The glimpse of a tall bombshell with long legs, strutting her way to a stylist chair caught my attention. She was beautiful and with warm ebony skin…like Dawn Taylor’s. Her strut was powerful, enough to capture my attention and all of a sudden, I could conclude that she knew her presence was riveting, she was fully aware of what her catcall walk conjured from unsuspecting people. She wanted to claim the attention of others, of men. I wondered if that was Dawn’s subconscious intention as well.
This girl in the salon had long natural hair that was still wet and glistening from just having been washed. Her length was nearly to the small of her back. I chuckled, suddenly thinking how Azmir liked my natural length of hair. He made that clear months back by the way he reacted to it, constantly running his fingers through it. He also was very adamant about me not wearing scarves or bonnets to bed. When I explained that it could be detrimental to the health of my hair, he had his housekeeper change the pillow sheets from linen to silk. It honestly never bothered me, his possessiveness. To the contrary, it felt good. Comforting.
But not his betrayal. His cheating tore into my chest and jutted out like a ragged knife. I still bled. Everywhere I went my pain and gloom accompanied me. Just like now. I just caught the ebony beauty lick her lips seductively. I suddenly wondered if that single act of enticement would tempt Azmir. Would he find her aggressiveness attractive? Would he kiss her, too?
“Cookie…” I heard in the recesses of my conscious as I obsessively eyed the dark skinned seductress in the chair across the room.
“Cookie, I know the dryer is on high, but it shouldn’t have you deaf. COOKIE!”
My eyes snapped up as my trance popped and I found a restless Adrian glaring down on me. Adrian was dark himself, rich brown skin with legs just as long as Azmir’s. He had sharp European features such as his protruding nose and slender lips. His dark brown eyes were slanted, giving him a bit of an exotic appearance overall. He was gorgeous, just not available to me—or any other woman for that matter.
“Crap, Adrian! I was caught in a daze. You scared the bejesus outta me!” I snapped at him.
“Honey, how many times do I have to call you to call your eyes from Saneese over there. The way your eyes are glazed, you’d think you munched on carpets,” Adrian gave me a tentative gaze.
“You’re ridiculous,” I hissed.
“And you love pickles…like me, Cookie. So what are we doing with this wild mane of yours?” he asked, raking his long fingers through my untamed tresses.
I chewed the inside of my lips, still unable to shake my gape from the chocolate beauty.
Within seconds, I spit out, “Cut it off. All of it.” I don’t know where the emboldened decision came from, but it flew from my mouth sans the approval from my brain. “Yeah…cut it off,” I nodded affirmed.
Adrian must have aged in all of the twenty seconds it took for him to process my request. Though he was as brown as they come, his face was ashen in shock.
“Cooooookie!!! What did that fine ass millionaire do?”
I felt his mention was more of an accusation against Azmir than a question. Of course, that was not up for discussion.
I sputtered, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. I’ve been wanting something new for a while. Something bold…something sexy. It’s time,” my tone was lofty to help guard the fa?ade.
I didn’t want my mask to slip, so my righteous indignation stare stayed glued onto Adrian’s.
“But you said your man loved your long and wild mane. We’ve been training it for months…no weaves…no braids. You said he—”
“…doesn’t matter. He doesn’t matter!” I caught the jerking of heads in our direction in my peripheral, causing me to lower my voice. However, my glare never faltered. “I’m your paying client. And. I. Said. To. Cut. It. All. Off!” I lifted a brow to emphasize my instance.