Mile High (Up in the Air #2)(64)
Jackie sighed again, opening the box. Her eyes widened. She shot me a speculative glance. She took two thick diamond studded cuffs out of the box, walking to me. She snapped them on my wrists, making no comments about the abrasions that they covered. She circled me, pursing her lips as she tugged at several spots on my dress, adjusting it just so.
“It doesn’t need alteration, since you’re so damned tall, so that saves time.” She grabbed a smooth white robe off of a rack, holding it up for me. “So you don’t mess up the dress while you get hair and makeup done. We have a minute to talk.”
I thought that sounded ominous, but I met her gaze squarely.
She arched a brow at me. “James and I go way back. We went to school together. I’m his stylist, but it’s not because I need the money. I love fashion, but I come from money myself. I’ve had to dodge my fare share of fortune-hunters, but it’s nothing compared to what James has to deal with.”
She eyed me from top to bottom, but it only made my spine straighten. “You’re attractive enough, but I must admit, I don’t get it. Is your vagina gold plated? He’s been chased by supermodels and playboy bunnies. He f**ked a lot of them, hell, most of them, but he never even talked about having a girlfriend. Not once. Now you’ve moved in with him, and he’s acting like he’s a one woman man for life all of a sudden. I’ll admit, I’m intrigued and mystified by the change in him, but I don’t understand any of it. How did you wrap him around your little finger, Bianca? And how do you feel about him? As one of his few close friends, I’d like to know your intentions.”
I returned her narrowed gaze with an icy one of my own. If I’d had any doubts before, I knew it now; Jackie and I were not going to be friends.
“If you and James are such close friends,” I began coldly, “you should be having this conversation with him, not me. You’re a virtual stranger to me. I won’t be discussing my feelings, or my intentions, with you.”
She just sighed, as though I’d disappointed her. “I was too direct, wasn’t I? Now you don’t trust me. I’m blunt, Bianca, but we don’t have to be enemies.”
I just gave a little shrug, wanting to end the awkward and personal conversation as quickly as possible.
“Hair and makeup?” I asked coldly.
She sighed again. “Follow me. They’ve set up a room for it.”
She led me to a large room one floor down. It had glass walls, and I thought it must have been some sort of entertainment room before they’d taken it over. There was a huge flatscreen TV mounted on the wall, and several reclining chairs pushed up against the wall, as though to make room for the salon-like setup.
Two ladies were waiting and chatting, looking antsy as we entered the room. There was a barber shop chair set up in front of a a table loaded with hair products and cosmetics. It was intimidating to imagine the setup was all for my benefit.
A thin, dark-haired girl strode towards me, smiling. Her heavy chestnut hair hung in waves nearly to her waist. Her nose dominated her thin face, but in an attractive kind of way. It was somehow a distinctive nose, rather than just large. Her big, dark eyes helped. And her artfully applied makeup, with smoky eyes and plum colored lips.
“I’m Amy,” she said. “I’ll be doing your makeup. It’s very nice to meet you, Ms. Karlsson.”
I shook her hand, thinking that her amiable approach had to be the polar opposite of Jackie’s. “Nice to meet you, Amy. Please, call me Bianca.”
The second woman stepped forward, her smile just as friendly as Amy’s. “I’m Ariel. I’ll be doing your hair. Nice to finally meet you, Ms. Karlsson.”
I shook her hand, smiling. The friendly women were already helping me shake off the awkwardness that was Jackie. “Bianca, please. Nice to meet you, as well.”
They sat me in the chair, tripping over each other to discuss my hair and makeup, then giggling at each other. They were obviously friends.
I made it easy on them. “You’re the experts. I trust your judgement, so fix me up however you think is best.” I’d never spared much time or thought on my appearance, and I didn’t intend to let my strange new lifestyle change that.
This seemed to please them both, and they set to work. I closed my eyes, just letting them. They worked on me, blowdrying my hair, and applying my makeup for maybe ten minutes before I felt James enter the room. Both women paused for scant moments before resuming their ministrations. I guessed that he’d waved them back to their work, sitting somewhere to watch. I felt Ariel begin to play with my hair, pulling it back and twisting it.
“Leave her hair down,” James said from somewhere to my right.
Ariel let it fall without a word, smoothing it out.
James wasn’t quiet for a full minute before speaking again. “Are you ignoring me, Love?”
Impatient man. “If you didn’t notice, Amy is applying makeup to my face. I’m trying to hold still.”
He made a little noise of displeasure in his throat.
“You can open your eyes, Bianca. I can work around it,” Amy told me. I could tell she was just trying to appease James, since I could still feel her working on my eyelids.
“It’s fine. I’ll hold still until you’re done,” I told her.
It was maybe thirty seconds before James spoke again. “Did you like the cuffs?” he asked me.