Red lipstick, short blond hair and green eyes behind a pair of dark-rimmed glasses. Black trousers with a white button-down shirt, a lot like what he wore most days. But she smelled better, hed wager. The piercing provided an edge, but at the same time it softened her, emphasized the shape of her mouth.
Brought his breath a little short as he watched her, noting the strength in her presence, a confidence that seemed to shine from her.
He paused, continuing to look. It wasnt that she was beautifulthough she was certainly arresting in her own way. Alexsei couldnt quite put his finger on it, but he was absolutely sure hed never seen anything quite like her before. This creature whod come to him using his aunts name.
He had no idea what she wanted, but he had no problem spending the time with her to investigate.
Im Alexsei. You wanted to see me? He attempted to keep a cool distance, but something about her pulled him closer.
She held a hand out. Im Maybe Dolan. I hear youre looking for a barber and Id like to solve your problem.
He started to reply but she just kept talking.
See, I know youre probably thinking, hey, who is this woman? I havent even advertised for that opening. And youd be right because you dont know me. But I know Mrs. Orlova and while she was busily shoving extra loaves of bread into my order, she told me to present myself to you and for you to hire me. Youve met her, so you know how she is. Frankly, Im really afraid of her but shes the main supplier of my carbs so I tend to just follow her orders.
Alexsei was fairly certain she said all that without taking a breath.
Right? she asked, as if hed exclaimed it aloud instead of in his head. I do talk a lot. But Im good with hair. And beards. And I need a job.
Why?
Which one are you asking about? She cocked her head, nearly eye to eye with him. Tall. Close-up, that energy she seemed to radiate from her enveloped him too.
True, she did seem the type to develop a good clientele if she had the talent for it. Some people liked that sort of personality when they came in.
She pushed at the hoop in her lip with the tip of her tonguean unconscious nervous movementand he realized he liked it way more than he should have. Especially if he was going to give her a job.
All of them. While youre at it, what kind of name is Maybe?
She laughed. Maybe is a nickname but one Ive used instead of my given name since I was four.
There had to be a story for that.
As for why I talk so much. Well, Im sorry to tell you its not a nervous habit or anything like that so it wont go away once I get used to you. This is pretty much how I roll all the time. My sister likes to tell people I talk a lot because I have a lot to say. I think thats the same as when a teacher tells you your kid is spirited instead of wild. I was a spirited kid, as you probably have a really hard time believing.
Alexsei realized she was teasing him and he began to like her, despite his general inclination to find most people annoying.
But this...Maybe, well she held him, fascinated at whatever she might do or say next.
She grinned at him. What else did I need to answer? Uh? Oh yeah, Im good with hair and beards because thats what Ive been trained in and because Im awesome, but you can keep that under your hat. Im also good at punk rock. But I dont think the latter is necessary for the former. Except in attitude. In attitude, punk rock is always necessary, dont you agree?
This was, again, one of her rhetorical questions. She didnt even pause for two breaths before she continued, Im licensed in the state and I have references and all that. And I need a job because thats how people pay their bills usually.
His place tended to be mellow. This creature was not mellow. What would bringing her in do to the overall feel of the place? Sure, some clients would like that, but would some dislike it?
What happened to your last job? He assumed she talked them to death.
She took a deep breath and he saw a flash of vulnerability in her gaze before she straightened her shoulders. I moved here. From another place, Spokane, I mean.
Alexsei needed to shoot this down. There was something cagey about her. But if Irena had sent her, she would have already been judged trustworthy. His aunt would never allow anyone this close to his life if thered been any doubt.
It also probably meant her reasons for moving to Seattle were to help someone else. His aunt loved a hard-luck case.
You can call my boss. Obviously. She pulled him back from his thoughts.
I just dont know if we really need to hire anyone.
She rolled her eyes. Of course you dont need anyone. You need me. She lost her teasing edge. Heres the deal. I need the job. I really need the benefits. Because you know, theyre awesome. Like me, remember?
How do you know these details? He crossed his arms over his chest but she wasnt intimidated in the slightest.
