Beautician And The Beast Pt 02

Chapter Six

The next morning, Quentin woke to the hiss and vibrations of his phone on the nightstand closer to Lovie. The ringing became increasingly annoying to him, and then the memories from the night before flooded him. He grabbed his phone over her and didn't stop to think that he may have disturbed her sleep, which he did. She groggily moaned and he paused with a twinge of guilt then jumped from the bed and answered gruffly, "Hello?" He purposely had his back to her as she stirred upright. His accountant's words filled his brain for a delay of processing because he still couldn't believe he slipped the way he did. Letting her sleep over? What was he thinking? He could feel her eyes as they burned holes in the back of his head. The mere mention of his brother made him perk up, "What Larry?"

"Quentin have you heard a thing I've said? You're brother, Guy has been sniffing around the estate in Connecticut. The P.I. said the neighbors saw him and thought it was you." Quentin rose to his feet and walked out of the room with not one look at Lovie. Lovie hoped the phone call wasn't an emergency; she didn't want anything conflicting with the progress they've made. She smiled to herself as she jumped in the shower without a clue of his newfound doubts.

She was in full swing of Marc Bolan's "Hot Love" when she cut the water and heard more of Quentin as he yelled from all the way downstairs. "Larry I don't give a fuck how you find him! ...I know you're not my lawyer! .... I purposely didn't take his name off that property so he would show his face! ...Fucking handle it!" Lovie gravitated to the top of the staircase to listen down to him scream. He suddenly threw the phone on a nearby chair that indicated that the conversation was over. He wore only flannel pajama pants that were slung low on his tone hips. He slumped down to his sofa he'd been pacing in front of the whole time. He buried his head in his hands; he knew he shouldn't be worried with his stubborn scheming brother, that's why he paid people to do that. He had bigger issues like the brown lovely that lingered at the top of the stairs. With a huff he called up, "Don't you have anything better to do than to listen in on personal phone calls?" Lovie jumped from being caught and from the sting of the remark. He refused to look up at her as he said this and she understood all too well what happened. Now

he

was scared. Anger stung her eyes as she skipped down the stairs and directly to the door. He called, "Where do you think you're going?"

With a coolness that frightened them both she said, "I've got supplies to get." She gave him the same courtesy he gave her in that she didn't turn to look at him, she's too afraid she'd break down in front of him.

His jaw tightened as he ground his teeth and looked at her back, "Go talk to Haviland...there's an expense card for the business. And go to AT&T and pick out a company phone." She turned slightly so he could make out her profile and her lip trembled before she nodded. A big whoosh of breath blew from his diaphragm when she left. He instantly regretted the way he treated her. When Lovie got downstairs, Havi noticed something wrong when she gave her the card and it's info but couldn't ask her because Lovie was out the door so fast.

Havi just slinked into her seat with a worried look for her new friend as she left. Almost like a choreographed move, the elevator rung and Quentin barreled out of the doors with panic on his face, no shirt and still in his pj pants. Havi smirked on the inside from how shaken Lovie had her boss. He turned to Havi who now smiled full on at him. He opened his mouth to ask her if Lovie's been by but he thought against it and closed his lips. Havi just went to the keyboard and typed with concentration on the screen, "She just left boss man." He nodded and he turned back to the glass. He hoped to catch a glimpse of her, "...And she looked like something was bothering her." He looked back at his employee as she still typed but now her gaze was toward him with a raise in her brow.

"Ah...Havi, let me know when Lovie gets back." He said as he went back to the elevator and pushed the button to go up.

"What if she doesn't want you to know?" Havi asked innocently. Quentin just locked her with a glare before the doors closed him up and he disappeared.

*~*~

"You keep frowning like that and you'll look like Aunt Honey after her fifth husband." Lovie looked up from her drink in front of the same bistro from the day before, this time on the lanai. A woman who closely resembled herself stood over her with a broad smile. Lovie reciprocated and stood to embrace her sister. Several men nearby nearly stumbled over each other as they sat down which in turn made them laugh, "Gotta love an entrance like that!" Estelle picked up her sisters new iPhone and nodded with appreciation, "About time you got a cell!" She picked up her sister's water for a sip and grabbed the menu. Sometimes Stelle and Lovie were as different as night and day and it's those differences that they clung onto the most in a family that had more than one multiple births. Lovie was inherently shy unless pushed while Estelle was nothing if not a mouthpiece of her opinions 24/7. She didn't keep anything inside and for that Lovie went to her to find her voice whenever she had a problem. They ate while Lovie relayed everything that happened since the last time they talked. Estelle listened the whole time with no utterance of shock or disapproval until they walked around in Sephora.

