Page 14 of A Layperry's Heart
“I’m not uncomfortable,” Aldo says, going back to trimming my hair. “And you haven’t implied anything that isn’t true. I’ve only known you a short time, but I really enjoy the little time we’ve spent together. I’d love to continue getting to know you, Gendry.”
“Are you certain?”
“I don’t do things I don’t want to do. I have no issue telling people no. When I say I want to spend time with you, it’s the truth.”
I hum happily. Aldo’s voice washes over me. I think I could listen to him speak all day and never grow bored. His words sit against my chest, filling me with emotion. He wants to spend time with me as much as I want to spend time with him. Could he be feeling the same type of sensations inside his chest that I’m feeling? Could he crave learning about me the same way I want to learn about him?
“Now I’m gonna buzz the sides. It can be a little loud around your ears, okay?”
Aldo shaves the sides of my head, careful around my ears. He also does the back, making sure it’s all even. Once he’s done, he brushes the stray hairs away from my head and the back of my neck.
“What do you think?”
Aldo gives me a handheld mirror, spinning the chair around so I can see the back of my head. Everything looks exactly as I wanted. He’s done a wonderful job and made sure I felt heard and taken care of the entire time. I can see why he’s successful in this profession.
“It’s wonderful. You’ve done a perfect job, Aldo. Would you mind braiding it back for me?”
“It would be my pleasure,” Aldo says with a grin. He tries to lower the chair but it’s as low as it will go. With a groan, he walks away and comes back with a stepping stool, setting it behind the chair and standing up on it. “You’re so fucking tall!”
“And you’re so short.”
“You’re lucky I find men taller than me extremely sexy,” Aldo says, running his fingers through the top of my hair and pulling it back.
“Very lucky indeed,” I say, my face bright with a blush. I’ve never felt this way before, never flirted or shown interest in another person. There was no one back home who inspired me in such a way.
“Now is probably a wonderful time for me to ask if you have a lovely lady or handsome gentleman waiting back home for you,” Aldo says as he starts to braid my hair back. He’s doing a single braid down the middle, careful not to touch the antennae on my forehead.
“My species doesn’t have gender the way your planet does. We all possess the same parts and almost all of us consider ourselves men.” I think for a moment, remembering a medical program I watched last week. It’s amazing the types of things I have learned from the television. “I think the closest way to describe us that you would understand would be intersex?” Then I remember Aldo’s original question. “But no, I do not have anyone on a romantic level waiting for me back home.”
Aldo looks at me in the reflection of the mirror. “That’s really interesting, Gendry. Thank you for sharing that with me,” he says, nodding his head before looking back at his hands. “And that’s really good to know. About the romantic partner. I’m glad.”
“As am I. Can we spend more time together? Sometime soon?”
Aldo finishes the braid, tying it at the end. He places the end of my braid over my shoulder. “Absolutely. Do you have plans this weekend?”
“I am free.”
“Great. I’ll meet you outside your apartment in the morning. Let’s plan for 9. Wear something comfortable.”
I smile so wide that my cheeks ache. “I look forward to it.”
Standing up, I follow Aldo to the counter so that I can pay for my haircut. This entire experience feels like a dream and my head feels like I am floating.
“I’ll see you on Saturday,” Aldo says, reaching across the counter and squeezing my wrist. “It’s a date.”
Chapter Five
Aldo
Itiemylacesbefore standing up and swinging my bag over my shoulder. After triple checking that I have my keys and phone, I head outside. I make a startled noise as I realize Gendry is already outside my door, waiting for me.
“Good morning,” I say once I’ve gotten my racing heart under control. “Fancy meeting you here.”
Gendry tilts his head to the side in a way that makes my stomach swoop with fondness. He always does that when I say something confusing or a phrase he doesn’t quite understand. He hands me the translating device and I stick it into my ear so I can understand him.
“Good morning. Was this not the correct place to meet you? Should I have waited for you to knock on my door? Have I messed up a human ritual again?”
“Absolutely not. You’re perfect,” I tell him seriously, reaching out and squeezing his upper arm. Dios mío, those arms are ridiculously muscled in a way that makes my cock twitch with interest. I need to keep myself under control because these shorts will donothingto hide an erection.