Your accent comes out when you get imperious. Did you know that?
He managed to suppress one of the annoyed sounds hed learned from his mother as hed grown up.
Barely.
Mrs. Orlova told me about the benefits cooperative you and several other businesses share and that are available to the folks who work out of Whiskey Sharp. She also said shed let you know I was coming.
We dont really have an opening. I was just spitballing, as you say. She overheard me. Which was nicer than saying his aunt had been eavesdropping.
You dont have a single female barber here. Thats lame. She arched a brow at him. Again, he opened and closed his mouth, caught between curiosity and surprise.
I can ask around to see if anyone I know is looking for someone. There. Hed help her for his aunt without hiring her.
Is it a purposeful thing?
What?
She cocked her headshe did that a lotas she gestured at the shop. No women here. Is that on purpose and design? To say hey dudes, this is a space just for us? And whatever, as cliché as an idea as that might be, I get it. I was just under the impression you wanted a shop with excellent barbers.
Just at his back, he heard one of his barbers snicker.
Look, I need a job. You need me here, she repeated.
Why?
She frowned but her bottom lip still looked really good. So is this your thing? Your answers all being why or what?
Alexsei only barely refrained from glancing around for an avenue of escape. He hadnt failed to notice that no one had appeared to save him, the cowards.
Why do you want to work here? At my shop?
Its near my sisters apprenticeship. Why dont you let me show you what I can do? Ill give a cut and a shave. Check my work yourself.
It was the tone of her voice when shed brought up the detail about her sister that had done it. Maybe was a curious creature, but the steel in her voice told him she put her family obligations first and he respected that. Coupled with the way his aunt had sent her his way, he figured maybe an audition of sorts might be all right.
If she did a good job he could toss her some work. Perhaps.
Come back tomorrow morning at ten. You can show me what youve got then. He scowled at her but she flashed him a grin, heading toward the door.
Thank you! She dashed out without another word.
What the hell was that? Stu asked as Alexsei went to the coatrack near the front door.
Trouble, most likely. He shrugged. Well see how she does tomorrow. Contrary to her question about the lack of women in his shop, it wasnt by design. It just had worked out that way. Yes, in some barbershops, the absence of women was on purpose. Sometimes because of outrageous sexismmore than he likedother times a sense of tradition had rendered a shop as more of a club for men. Neither was his style.
Strong women were the foundation on which the life he lived was built. He loved and respected them. Feared some of them too. Including his aunt. He needed to go talk with her about this. He could call, but shed see it as disrespect given that she was just a five-minute walk away.
Ive got forty minutes until my next client. Im going to drop over to the bakery, but Ill be back in time, he called as he left.
Orlov Family Bakery had been a safe place for him for the entire time hed lived in the United States. The front windows were slightly steamed and when he stepped inside it was to be greeted by the scent of everything wonderful. Bread, cookies and cakes, spiced with black tea and fruit.
There was a line, but he skipped around it and headed to the kitchen, where he knew his aunt would be working.
Good morning to you, Irishka. He kissed her cheek.
She snorted at his use of the diminutive of her name, but he won a smile from her. Youre here because of the girl. Irena kneaded the dough with workstrong arms as she looked him over.
His aunt had been as much a mother to him as his own had been. More, if he was to be brutally honest about it.
So tell me why you sent the very talkative Ms. Dolan to my shop.
Have a cup of tea while I tell you. With a slice of sharlotka. You need to keep your energy for the rest of the day. She ordered this without even looking up, totally assured he would obey.
And why wouldnt he? He poured himself a cup of tea but skipped the apple cake shed suggested for some pyraniki instead.
She and her sister moved in to the house next door to ours about a month ago. Theyre lovely. Her sister, shes older than Maybe, was in the hospital for quite a long time recovering from something terrible to do with her old job. She used to flinch if we came outside when she was in her yard. Or if she came home and we were in the driveway. She doesnt flinch anymore.
Alexsei frowned before finishing the rest of his cookie.
You said to me this shop of yours was already booked every day and you wanted to add another person. Here she is. Maybea silly name for a childis a hard worker. You can tell this from how the house is kept. So I sent her your way.
