Beautician and the Beast Pt. 02

~*~*

ONE MONTH LATER

"So let me get this straight...your friends at the company took your photos over to some bondage bar and now they want to an auction off your work?" Estelle continued to scrub at her bathroom sink as Lovie worked the tub.

"Damn Stelly!"

"What?" Her voice rose in pitch.

"You don't have to sound so excited or proud or anything." Lovie snickered.

Estelle soon followed, "Of course I'm proud of you but it's not like I really get to share in your glory."

Lovie stood up in the tub, "What do you mean?"

"Loves...they're gonna auction this off at the club right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well that's not necessarily a friends and family approved place is it? What if someone tries me? I'd feel bad having to explain to them that it's not my scene on their territory."

Lovie laughed as she stepped from the tub. She decided to give up her loft and just help her sister with her rent as it was now a slow period with jobs on Estelle's end. Estelle was such a trip at times. In the past month Estelle adjusted well to her twin's crazy job and relationship but Lovie could tell her sister's mouth filled with blood from biting her tongue on a lot of things. Still and all, it was her silent thank you and gift to Lovie for being her only support system during her split with her ex-husband, Jeremy. Their family definitely didn't believe in divorce but the cherry on top was that they blamed Estelle for adding the fuel to the fire with her career choice. She only held her tongue because she'd actually had a chance to hang out with Quentin a couple of times and knew he was enamored to her sister. She just wondered if Lovie realized. Lovie stood next to Estelle with mirth in her eyes as they looked at each other in the mirror, "It's not like that. They'll have art enthusiasts from all walks of life there."

"So we can call momma and daddy and get them to pack up the silver bullet to come see your art debut?" Estelle matched her jollity.

"Hell no!" They both laughed at that but it was soon stopped by a alarm that sounded from the other room. "Oh that's my alarm." Lovie headed for the kitchen for a glass of water.

"Estelle stood in the doorway of the bathroom and called, "Speaking of 'alarms', has Quentin made any move towards warranting you having to ingest chemicals?"

Lovie rolled her eyes as she took her birth control out of her purse. Her and Quentin decided she'd go on it after their first rope scene. Estelle was a condom girl, and with good reason. "You sound like Cassie now. You only say it like that because you're allergic and..." She paused to swallow the small contraception and smiled, "No, he hasn't."

Estelle had moved to the office nook off from the den that faced the kitchen. As she sat at her desktop, she raised a brow over the computer screen. "Have you...talked to him about it?"

"Lovie sighed, "No but he knows I'm ready. I think he thinks he's going to scare me."

"Shut up, what?" Estelle laughed at their familiar term of endearment that they used to describe unbelievable situations.

"I think it's sweet! He told me he's never been with a virgin and this is as important to him as it is to me." After Estelle didn't answer back with some innocent snarky remark, Lovie moved deeper into the den. Estelle's face was on the screen but she had a sassy simper on her face. "What's that look for?"

Estelle stopped her clicking from her mouse and looked up, "You can't be that blind Loves. He's in love with you sweetie." Lovie looked as if someone just banged the liberty bell right next to her ear. She hadn't seen it because she was too busy falling herself. Quentin was like the sphinx sometimes but of course she had her suspicions. She just felt too embarrassed to ask him about it. Of course the last month and a half had been heaven for her but it also helped put her life in perspective. She had Quentin to thank for all that. She loved doing hair and makeup but her passion for photography suddenly took the driver's seat, which made her heart soar. She got the freedom in every aspect of her shoots and she was able to achieve any look she envisioned because she was behind it all down to the tiniest detail. A month and a half ago, her life sizzled out with a dead end job and contemplation of going back home. She couldn't have ever imagined any of this would happen.

Estelle's gasp knocked her from her reverie, "What's wrong?"

Lovie walked over as Estelle said, "I just clicked on this link in my e-mail...I-I thought it was a job oppor-." She didn't finish, as Lovie looked to the screen. Blood rushed to her ears, itchy tingles prickled her skin, and she suddenly was hotter than a crab bake. The only thing she saw after that was black as she passed out.

