She finally finished rinsing the soap out and, after rubbing and squeezing out the excess water, she told him to go sit in the chair. That was a little better because she draped him entirely in a huge cape. And at least he could sit up straight instead of being stretched out with a magazine in his lap.
The haircut itself didn’t take long, because despite Rosie’s nagging he hadn’t really needed one yet. By the time she’d brushed the hair off his ears and neck and whipped the cape off, he’d managed to get control of his body, more or less. But when he reached for his wallet, she waved him off.
“We’ll skip it while I’m eating your food and burning your electricity.”
“I’m also making you work for the lodge without paying you.”
“Josh, forget it. Where are you off to now?”
“I have a list. I think Rosie nagged me into cutting my hair just so I’d be in town to go to the library and the market for her.”
“She nagged you? It wasn’t even really time for a trim yet, so I was wondering why you were here.”
“She convinced herself I’d get busy and look like a shaggy mutt in the party pictures. I agreed just to shut her up.”
“Have fun, then.”
Josh waved and made his escape. That had really sucked and he wasn’t sure how the hell he was supposed to survive living with her now. He started his truck and pointed it toward the library. He’d get Rosie’s books and groceries, and then he’d go home and deal with his newfound sexual frustration the way men had for centuries.
He was going to split the hell out of a pile of wood.
Chapter Six
When noon came and she flipped the sign to Closed, Katie wasn’t in any hurry to get back to the lodge.
Josh was acting weird and it was all her breasts’ fault, dammit. Stupid nipples. Despite the unrequited lust on her part, one thing she and Josh had never been was awkward. The fact he’d had to keep a magazine across his lap while she’d washed his hair should have made her deliriously happy, but not if it came with weirdness.
Once the Jeep had warmed up enough to quit making the ominous sound she hadn’t gotten around to diagnosing yet, she headed to the library and was grateful to see the parking lot was almost empty. In a place where silence reigned, having a discreet conversation wasn’t always easy.
Luckily the few cars appeared to belong to the moms trying to corral their kids in the children’s section, so nobody was within earshot of Hailey’s desk. “Got a second?”
“Of course.” Hailey set aside the new books she was covering in plastic while Katie stole one of the computer chairs and wheeled it over. “You look flustered.”
“Apparently Josh does likes white cotton.”
Hailey sucked in a breath, but clapped both hands over her mouth before the squeal could escape. Then she leaned forward so she could whisper. “Guess you have some feminine wiles, after all.”
“If feminine wiles means white tank top with no bra, then yeah.”
“Feminine wiles. Boobs. Same thing. So tell me everything.”
“That is everything.” Katie shrugged at her friend’s disappointed look. “Sorry. He told me to put some clothes on and then stormed off.”
“I was hoping for something a little more salacious.”
Katie frowned. “Salacious?”
“Yeah. I hear it all the time about romance novels, so it must mean hot and scandalous and sexy and maybe a little bit dirty. I’m improving my vocabulary.”
“Vocab building works best when you know the definition. But, anyway…no. It wasn’t salacious. But he finally noticed me.”
Hailey sighed and shook her head. “I hate to break this to you, but a man noticing a woman’s nipples when she’s wearing a white tank top without a bra isn’t newsworthy.”
“Maybe not in general, but he noticed my nipples. All these years I wasn’t sure if he even knew I had breasts. And now he’s acting funny.”
“Define funny.”
“He had to keep a magazine open across his lap while I washed his hair this morning.”
Hailey’s eyes widened. “Now we’re talking. That’s a little salacious. I think.”
“We’re in a library. Maybe one of us should look that word up.”
“Later. Did he say anything?”
“Not really.” Katie thought back. “He tried to get out of me washing his hair. Just wanted a quick trim to make Rosie get off his back, but I didn’t listen because he always has me wash it.”
Hailey smiled. “But this time he didn’t, because you running your hands all through his hair was going to make that magazine pop up like a tent.”
Katie’s phone gave the text chime and Hailey made a big fuss out of shushing her. Rolling her eyes, Katie pulled up the message from Josh. U leave yet? When she texted back that she hadn’t, she got an almost immediate response. Stop @ market.
She didn’t bother asking him what was needed. Her mom no doubt had called Fran with a list, which she’d written down and would hand to Katie when she walked in the door.
“So what are you going to do?” Hailey asked after she tucked her phone back in her pocket.
“About what?”
“Seriously? About Josh.”