Page 11 of The Keeper

Rueben had a grand vision for turning metal and iron into art, but he was just as clueless as most men when it came to hairstyles. He recalled the photograph in the magazine that had caught his attention and said, “I want the higher option.”

“Bold move. I like it.” Sven set his comb back down and patted his shoulders. “I’ll go mix up my potion. Be right back.”

Rueben observed Keegan interacting with the nail tech in the mirror, then turned his chair to get a better look. His sweet friend’s upper body vibrated as the chair massagers went to work while he studied two bottles of nail polish in his hand. Keegan bit his lip again, and Rueben wondered if he was debating the color choice or deciding if boys and men should even wear nail polish. He must’ve sensed Rueben’s attention because Keegan held up the bottles for him to see. He could tell one was pink and one was blue, but he couldn’t see the exact shade or finish, so Rueben stood up and crossed the salon. Both shimmery polishes were a pale hue and would complement Keegan’s skin tone.

“I think most guys look amazing in pink,” Rueben said. Keegan’s eyes glowed with delight, and he knew he’d said the right thing. “I’ll go with the same color. We should swing by the general store on the way home to get flip-flops.” They wore sturdier footwear around the ranch, but it would be fun to knock around in sandals during their free time.

“Yes,” Keegan said excitedly. “I haven’t worn flip-flops since I was a little kid.”

Sven returned to the salon and halted when he noticed the vacant chair. It didn’t take him long to discover where Rueben had gone. “Ready to make some magic?” Every phrase out of the guy’s mouth sounded suggestive.

“Wish me luck,” Rueben whispered to Keegan.

“You won’t need it.”

Rueben returned to the chair and sat still while Sven draped a cape over his upper body and secured it around his neck. He expected the stylist to start with color, but he used an electric razor to do a rough cut on the sides and back to establish shaping first.

“This is just the framework and not the final style,” Sven assured Rueben.

“I trust you.” And he did. Sven seemed knowledgeable and confident.

Sven weaved a long-handled comb through small sections of hair, slathered on a foul-smelling chemical, and wrapped each one in aluminum foil. He looked absolutely ridiculous, but the smile on Keegan’s face was worth it. Rueben had taken his abuela to a hair salon many times before she moved to New Mexico with his tío and tía. Her stylist rolled her hair into tight curls and sat her under a dryer. Rueben hoped he wouldn’t require those steps. Keegan finished his pedicure and waddled over to Sven’s chair in flimsy temporary flip-flops that allowed his toes to dry.

Rueben surrendered his seat to Keegan and sat in the empty styling chair in the next station. He tuned in for the first few minutes of Sven and Keegan’s consultation, but his gaze wandered again to the riot of flowers in the reception area. A familiar hulking figure caught his attention on the other side of the huge storefront window. Reuben smiled at the memory of Kerry busting him with Seth in the supply room. Then, he recalled the articles he’d read about Kerry’s sister Natalie, and sorrow replaced the joy. Kerry stood on the sidewalk with a phone to his ear and appeared to be deep in conversation until he turned his head and locked eyes with Rueben through the glass. Kerry shook his head in disbelief as a wry smile pulled on his lips. He ended his call, tucked his phone away, and reached for the salon door. Kerry bypassed the reception counter with a wave and headed straight for them. Keegan was in midsentence when he spotted the sexy beast and let out an adorable little squeak.

Sven looked around and saw Kerry, too, and rolled his eyes. “Oh, it’s you.”

Kerry chuckled and reached for Sven’s head with one of those meaty paws, but the slender guy whipped out a pair of scissors that looked wickedly sharp.

“Not the hair,” Sven growled.

Kerry snorted. “Bet you say that to the fellas a lot.”

“You’ll never know.”

Keegan watched the banter with his mouth hanging open. He’d first met Kerry the night they went to the Thirsty Cowboy, and the big bruiser had asked Kee to dance. They’d looked adorable together, and Keegan had returned to his seat with stars dancing in his eyes. Rueben didn’t have the heart then to warn him about men like Kerry, but the blushing cheeks and dazed expression on Keegan’s face made him think that had been a mistake.

Kerry dropped his arm and turned his full attention to Keegan. “Hello again.”

Kee’s cheeks turned a darker shade of pink, accentuating his freckles. “Hi.”

Kerry reached forward and ran his fingertip over Keegan’s nose. “The freckles are new. And adorable.”

“They hibernate in the winter.” Keegan expressed how much he disliked his freckles at least once a day. “They make me look like I’m twelve,” he grumbled.

Kerry raked his gaze over Keegan from hair to toenails. “You’re all man.” There was a gentleness present whenever Kerry interacted with Keegan. Sven must’ve noticed it, too, because his perfectly shaped brows practically disappeared into his hairline. “And I like your polish.”

Keegan sat up straighter. “Really?”

“Mmhmm. Your toes are made for sucking.”

Keegan’s eyes widened like an adorable anime character, and then he dropped his gaze to his feet and furrowed his brows. “Market. Roast beef. All the way home.” He met Kerry’s gaze once more. “I don’t recall anything about the little piggies getting sucked.”

Kerry chuckled, stalked closer, and grazed his finger over the top of Keegan’s foot. “Well, Goldilocks, these little piggies never met the Big Bad Wolf.” Kerry’s rakish smile nearly set the building on fire.

Everyone in the salon probably heard Keegan’s gulp. It was a good thing he’d finished his fancy fruity drink before he sat down, or he would’ve dropped the glass on the floor. Rueben had clashing urges to both shield Keegan from Kerry and shove him toward the self-proclaimed Big Bad Wolf. Keegan’s pupils expanded until only a thin circle of hazel remained, and his breathing sounded shallow and fast. Someone needed to do something before Keegan combusted in the chair. There had to be a fuck ton of flammable chemicals in the salon. They needed to act fast before Kerry’s diabolical charisma took out the entire town.

Sven placed himself between Keegan and the hunk, pointing the sharp tip of the scissors at Kerry’s broad chest. “Back off, bruiser, or I’ll tell your mother you’re seducing her clients,” Sven said.

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