Page 4 of Craved By You (Dark Desires Duet #1)

Astrid

Y esterday was a blur. I couldn’t get him out of my mind, almost as if he had somehow cast a spell over me with those icy blue eyes.

I was a sucker for tattoos and piercings and aside from his perfectly placed facial piercings, I just knew that he was covered in ink from neck to toe.

There was a vibe about him and I couldn’t wait to get him in my chair.

I stood in front of the mirror and fluffed out my teal hair.

Haileigh waltzed over. “Someone is looking a bit nervous,” she said, giggling as she nudged me with her elbow a little harder than expected in my ribs.

“It couldn’t have anything to do with Mister Hottie Pants, could it?

” I tried to deny it but my cheeks told a different story based on the light blush that came over them.

“ I’m fine,” I lied as I wrung my hands together, realizing that in my rush to get into work today I had forgotten to set up my station. “I’m just… distracted.”

Haileigh rolled her eyes at me. “Well, you better get undistracted because look who’s here.”

I gulped and tossed my head back so I could stare at the ceiling, hoping a few deep breaths would help me get my shit together before I walked up front to meet with my new client.

Colt.

As soon as I saw him and got ready to call him to the back, my stomach filled with butterflies, a feeling I hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

I hadn’t been with anyone since my ex-girlfriend, Janice.

After her mom had passed away, she turned to drinking to help ease her pain, and with that, she became more and more aggressive with me.

Before she and I met, I had worked with local photographers as a boudoir and nude model; it helped me build my confidence after my divorce.

Janice didn’t approve though. She never approved of anything that interested me.

Before we met, there had been a fetish website I had started using to explore the things I thought I might be interested in.

It was also one of the only places I felt comfortable sharing the images I loved so much.

I could still remember the day Janice logged on and found them.

She sat there, waiting for me expectantly when I got home from work.

Janice had done a wonderful job rearranging the house, and by rearranging I mean the entire place was trashed, glass everywhere. Guess who got to clean it up? That’s right…me. Her eyes shot daggers into me and I remembered her lunging forward, pinning me to the floor.

She had placed her hands on both sides of my head.

????“You’re a horrible person,” Janice had said; her words still haunted me.

She threatened to kill me right then and there.

I’m not sure what changed her mind, but after a few minutes of worrying about who would find me, she had instead forced me into experiencing some of the kinks that I had indicated interest in on the site.

Starting with wrapping her belt around my neck and pulling tightly, cutting off my air supply…

“ Hello?” Colt waved his hand in front of my face. “Anyone home?” ??

Hopefully, I hadn’t zoned out for too long. “Shit. Sorry. Are you ready?”

His smile made me want to melt in a puddle just as much as his deep voice as he said, “Let’s do this.”

We walked over to my booth and he sat down in the chair. ????“ I’ll be right back!” I said enthusiastically, rushing off.

Quickly, I headed toward the back bar to collect everything I needed for Colt’s appointment.

Sarah, one of the other stylists seemed excited when I showed up and stopped to ask my opinion.

I could feel his eyes burning my flesh, and I turned to look back at my station only to meet Colt’s eyes in the reflection of the mirror.

He watched me intently as I turned to finish my mission, but I didn’t have to question if he had looked away; I could still feel his eyes on me.

My breath hitched as I made my way back, my boots clomping across the floor echoing the beat of my heart.

Why am I so nervous?

I hadn’t felt this way since my very first on-the-floor appointment when I was in cosmetology school. Even that had only been because I was given the pickiest client and then told: “Don’t fuck up.”

I set the alligator clips, shears, and other tools on the tray before draping the cape around him, securing it from the back.

I attempted to break the awkward silence by being just that, awkward . “Sorry I was running a bit late this morning. Normally I’d have this set up and ready to go by now.”

Colt smiled. “Hopefully your latte was worth it.”

Fuck, how did he know that?

My heart began to race and apparently he could tell I was beginning to freak out.

“ I was at The Mean Bean killing time before my appointment and saw you rush in,” he said with confidence.

I paused and went to grab one of the clips, trying to remember if I had seen him there, finding it hard to believe that I had overlooked this hottie. My thoughts began to take over. There’s no way. He wasn’t there.