"Am I overreacting?" Lovie said with a huff and a pleading look. Estelle was testing perfume and held her wrist out for her sister to smell. Lovie took a whiff and turned her nose up.

"Yeah too musky..." Estelle mumbled before she sprayed another on the other wrist, "What about..."

"Stelly!" Lovie was all but having a tantrum at this point as she whined.

"Alright, alright...no, you're not overreacting. You're foundation is just settling." Estelle moved on to the Carol's Daughter section with Lovie close in toe.

"You wanna shed a little more light on that sis?"

With a frustrated sigh Estelle turned to her sister, "Every relationship has its moments of working kinks out. And with the very...delicate and unique nature of your situation..." She paused to chuckle and Lovie's eyes narrowed at her as she continued, "I'm sorry, it just seems like you guys have been moving at a really accelerated pace so...you said he was scared right?"

"I don't know that for sure it's just a hunch."

"Honey, most of the time that's all you need to unlock the complexities of man...or lack there of."

They began to laugh as Lovie put another item in her basket and stopped, "But how should I act now? It'll be weird."

"You have to talk to him about it."

"I don't think I can be the one to initiate it."

"Well put it like this...if he doesn't bring it up and starts kissing on you, how are you gonna feel?"

"Pissed!" Lovie spat louder than she wanted to and other shoppers looked over at her.

"Exactly! So you better be the one to initiate it if he doesn't. If he is serious about everything he says he'll see the problem and want to rectify the situation." Estelle waited for Lovie's expression to lighten a bit before she gave her shoulders a squeeze then she moved to another aisle, "Now let's talk about my wallet and how I shouldn't get anything."

Lovie laughed, "You shouldn't buy anything but you should probably be saving that talk for the next store." Estelle stopped and looked at her sister with a look that said, "continue". "We're going to the M.A.C. store after this." Lovie laughed harder as Estelle mimicked almost passing out.

*~*~

Lovie moved past the doors with several bags hung on her arms. A cheery blonde with smoky eye makeup and a nose ring asked if she needed help and she politely declined as she moved to the elevator. She went up to her floor and thanked god that she's so lucky for having the family she has in all their support despite everything that's happened with her and her choices. She's even more thankful that her sister was there and even though she felt more comfortable with Cassie she knew that the "real talk" sense that her sister took was what she needed while Cassie would be more of a ear for her to unload on. When she's on her floor she saw Drew by his computer being anti-social as always and spotted Havi and Stelle by the vanity talking intimately to one another. Stelle twirled Havi's lock of hair and they didn't notice Lovie when she came up on them as she shook her head, "Hey you two, wanna quit with the kissy face and help here?" They both jumped to her side to help with her bags. They all didn't notice Quentin when he slipped in from the elevator. He originally came to see the pictures from the day before but decided to listen in on the girls as they talked. He told Drew to take an early lunch and snuck over to the other side of the makeup area, hidden from sight. He couldn't believe he was even doing this but if he knew anything about women he knew it didn't take them long to start talking about men and what they did wrong. He just wanted to know if he's in the doghouse and if he needed to bring a blanket.

"Are you alright darlin'? How ya feelin'?" The southern drawl of Havi's was more prominent when she played the mama role. Stelle and Lovie took things out of bags and handed them to Havi to arrange.

Lovie smiled up to her, "Better than earlier." She said exasperatedly. She laughed genuinely to let them know she really was okay. "I talked with my sister and it made a world of difference." They decided to leave it at that and talked casually for a few more minutes. Quentin shrugged; relieved to know that she didn't take anything he did personally. He was about to come out and make up a story about how he was in the back prop room but stilled when he heard Stelle.

"I think to seal our newfound friendship with Queen Lovie here, we need to go out! What do you think baby?"

"Well most definitely, what's tonight? I think it's swirl night at Off The Couth." Havi chimed in and Stelle jumped up and down and clapped with excitement.

"Off The Couth? What's that?"

"It's a scene bar...everyone in the biz and the lifestyle goes. Tonight we can bring curious vanillas," Stelle beamed. Lovie started to interject that she wasn't vanilla but Stelle stopped her, "You've been in the lifestyle all of what... two days?" Lovie's brow furrows, "Hon this is just so you can get an inside peek of what you're getting yourself into."

Lovie started shaking her head with apprehension '

Little too late fore that

', but Havi jumped in, "Stelle yer scarin' her!"

