Page 4 of Unscripted Love

It just felt like life wasn’t on board with my plan because Chaz started popping up almost everywhere, including the salon that my sisters swore up and down was the place I needed to go instead of the town butcher… I mean barber. Therehewas at the receptionist desk scheduling appointments on the phone while checking a client out. The cordless phone enabled him to move out behind the desk and help the client find the product she needed while discussing services and prices with another client on the phone. I tried so damn hard not to stare at his round, firm ass, when he bent over to pick up something from the bottom shelf, but I couldn’t seem to help myself.

I should’ve walked away, but I was rooted to the spot. When Chaz turned around and saw me, I was glad I stayed. His eyes widened slightly at having my regard locked so firmly on him. His voice faltered briefly in his conversation, and I decided that maybe I hadn’t lost it after all.

He recovered nicely and continued handling both the client in front of him and the one on the phone. “Thank you, Chaz,” the blonde lady said when he handed her the bag with her hair stuff in it once he hung up the phone. “You’re such a sweetheart.”

“Thank you for being so patient, Deidre. It’s a little bit like a zoo in here today,” he had said in relief as he handed her an appointment reminder card. “We’ll see you in six weeks.”

“Not even death would keep me from my appointment with Meredith,” the woman said.

“Let’s not test that theory,” Chaz said wryly. He turned his attention to me once the woman left and I noticed the smile he gave me was more tentative than the one he gave her.

I didn’t like that he was nervous around me and said the first thing that came to mind. “You’re really good at your job.”

Chaz snorted a little and said, “It’s not like I rescue kittens like you do.”

“Technically, the firemen are the ones rescuing kittens,” I said teasingly. “I just treat them.” I offered him what I thought was a friendly smile, but I must’ve showed too much teeth and looked like a shark because he looked even more uncomfortable.

Chaz broke eye contact and glanced around the salon before he looked back at me. “Josh is ready for you now, Dr. Vaughn.”

I perked up a little bit at hearing him say my name. “You know who I am?” I asked.

“You’re hard to miss,” Chaz said, blushing profusely. Was he nervous and pink-cheeked because he felt the same level of attraction?

It shouldn’t have mattered, but I liked the attention and the thought that I could still rattle someone. I had spent so many years focused on my schooling and training to become a veterinarian that I lost who I was as a man. Yes, I had Gabe in my life, but our relationship had deteriorated before we moved from Miami and it hadn’t improved in the few months we had lived in Ohio.

We were great friends, but the physical part felt more like we were going through the motions instead of the burning passion you’d expect with a committed, happy couple. The insane attraction I felt for Chaz told me that I wasn’tinlove with Gabe any longer, no matter how much I loved him. Still, I wasn’t ready to give up, and neither was Gabe until a year of living in Blissville had passed.

Oddly, we remained good friends, and there were a few times when loneliness drove us toward each other for physical release the year that followed our breakup. It never felt right afterward, and I could tell we both regretted it. It was the loneliest time in my adult life, and I started playing online video games to pass the time each night and weekend. I had made some friends, but I missed the physical touch of someone, and my right hand just wasn’t cutting it.

I knew Gabe had made the decision never to let it happen again when I flirted with him in the lobby of my animal hospital a year after our breakup. His body stiffened, and he frowned when I placed my hand on his arm. I knew then that he’d met someone, or at least thought he had. I was happy for him because he deserved great things.

The flirty interaction I had with Chaz Hamilton in the exam room immediately afterward made me realize that I deserved to be happy too. I wasn’t sure that Chaz was that guy, but my body sure lit up like the Fourth of July when he was near. The words that came out of his mouth weren’t always meant to be sexy, but I could easily mistake them as such. I’d interacted with Chaz many times since I became single, but I never got the impression that he was into me after his initial reaction during my first visit to the salon when I caught him unaware. In fact, he rarely made eye contact with me so you can imagine my surprise when he locked eyes with me as he blew me… I mean blew his eyelash on my finger. He looked like he wanted to kiss me really bad and I knew damn well that I wanted to lay one on him. I don’t know what would’ve happened if Terry hadn’t interrupted us.

