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“Sorry, lover,” she whispers, blushing

Holy shit

Those two have enough heat in here that I may need to turn the temperature down on the thermostat

“Please, you two, family member here—your son is here,” Allen complains

“How do you think our son got here?” the blonde asks, laughing “Anyway, Allen, you were the one co that your beard is itchy—not me”

“Boss, kill me now,” Allen says, his face deadpan

“I’uy says easily as he walks over to the counter where I am He sets the little boy down and I smile at him

“Hi! I’m Ro’mun!”

“Hi, Rorin down at the little boy “I’m Jessie”

“Jessie!” he repeats and I laugh I reach down under the counter and pull out the bowl full of toys I keep there

“Would you like one?” I ask

His little hand goes to the bowl and his little chubby fingers wrap around a bright yellow spongey ball

“What are you supposed to say, Little Man?” the girl says

“Thank you!” Ro the ball

“You’re welco the top of his head, ruffling his dark hair

“I’ at me

“Jessie,” I murmur She’s friendly and has a sweet s intimidated

“Do you own this shop?” she asks, obviously recognizing n outside

“I do,” I answer proudly “I make all of the products myself”

“Oh gosh! I love it You’re obviously just the person I need to talk with!” she says excitedly

“I am?”

“My brother has a beard,” she says, stating the obvious “And he’s always scratching it, because it’s so itchy and dry”

“Maybe I just like scratching my beard, Ana You ever think of that?” Allen coe to laugh

“Whatever Do you have so to help him?” she asks

I look up at her and then back to the man He doesn’t really seem like he wants my help That’s confirmed loud and clear when he responds

“I’ soirl,” he gruly looks up at ed on “No offense”

I nod in reply, because I don’t knohat to say I figure s out

2

Allen

“Will you quit whining? You’re e her The prices are very reasonable and I happen to knowbeard conditioner,” Anaover to a corner of the store that has allass bottles

“Beard conditioner?” I bark at my sister She’s lost her mind “Ronores h, as I kneould

“Beard conditioner,” she insists, handing me a small bottle “What about this one?”

I look at it with distaste I have soht at the local Walmart that works fine My sister is just crazy She’s always trying to getelse she can think of I know our lives have changed drastically now, I get it Still, just because we don’t have to worry about o out and spend it on shit I don’t want and will probably never use I twist open the lid and scrunch my nose up as I take in the smell

“No way,” I growl, putting the lid back on it

“Why not?” Ana whines

“I’m not

putting anything onlike a damn lemon cake”

“You like lemon cake,” Ana says obstinately

“Not on my face Absolutely not”

“Allen, you need to—”

“Ro on the please because no one orders Roman around—and lives

“Pet—”

“This isn’t Roman’s—”

Before I can interrupt Ana, who has already spoken over top of Roirl at the counter speaks up

“You can honestly make one from home that ork just the same without the smell,” she says quietly

I turn to look at her and for the first ti there in a pale blue sleeveless dress that flows freely down her body As she walks around the counter and cooes all the way to her ankles There’s no skin on her showing at all except her neck and collar bone and her arms It’s so different than most women I’ve seen here in Florida It’s not bad, just different What is bad is that the dress falls so free and loose it doesn’t even hint at what kind of body she has underneath—and I’d really like to know

Even if I shouldn’t

“Say what?” I ask as she gets closer Her steps fall just as soft as her voice Every other step I see her foot peek out fro toes The tops of her nails are painted a clear gloss so they shine Sies to look… sexy Her long brown hair has been brushed until it shines and it’s kept in a large pony tail that starts at the top of her head and swishes when she walks Her face doesn’t have loss on her lips that caught ernails are fixed that way