Chapter Ten

The door opened and very angry version of Lovie stood with hands on her lips and a fire-breathing pant coursed past her nostrils. Her brown eyes are the only things that helped him distinguish between the two. "Estelle," he breathed with a bit of relief and panic as he tried to look past her to the interior of the apartment. Estelle stayed at the door for a brief second as she contemplated letting him in or not, "Estelle, you called me here half out of your mind saying she fainted! Where is she? What's going on?"

"I know I called you but I'm starting to have second thoughts about a lot of things concerning you."

Before he had a chance to tell Estelle that whatever happened between him and her sister was their business, Lovie cleared her throat just behind the door. "Stelly, we talked about this," she said in a small voice.

She rolled her eyes as she turned from the frame and walked in the hall and let Quentin in the apartment. As they switched places, Estelle bumped Quentin in the shoulder. It only fazed him slightly as his main focus was on Lovie as she headed back to the sofa. He walked in deeper and took in her appearance; wet hair fell over her slender shoulders that slumped in her white tank top. She'd obviously taken a shower to shake the shock of something from her system. He was so confused at this point he was about to yell at them both but Estelle spoke first. "I'm going to pick up Cassie from the airport then I'm going to Cindy's to make sense of this all." Lovie quickly turned back to tell her sister to leave it be but the door was shut before one syllable was uttered.

This left them standing in the middle of the den. They stared for a moment before Lovie fidgeted and toed the rug. "Baby, please tell me what's going on?" His tone pleaded with her. When Estelle called his office and told him Lovie passed out from something he did he just hung up and he flew out the door. She looked as if she'd been crying with her swollen red eyes as well as her nose. She worried her quivering bottom lip with her teeth. In a small gesture, she pointed to the computer and went over to the sofa then plopped down. She put her head in her hands to try and soothe her shiver. When he got to the computer screen his confusion slid away while a cocktail of shock and rage filled his senses. The images of Lovie and him in the middle of various intimate encounters and training sessions danced across the screen with his company's banner supporting it. The site was a dummy so it seemed untraceable but he would tear the ends of the earth to find the person that did this. "What in the fuck!"

"Don't act like you didn't know." She laughed bitterly while she shook her head.

Quentin jumped when he realized she was there then the gravity of her words hit hard. His face contorted as he vehemently whispered, "You can't think I have anything to do with this do you?"

"Didn't you?" Her voice, quivered with uncertainty. He looked at her with such hurt that she knew instantly it wasn't him. Before he even came she knew it wasn't him. Even as Estelle ranted and raved about how it had to be, her heart and instincts wouldn't let her believe the man she'd fallen for was the culprit of this horrible betrayal.

He slowly made his way over to her but his phone stopped him mid-stride. He quickly viewed the info window and saw it was Eli. Three guesses as to what he wanted to talk about; he looked to Lovie, "It's Eli I have to take this...I'll be right back baby." She nodded as he made his way in the other room. Her psyche was so fragile at this moment she really didn't know what to do. Just as easily as her heart told her it wasn't him, her head screamed 'leave! He's using you like those fuckers in college.' Just the thought of him being as foul as those guys made her nauseated and heartbroken at the same time. She wanted some sort of normalcy now and where they'd go after that, she had no idea. There was no help in that with Quentin screaming in the other room. She couldn't hear the whole conversation but she did hear something of them shutting down the site. That made her feel doubly horrible with the thought of so many people not working on her account. She just closed her eyes and thought of a way out. Quentin walked back in the room in time to catch Lovie clutching a throw pillow like a teddy bear as tears spilled from her closed eyes. He slowly made his way to her and crouched in front, "Baby?"

In a startled stance she looked to him and tried to move but he held her put. She stared at him with a bit of contempt but his softening disposition made her want to melt in his arms. Instead she stared past his head at a focal point on the wall, "How did this happen."

"I promise you this will be dealt with." He moved her hair from her face as it stuck to her cheek. "I had nothing to do with this Lovie. You have to believe me. Someone planted cameras in my home and took the footage that was supposed to be uploaded last night out and put our time together on the new material list." Quentin rambled nervously as Lovie still hadn't made eye contact with him. "Sweetheart, you gotta know I wouldn't do this. You gotta know how I feel about you."