"I didn't mean to alarm. It's not as bad as it sounds; I just want to prepare you for some things you may see."

"Like what?" Lovie was very intrigued at this point.

"Ah, so you'll go?" Havi purred with a smile. Lovie just looked bashfully away but turned to Stelle so she could finish her answer.

"People playing out scenes, actual collared people being lead by their masters, bondage exhibits."

Havi lit a cigarette before she finished, "I know tha owner, and tha club is more of a haven for people into tha art of the lifestyle than actually gettin' their rocks off darlin'."

"D-Does Quen-"

"He has once or twice. He said it was nice but it's really not his scene." Havi exhaled. Quentin nodded; he would never of taken Lovie to a place like that, no offense. He just wanted her training to be untarnished by any outside 'help'.

"Lovie we don't have to go to

that

club, we just have an unlimited tab because of Havi's hook up is all." Stelle said as she read her apprehension.

Lovie thought a moment and everyone in the room, Quentin included, held their breaths for her answer. She's very curious but if Quentin didn't go she wondered if it's a good idea that she went. "I'll think about it...how much time do I have?"

"Well we start getting ready about six then have a late dinner so we'll say 5:30?" Stelle said as they moved towards the elevator doors, Lovie nodded as she checked the time. It's already 3:20 so that gave her time to talk with Quentin. "We're gonna go down to relieve the receptionist, call us?" Lovie nodded once more with a smile. They disappeared and she's left with her thoughts. Quentin had until 5:30 to convince her that she belonged in his arms and not eyeballed by "art enthusiasts". He smirked as he moved from his hiding spot. He walked up behind as she finished the arrangements of the supplies. He had a better view of her attire and approved generously as he licked his chops. She wore a pleated cap sleeved dress in a medium toned navy color with a black belt and a small back keyhole. It hit just above the knees that showed off her muscular calves. He felt foolish that he admired such a part of her body but the more he watched her the more every molecule was adorable, beautiful, or perfection in his eyes. He scanned up to her heart shaped behind and inwardly groaned. Her long hair was in an upsweep with clean parts that gave an overall professional appearance but with sex appeal. His eyes end on the back of her delicate neck and revealed another tattoo he'd never noticed. It's a patch of petals swirled in a whirlwind from a single flower.

His desire got the best of him and his only thought was to trace a finger over the markings. He did just that and instead of greeting him with a jump and a scream, she melted more into his touch after a slight arrest in her stance. Lovie already knew who it was because she felt him when he came near. Just as she was about to bow her head to his submission her sister's advice shook her like a douse of cold water and she straightened then continued with her task as if she was unfazed. He moved his hand like it burned yet he watched her coolly. "You're still mad," he muttered with a light chuckle. That only pissed her off more as it set in that he had no intention of speaking about earlier nevertheless an apology.

"No it's not that...I-I just have plans tonight with the girls so we shouldn't get anything started."

His mouth tightened while he slowly turned her to face him. The vanity lights from the booth made globe like flares in her light eyes sparkle at him with everything she didn't say directly: passion, anger, desire, indifference. "Cancel them." He softly said as he lifted her chin more towards his mouth. She didn't break away but when he pressed his lips to hers there was no return pressure and he could tell that she was serious. He leaned back but didn't break eye contact the whole time. "No?" She simply shook her head "no" then moved away from him. It stunned him a bit. He couldn't believe she turned him down but he guessed that's what he got when he underestimated the female species. Once a sufficient amount of distance was between them she turned to lean on a nearby chair and crossed her arms for more effect of gumption. She was gorgeous when she looked like she's about to curse him out.

"I already promised," she fidgeted a bit but tried to keep it copasetic. He smirked as if he had her in the palm of his hand but the curiosity as to why she chose to lie to him made him want to play. Maybe after they had dinner he'd bring it up and get to punish her again. Quentin walked over and defied her to resist him after this; he took her in his arms and smothered her with a deep fiery kiss. She moaned and he groaned which was the only recourse for them both to know that they were weak for each other. Her tongue took over his dominating one; it licked the roof of his mouth then massaged every ripple. They both pulled back with lazy eye lids, which slowly drifted open and revealed their prizes. He smiled down into her flushed face and rubbed the back of her neck. He waited for her to say something like "I'll get my things" but instead she reciprocated the smile all the while never made one attempt to look down. "If I don't get in too late...I'll call you." With a deep swallow she moved away from him and over to the entrance. The last look she saw on his face was priceless: mouth and eyes wide open and a white tint left to his complexion. Once the doors closed she smirked like he did before he kissed her.

