For a single mom juggling a small business, 'perfectionist' wasn't a personality quirk, it was a vital and necessary survival tactic. Time became a finite, precious resource to be meticulously managed. Schedules weren't just routines, they were lifelines. Any disruption was met with a deep internal sigh, and sometimes, more often than not, a more audible one.

  Noon. The digital clock on the wall mirrored the one in her head. Maya's highlights were right on schedule. Lifting the foil, the warm, honeyed tones underneath made her smile. "Perfect," she announced, her enthusiasm genuine. "Come on, Maya, let's get that rinsed."

  "Eek! I'm so excited, but also terrified," Maya confessed, her voice a little shaky, the vulnerability common in first-time color clients. "Promise I won't look like I stuck my head in a vat of pure bleach?"

  "Babes, trust me," she reassured her, her voice firm. "You're going to look incredible.”

  The tranquil sound of the water filling the basin was shattered by the groan of the front door. Her little two-chair salon suite, Shear Perfection – Tessa's and her carefully curated escape – had just had its peaceful afternoon invaded. Her internal schedule gave a dramatic, silent scream.

  "Be right there! Sorry, one-woman show today," she called out, her focus still on the soothing circles of her fingertips on Maya's scalp. Years of practice allowed her to multitask, but this unexpected arrival threw a wrench in her perfectly timed gears. She gave a slight nod towards the waiting area, featuring a worn loveseat but a perpetually well-stocked coffee station. "Help yourself to something to drink, have a seat."

  "No problem," a low but soft, resonant male voice replied. Intrigued, she finally looked up from Maya's sudsy head and found herself locked in an unexpectedly intense gaze. Tall, with brown skin and soft eyes, this man exuded a quiet but confident sexiness. He'd taken a seat on the loveseat and was already scrolling through his phone, radiating an aura of calm amidst her internal chaos.

  Her hands continued to work the conditioner through Maya's hair, a practiced motion that required zero thought. Meanwhile, her brain was doing a full system reboot. Hello, stranger. There was a suave quality about him, a subtle, potent kind of sexy that made you forget you were elbow-deep in someone else's wet hair.

  Okay, Maya out in maybe forty-five? Could she possibly...? Her mind flicked to the usual lunchtime Loudoun tech guys and their slightly overgrown hair. Her gaze drifted back to the stranger. She wanted to take her time with him…

  She gently swirled the towel around Maya's head, creating a surprisingly chic, if temporary, hair sculpture. "Just one sec, love," she murmured, her eyes already drawn back to the magnetic pull of the waiting area.

  "Hi, I'm Lea," she offered, extending a hand that felt suddenly clumsy. Her inner monologue was screaming Maintain composure! Salon owner face ON! "What can I do for you today?"

  "Lea," his voice wrapped around her name like warm velvet. The gentle pressure of his hand clasping hers sent an unexpected jolt, a spark that zipped down her spine and landed with a rather decisive thump somewhere south of her waist. Pesky butterflies? More like a full-blown aerial show.

  He gestured to his thick, obsidian hair, a little wild around the edges and sprinkled with slivers of grey, hinting at a captivatingly untamed nature. “I'm Javi. I need a haircut."

  Her professional facade wavered for a millisecond. "Well, Javi," she managed, her voice perhaps a touch breathier than strictly necessary. "You've come to the right place." Her gaze flickered over the unruly strands, already envisioning the possibilities. "Unfortunately, I can't squeeze in another service right this moment without making her wait, and that wouldn't be fair to either of you."

  She offered a genuine, apologetic smile, trying to keep her focus on his deep brown eyes rather than the way his hand had felt in hers.

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  "Ah, a woman in high demand," he said, his voice laced with a teasing charm before settling into an understanding nod. His gaze snagged hers, held it a beat too long, like he was seeing something he liked. That little spark from before? It had been fanned into a flame.

  "However," she continued, leaning slightly forward, "I’d really like to get you in.” She let that hang in the air for a second. “Your hair definitely deserves the Shear Perfection touch.” She resisted the urge to reach out and touch the unruly strands. "How about this? Let me give you my number. Text me a good day and time that works for you, and I'll find a slot in my schedule." Her fingers brushed his as she placed the card in his hand, a deliberate, tiny linger.

