CHAPTER 8 - MITCH

Miguel was waiting at the door when Liam arrived to open the salon. It was ten o’clock.

            “Morning, Miguel. What are you doing here so bright and early? Not in need of another haircut already, are you?” Liam said sarcastically, as he turned the key and opened the door. Miguel didn’t seem to notice.

            “No, I have a date with Genevieve,” he said. Liam looked amused.

            “Really? Why are you meeting her here? It’s her day off. Why not pick her up at her place?”

            “I don’t know,” replied Miguel, who seemed to be realizing this for the first time. “She just said she had some unfinished business at the salon, and to meet her here, that’s all.”

            Miguel walked straight in and sat down in the waiting area. His tight white t-shirt showed off his naturally tanned skin, as well as his taut muscles. At thirty eight, Liam was fifteen years older than Miguel, and more than fifteen pounds heavier, and had long ago given up hope of ever sporting a body like that. He had always been taller and broader than most of his peers, which, over the years, gave way to a look which suited him, and that he felt comfortable with. He looked neither fat nor out of shape, just big, and he liked it that way. Although he wasn’t an athletic man, he did spend two hours a day, Monday through Friday, at the gym, and walked the seven blocks to work. That, he felt, was enough to maintain a healthy lifestyle.  

            He took off his lightweight cardigan and draped it over the back of his desk chair, revealing tattoo sleeves on both arms.

LIAM GETS LUCKY

            Della’s presence brought an eerie hush in the room. She had walked in from the side door when one of the bouncers clued her in to what was going down backstage. She knew she was needed.

            “So, Dom, what seems to be the problem?” Della was staring directly into his eyes, her hands firmly planted on her hips. Dominic looked annoyed.

            “Fucked if I know. I saw this schmuck sneaking into sweet little Savannah’s room, and, well, it just stinks, that’s all. I don’ like it. Nobody messes with my girls, that’s all I’m sayin’.”

            Della thought for a minute before responding.

            “Your girls? Really? Have you asked Savannah how she feels?”

            Dominic shifted restlessly from foot to foot. He didn’t like confrontations at the best of times. He knew he was a loose cannon, and could snap at any moment, but he held fast.

 “Listen, Della. That is your name, aint it?” He looked at her, nonplussed. Della nodded. “So, here’s the deal. Since I now own this joint, I’m the one looking out for things, got it?” He glanced around the room to show who was in charge. “These here my girls, this my stage, this my show. Aint nobody telling me how I do things, even you.” He glared at Della who stood her ground. There was a long silence. Women’s eyes peered out from behind doors cracked just enough to get the gist of what was going on. Those brave enough to have remained standing out in the open hall, kept as still as statues. Images of how this would all end up raced through Liam’s head. Would Dominic win, therefore gaining even more unnecessary power to fuel his gangster ways. Liam hated the idea. Tension hung in the air like a fuse ready to be lit.

CHAPTER 3 - MODERATION

           “All I’m going to say is, you have exactly four, maybe five minutes to get up off the floor and make yourselves decent before Mrs. Furlish walks in. She’s stepping out of her car as I speak. The scowl on her face makes me think she’s not in the best of moods, but then, she’s a tough one to read at best. She might just be struggling with the seatbelt." Liam stared out the front window intently. "Okay, she closed the door. The only thing you’ve got going for you is she’s elderly and slow. Now get moving.”

            The two careless lovers jumped up off the floor. Miguel followed Genevieve into the staff room, a pile of clothes covering up what they could of their exposed flesh. Liam plopped himself down at the front desk and waited, surfing new messages on his iPad. Nothing. His life at the moment had slowed to a snail’s pace given he was not out and about socially these days. As he watched Genevieve and Miguel tiptoe back into the salon’s main room, he began to have second thoughts about this Lent thing. He was definitely missing out, although, he mused, sex should really have nothing at all to do with drinking. The fact that he had neither in his life was what really worried him.

CHAPTER 2 - OH, MY!

Genevieve left her new client with a magazine and cup of coffee and walked to the front of the salon. She wasn’t about to leave Irish with her crazy ex, nor was she about to allow Dominic to think he could come waltzing into her place of work threatening and intimidating her whenever he pleased.

Miguel watched Genevieve with interest. Not only did he think she was smoking hot in her short skirt and see through blouse, but she intrigued him. In the few minutes he’d spent around her, she came across with sexy confidence and girlish naivety all in the same package. He liked the fact that she was complex yet vulnerable.

            Miguel had always found it easy to peg people. He had a nose for it, which he considered a gift. When it came to women, he knew what he liked and what he wanted, and when he found it, he got it. So far that instinct had proven right. Although he hadn’t met who he considered ‘the one’, he knew he would when he was ready. He didn’t let little things like waiting for Ms. Right bother him. 

SALON ANTICS

Read about our main man, Liam Irish, originally from London, England, the lovely and exotic Genevieve, sexy, smart, and perhaps too sweet, Miguel, and the handsome gangsta Dominique. They are just a few new peops you'll learn more about and get to know over the coming weeks. Love 'em or hate 'em, they will undoubtedly become your new best friends.

Chapter 1 of the next novella starts tomorrow on Titillating Tuesday with this fresh cast of characters, plenty of excitement, intrigue, and lots and lots of steamy scenes. Join us July 12th, with SALON ANTICS.

...Stay Tuned...

CHAPTER 4 - UNEXPECTED NEWS

The call came in on her cell phone when Jake was getting her coat from the maître d’. She had ignored it the first time it rang, but now she realized that whoever it was, they really wanted to get a hold of her.

She had a full ‘to do’ list waiting for her at the office. In fact, the whole week she was stretched to the max, not only with her usual workload and editorial deadlines but now, planning for the up-coming design awards gala Jake had just invited her to participate in, which was in six weeks time. With dress designs nowhere near completion and finishing touches to do on others, this new commitment was going to take every ounce of remaining time she had left. In total, she had been asked to submit eight selections to the show. This was unheard of for a first time entrant. She wondered what part Jake had played in this, but didn’t dare ask.

            Then there was Jake. She was falling for him – hard, but how would she manage to fit him into her life, especially now? She knew he’d understand about her work pressures, but this was beyond just his understanding. She wanted him, wanted to spend time getting to know him. She was already picturing them as a couple, things they would do together, how they would live. After only one afternoon, it was clear; she loved staring into those big blue eyes, hanging on his every word as he talked about his work or his life, or just laughing at his dumb jokes. Only all too well did she understand that getting to know someone the way she wanted to get to know Jake took time, and time was something she had little of at the moment. There has to be a way, she thought, as she pressed redial on the number stored in her missed-call list.  

            “Hello,” said the woman’s voice at the other end of the receiver.