with this makeup and this camera and let me seduce her.
But I promised, and she’s wanted to make this video for years.
Besides, once this is done, I can take her back to bed.
With a sigh, I back off. “Sorry. I got carried away.”
But when I glance at her, I’m not sorry. Not only does she still look glowingly sated but now she looks freshly kissed. Her lips are red and just a bit swollen.
Despite the fact she doesn’t have on a shred of makeup and she’s wearing a prim V-neck blouse in girlish pink, along with another pair of my basketball shorts all curled up at the waist, I can’t remember a time she’s ever looked more beautiful.
Fuck. I really am in love. Just like that. I didn’t even know this woman two days ago. Now I can’t imagine my life without her.
I’ve got to convince her to stay…somehow.
“Usually I like it when you do.” She winks. “But work first. Then…”
“Play?” I drawl.
“We have all night,” she points out.
“Hell yeah!”
“But you have to do a whole face. A real face. Well, your best attempt, anyway.”
“Shit.” I shrug. “You asked for it.”
She digs out a few more products from the boxes lining the wall, away from the camera, then drops them into their appropriate plastic bins. “There. That’s everything I have with me.”
“You have more than this?”
“At home? Oh, yeah.”
“How much more?” Because this is already a metric shit ton.
“I have a whole beauty room and its closet, plus more in my bathroom, and I keep some overflow in my guest bathroom, too.” She shakes her head. “Let’s just say my apartment is half makeup and leave it there.”
Whoa. Okay, that’s a lot, but it’s her business. If I can convince her to stay, we’re going to need another place to live. She’ll need a dedicated studio and office. And I’d love a house with more bedrooms for the—hopefully—brothers and sisters we’ll give Ranger someday.
You’ve lost your mind, buddy. But for once, I’m on board.
“Stop. You’re frightening me,” I tease her.
She tsks at me and play-swats at my arm. “Stand next to me. I’m going to start the camera. We’re going to introduce you to everyone, so be nice. Then I’ll let you pick the items you’re going to put on my face, one from each bin, got it?”
“Is it too late to back out?”
“Yes.” She giggles and reaches for the camera. “Then you’ll put it on my face however you think it goes, using whatever tools you think you need—”
“Tools?”
She gestures to the right side of my desk. “Brushes or sponge of your choice. Fingers work, too.”
“I do like to use my fingers.” I grin, mostly to cover the fact I’m clueless. She’s probably going to look like a horror-movie clown when I’m finished.
Masey wags a finger at me. “Nothing below the neck on camera. We covered that. Mostly, smile and do your best, ’k?”
“Sure. I hope you remember your sense of humor when I’m done.”
With a light laugh, she reaches over to start the camera, then waves and does her usual intro. “What’s up, everyone? Welcome back! Today, I have an extra special treat. I might be a few years late on this, but…” She draws in a deep breath, and her smile lights up my world. “Today, I’ll be completing the Boyfriend-Does-My-Makeup Challenge. A lot of you have asked how I’m doing since my split with Thom. Thank you! From the bottom of my heart, your caring means the world to me. If you’re a newer subscriber and you’re lost, um…welcome. If you want to catch up or you need a refresh to understand what I’m talking about, my ex and I split up ten months ago after a decade. Long, ugly story, but I’ll link the breakup video in the description box below. Anyway, you asked when I would start dating again. And…I am. As many of you know, I’m in Maui on vacation. And this is Trace.”
I wave. “Aloha, everyone.”
It feels really weird talking to an inanimate camera and getting no immediate feedback, but it seems totally normal to Masey, so I play along.
“This is new for both of us, but we’re having a good time together while I’m here in his home state. And since he’s a great sport, he’s agreed to fulfill my wish to complete the Boyfriend-Does-My-Makeup Challenge. And he promises it will be horrible.”