~*~*

"You what?" Havi and Stelle jumped from Lovie's sofa where they threw kernels of popcorn in each other's mouths. They listened to Lovie's story and she'd gotten to the part of how shocked Quentin was when she turned him down for the night. Their reactions confused her and she stopped putting on makeup long enough to look over at them.

"I left him there picking up his jaw." She said as she picked up a brush and continued with her makeup. They walked over to Lovie at her makeshift vanity. She stopped again as they took a spot on either side of her. "What's the big deal?"

"Darlin', the big deal is that once you've entered this lifestyle you gotta learn that there's a certain way of actin'...even if you're not full time." Havi began before she lit a cigarette.

"What do you mean?"

"She means that just because you guys weren't in a scene doesn't mean he won't take it out on you once you're back in. Your master, top, or dominant of any sort wants to know that you're thinking of them and ways of pleasuring them even if you're not with them." Stelle continued and took the cigarette from Havi and puffed. "And sometimes they want to test your emotional ties to them and that's what seems like what he tried to do."

"So I should have stayed with him?"

"Not necessarily, it all depends on when you're next punishment is, and if he chooses to bring this infraction back up."

"Infraction!" Lovie squealed incredulously. "You guys make all this sound so medieval."

Stelle chuckled, "Not in so many words but if you want a piece of this life you have to be able to understand more complexities of your master and the primal sophistication that comes with our ways." Lovie started to understand all too well the complex way of the opposite sex. Her sister spoke of it earlier and now her friends. She saw how they are both on different spectrums but said basically the same thing with subtle differences. It was up to her to find a happy medium for herself.

Havi ashed the cigarette then handed it back to Stelle. She saw Lovie deep in thought now and tried to lighten the mood, "Oh honey, were not tryin' to spook you. We know Quentin well enough to know that you're not in any type of danger. Just don't think that all this is just swept under the rug. He's like a little puppy, he knows he's done wrong but he thinks his kisses and slobbers will make up for it when all you want is for him to acknowledge it. Believe me darlin', you got him all bugaboo! Right after you left earlier this morning he came down shirtless and frantic lookin' for you." Lovie's eyes perked up and Havi nodded with a smile, "You guys will iron this out. Me and Stelle just didn't want you thinking that it's resolved in such.... vanilla manners." They laughed as they finished getting ready for their night. When no one looked though, Lovie tried to call Quentin but there was no answer. She left a brief message but was rushed off once the girls were ready to leave the apartment.

*~*~

Quentin told himself that he's having his business dinner changed to the Japanese steakhouse across the way from Off The Couth because they had the best Kobe in town but deep down he knew better. The dinner was going well, an hour in and he checked his watch and then the window with no sign of them. He sighed with some relief though, as he thought they might have had a girl's night in or something. He started to feel more triumph as he felt his phone vibrate on his thigh. He casually checked it to see Lovie's number flash then after it stopped a voicemail. He went right back into the conversation with his associate but with more vigor and attention at hand. The night continued and the business engagement showed to go in his favor; they soon shook hands outside the restaurant and Quentin saw them to a cab. Just as he waved them off he caught a glimpse of three slender figures that bobbed down the walkway across the street from him. He moved over to the shadows so he couldn't be seen once he recognized them. They're linked arm and arm as they laughed towards the entrance. Quentin's heart sank; their movements seemed to slow down in his mind. Lovie looked, no pun intended, virginal in a lethal mini dress of nude satin and lace. Her hair softly blew around her in tousled waves across her face. She looked more and more like Aphrodite every time he saw her. Havi was in a mini skirt and sheer dark blouse with the boots that her and Stelle share. Stelle was in a pink tube top with a silk pencil skirt and strappy heels. Before they went in, Lovie looked apprehensive about going in and she checked her phone one more time before she headed in. He'd almost forgotten totally that she tried to call earlier. As he moved across the street to go to the club, he fumbled with his phone. A car almost hit him before the honk scared him shitless and he hurried on his way. Her voice calmed his heart to regular beats as she stammered into his ear, "Hey Quentin, I-I-I just wanted to talk to you before I left...." There's a small pause and she cleared her throat then continued, "I want to talk about this morning but...o-oh I gotta go. I'll talk to you tomorrow." The last two sentences came out hurried and he could tell if it was because Havi and Stelle came into the room. He cursed under his breath as he looked up to the neon sign of the club. He looked at the marquee and groaned then nodded at the bouncer who promptly let him in.