Page 25 of Touchdown
I pretended not to hear her, though the truth was written all over my face. Every text, ride home, and dinner date just pulled me in deeper, not to mention the orgasm he’d given me before he went back into gentleman mode on our first real date.
Catching my reflection in the mirror, with my cheeks flushed and eyes soft, I barely recognized the woman staring back.
The bell over the door jingled, snapping me out of my thoughts. My last client of the day had finally arrived.
She was the kind of customer every stylist dreamed about—sweet, easygoing, talkative enough to fill any silence, and tipped well.
“Sorry I’m late,” Mrs. Parker said, bustling in with her oversized tote and a flustered smile. “Traffic was a nightmare. I swear, I tell myself to leave ten minutes earlier every time I have an appointment, but something always happens to make me late. You’d think I’d learn by now.”
I laughed as she settled into my chair. “It’s fine. You’re my last for the day. No rush.”
“Well, bless you for being so patient.” She caught my gaze in the mirror and wagged a finger. “You’re always so kind, Ivy. It’s why I love coming here. You’re good for my blood pressure.”
“That’s what I’m here for,” I teased, draping the cape over her shoulders. “Keeping your heart healthy and your hair looking fantastic.”
She sat back with a laugh. “And you do it so well.”
As I sectioned her hair, she launched into stories about her family. I’d met most of them through photos—kids, grandkids, and a niece getting married this fall. It was the perfect kind of mindless chatter to close out a long week.
“My nephew just broke up with that awful girlfriend,” she was saying. “Good riddance, honestly. She didn’t deserve him. Handsome boy, works in finance, great teeth. You know, I could introduce you.”
I bit back a laugh. “I’ll keep that in mind, but I think I’ll pass on the blind date for now.”
“Are you sure, Ivy?” I barely heard her cluck of disappointment over the jingle of the front door. “You’ve never mentioned a boyfriend. Are you single?”
The question hit mid-snip, and I nearly dropped my shears. I opened my mouth, fumbling for a polite answer when the lowhum of awareness ran through my veins, giving Saxon away before I even heard his voice.
And when that familiar, deep rumble rolled through the salon, it was enough to make every hair on my arms stand on end.
“No.” Saxon’s tone was firm enough to carry. “She’s mine.”
For one stunned heartbeat, nobody moved.
My client’s eyes went wide in the mirror. “Never mind about my nephew.”
I turned slowly, my pulse pounding so hard it echoed in my ears. Saxon stood just inside the doorway with his gaze locked on me as though I was the only thing in the room.
“Saxon,” I breathed, my brain short-circuiting.
He crossed the floor in long, unhurried strides, each step deliberate. By the time he reached me, my heart was racing.
He stopped close enough that the heat of his body brushed mine. “Couldn’t let that go unanswered, sunshine.”
Then his hand slid to my waist, and before I could blink, his mouth was on mine.
The kiss was deep and unapologetic, his thumb tracing lazy circles against my hip as though he didn’t care who was watching. The world blurred, our surroundings fading until there was nothing but the taste of his mouth and the solid press of his body.
When he finally pulled back, I was breathless and certain my cheeks were the color of fresh roses. Between that kiss and how fiercely he’d claimed that I was his, I was also stunned silent.
The same couldn’t be said for Mrs. Parker. She fanned herself with her hand and chortled, “Mercy me, that was some kiss.”
“And completely unprofessional,” I mumbled, settling my trembling hands on my hips while I tried my best to glare up at Saxon. The only reason I was even close to pulling it off was thatI was annoyed with myself over how hot I found him when he got all growly and possessive.
Not that it did any good when all he did was shrug and stare at me while he smirked.
As I picked up my scissors again, Mrs. Parker winked. “You’re a lucky girl, Ivy.”
I stifled a sigh, knowing full well she was right.
