Page 13 of Sam (Eye Candy Ink)

“No, this is another test.”

“Yeah, Samantha. I’d live anywhere with you. I don’t care about the surroundings. Just that you’re there with me.”

My heart melts at his words and the sincerity that I see in his eyes and I hurry to avert my eyes. I clear my throat, taking a deep breath before my eyes snag on the Converse and hair dye on the counter.

“Ready to help me dye my hair?”

“Sure, although I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

He picks one of the boxes up and examines it, reading the instructions. I grab my old towel and change into a paint stained tank top before I come back out to the kitchen. We spend the next ten minutes spreading the dye onto my hair and combing it through to make sure it gets to each strand. I put the shower cap on after and lean against the counter.

He eyes my hair and then his gloves before he meets my eyes.

“Now what?”

“Now we wait a bit and then wash it out.”

He nods, pulling his gloves off.

“I think I’m going to be an expert at this in no time.”

“You think you’ll be around in a few weeks to help me again?”

“Yeah, I do.”

We stare at each other in silence for a beat and I can feel myself warming to him even more.

“So, what started this?” He asks, waving his hand to my head and then to the new Converse on the counter.

“I just liked dying my hair. I had it pink the first time I dyed it and it was awesome. It looked like my hair was cotton candy. I rocked it for a bit but the pastels faded really fast so then I just dyed it again. It was navy blue the second time and I just never really stopped. I have to buy the good stuff so that I don’t fry my hair but I love switching it up every few weeks.”

“Did I get the right stuff? I asked the saleslady and she said that brand was good but I didn’t know anything about it.”

“Yeah. You actually got the really good stuff. Thanks, by the way.”

“Anytime, Samantha.”

“Why do you always call me that?”

“It’s your name.”

“Yeah, but everyone calls me Sam. You’re the only one who calls me Samantha.”

“I guess Sam sounds like a buddy's name to me and I want to be way more than your buddy. Do you not like Samantha?”

I never have before but when it comes from his mouth, my name sounds beautiful.

“No, it’s fine.”

“Beautiful name for a beautiful girl.”

“Oh man! I think that was the cheesiest thing that I’ve ever heard,” I say, laughing as I lean back against the kitchen island.

Max gives me a sheepish smile but it grows when he sees me laughing.

“It’s true.”

“Bleh!”

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