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“Sorry about that. I have butterfingers today,” CeCe told her client.

“Alexis?”

“Hmm?”

“I asked if you’ve chosen a color you want me to paint your toenails,” Nora said.

“Oh, sorry, Nora. Yes,” Alexis said, handing Nora the bottle of nail polish.

“I like this one. It’s a hot, hot, hot shade of red,” Nora said.

When Alexis gave her a confused look Nora added, “The name of the color is ‘Too hot to handle.’ We just call it hot, hot, hot.”

“Oh, okay. Wait just a second, Nora. Do you have a blue-green color?”

“Sure! That’s a popular color this spring. I have a few,” Nora said, getting up and going over to the display that held nail polish bottles with all the colors of the rainbow and everything in between.

“What about one of these?” Nora asked, showing Alexis three different shades of blue-green polish.

“Hey, CeCe,” Alexis called. She waited for CeCe to turn around. “I don’t mean to interrupt, but what do you think of this color?”

A slow grin crossed CeCe’s face. “Are you trying to match a certain something?”

Alexis couldn’t keep from chuckling. CeCe knew exactly what Alexis was doing. She was matching the color of the vibrator CeCe had given her on the night the shopping center opened. “Maybe. It does remind me of something.”

“I like it. I think you should go with it.”

“Thanks.” Alexis gave CeCe her best smile.

As Nora worked on Alexis's feet and toes, Alexis couldn’t keep her eyes off CeCe. They caught each other's gaze from time to time in the mirror and Alexis gave CeCe a sexy smile.

After CeCe dried the woman’s hair, she removed the cape and smiled. Alexis couldn’t hear what they were saying. She figured the woman was paying CeCe or making another appointment.

CeCe caught her staring when she turned to walk her client to the front. Alexis gave her another smile and CeCe smirked as she walked by.

Alexis turned her attention back to her pedicure and realized that Nora was almost finished. She looked around the salon and all the other stylists were gone. CeCe was locking the adjoining door to the bookstore then walked over to lock the door to the liquor store.

When CeCe walked back to her station she stood at Nora’s back and stared at Alexis. She had her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.

Alexis couldn’t help but smile. CeCe was at her cutest when she was flustered and Alexis could see her cheeks were a frustrated color of red.

“Nora, could you lock the front door when you’re finished with Dr. Reed?” CeCe asked.

“I’m almost done.”

“Everything else is locked up. Dr. Reed, would you like to join me in the back when Nora’s finished?”

“I’ll be right there.”

CeCe smiled at Alexis. “Good night, Nora. See you tomorrow.”

“Bye, CeCe,” Nora said.

As CeCe disappeared down the back hallway, Alexis couldn’t wait to join her.

“Okay, that’s it,” Nora said. “I’d leave your shoes off a little longer.”

“I brought these,” Alexis said, holding up a pair of sandals she could slide her feet into.