Page 27 of Whiskey Wednesdays

“Thanks, sweetheart.” He looked at me in the mirror. “You have your work cut out for you. It’s harder than it looks.”

His frank admission thawed my annoyance a little. He hadn’t gotten frustrated, and we’d even joked about some of his failed attempts. His large hands and battered fingers looked so out of place doing Elodie’s hair. It was a compelling sight.

“Isit harder than it looks?” I joked. Then my eyes widened. “I can’t believe I just said that. I’m sorry.”

He grinned wickedly. “I’m not.”

Looking down at Elodie, I tried to change the subject. “I can, uh, teach you how to do a fast messy bun since you’ve mastered the ponytail. Then you’ll know two hairstyles.”

Grabbing Elodie’s long ponytail, I started twisting it. “It’s three easy steps. You twist, bend, then stick.”

After twisting her hair, I bent it around her ponytail, then stuck a few bobby pins in to keep it secure. I fluffed it a little and stepped back.

“See?” Quickly pulling the pins back out, I untwisted her hair. “Now you try. Twist, bend, and stick.”

His mouth twitched. “Twist, bend, and stick, huh? I’ve got a great mental image to help me remember.”

My lip twitched, and I shook my head. “Oh, God. I walked right into that one.”

He studied me, and his gaze drifted down to my mouth. He finally turned to Elodie, gathered up her ponytail, and started twisting.

“Twist, bend, then stick.” I could hear the grin in his voice.

Elodie hummed and played with the little paper flower I’d given her. When he finished, she decided she’d had enough and went out to the kitchen to find a snack.

Connor leaned against the counter, watching me straighten up nervously.

“I also like to twist, bend, and tie sometimes. Or twist, bend, and tease.”

My eyelids lowered, and my breath sped up. “You need to stop.” Heat spread across my chest and face.

His pupils dilated and he looked down at my lips. “For now.”

We’d somehow turned Elodie’s hair tutorial into foreplay, and the man hadn’t touched me. Later that night I was so restless, I used the showerhead on myself. It barely took the edge off. Connor was way out of my comfort zone, but he now starred in my shower and vibrator fantasies.

He maneuvered me into giving him another hair lesson not long after I promised myself I’d stay away from him. We went over braids and ribbons.

I held Elodie’s ponytail in three separate strands. “You place one strand over the other, rotating evenly as you go.” Going slowly, I showed him how to braid.

He looked down at me. “Put your hands on mine and guide me through it.”

Swallowing, I nodded. It wasn’t a bad idea, except he had to plaster himself behind me. His large muscular body dwarfed mine, and his heat and scent surrounded me. My breathing and heart rate sped up.

“Okay, I think you have it.” I stepped away a few moments later and handed Connor an elastic and one of the ribbons.

He finished the braid, and Elodie ran out of the bathroom to get something from her

room.

Connor picked up a long ribbon. “I need a little more practice. Put your hands together.”

When I held up my hands, he silently and expertly tied my wrists.

“I’m not sure what this style is,” I murmured.

He studied me carefully. My pulse pounded in my throat and my lips parted as I struggled to process the lust tightening my core.

“That style is my favorite one.” He leaned in and slowly unwound the ribbon.

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