It wasn’t long before it became obvious who had captured Gabe’s attention. I watched from the sideline as my good friend—as I preferred to think of Gabe—fought hard to win Josh Roman’s heart. It wasn’t an easy battle by any means, but damn the way they sparked when they were together made it obvious that it was worth it.

By that time, I’d connected with a guy named Drew online. He was everything I wanted in a man—funny, feisty, and his dirty talk made me hot. We started out playing video games, but that turned into something sexual in a hurry. It seemed like Drew was as lonely as I was and I started hinting around that I wanted to meet him after a few weeks of chatting and jerking off together. Columbus wasn’t that far north, and I thought it was worth a shot. We had similar interests in life, and we sparked. At first, Drew kind of blew me off like I was joking, but then he completely disappeared when I came right out and asked him if we could meet.

I had never felt so rejected in my life. My brain constantly spun around all the reasons why he didn’t want to meet. Was he worried that I wouldn’t find him physically attractive? Was he in the closet about his sexuality? I confess that our conversations didn’t go that deep, we just pretended that our dicks were going deep in each other. I don’t know how long I messaged him without a reply before I gave up.

I found myself confiding the pseudo relationship to Gabe, expecting him to laugh at me. Instead, he was supportive and told me to hang in there. He told me to have faith and assured me that Drew would reappear in my life if he was the right guy for me. Unfortunately, I never heard from Drew again but there was that saying about a window opening after a door shut.

That was how it felt when Chaz and I shared the second encounter in the exam room after Diva bit his finger. I learned that he’d given me the nickname of Dr. Dimples, which meant he thought about me more than he let on. I also learned through Josh that Chaz was a gamer too, and I made a suggestion about connecting with him online. He didn’t look receptive to the idea, and I didn’t have much time to mull it over because I had to run out to the Handerneskis’ farm to deal with Tank, the bull.

A few days later, I stopped by the salon on my way to work to get wax for my hair. The only people inside were the three amigos, Chaz, Josh, and Mere because it was early and they had just opened. It was clear that they were so engaged in their conversation that they hadn’t heard the little bell over the door ring.

“I know where you’re going with this, Josh. I’m telling you the likelihood that I’m playing games with Dr. Dimples into the wee hours of the night are slim to none,” Chaz said.Oh, that got my attention.It was obvious then that Gabe had told Josh about my gaming and Josh decided to push his gaming friend in front of me during his vet appointment. I should’ve been embarrassed by his meddling, but I thought it was cute.

“You wish you were,” Meredith said sassily. Josh looked up at me then, his eyes as wide as headlights. His mouth opened to warn his friends, but nothing came out. Josh looked like a fish, and I almost took pity on them and made my presence known, but I was glad I hadn’t when I heard what Chaz said next.

“Okay, maybe I do. Are you happy now? If I admit to jerking off while thinking about the good doctor will you shut up about it?” Chaz asked.

“Uh…” Josh said gracelessly.

“So what if I want to take in every stray cat I find so that I can look at him and smell his body wash. You think I’m the only one? Please,” Chaz said, waving his hand exaggeratingly. “If that man knew how many people fantasized about his hunky body then he’d never leave his house.”Really? Me?

Meredith turned to look at Chaz just then and let out a high-pitched squeak when she saw I had overheard every single word they said. Apparently, Josh’s stunned silence and Meredith’s shock was enough to alert Chaz that I was in the room.

“That Dr. Rogers is sex on a stick,” Chaz said. It would’ve been a good rebound had Dr. Rogers not been older than dirt. “If you’ll excuse me, I just remembered that I have some, um, inventory to order before the day gets away from me.” He mumbled something softly to his friends that I couldn’t make out. I watched Chaz leave the room with his back ramrod straight, which did nothing to deter my eyes from feasting on his delectable ass.