She finally looked into his pleading eyes, "No...no I don't."

His mouth went open to speak but nothing came out. He dragged a jittery hand through his hair and stood to sit next to her. "I-I..." He stopped to let out a huge sigh and she watched as he began to shake just as hard as her. Her bemusement got the best of her and turned in his direction. He followed suit and took her hands in his, "Olivia I love you. When I'm not around you I-I-I can't think straight, I don't feel right, and my heart beats slower. I crave to know more about you, yearn to learn how to make you smile. I'd die if this stopped us Lovie...just die!" He waited for her reaction and as every second ticked by his pulse raced a second faster.

She slowly met his gaze with a soft smile, "You...just told me you love me you realize."

He matched her mirth, "That I did."

"So where do we go from here?" She moved in closer to him and he caught a whiff of her freshly showered body.

She moved in equally close so that their mouths were millimeters apart, "Why do I feel like we're in 'The Mack' right now?" She softly chuckled as his hands did lazy circles on her exposed thighs. God, how did this man have the power to make her feel as if she lived in a world of marshmallows and cocoa rivers? When in reality, things got complicated everywhere she turned. When she got out of her cold shower she only put on a stretched wife beater and fitted red booty shorts. He looked done slightly at her semi-undress. He stood her up and placed her in his lap, "does this mean you believe me? Do you believe that I'd never hurt you like that?" He made her look at him by pulling her chin towards his face. She nodded solemnly before he caught her lips between his. His tongue speared the crease and gained entrance with ease to her sweetness. They both groaned in each others' mouths as Lovie turned to straddle him. She broke the seal for a moment to help him out of his suit jacket and tie, "Lovie?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?" His voice shook with jovial nervousness.

"What do you mean?" She countered nonchalantly once she began with his shirt buttons.

He stilled her hand, "Baby we can't."

In a huff, she moved to get off him but he held her hips, "We can still do stuff."

"That's just it Quentin!" She threw her hands up, "I don't want to just 'do stuff'; I want to make love with you." The last part came out in a pout.

He grinned at her as she tried to wiggle against his grasp. He could feel the heat of her pussy scorch his erection and gave her bottom a light tap to get her to stop. She looked to him with a warned look and he finally caught the meaning, "I'm sorry sweetie, it's out of habit. We won't do anymore scenes." Her eyes left his to note concede but her brow stayed knitted together. "It just doesn't seem like the right time, ya know? I mean in the midst of what's happened I feel like I've let you down." She met his gaze with softened eyes, "I have to get to the bottom of this."

"I guess you're right," her voice small again. He hated when she sounded like that and hated even more when he was the cause. He pulled her into him and consumed her sadness with his mouth to hers. He replaced it with an ignited wave of fiery passion that she lit for him just as heavy. She stopped them this time, "Okay, you can't get me all worked uh-aahh!" Her words were cut short as he sneaked his hand to the crotch of her shorts. He was pleased to find that she didn't have any panties on. His thumb worked her button while his index and middle finger caressed her clothed folds. She whimpered and tilted her head back, which gave him better access to her neck. He traced tiny swirls from her collarbone up to the hollow columns and savored the feel of her shivering form as it writhed in his lap. "Que-...tin...please!"

"'Please stop' or 'please don't stop'?" He growled next to her ear before he enveloped the lobe between his teeth. She shuddered harder and at the same time a rush of heat met his fingers that fervently rubbed at her hotbox. Lovie's answer was just a moan of uncertainty. She was close to eruption and he knew it. One look in his eyes said he wasn't going to stop so she allowed him more leeway by adjusting her legs wider on either side of him, "that's it baby. Let me make you feel better. I missed that angelic face. That Lovely angelic face that you get when I send you to the heavens." He relished her orgasmic face and loved it even more when she was directly in front of him. Soon her moans transitioned into full on passionate cries. His cock strained in his pants and stirred like Frankenstein's monster when she threw her head back. His own pinnacle snuck up on him with a force that matched her intensity seconds after hers hit. He hadn't even realized how turned on he'd gotten but wasn't surprised. All the ingredients were there; the aromatic scent of her excitement, the sensual gyrating of her inflamed body, and all this administered by the woman he loved. When her desire soaked eyes finally focused on him, he was still in the middle of his release. With one final grunt, he gently moved her from his lap and went to the bathroom to clean himself up. When he came back, she stood with her back towards him and she was stiff again. "Baby you okay?"

