fight for space.”
As they walked in, Haley sniffed the familiar scents of shampoo and various conditioners. “I love the smells of a hair salon.”
“I hardly notice. Maybe I’m too used to it. Okay, then,” Piper said, rubbing her hands together. “Let’s get down to business.” She pulled out a black nylon smock and started to snap it snugly around Haley’s neck. Then she guided her to a chair and pressed on her shoulder to urge her to sit.
“I love getting my hair cut,” Haley said, shivering with pleasure.
“I’m sorry I didn’t volunteer earlier, but we haven’t had much free time.” She threaded her fingers through the locks on the crown of Haley’s head, letting them slowly fall. “You want to keep it like you had it, right?”
“If you can…”
“If I can,” she scoffed, letting out a little laugh. She turned the chair and let it recline, so Haley’s neck was resting on the shampoo sink.
“Shampoo preference? We’ve got unscented or banana.”
“Your choice.”
“Banana,” Piper said, starting to run the water. She got quiet as she started to work, shampooing Haley’s head with gentle, yet brisk efficiency. But slowly, maybe even inadvertently, Piper slowed down, with her touch becoming gentler.
In a matter of moments, Piper was making love to her head, sensually touching and massaging every inch. Piper’s eyes were closed, and occasionally she let out a soft moan. Haley was so into it she could only squirm, her hands gripping the arms of the chair tightly so she didn’t slide right off.
Piper couldn’t have realized what she was doing. She just couldn’t have. Eyes still closed tightly, she looked just like she did when she was going down on Haley, total concentration, not the slightest embarrassment at revealing herself so fully.
Now she put both of her soapy hands on the back of Haley’s neck and started to knead the muscles, digging into them firmly, then letting her fingers merely brush across the skin, the most tender of touches.
Haley couldn’t say a word—didn’t want to—afraid of breaking the spell. Like a bolt of lightning, it hit her. She could have this any time she wanted it. Her guesses about Piper’s feelings weren’t merely supposition—they were facts. Piper was clearly willing to pick up right where they’d left off. But Haley’s reasons for refusing to go further were just as valid as they’d been the day she’d uttered them. It was just that they’d gotten to know each other even better, and every part of Piper she’d originally liked had grown more attractive. Especially those silky hands that played her tight muscles like a violin. It was up to her now—call this off or grab Piper’s hands and clamp them to her breasts. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind what Piper’s vote would be. But she couldn’t. She just couldn’t do that. Letting her libido drive was a stupid way to live her life. Briefly rewarding, but stupid.
Reaching up to gently pat her hand, Haley said, “Feels great, but it’s probably time to start snipping. I don’t want you to miss your ride home.”
As if she hadn’t realized where she was or what she was doing, Piper’s eyes flew open, staring blankly. “Right!” she said, with a robotic smile making her look a little sick. “I…um…I don’t shampoo much any more. I think I got a little too into it.”
“It’s okay,” Haley said gently. “It felt fantastic, Piper. I was just worried about the time…”
They both knew that was a lie. It was barely four thirty and Tim never liked to leave before six. But it gave them a convenient excuse, one Piper grabbed and held onto. “It takes me a long time to do a cut like yours. Every mistake is magnified when it’s so short in the back.”
“I wear a baseball cap most of the day to keep the sun out of my eyes. If you screw up, I’ll keep it on all the time,” she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
“Thanks,” Piper said softly, clearly still flustered. Her hand shook slightly when she picked up a comb and ran it straight forward from the crown of Haley’s head. Once all of the hair was combed, she moved around in a circle, grasping Haley’s chin to tilt it up, then move it a few degrees to the left or right. Then she ruffled it with her fingers and seemed to measure it by sight. Starting at the crown, she sectioned off a part, lifted a stripe of hair, then started to snip.
Given that she generally had her hair cut every four weeks, Haley was used to seeing no more than an inch of hair fall to her smock. But this time it looked like an awful lot of blonde was dropping onto her chest.
“You’re not going to be able to see my scalp, are you?” Haley asked, the first words they’d spoken in a few minutes.
“It’s going to be the same length it was when I met you. I assumed you’d just had it cut, since it was nearly shaved at the back of your neck.”
Chuckling, Haley said, “I always thought hair stylists were secretly judging everyone they met. Now I know they do!”
“Not judging,” Piper said, continuing to snip. “Just assessing. When I see someone with a good cut, I like to think about whether I’d give the person the same style. In your case, I thought this really worked for you.”
“This is kind of fun,” Haley said, ignoring the fact that Piper had looked like she was going to climax just a few minutes earlier. “I like watching you work.” She waited for a reply, and when none came, asked, “Do you need to be quiet?”
