wasnât responding to the verbal cues, Peg took the appointment book from her apparently nerveless hands and flipped through the pages. âWhen would you like to come in?â
âUh, tomorrow? Say, around six or seven?â
She scanned the book. Their part-time massage therapist was off tomorrow. Sheâd have to take the appointment herself. âSeven oâclock all right?â
âThatâll be fine, thanks.â He continued to scan the premises. What was he, an engineer? Again, he didnât seem interested in the design, the multicolored walls or the distressed, hand-painted cement floor.
He did seem interested in her âshe could feel it in his gazeâbut it was as if he didnât want to be.
There was something about him that she didnât trust, though she couldnât put her finger on why. And why did he seem familiar? It wasnât just that his casual, cocky, muscular stance reminded her of Eddie.
Donât be ridiculous, she told herself. Thereâs nothing sinister in a guy signing up for a sea salt scrub.
She tried not to think about the fact that tomorrow sheâd be running her bare hands all over those broad shoulders of his, that smooth, tanned muscle. Her body went on full, red-hot alert, which wasnât in the least professional.
Shirlie was still pinned in the receptionistâs chair by the visual force of the man, riveted by that butt of his as he strode to the door. Was that a trickle of drool at the corner of her mouth?
The butt was indeed Grade A prime. And his chinos fit him just right. The Manâs back muscles rippled as he opened the door, and both Peg and Shirlie sighed as he walked through it and let it close behind him. God, what was wrong with the pair of them? This was Miamiâthey saw male models all the time.
It wasnât until heâd disappeared from sight that Peg realized sheâd forgotten to get his name and phone number. Had she really been lecturing Shirlie in that smug, worldly way just a few minutes ago? She herself was just as bad!
âWhat do you think he looks like with his clothes off?â Shirlie asked reverently. âDid you catch his name?â
Peg shook her head sheepishly. âNo, but Iâll be the one doing his sea salt scrub tomorrow, soââ
âShut- up -no-you-are-not!â
âYep.â
âSome people have all the luck. Iâm going to get my license, I swear.â
âBelieve me, not all your customers will look like that. There are some people you do not want to see naked. Case in point, Pugsy Malloy. I close my eyes when I have to do Pugsy.â
Shirlie sighed. âYeah, but I think Iâd sign up for five Pugsys if I could have just one whatâs-his-name.â
Peggy laughed. âOkay, Miss Babble. Wipe the slobber off the reception desk.â
Shirlie wrinkled her nose. âI did babble, didnât I? Iâm so embarrassed. But you were drooling, too! Donât deny it.â
âI did not drool,â said Peg with dignity. âI just salivated a little.â
Judging from her face, a horrifying possibility had just occurred to Shirlie. âYou donât thinkâ¦you donât think that guy does steroids, do you? I mean, it would be a crying shame ifââ
Peggy pursed her lips. âJudging by his body, I canât say Iâd be surprised.â She began to flatten the cardboard box that had held the new products.
âTomorrow at eight, you have to give me a full report! Plus his name and number.â
âShirlie, Iâm not likely to see that part of him. I do work with a sheet, hon.â
âOh, câmon! Canât you take a little sneak peek? Just for me?â
âNo,â said Peg, laughing. âThatâs not ethical and you know it.â She tossed the flattened box into the trash.
âWho said anything about ethics? I just donât want to waste my time if heâs hung