Page 81 of What Happens in Dubai

Tom chuckled. ‘Oh, is someone hiding some X-rated content on there? Someone hasn’t deleted their search history, eh?’ he grinned, playfully stretching back around me for the device.

I laughed nervously, trying to shut the laptop and hoping my late-night searching of‘Why do men always cheat on me?’and‘What is the normal size of labia?’did not appear on the screen. But by now Tom was clutching my waist, and I was laughing for real.

Eventually, Ashley called a halt. Tom relented, sitting back on the sofa, and I sheepishly took the floor.

‘OK, obviously it isn’t loading, so I just want to reiterate the crucial points during the consultation process from yesterday. Step one: find out what the patient does and doesn’t like about their look. Step two: compliment them, make them feel good about themselves, comment on their most attractive feature. Step three: based on symmetry and measurements, suggest adjustments that can define their features. Yes?’

Tom was signalling his agreement. ‘I’ve organised a couple of girls today to practise on, if that’s OK with you?’

Ashley beamed, but I felt my eyes widen in surprise.

‘Erm, sure, OK,’ I said. I felt slightly awkward that he hadn’t run this past me until now. I turned to Ashley. ‘How are you getting on with the décor changes?’

She smiled. ‘OK, so, the selfie wall we chatted about is going to be made up of real-life selfies! Like, get this, we’ll have a Polaroid camera and let our clients take a selfie and add it to the wall.Genius?I know.’ She flicked her long hair back sassily. ‘And I have four stunning, beautiful and diverse clients who would LOVE to take part in a photoshoot for our pictures on the walls. I’m thinking we should basically print their images full-sized along the main wall, but I can’t find a photographer who could have the prints available in the next week. Everyone I’ve spoken to sends them away, and it can take up to six weeks to get the prints back.’

I nodded. ‘OK, I get that. Keep trying, though. And what about a painter?’

Ashley grinned, looking chuffed with herself. ‘They can start tonight, and work through the night. No more white walls!’

I clapped my hands eagerly. ‘Fab! What time did you book the girls for today, Tom?’

Tom glanced at his watch. ‘I told them to keep a free schedule, so anytime you’re ready for them, boss.’

‘Well, ask them to come just now. That gives us time to work on our usual clients this afternoon. Then, from tomorrow, we’ll slowly introduce the concept. Everyone happy?’ I asked, looking between the two of them.

Tom and Ashley looked pumped and stood up eagerly.

‘Let’s do this!’ I said, before strolling into my treatment room to get changed into my scrubs for a busy day ahead.

An hour later, Tom and I had constructed a mini-treatment room on the shop floor, complete with our sterile trays and equipment. Three tall, stunningly beautiful women sat patiently on the sofa, awaiting our instructions.

‘OK, Zara. Do you want to take one girl each and do the last together? Or how do you want to work it?’ Tom asked, pointing out the odd number of models.

‘Eh, how about we both consult the three girls and let the models decide who does their treatments, based on our recommendations?’

Tom’s eyes burned bright at the thought of some friendly competition.

‘Bring it on!’ he said, sauntering over to greet the girls. I followed a second behind, rhyming off the three-step plan in my head, over and over.

‘Zara, this is Rheanne, Lisa and Ebony.’

Ebony was nibbling the arm of her glasses seductively, trying to keep eye contact with him. No wonder Tom looked so flustered. Fucking hell, I fancied all of these girls! Where the hell had he found them? Girls of this calibre didn’t just stoat about Sauchiehall Street, that was for sure. I couldn’t help wondering which of the girls had already been punctured by Tom’s prick in one way or another.

‘OK, ladies, my name is Zara, and I’m currently managing this beautiful clinic. Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I’m going to get straight to it because we have a busy afternoon. The plan for today is both Dr Adams and I will provide you with an individual consultation. During this time, we will each suggest treatments that we think would benefit your already sensational features. Then, when you’ve had both our recommendations, we’ll ask who you would like to perform these procedures on you, and finally, you will get your treatments.’

The girls smiled brightly, and Tom seemed up for the challenge.

‘OK, who’s first then?’ Tom asked, and Ebony rocketed out of the chair towards him. She was wearing a small red crop top and tight jeans. Her waist was as tiny as my wrist, and she finished her look with gold-plated earrings with an almighty letter E dangling off the centre.

‘I think you should examine me, Thomas,’ she said, her voice smooth and tempting, with a Spanish twang. I wanted to interrupt and make sure she was aware her face was getting examined and not her cervix, but Tom looked as if he’d just cum in his fucking Calvins.

I let out a small cough, breaking their lingering eye contact.

‘OK, Ebony is with Dr Adams. Rheanne, shall I take you first?’

I brought Rheanne to my station and began to set up, aspiring to focus, but I couldn’t help being diverted by the fireworks occurring at Tom’s station.What a prick!I thought.He’s going to win this because he has a fucking penis!Rheanne was sitting on the chair, patiently waiting for my attention to return to her. She was the smallest of the girls but still stood around five foot ten. She had a warm shade of vanilla-blonde hair and suited the natural look; no make-up or humungous lashes, plain but very distinct. It was hard to imagine what she could possibly want to improve about the face she’d already been blessed with.

‘So, Rheanne, let’s start with explaining to me what your favourite feature is? Or what you would like to change about your look?’ I asked, sitting down on the stool beside her.

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