Page 6 of Half Notes and Highlights
“Not to worry.” Tyler held up his big stylist’s bag. I brought all my supplies. First, we need to wash that gunk out of your hair.” He looked over his shoulder at one of the bodyguards. “Do you have access to a fire hose?”
The bodyguard didn’t answer or react, but Ethan’s mouth dropped open.
“I’m just kidding. Lighten up.”
“I can’t lighten up. No one has seen me with short hair yet. The media and fans are going to have a field day with the news. I don’t want to be ridiculed and made fun of.”
That touched Tyler’s heart. Having never spent one second in the closet, he proudly displayed his gayness from the moment he was born. His mom, who embraced and supported him from day one, had often said he came into the world singing “Born This Way” by Lady Gaga. Naturally, it was an exaggeration, but not by much, and he had been bullied almost his entire life because of it. “Oh, hell no,” he stated, waving an index finger in the air and planting a fist on his hip. “No one makes fun of a Tyler Kennedy haircut.” He dropped the cutesy responses and spoke in his most serious voice—one which he rarely used. “I would never let anyone make fun of you. I’ll stay here as long as it takes until you’re comfortable with styling your own hair. I know how important it is to feel confident with your appearance. Besides—” He perked up and displayed an animated grin. “When the paparazzi asks you about your hair, you’re gonna drop my name like an atom bomb, and I’ll be booking appointments into next year. Now, let’s get you washed, and I’ll show you how to style that gorgeous head of hair. Is the sink big enough or do you want to jump in the shower?”
“Only if you come with me.” A spark lit up Ethan’s dark eyes.
The unexpected invitation made Tyler’s internal thermometer shoot sky high, but all he could do was stand there with a shocked expression on his face.
“To help with this mess,” Ethan quickly clarified, motioning to his hair and stuttering over his words. “I . . . I . . .”
Tyler waved his hand at Ethan dismissively. “Just get in the shower.”
While Ethan showered, Tyler tried to get ahold of his hormones. Subtlety wasn’t his specialty. His flirtatious nature was part of his personality. But he was a professional and wasn’tabout to cross a line with a client just because they were famous and were used to people falling into bed with them. Or because they were hot as hell.
Ethan was taking a long time in the shower, and Tyler started to think the guy was doing more than just washing his hair in there. The idea that Ethan was taking care of business in the bathroom intrigued Tyler, so he pressed his ear to the bathroom door, because he was nosey like that. It suddenly opened, and he jumped. So did Ethan.
Tyler took in the dripping wet rock star in front of him, who was wearing nothing but a crisp white towel. Water rivulets rolled down Ethan’s perfect chest. One held a particular interest, and Tyler followed it as it made its way over the mounds of muscle that resided on Ethan’s torso and right into the happy trail that peeked out the top of the terry cloth.
“Oh. Sorry,” Ethan said. “I didn’t know you were on the other side of the door. I left my robe in the bedroom.”
For probably the first time in his life, Tyler was speechless and stood there with his mouth hanging open.Put your tongue back in your mouth. He’s a client,the voice in Tyler’s head told him in a singsong voice.
A crooked smile spread across Ethan’s face. “Are you going to let me by? Or do you want to give me a hand?”
The “hand” part of the sentence somehow turned into “hand job” in Tyler’s head, and he let out a wild laugh. “You wish. Go get dressed, rock star.”
While Ethan headed to the bedroom to put on fresh clothes, Tyler set up his various hair products and styling equipment in the bathroom. There was a vanity with a chair and plenty of counter space, so it was the perfect setting.
“Is this better?” Ethan stood just inside the bathroom wearing tight AF jeans and an even tighter T-shirt.
Tyler quickly shook his head to clear it and tapped the back of the vanity chair. “Have a seat.”
Once Ethan was sitting facing the mirror, Tyler ran his fingers through Ethan’s hair and focused on the job at hand.“OK. Let’s start. The first thing you want to do is towel-dry your hair.” He took the smaller towel off the bar in the bathroom and squeezed sections of Ethan’s hair. “Be gentle, or you’ll get the frizzies, and no one want’s frizzies.” When he sufficiently reduced the amount of water in Ethan’s hair, he tossed the towel aside and rubbed a chunk of Ethan’s soft, silky locks between his fingers. “Feel it, so you can assess the water content. You don’t want it to be too wet.”
Ethan reached up to touch his hair, purposely brushing his fingers against Tyler’s.
Tyler inhaled a deep breath and grabbed the hair product. “Next, take a big handful of texturizing mousse.”
“How big is big?” Ethan asked, a sexy smile on his lips.
A series of short suggestive chuckles left Tyler’s mouth while he kept his eyes lowered. “Use your imagination, rock star.” He held up his hand which had a giant blob of mousse in the center. “Rub it between your palms. Then push your fingers through your hair and distribute it all over.”
“So, I rub it between my palms and then smear it all over my head?”
Tyler froze while a flush of heat covered his body, starting from his crotch and running all the way up to his cheeks. “Can someone turn up the air conditioning!” he yelled over his shoulder into the next room.
“It is getting hot in here, isn’t it?” Ethan asked, playfully.
Pressing his lips together so he didn’t reply with something outlandishly inappropriate, Tyler wiped his hands on the towel and picked up the hair dryer. “You can just style your hair with your fingers like this, or if you want to bend over—”
“Bend over?” Ethan asked, brows raised. “I’m a top, baby.”
Tyler burst out laughing and dropped the hair dryer to his side. This was, by far, the most shameless fun he’d ever had doing someone’s hair. “You’re so naughty!”