  A slow, knowing smile spread across Javi's face, the kind that hinted at late nights and maybe a little delicious trouble. It sent a playful shiver dancing down her spine. "Perfect, Lea," her name swirled in his mouth like it was a particularly tasty treat. He took the card, his thumb tracing the embossed "Shear Perfection" with a deliberate, almost suggestive slowness.

  She watched him go, a soft smile playing on her lips. Well, that was an unexpected little shake-up to her perfectly planned day. She turned back to Maya, who was still patiently waiting, the towel a soft crown on her head.

  "Alright, my gorgeous almost-blonde," she said, her voice a little softer than usual as she approached her chair. "Ready to unveil the magic?" She gently unwrapped the towel, focusing her attention to combing the tangles out of her hair, but the lingering warmth of Javi's gaze and easy smile were still flickering in her mind.

  Lea was in the carpool line to pick up her son, Liam, from school. In a sea of minivans and SUVs, her small hatchback Ford Focus somehow stood out. She looked at the clock on her dash. 2:57pm. Right on schedule. Liam would be rushing through those doors in just a few minutes. Lea pulled out her phone and opened her messaging app to text her best friend, Tessa.

  Lea: OMG I have to tell you about this guy I met today! ??

  The dismissal bell rang, and a sea of children filtered through the door. Lea scanned for Liam, but didn’t see him. Please don’t be late today, buddy. She felt her phone buzz.

  Tessa: When did you have time to meet a guy?

  Lea: Right, I was slammed with appointments all day. One woman show and all that jazz?

  Lea: I was elbow deep in suds and a walk-in comes in. And he was... ?? wow. He was tall, gorgeous brown skin, soft eyes that just kind of locked onto mine. He had this quiet, confident thing going on. Totally threw me off my game while I was rinsing Maya.

  Tessa: He sounds like your type, girl. So, did he need a crazy color correction or something?

  Lea: Nope. Just a haircut. Thick, dark hair, a little wild. And when he said his name... Javi. His voice was like velvet.

  Tessa: Javi? Ooh, exotic! Did you work your magic on him right then and there?

  Lea: I couldn’t, my schedule was jam packed and I can’t be late picking up Liam. I gave him my card and told him to text me a good day and time. Our fingers brushed when I handed it over. Little spark action happening!

  Lea looked at the clock. It was already 3:10pm. The initial rush had thinned to a trickle, the other parents already peeling away. A knot of worry tightened in her chest. Where was Liam?

  Tessa:?? Oooh get it. Has he sent a message yet?

  Lea: No ?? But he gave me this slow, knowing smile... like he knew exactly what was going on. And let me tell you this: his voice when he said my name? Girl… ??

  The memory of Javi's voice, that soft velvet tone that had settled so low within her, was unforgettable. It was a phantom caress vibrating through her body that left her feeling both undone and aroused. Her thoughts drifted to the way his hands might move, the places they might linger. A warmth bloomed between her legs with a subtle ache of longing. She imagined him whispering her name, his breath hot against her ear, with unspoken promises that made her shift in her seat.

  “Mom!” The passenger side door swung open, jarring her from her increasingly vivid reverie. There was her seven-year-old son Liam, all full of energy and a mop of blonde hair, climbing into the back seat of the car.

  “Baby!” Lea beamed a smile at her son, her body relaxing slightly, though a lingering trace of that earlier tension remained. "I missed you! But why are you late? Soccer practice, remember?" She shifted the car into drive, joining the slow-moving line, her mind still half-lost in the encounter at the salon, replaying the memory of Javi's smile.

  "You know that lizard book from the library? Ms. Johnson had another one I had to borrow. I had to go all the way to her room, and then she wanted to show me her newt!"

  As she arrived at the soccer field for Liam’s practice, Lea's phone buzzed. Not Tessa, as she'd expected. A thrill shot through her.

  555-901-2938: Hey, it's Javi.

  Her heart skipped, a rush of heat flooding her chest.