I had specifically remembered looking around at the tables while I waited. I would have noticed him. Right? Unless… he didn’t want to be seen.

Shaking the thought from my mind, I began to section his hair, preparing to clean up his round layers and trim up the length.

Colt cleared his throat, almost startling me. “I noticed you were wearing a Vore Ritual shirt the other day. You like them?”

I scoffed. “No, I wear shirts with bands I hate.” I was almost offended at his attempt at cutting down the love I have for them. Did I like them? Colt raised his eyebrow and I couldn’t help but smirk back at him.

Gosh, he is dreamy.

“ I love them. The lead singer, Reaper, is so talented.” I tried not to swoon too hard. “I would do anything to be able to meet him and the rest of the band.”

Colt looked surprised at my comment. “So, you’re going to the concert tonight at Static Bar?”

I blushed and shook my head no, embarrassed that I had essentially just proclaimed my love to them. Yet when the tickets went on sale, I completely spaced it and they were sold out within the hour.

“ Oh, that’s too bad,” he paused, seeming to get lost in his own thoughts. “It just so happens that I have two backstage passes, if you’d be interested.”

“ I’m flattered, but I don’t even know you.” My reflection in the mirror left nothing to the imagination and Colt chuckled..

“ Not with me, sunshine. How about your boyfriend?” He glanced around the salon. “Or your boss over there?” He motioned toward the front desk.

Sunshine?

My response echoed out quickly, “I don’t have a boyfriend.” Though I was sure I wouldn’t have to twist Haileigh’s arm too hard to get her to go with me.

His coy smile left me wondering what exactly he was going to make me do for these tickets. I had said I would do anything . He cleared his throat. “So, you’ll take them?”

I stuttered. “I-I don’t know.” I was still embarrassed from my initial assumption that he was asking me on a date. “How much?” Hesitation began to take over, knowing that there was no way I would be able to afford one, let alone two, backstage passes.

He didn’t even take the time to think about it. “No charge.”

I had a hard time believing what he was saying. “So… What’s the catch?” I braced myself for his response.

“ No catch.” His voice fluctuated and I could tell that now he was starting to realize just how crazy he sounded. “Look, I have two passes that are going to go to waste. You have no passes and want to go. Consider it a testimony to our new client and stylist relationship.”

Even out of my chair, I couldn’t stop thinking about his hair.

It was so soft, and I just wanted to spend the rest of the day running my fingers through it.

No sooner had his appointment started, it was already over and I found myself wishing that I hadn’t been so quick to finish him up and get him out of my chair.

I escorted him to the front desk and I watched as he grasped his wallet with a massive hand. I couldn’t help but think about how perfect it would be wrapped around my throat.

What is wrong with me? I just met the guy.

He handed me the passes and I examined them with hesitation that all of this was too good to be true.

I playfully smiled at him, trying to hide my excitement. “Well, at least they look real.”

“ Good, I hope you have an amazing time, and I can’t wait to hear about it in-” he paused and waited for Haileigh to tell him how many weeks before his next appointment.

Haileigh caught her cue and her fingers went rampant over the keyboard. “It’s going to be about three weeks, does Thursday the twenty-forth work for you?”

“ It’s perfect,” he said, his eyes never straying from mine.

Her voice seemed to go an octave higher. “Same time?”

“ That works for me.” Colt handed her his credit card and then proceeded to hold out a one-hundred-dollar bill and a note in my direction. My heart skipped a beat, secretly wishing it was one of those ‘Do you like me? Check yes or no’ type of notes overlooking the fact that we were both adults.

“ I can’t.” I stared down at the bill in my hand with wide eyes. “The passes and this tip? It’s way too much.”

“ See you later, sunshine. ” This time he emphasised the word and it echoed in my mind. I liked my new nickname. Colt turned and walked out of the salon before I could finish what I had to say. “Have a good day, Hailstorm.” I heard him finish saying as the door closed behind him.

Haileigh rushed at me from behind the desk. “Oh my God!”

I held my hand up and stopped Haileigh in her tracks. “Hold that thought,” I told her as I rushed out the entrance doors in an attempt to catch up to him.