Page 16 of Hero Hair

Chapter Six

Macs

Call it a moment of weakness. A moment of curiosity so strong I was compelled to give in to the beautiful woman sitting next to me. Call it sexual chemistry so strong I know it will be worth the wait. We’re hashing out the details, and for the first time since I met Teala, she seems happy, or excited at the very least.

“Four dates and then sex?” I confirm. I keep my cell phone in hand as we speak. I know it’s rude, but after the tension tonight, I’ll need a release stronger than my right hand can provide.

She nods, not even looking in my direction. “Maybe three. I have to confirm with them. They had some weird timetable I’m not familiar with.”

I can’t say I’m familiar with it either. My friends are either similar to me in promiscuity, or married. When Teala remains quiet, I look up from my phone.

Her gaze is directed at my cell. “And what about seeing other people?” she asks.

Ah. This may be a point of contention.

“Well, you can’t sleep with anyone until the third date, so I don’t think that’s a factor, right?” I avoid the point completely.

“And what about you? We are pretending, I guess.” Her reply is a touch sarcastic. “Although if you wanted to get the full experience, maybe you should…refrain, too.”

She’s not shy and it’s a turn on added in her favor. Teala’s eyes are curious and her body language suggests she’s already comfortable around me. I wonder if she’s this comfortable with any attractive man. I’m probably nothing special in her eyes. She laughs as she sees the text messages pop up on her screen.

“Jasmine said she would break the bet if she were me.”

Jasmine. Who is Jasmine and where can I find her? “Jasmine has a good point.”

She ignores me. “First kiss is second date.”

“Heavy petting?” I ask.

Teala sighs. “Let me ask,” she groans. She taps out a text and her friend responds almost immediately. “No and yes. Varied responses. All of that is reserved for the date in which sex takes place. Ludicrous.” She shakes her head, her eyes narrowed at her phone.

“You like a challenge as much as I do,” I remark. It’s the reason I wanted to be a Navy SEAL. So few can actually make it. It’s hard and I love to do hard things.

She hangs her head and brings one hand up to cover her face. “You’ll have to meet my mom and do exactly as I say. This is too much to ask from you. It’s too much to ask from a friend, let alone a stranger.”

“Just because I want to charm your panties off and make you forget about your friends and mom and, fuck, even your own name, doesn’t mean I can’t play nice and meet your mom. Parents tend to like me. Maybe you should meet my parents as well. That might get them off my back, too. There’s a possibility this could work for both of us equally. My reputation will garner a black mark, though. Which is why I may need to keep up my, ah, swiping?” I flash the screen her way so she can see the app I have opened and exactly what I’m doing.

She puts the tip of her thumbnail in between her teeth. “That’s fair. But it can’t interfere with our dates.”

“You have to take me to Vegas on the trip, too,” I interject, her mouth distracting me from any lucid conversation.

Her eyes widen. “Why would you want to come with me? With my friends? That would be a nightmare for you.”

As an explanation, I flash her my screen one more time. “Spearmint Rhino, Teala,” I say. It’s my all-time favorite strip club. I may not even need an app to get what I want once I saunter into that beautiful brick building.

My words don’t faze her. She nods and holds up a small palm to halt the conversation. Her eyebrows bunch in confusion. “If my friends find out this was all a lie, they’ll be furious. Jasmine will disown me. You’ll be careful? The whole point is to convince them.”

“Careful is my middle name. I wrap that shit up every single time. I’ll bring you with me to the strip club. We will have a raucous time. The best time ever.” My joke garners a small giggle and a white, charming smile. I sigh in relief. I didn’t know it was possible to have a woman accept my lifestyle with such ease. One who wants to fuck me, too. Two for one. We both make an effort to finish our dinners. The waitress clears the table and lingers longer than Teala is comfortable with. She’s judging my actions. My every move. She’s learning, an observation I’ve never watched firsthand with another woman before. This experiment in self-control and deceit will be good for my womanizing tactical skills.

Teala stands from the table in one lithe move. “By the way, that’s not what I meant about being careful and you know it. Condoms aren’t careful. They are mandatory. You and I both know that.” She excuses herself to use the restroom.

On the way, she swings by another table with a few men. It’s obvious they’re having a guys’ night out. One of the men, a handsome fellow with an expensive business suit, wraps an arm around her waist and pulls her into an awkward side hug.

My phone pings on the table, alerting me of a match. Then it pings again. I don’t look at it to see which woman is responding to my swipe. I study Teala. Her personality is effervescent. She’s a chameleon in any circumstance. She smiles and laughs. She plays the game. The men look at her like she’s dinner, but she’s not giving them any appetizers. Teala handles the attention like a well-seasoned pro. Gliding out of their grasps easily and joking like it’s the most natural thing in the world. From this angle I can appreciate every goddamn curve on her tight body. The slope of her back at the bottom of her spine transitions into a stunning, solid ass. An ass that squats. An ass that I could bounce quarters off of. An ass that gives me wood with clothes on it. I don’t know her well, but even the small amount I’ve learned, has led me to believe she truly is a full, devious package.

I want her body. I want it more now that I see that other men want her body. No one can deny the caveman response to others desiring the same thing.

And as a testament to how much our shady deal and date means to her, Teala doesn’t glance my way once as she mingles with other men. This is one of the reasons I don’t date. Even if you don’t want it to be, things become complicated. Do those men think she’s with me? Do they think I’m the type of man who lets my woman get groped by other men? I close my eyes and breathe while I wait for her to return.

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