Page 47 of Coincidentally Kismet

“I don’t believe in fate, but tell me one thing. Why are you scared?”

“I can’t lose another person. I won’t survive it.” He hangs his head, silent tears coasting down his cheeks.

“You won’t lose me. Even if this doesn’t work out, I will never not be your friend. I will always care for you. Why do you think I didn’t make you leave the bar that first night? I couldn’t do it.” I grasp his face gently with both of my hands, coaxing him to look at me. “But if there’s going to be a we, I mean it, I need total honesty. You broke me, and it’s not going to be easy for me to trust you.”

“I can work with that. I will do whatever it takes, babe. Just please, don’t give up on me.” Will’s eyes twinkle as the realization that we’re actually doing this hits him. I press a quick kiss to his lips, chaste and sweet. I already feel myself wanting more, and at the same time I’m worried that I just made the biggest mistake of my life.

“Geez, Wright. I didn’t take you for the type that kisses on the first date.” He pokes at my side tickling me, mischief written all over his face as he eases us back into fun, light territory.

“Mmm...there’s a lot you don’t know about me, Rambo. Maybe I am that kind of girl,” I say with a wink.

A husky laugh billows out from him, and it’s apparent I’m in serious trouble. Being near him makes my insides melt into this squishy, gooey mess. That beautiful melodic laugh makes shivers run up my spine and other places down below.

We spend most of the date talking about work, of course. I give him a load of crap for taking the day off to bring me on a date, but it’s honestly pretty sweet and thoughtful since he knows I’ll be working long days the rest of the week. I fill him in on all the salon gossip and what it’s really like working for Daveed. I tell him how nervous I am for hair trials this week and all that’s riding on me passing my exams. He’s tight-lipped about his job and I don’t pry because I assume he can only tell me so much.

The food is utterly divine. I force Will to try mine and beg to taste his, which results in us essentially sharing both mealsbecause we can’t decide which is best. Before I know it, we’ve finished up our food and polished off the wine. I have a warm buzz running through my veins and feel lighter than I have in months, maybe years.

Several times throughout the meal, Will reached over to touch my hand or gently brush my hair off my face. My body is in overdrive, and I have to shift awkwardly to alleviate the ache between my legs.

I don’t want the date to end, but with him paying the bill, I know it has. I’m a little sad, but I remind myself that this has to be like any other first date. I have to protect myself, a little anyway. I can’t rush into being with him all the time.

Will sweeps me up from the table and into a gentle hug, offering to walk me to my car. On any other occasion, the amount of wine I had would prohibit me from driving, but the mass amount of food I ate has absorbed every bit of it. I walk as slow as possible, prolonging the inevitable, but my car is so close it takes less than a minute to get there.

“Thanks for a perfect first date, Will,” I say quietly.

“When can I see you again?” he asks, looking deeply into my eyes. We’re standing so close I can feel his heart beating against my chest, and I have to strain my head back to hold his gaze.

“I have a really busy week with my client demos. I’m not sure when I’ll have time,” I admit weakly.

Gently sliding a finger down my cheek, he says, “I’m proud of you, Cam. It’s okay if you’re busy, just promise me you’ll try to make some time for me.”

There’s hope, lust, and a bit of trepidation in his expression. My heart bursts with the nervousness I can so clearly read on his face. Maybe he really does care. “I promise. Now kiss me, Rambo,” I say boldly.

He doesn’t hesitate. He carefully places one hand gently on my face, using his thumb ever so slightly under my chin to guidemy lips up to his. The kiss is a featherlight, chaste brush against my mouth, but I feel it in the depths of my soul. I pull at his shirt, dragging him in for one more, trying to infuse all my emotions into a simple kiss before he pushes me away slightly.

The corner of his mouth tips up in his signature pantie-dropper grin. “Call me anytime, day or night, Wright. I mean it.” He waves as he walks away.

Fumbling with my keys, I unlock the door and get in my car. It takes me a few minutes to collect myself before I turn the ignition and prepare to head home. That was the best first date I’ve ever had. Will is funny and attentive. It feels like he genuinely wants to hear about my life and my work.

He said he was proud of me. I don’t know if anyone has ever said that, but if they have, it didn’t make my stomach fill with butterflies like when Will said it. Will is all grown up, a real red-blooded American man. I might live to regret everything about this, but right now I can’t find it in me to care.

I’m doing this, I’m dating Will Davenport. Elliott is going to lose his shit!

CHAPTER 23

CAM

“9 TO 5” - DOLLY PARTON

Some days are just better than others. There are days when everything is falling into place, exactly how it should, and then there are days like today. Similar to a bad hair day, today has been stressful with performing my assistant duties at the salon and trying to confirm models for my trials.

Daveed has a rigorous training program. Part of that program is bringing in a model for each function of a stylist’s role and demonstrating that you can meet his standards. This must be done before a stylist is given their own chair and allowed to start booking their own clients. There are six tasks that must be demonstrated:

#1 Perform a Blonde Bombshell Service: Full foil highlight with no breakage and optimal tone.

#2 Perform a Bake-like-a-Brownie Service: Full head of color, level 5 or darker.

#3 Perform a Men’s Cut & Style

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