He had a very difficult time imagining her in a home that his aunt would be impressed by. His aunt liked a very clean, orderly house and he would have thought Maybe would live in a place full of piles of colorful clothing and stacks of paper.
Its simple enough. Give her a job. She made a sound that told him the conversation was over.
He wasnt going to argue. It would have been pointless anyway. Thank you for the tea. Alexsei washed out his mug, placing it back on the shelf where he kept it for his frequent visits to her kitchen. Ill let you know how she works out.
Take some food back to your shop. She shooed him with a wave of her hand toward the big butcher-block table in the center of the room.
CHAPTER TWO
Now
MAYBE STROLLED IN, waving to Josh and Alexsei, who were leisurely setting up for the day. Interpol played over the speakers. A band shed forever associate with her boss. And friend.
Impossible as it had been to imagine that day two years ago when shed practically begged for the job, shed created something like a family with these guys.
Whiskey Sharp felt like home now. As much as the house she shared with her sister. Whiskey Sharp had the added incentive of really gorgeous, incredibly well-dressed dudes who frequently brought her baked goods and caffeine in all its forms like they were warriors returned from the field bringing tribute.
It didnt suck to have her job.
One of the aforementioned gorgeous dudes in particular caught her attention. Or. Well. Pretty much had dominated her attention since the first day two years before when shed rolled in to Whiskey Sharp and charm-groveled herself into a job.
Alexsei Petrov was hot-damn-absolutely-delicious.
His shirtsleeves were folded up carefully over some seriously fantastic forearms as he slid a soft cloth over all the wood in the shop. Caressing it. Later, hed use old-fashioned arm garters to keep his sleeves out of the way while he was with clients.
A very well-trimmed beard that never ceased to make her a little tingly went perfectly with the well-trimmed hair the color of caramel. Glints of auburn and mahogany showed themselves if he was in the sunshine, or on those occasions she got her hands into it when she gave him a cut.
Taciturn, though not nearly as bad as hed been when shed first met him. Still, he tended toward one-word answers, snarls, eyebrow raises and glares to get his communicating done. And she was beginning to believe he loved to poke at her with each one of those things.
Over the last several months especially, it had felt a lot like foreplay.
Which she was trying not to think about too much because if she did shed have to tell herself not to flirt with him or let their chemistry get any better because she wanted to make really bad choices with him.
A lot.
He turned after placing the cloth back into a drawer and latched those chocolate-brown eyes of his on her. Held her there as he took her in.
Intense. So much more intense than she ever really found attractive and yet there she was with her pink parts doing the forbidden dance anyway.
Maybe swallowed and found her sass enough to get herself back under control. She was a badass, not some simpering newbie!
Good day to you, fine gentlemen. She held a bag aloft. I come bearing cookies and a loaf of black bread with salmon your aunt insists must be eaten immediately because it will never taste better than now.
Ive booked your three p.m. slot, Alexsei told her as he passed, snatching the food. You will eat before you cut my hair and give me a shave.
He didnt even ask.
Healong with pretty much his entire familyhad a thing about feeding Rachel and Maybe both. It was their way of expressing, well, pretty much everything.
Alexsei was also really bossy. And he expressed all his bossiness on what he considered taking care of the people he considered his.
Shed become one of those people. As had her sister, by extension.
Maybe grabbed her tea mug before heading over to the bar area. He saw her moving his way and rumbled his approval.
Rumbled. Like a fucking bear and yet she really dug it. His accent did such crazy, really dirty things to her too. The whole package just drove her totally and utterly crazy.
My cousin Gregori brought it back from London. He held a bright red tin of tea aloft a moment. Just finished brewing.
He took her mug to pour for her, the muscles in his hands and forearms flexing as he did.
Honestly, she should have felt bad for the super filthy things such a simple task made her feel, but she couldnt. However, up until recently, hed been in a two-year relationship. Add the fact that he was her boss and shed been able to admire from a distance and keep him firmly in fantasy-fuck land.