Total pages in book: 17
Estimated words: 15430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 77(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 15430 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 77(@200wpm)___ 62(@250wpm)___ 51(@300wpm)
“Are you looking to try something new for the wedding?” B inquired as he gently ran his hand through Lucas’s thick brown hair. Lucas really was a gorgeous man. He could have easily been a model, but he turned that big brain of his and his determination toward building up one of the richest companies in the city.
“Don’t change a thing, B. The last change you talked me into is still working just fine.”
B smirked at Lucas in the mirror. “Oh honey, that was nearly two years ago. You know hairstyles change. We can do something a little more daring.”
“No changes.”
“We’re sticking with classic Lucas for the wedding,” Andrei teased from where he was reclining in the chair next to Lucas. There was a dark blue mask slathered over his face and a warm peppermint-scented towel over his eyes while Cynthia was busy filing the nails on his left hand.
“I’ll try a new haircut if you hand off your latest round of interviews to Rowe or Noah,” Lucas grumbled.
B paused with his comb and shears above Lucas’s head, and his gaze darted over to Andrei. The Romanian was frowning. He lifted off the cloth and opened one eye as he sort of glared at his husband. “Do you really think that’s a good idea?”
“Rowe knows how to interview people. He’s hired plenty of people. He hired you.”
Andrei closed his eye again. “Yes, Rowe did. He did a lot of things before I was hired. Are you trying to say that he doesn’t need me?”
Lucas’s mouth fell open, but no sound came out. B actually had to press his lips together to keep from commenting. He was pretty sure no one had ever rendered this man speechless, and Andrei had done it so calmly.
“Tha-that’s not what I’m saying at all,” Lucas sputtered.
“You sure?”
“Baby, no.” Lucas reached across and snagged Andrei’s hand out of Cynthia’s light grip, threading his fingers with Andrei’s. Lifting their hands, he pressed a kiss to the back of Andrei’s. “I think Rowe depends on you too much. You’ve done amazing things at Ward Security.”
“And you’re jealous of the time I’m spending at work with Rowe. You’d rather I be home with Daciana, waiting for you to return to us.”
“No! Of course not! I—”
Lucas broke off at Andrei’s smirk. B realized Andrei was just messing with his husband, and he couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Bastard,” Lucas muttered, but there was laughter in his voice.
Andrei pulled his hand free of Lucas’s and returned it to Cynthia before closing his eyes again. “You know I love when you get all grumpy.”
“I’m only grumpy because I’m not seeing you enough. I’m grumpy because you’ve already started to complain about not seeing our daughter enough. You talked about cutting your hours at Ward.”
“We both talked about cutting our hours, and we’ve done a shit job of it.”
“I’m sorry to interrupt, but new haircut or not?” B said.
Lucas looked over at Andrei, who was smiling with his eyes closed. It was as if he could sense his husband’s gaze, because he answered, “Classic Lucas, please.”
With a sigh, B started working on Lucas’s hair, cutting away the new growth as a comfortable silence settled over them. Classical music played softly from the speakers, but it could barely be heard over the sounds of blow dryers and chatter from the other customers and stylists. But the familiar cacophony wasn’t nearly as loud as it was going to be in a few hours when the rest of the stylists came in for the midday rush.
“B, does your boyfriend ever complain about your work hours?” Andrei inquired.
B smiled to himself. He had a feeling Ricky would be pleased to hear that he’d attained the title of boyfriend when B so rarely gave it out. But yeah, Ricky was his boyfriend. Particularly if they were going to have frequent sleepovers.
“No. My hours are pretty regular, and we both have Wednesdays and Sundays off together. We’ve got a good balance. But then, I don’t have the added stress of keeping up with a baby.”
“An adorable baby,” Lucas corrected.
“An angel.” Andrei shifted in his chair and reached into his back pocket with his free hand. Out of the corner of his eye, B could see him shifting through the gallery with his thumb until he found what he was looking for. He held up the screen, and B was breathless for a moment. It wasn’t just a picture of the cutest little girl with a full head of dark hair, but it was also a picture of Lucas cradling this sweet creature against his chest, looking down at her as if she held his heart clutched in her tiny hands. Never had he expected to see the powerful man looking so vulnerable and happy.
“She’s gorgeous,” B said in an unexpectedly rough voice.