He didn't need an answer as he saw Estelle at the entrance of the kitchen. She was obviously still pissed and opened her mouth to chew on his ass some more but Lovie spoke first. "Stelly," her tone warned.

Estelle narrowed her vision at Quentin and went back in the kitchen. "I'm so glad you guys worked it out." The venom in her voice wasn't lost on anyone.

Lovie turned to him as she rolled her eyes and whispered, "She heard us in the hall and waited until we were done before she came back. She spoke to Cindy on the phone and I don't know what she told her about you but it wasn't in the highest regard."

Quentin sighed with the thought of his two options. He could tell Estelle and Cindy where they could shove their comments that regarded him or he could get Estelle back on his side by good ole fashioned charm that he knew he was capable of. One look to Lovie and he knew the latter was his choice, "Should I say something?"

"Maybe you shouldn't, she's upset now."

"I think I should," he said before he stepped around Lovie to go to the kitchen. She tried to pull him back but evaded her grasp and gave her a confident smile. He stood in the frame, "Estelle?" She turned with a 'what tha hell do you want' look that scared him. He'd seen it from her sister and knew what it could do, "I just want to say..."

"What? You want to say that my sister's in safe hands with you? Tell me she won't end up on your site again? Better yet tell me that you love her?"

His jaw tightened and clicked in his face as he held on to her hurtful tone. He glanced back at Lovie who now had her hands up in a pleading motion. Estelle was right, he was going to say something a long those lines but now, "You know Estelle..." He paused and his statement hung in the air for a moment so that everyone in the room would get the gravity of what was to come next. "I know we haven't known each other for long so what I'm about to say may not have much weight to it but despite what you may think or have heard I am a honorable man. I do love your sister and she will never be on my site again. This situation has never happened before and I'll do everything in my power to make sure it won't happen again. I understand that she's your family and that means you have no need to give me the benefit of the doubt but I'm going to ask for it anyway." Her eyes slacked a bit but her mouth stayed put so he continued, "I'll do anything it takes to regain not only her trust but yours as well.

"You're right...what you say doesn't have any weight with me." Estelle jeered at him and he could hear Lovie's audible sigh through the partition of the kitchen over the sink. Quentin understood the comment to be snarky and a sign of her unwillingness to believe him but Lovie knew better. Lovie knew her sister could have said or even done more, but the mere fact that she didn't let Lovie know Quentin's good ole fashioned charm still worked to crack her sister's tough exterior.

That was it; no one could say he didn't try. "Fair enough," he said as he turned back to Lovie. "I have to go back to my place and put in new security and find the cameras." Estelle made a 'humph' noise as Lovie walked him to the door.

Lovie silently closed the door and counted the seconds until Estelle started in. It took all of five, "You know you look like a puppy wanting for its master to return when you sit there like that." Estelle continued with her dinner ritual as Lovie joined her in silence to help. "I don't like this Loves."

"I know you don't like it but that's just it...you."

Estelle dropped the skillet on the stove a little too hard, "What the fuck has he done to you? He has you brainwashed or something! Look I was all for this in the beginning because I thought this would be good for you to let loose a little but since I've talked to Cindy, I'm sure he's behind all this!"

"I'm not brainwashed and Cindy isn't the best judge on the subject..."

"Why not? Because she isn't getting you all hot and bothered like he does, or better yet because she doesn't spout off how she loves you just to finally get a piece!"

Lovie whirled around to the brown-eyed version of herself, "Shut up Estelle! Just shut the fuck up!" Estelle gasped as Lovie never cursed at her siblings in anger. "Now you're just going a bit too far." She closed in on her sister so that they were just paces from each other, "I believe that he loves me because he shows it every time we're together..." Estelle opened her mouth to interrupt but Lovie continued, "Yes it could of all been an act but why would it be for this long?"