Demons Prefer Blondes (Demons Unleashed #1)(43)

If she was a sex demon, who was her father?

She shuddered. Obviously not Dr. Louis Gregory, orthopedic surgeon.

“Gerardo can handle one simple customer.”

Pushing her sandwich away, she turned her attention back to the computer and clicked her mouse. What better way to pass the time away than an über-boring game of solitaire?

She aimed the mouse pointer at the ace of spades, letting it pop to the top right of the screen. Yawn. A seven of hearts here, a ten of clubs there. She moved a king of diamonds over and revealed another ace. Yippee! She prepared to click the card.

“Lucy!” Gerardo burst into the office, a wide, excited smile spread across his face. “There’s this hunky guy up front looking for you!”

Gerardo’s gaze floated to the ceiling and his breath hitched. Absolutely comical. Never a dull moment at Luscious Locks where Frankie and Gerardo were concerned. Now it was rubbing off on her. Case in point: Exploding shampoo bowls and demonic chests. Yee haw!

“Me?” Maybe Rafe’s and Kalli’s energy was wearing off. She hoped not! Why, oh why, couldn’t Kalli have given her lessons before she went traipsing off with Frankie? She didn’t like it one bit. Rafe wouldn’t either. Something didn’t add up.

“Yup!” He clapped his hands excitedly and jumped up and down like a giddy schoolgirl—sans the plaid skirt and stockings, thank goodness. “And he asked for you by name.” He let out a dramatic sigh. “Dios mío, Lucy. You’re one lucky chica.”

Hardly. Being an overactive sex demon didn’t necessarily exude luck—unless you were into that freaky shit. She flashed Gerardo a sidelong glance. Bedecked in a magenta feathered sleeveless shirt, he lounged against the doorjamb in his black leather skinny jeans. Now there was someone who got freaky with the best of them. Oh, the stories she could tell. Imagine that, a Mexican who couldn’t hold his tequila.

“Men love me. What can I say?” Shrugging, she pulled herself from the desk. Not that she wanted the love. Not if it was as obsessive as it was earlier this morning. She saw how it affected Frankie and Gerardo. No, thank you! Being an object of one man’s desires was good enough for her. She let out a long sigh of hope. Hope? Where’d that come from?

“Love is an understatement,” Gerardo sauntered to the computer and flung himself into the chair. With a dramatic sashay, he swiveled around. “They adore you.”

His dark brown eyes brightened and he waggled his brows. Not that expression! What now? “Spill it, Gerardo.”

“Uhh…” He threw his hands up in exasperation. “?Dios! I think he’s with the modeling agency I sort of… sent your photo to.”

Ugh! She knew he was up to no good, and now she had to run damage control. She blew out a long breath. “When will you learn?”

Gerardo shrugged. “I don’t know. You’d be a great model, Lucy.” He heaved a sigh, his gaze all of a sudden somber. “I told you that chest was bad.”

“Muy malvado, right?” Maybe she was wrong. Sure there was a touch of evil in it, but she still sensed good. Weird.

Gerardo nodded and crossed his arms over his flamboyant sequins. “Too late now,” he said with a click of a mouse. “You have more important things than being on the cover of Vogue. I’ll let you give Mr. Bell the bad news.”

“Thanks Ger. I really appreciate it.”

Gerardo smiled, his white teeth sparkling. “Any time, chica.”

She blew him a kiss and headed out of the office. One thing she appreciated about Gerardo—even when he was right, he never rubbed it in someone’s face. If what Rafe and Kalli said was true, she had just unleashed a legion of demons on Earth. Not comforting at all. On the upside, if what the inscription said was true, she could control them too. Maybe it was as simple as just commanding them back in the box? Could it be that easy? She hoped so. Then again, nothing in life was ever simple.

There she went again, her inner pessimist—surgically implanted by her mom and her crazy family. It was time to show the Jennings family she was worthy of something. Saving the world was as good as anything.

She made her way down the hall, the strong scent of permanent solution wafting in the air. Stronger than usual, like someone dropped a ton of rotten eggs on the doorstep. Had Frankie and Kalli returned with some new industrial strength brand? Hopefully not! She wanted to keep customers, not drive them away.

There weren’t any perms scheduled, though. The odor drifted away, and the cloying scent of cinnamon assailing her nose instead. She didn’t know what was worse, the acidic burn of the solution or the overly heady aroma of spices.

Rubbing her nose, she headed into the shampoo area and scanned the shop. Her gaze drifted toward the waiting area. At the front desk stood an angel. She’d never seen someone so golden. Wavy blond curls framed his tan face. A wide smile spread across his face, revealing pristine white teeth. He was everything Rafe wasn’t. Bright and vibrant, where Rafe was dark and brooding. His amber eyes sparked bright and beckoning.

“You must be Lucia Gregory?” he asked, his voice smooth as melted butter. She couldn’t place his accent, but it was sexy just the same. “You don’t mind me visiting you at work, do you?”

She arched a brow. “Depends on the reason for the visit, Mr.…”

“Bell. Jon Bell.”