Draw Me In by Regina Cole Regina Cole

ready to start on her now.” Roger was poking his head out from behind the metal door.
    I pushed myself to my feet. “Sure.” Grabbing my water and shoving my cell back into my pocket, I followed Roger back into the fray. I’d call Mom after work today. Hopefully, the call would connect, and I’d get some good advice and some reassurance. If nothing else, I kinda just wanted to hear my mother’s voice.
    After grabbing Roger’s paperwork, I took over from Neill, who had yet another customer. I found my gaze following him as he led the laughing girl into his studio. Jealousy rose in my throat, bitter as bile. I shook my head determinedly. Nope, not going there. I’d bury my attention in my work and not think about him working on her skin.
    More checking in, more forms, more customers; some were polite and easy to deal with, while others made me want to scream, they were so obnoxious.
    By the time six o’clock rolled around, I was exhausted and just a little bit cranky. Arranging stacks of paperwork into piles to be filed the next evening, I glanced up to see Neill turning the lock.
    “Hey,” he said in a soft voice. His eyes were drawn, wary. “I’m really sorry about today. Normally, Sundays are kind of slow. I’m not sure what the deal was today. Did it go okay for you?”
    I paused halfway through shutting the filing cabinet drawer. A lot had happened today, but I’d gotten through it. After clicking the drawer shut, I turned to Neill and shoved my hands in my pockets. “I’m not really sure. There was a lot to deal with.”
    My honest answer seemed to sail right into him like a bullet. His shoulders fell as he leaned harder against the counter. “I know. I did a shit job. I should have pushed some of those people off till next week and stayed up here with you.” He stared straight into my eyes, making my breath stick in my throat. “But you seemed so confident, so cheerful. I should have known you’d never let on when you’re being overwhelmed. You’re too nice.”
    I nodded slowly, glancing away. “I should have been more up front with you.”
    Neill gave a sad laugh as he shook his head. “No way is this your fault. I’m just not used to being the boss. When Karl comes back, he’s going to kick my ass for this, and rightly so.”
    “Karl?” I asked, tilting my head in question as I moved closer to Neill. “Who’s that?”
    “He’s the other half-owner of Sinful Skin. He’s kind of . . . Well, he’s my mentor and my friend. Helped me out a lot, made me his apprentice when I was just a kid.” Neill shoved his hand through his hair, the shaggy mass falling back into the same position when his fingers left it. “Hiring you was kind of my first official act on my own, and I kind of fucked it up.”
    And there it is. I winced. “So hiring me was a mistake?”
    “No!” Neill rushed around the counter, grabbing both of my hands and staring into my eyes. “No way. You were awesome today. I had a few people comment on how nice you were to them. It’s the way I treated you. With Tasha gone, I should have stayed close by.”
    I stood stock-still, looking up into Neill’s eyes. He was holding my hands, both of them, so tightly. His body was close. He was tall, but maybe if I tilted my chin upward, let my eyes slide closed, leaned in to him just a bit . . .  
    He bent to me, and the brush of his lips against mine was so quick I thought maybe I’d imagined it. A flash like a camera’s lit behind my closed lids and fire blessed my lips. But then it was over.
    He dropped my hands suddenly. “I’m sorry. Listen, can I make it up to you? Maybe dinner or something?”
    I swayed where I stood. What was that? He kissed me and just as quickly moved on?
    I couldn’t do this. My reason came crashing back. No way . I wasn’t sure I could do this job, and getting involved with Neill would make that decision even more difficult. Besides, relationships didn’t work. I had more proof of that than most