“Not really. You can talk.”
“When you were little, did you style your dolls’ hair? Or put your little sister in wacky hair styles?”
“Hardly,” Piper said, smirking a little. “I didn’t consider being a stylist until my mom died. It just fit,” she said succinctly.
“Fit how?”
“Schedule, salary, flexibility. I went to my guidance counselor and said I needed a job where I’d make good money, but could be home early.” She shrugged. “Cutting hair was the only thing she could think of that I could learn fast. So, I cut hair.”
“This isn’t something you love?” Haley asked, trying to see Piper’s eyes, which were hidden because of the spot she was standing in.
“It’s fine,” she said breezily. “I do a good job, I don’t have to work too many hours, and I don’t have to worry about my job once I leave the salon. Can’t complain.”
“But you don’t love it,” Haley repeated.
“I honestly don’t think about that. I’m not about to go back to school, or learn a different trade, so this is fine.” She turned the chair so Haley could see herself in the mirror. “I made it a little asymmetrical here,” she said, touching her left eyebrow. “If it’s too straight across it can look like a bowl cut.” She fluffed the hair with her fingers, letting it settle. “I think that’s a good length. How about you?”
“Excellent. Perfect length.”
“Now for the tough part. Feathering it down to nothing at the nape of your neck.” She removed a trimmer from a charging dock and started to work, with Haley staying quiet and still to give Piper a good canvas to work her magic.
After working for almost ten minutes, she seemed satisfied, standing back to assess. Then she picked up the smallest of her scissors and made tiny snips around Haley’s ears, with her face just inches away. Haley closed her eyes, thinking of the first time Piper had tenderly kissed her ears, then moved down her neck. Even now she could break out in goosebumps at the mental image.
Piper blew the tiny hairs from Haley’s skin, then made a few more snips.”You have tested my skills to the max. But you look fantastic.”
As she picked up a soft brush and started to whisk the hairs away, Haley said, “I’m afraid I’m going to have to fire my old stylist.” She put her hand on the short hairs on the top of her head, loving how they were now allowed to go just where they wanted—straight forward. “This is an awesome cut.”
“My pleasure.” She continued to flick her brush here and there, very persnickety about removing every stray hair.
Watching her work, Haley said, “When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?”
Piper’s lips flapped noisily when she blew out a breath. “I don’t remember having anything specific in mind. I just remember wanting an office. And a secretary,” she said, chuckling. “I watched Murphy Brown and L.A. Law and could just see myself as one of those women. All dressed up and carrying a briefcase to work.” She stuck out her leg, showing her shorts and slippers. “Wrong on every count.”
“Did you want to be a lawyer?”
“I think I was more interested in the money they clearly made. Or maybe I wanted some power.” She shrugged. “There wasn’t much of either at my house, and I didn’t want to be yet another Brewster woman who worked her butt off for next to nothing.”
“That was your mom’s name?” Haley asked gently.
“Uh-huh. Her parents were working-class, her grandparents on both sides, and so on. We lived around all of the money in the world, with no access to any of it.” She stood back again and shook her head. “Mind if I sha
mpoo you again? Those teeny little hairs don’t want to let go of your pretty neck.”
“You may shampoo me to your heart’s content.” Their eyes met and she added, “We’ve just got to watch the clock.” She was sure Piper knew she meant her libido, but neither of them acknowledged that. It was far too embarrassing to have to mention it, and Haley was supremely relieved that she didn’t have to. Piper might have lost her head easily, but she regained it with just a hint.
***
On Sunday morning, Haley was up before dawn, and she set out for a long walk on the beach. The tide was all wrong for poking around in the pools, so she kept her eye out for anyone she could join in taking a dip. Even though she was a competent swimmer, she never went into the ocean alone. A friend couldn’t necessarily ward off a shark, but she could at least notify the authorities to look for her carcass.
The sun was up just before six, and she decided to call home—her usual Sunday habit. Given that Wichita was five hours ahead, she could usually catch her parents if she waited until they were home from church.
She got pretty good cell reception if she stayed on the east side of the island, closer to the production office.
“Mom!” she said, smiling when the phone was answered. “Did you put in a good word for me at church?”
“Of course I did. Not that you need it. You’ll get to heaven on your own, sweetie. So? How are things?”
“They’re okay.” She let her thoughts coalesce as her mom waited her out—her usual tactic. “Um, but I’m kinda stuck on something. Wanna hear me out?”
“It’s a beautiful day in Kansas, honey. I’m sitting on the patio, the dogs are sleeping, your father’s changing the oil in the car, and I’ve got my feet up, enjoying one last cup of coffee before I clean the kitchen. You have my undivided attention.”
Fame Page 42
