Page 22 of Secret Admirer

“Come on. Maybe you can get it done before the cops arrive.” He gestures for me to follow him. I follow him, unsure where he’s going. His steps falter at the staircase, looking over his shoulder he asks. “Do you have something to cut it with here?”

Putting my hands on my hips, I deadpan because, really, what hairstylist doesn’t have shears at home? “Of course, I do. They’re in my bathroom. My best ones are at the salon but the ones I have here aren’t bad.”

“Good.” He nods and looks up the stairs. “I suggest we go upstairs to a bathroom if that works for you.”

Unsure why he wants to go upstairs, I shrug and agree. “Let me go grab my shears.” Bodhi starts to head up the stairs and I grab his arm.

“Thank you for letting me do this. It means a lot you being here and keeping my mind offeverything.”

Bodhi looks down embarrassed and mumbles, “It’s no problem.”

I wouldn’t be surprised if he isn’t blushing underneath that beard of his, but the shadows hide his pink cheeks.

* * *

I stand staring at Bodhi. If I were to try to dream up the perfect-looking man, I wouldn’t even come close to the man sitting before me. He’s smooth skinned and gorgeous. His hair is short on the sides and longer on top and curls in the cutest way when it dries. I didn’t want it to be too extreme even though it is pretty extreme from how long it was before he let me get my hands on it. He even let me hack off his beard and holy hell I didn’t know what was underneath all that hair. I let him shave the rest off and I can’t help but want to caress every inch of his handsome face.

Now that all the hair is gone, his hypnotic blue-green eyes stand out even more. They call to me on a level I don’t understand and when my gaze pulls away from his, I’m met with his soft full lips that beg to be kissed.

My trance is broken when the doorbell rings.

11

Coco

Bodhi shiftsawkwardly in the chair. “That’s probably the police.”

Is he worried about the cops?

“You can stay up here while I talk to them if you want.” Now it’s my turn to be nervous. The thought that Bodhi might be running from the law and that’s why he’s homeless never crossed my mind until this moment. He’s always seemed so harmless.

Bodhi stands up and tightens the robe around him, shaking his head. I wish I had something else for him to wear. “I’m not letting you go down there by yourself. Itcouldbe the police or whoever the fuck was out there earlier,” he growls, striding past me.

Following behind him like a lost puppy, I can’t help but ogle his ass as he takes confident strides to the front door. It’s like a switch has been turned on and he’s a completely new man. He’s confident and in charge and I love it.

He steps aside when we reach the door. I quickly disable the alarm and open the front door to see two men in uniform staring down at the dead cat on my front porch.

“Hello ma’am, my name is Office Walker and this is my partner Officer Cajigas, we received a call about a disturbance. Are you…” A tall and brawny man with black hair and blue eyes pulls out a small notebook. He looks a lot like Superman, and I can’t help but think this is the perfect profession for him. “…Coco Beckett, the owner of this house?”

“I am.” I clear my throat and pick at the sleeve of my sweatshirt. “I’m not sure how to do this. Do I invite you in?”

“That’s up to you, ma’am.” He looks down at the dead cat, I’m trying to keep my eyes off of. “My partner and I would like to get some information from you about what happened and check the premises.”

“That would make me feel better. Thanks.” I pick at the sleeve of my sweatshirt as I take in the cat.

“Is that your cat ma’am?”

“No, I’ve never seen it before in my life, but I’ve only lived here for a week.”

“Was it here when you arrived home tonight?

“No.”

He writes something down in his notepad. “Do you know how it got here?”

“No, idea. The security lights came on and that’s when Bodhi found it. I called 911 after that.”

“Has anyone broken into the house?” the other officer asks. He’s rail thin with mousy brown hair and kind tawny eyes.

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