Page 9 of Ten

Frankly, Ten was of the mind that Nikolai needed to tell her no more often. The boss spoiled her, and it only encouraged her pushy behavior. Like taking it upon herself to call the salon and book an appointment for him with Nisha. What did Vivian think would happen? That Nisha would gaze down at him while she shampooed his hair and fall madly in love with him?

With an irritated grunt, he slammed his door and locked it. He crossed the parking lot with purposeful strides and entered the salon. He always expected to be smacked in the face with the chemical scents of hair dye and whatever other complicated concoctions the women here mixed together in the name of beauty. Somehow, Holly kept the place smelling clean and bright, like crisp morning air and fresh oranges. The air purifying setup in here must have been outrageously expensive which probably explained the eye-watering prices for their services.

“Hello!” Billie greeted from her spot behind the reception desk. “You can take a seat if you’d like, and I’ll let Nisha know you’re here.”

“I’ll stand.” If he sat, he would start fidgeting. Up on his feet, he felt calmer and in control.

“Would you like some water? A mimosa? Coffee or tea?” Billie offered after using her headset to contact Nisha.

He shook his head. “I’m good.”

“Ten?”

At the sound of Nisha’s husky voice, his mouth went suddenly dry. Maybe he should have taken that water, after all.

The moment he laid eyes on her, he was overwhelmed by needful yearning. Even in her simple, all-black outfit, she blew him away. Not that anything about Nisha Jackson was ever simple. She toed that line of professional and sexy, showing just a hint of skin to drive a man wild.

The fluttery top she wore today had short sleeves and a dip right in the front that gave him a very much-appreciated glimpse of her cleavage. Her tight pants highlighted her thick thighs and that fat, spankable ass that made his brain go numb and his dick stand at attention. He wouldn’t let himself imagine what she was wearing under those pants. He could only control himself so much, and if he started thinking about running his hands over her plump bottom and giving it a good smack before diving in with his tongue—.

“Ten?” Nisha brows drew together. “You all right?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” His face flushed, and he was certain she knew exactly what he was thinking. She narrowed her eyes a bit.Fuck. Busted. In a rush, he blurted out, “You look beautiful today. Not just today,” he hurriedly clarified. “Every day. Always.Blyad.”Shit. Fuck. Shit.“What I meant to say—.”

“Bro,” Billie cut in dramatically and slashed her fingers across her neck. “Stop digging.”

“Right.” His ears were burning, and he felt ridiculous and flustered like he was fourteen again, his voice cracking when he tried to ask out Daria Kwiatkowski in front of all her friends.

Nisha smiled gently. “Come on. Let’s get you in my chair before you open that mouth again and say something really silly.”

Billie giggled, and he shot her a glare. Most people would immediately clam up and apologize, but not this girl. She was like an annoying kid sister who always had to poke and prod.

“Wait! Nisha! Tell him about the lawyer and that motherfluffing podcaster!” Billie’s interjection drew a glare from Nisha.

“What lawyer?” He didn’t like the sound of it, and the way Nisha was trying to throw eye daggers at Billie convinced him something troubling had happened.

“It’s nothing,” Nisha insisted.

“Her ex-husband's lawyer showed up here with a nosy butthead,” Billie said in a rush. “The podcast guy was, like, all up in Nisha’s face and started saying really inflammatory stuff about what kind of woman she is like he wanted to rile up our clients. Savannah threatened to kick his ass all the way to Louisiana, and he scuttled like the cockroach he is.”

“Thank you, Billie,” Nisha muttered.

“What?” Billie gestured at him. “Look at the guy! You think that wiener weasel Chad is going to bother you if Ten gives him a visit to straighten him out?”

“I don’t need Ten to fight my battles for me.”

“No, but I will,” Ten said, catching Nisha’s eye. “I know you can handle your own business. There’s nothing wrong with outsourcing the dirtier work.”

“Thank you, but no.” Nisha glared at Billie who looked obscenely proud of herself. “Listen, let’s get you back to my station.”

He let the subject drop, but he intended to follow up on this podcaster and the lawyer. But there was something he wanted to know from Billie first. “Motherfluffing? Wiener weasel?”

“I’m not allowed to use the bad words up here,” Billie said in a stage whisper. “Mommy Savvy charges me five dollars anytime I let the naughty words fly.”

“Uh-huh,” he said dryly. “Well, you sound ridiculous.”

“Ridiculously adorable,” Billie countered with her trademark grin.

“I don’t know how you handle this all day.” He gestured toward Billie. “Just nonstop sunshine.”

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