Page 14 of An Uphill Battle

She doesn’t walk far enough into the room to see me, so I stand and follow behind her to her station. She grabs the broom and starts sweeping but jumps and throws it down when she catches my reflection in the mirror. “Holy guacamole, you scared the ba-jeezus outtame!”

I cover my smile with my fist. “I can seethat.”

“What’re you doinghere?”

“Need a haircut,” I tell her, claiming herchair.

She scowls her trademark scowl at me, her eyes drilling into me like lasers. “So, make an appointment.” She turns to walk away, but I reach out and snag herwrist.

“Don’t need one,” I tell her, knowing it will make her that much more irritated. I know these games are stupid, but her ire gets me sohot.

“You most certainly do,” Azalea replies, her cheeks red withanger.

“Pretty sure there’s a sign in the window that readsWalk-ins welcome. You’re certainly not making me feel very welcome. Not at all. Which, as the owner of this establishment, you should know is bad for business.” I wag my finger at her, with a tsk-tsk to really drive home mypoint.

“Drake Ulysses Collins, you get your ass up right now!” Azalea hisses through her clenched teeth. Her eyes are so big they look like they might pop right on out of herhead.

“Nah, don’t think so. You get your cute ass over here and buzz my hairdown.”

“No!”

“Now.” It’s a battle of wills, and like I said, I’m not just playing to win—I’m playing to keep. We remain frozen, staring one another down, until she rolls her eyes and stomps back over to me, like I knew she would. Drake, 1. Azalea,0.

With a snap of her wrists, she has the cape draped around me. She shoots me an evil gleam before pulling it as tight as it will go, damn-near choking me. “Take it easy, Bit,” I croak, only to be whopped upside the back of my head with her comb. “What the hell?” I yell at her, but she just smiles and pops the guard she knows I like onto herclippers.

With one hand planted on the top of my head, she uses the other to move the clippers through my hair, buzzing it down in fluid movements. Azalea takes her time, dragging out my simple buzz cut because she thinks it’ll annoy me. She couldn’t be more wrong. Hell, for half the haircut, her perky C cups are all up in my face, and for the rest of it... her hands are on me, and there’s not a single thing annoying about any of that. No, I fucking loveit.

“There, all done,assface.”

“Assface, huh? That aninvitation?”

“God! You’re sogross!”

Grasping the front of the cape with both hands, I pull until it unsnaps. I rise from the chair and take two steps toward Azalea, effectively backing her into her station. “Gross? You think I’m gross?” I gently run my nose up her neck, lingering just below her ear. “Now, you don’t mean that, do you?” My voice is hoarse and low, and the sound of it causes Azalea’s skin to break out in goosebumps.

“Sure do,” she fires back, but her tone—all soft with want— betrays herwords.

I take a step closer, leaving not even an inch between us. “We both know you’re lying through your teeth, but that’s okay, Bit. Best be glad we’re in your place of business, or I’d call your bluff.” I cover her lips with mine and tunnel my fingers into her long, blonde hair. “Or maybe I still will.” I speak the words against her lips, delighting in the feel of her rapid breaths. “Right here. Right now.” I punctuate the words with a kiss, hard and rough, before steppingback.

Azalea stands there, bracing herself against her station, almost as if she’d crumple to the floor without its support, and damn if that doesn’t make me feel like the king of the world. “Thanks for the haircut, Bit. You have a nice day, and when I call you later...answer.”

Turning, I walk to the counter and slap down two twenties before heading out the door. I know she’s gonna tear me a new one, and so be it, because it was more than worth it. Just to be next to her, to have her hands on me, to get a reaction out of her. I may be playing to win, but I never said I wouldn’t playdirty.

7

Azalea

Knots.

I’ve been tied up in knots since Drake left the salon. That infuriating, insufferable man. He thinks he can bust into my business and rile me up and leave me all hot and wanting? Well, he has another thing coming. I’ll make damn sure ofthat.

“Seraphine!” I yell, storming from my station to the front desk. “We’re going outtonight!”

“We are?” she asks, though her eyes are glinting with humor. She knows exactly what’s got me all woundup.

“We sure are. Dress hot and be ready to dance. I’ll pick you up at eight. And if you happen to slip up and mention our plans to the guys, then so beit.”

“If I happen to slip up, you say?” She’s full-on laughing at me now, but I don’t even care. Drake Collins needs to learn that I’m the one incharge.

---