Synopsis: A guy is hypnotized to prevent sexual arousal by women other than his wife. When he falls in love with another girl, trouble begins...

 

An Ounce of Prevention...

by Cleo Girlie

Chapter 6. Kissing Buddies.

 

Derek closed his eyes. His chest went up and down with deep breathing as Maddie started combing hair strands across his neck and shoulders. He felt the comb going in, pulling carefully through his hair when suddenly Maddie stopped. His breath held within, he opened his eyes and saw her looking right at him, standing before him, her face filled with concern.

"Are you ok?" Maddie's voice came out a bit too high-pitched than normal. She truly was worried now.

"I… I'm fine… I was just…" Derek looked at her questioningly.

"I thought you stopped breathing… you were so quiet and didn't say anything" Maddie said smiling. Her hand came up to caress his cheek.

Without thought, Derek's eyes closed when Maddie's hand touched his face, he let loose a lone breath, a sigh actually. His mind was racing, and Maddie's touch just helped to calm him down a bit. He was excited, and scared. He didn't know what Maddie intended to do with his hair and whatever style she meant to create for him, he'd better be ready to deal with, before it actually takes shape.

"I'm a bit… scared, actually…" Derek's voice cracked softly.

"Scared?" Maddie expected something like this, so she kept her hand on Derek's cheek and looked straight into his eyes, trying to let him know that she was there for him, whatever his troubles may be. Somehow, she was attracted to Derek, not necessarily in a physical sexy way, but… more in a sisterly way perhaps. She felt drawn to Derek's sorrow about his wife, of course, but now… things have somehow changed. She was not going to let this chance escape her, Derek's hair needed a long overdue trim, and now, she was going to give it to him whether he liked it or not, she just hoped he would like it because if he did, it would be wonderful for both of them.

"Come on, there's nothing to be scared of, really!" Maddie put the scissors down now, and the comb, right on Robert's desk. Stepping closer to the desk, she took out a piece of paper from a desk drawer.

"See? Look at this" Maddie was handing him a diploma, it looked official with gold and silver letters.

"The Maurice Fiorio Beauty Academy…?" Derek read out loud.

"You are… a stylist? A real hairstylist??" His eyes grew wide and he was blushing before either one of them said anything else. Maddie just smiled and nodded.

"I work here with Robert just because I want to save up enough to start my own place."

 

"But… you could work anywhere! I saw what you did with Michelle's hair and…" Derek stopped his mouth in time. Before his lips added something that would betray how much he truly wanted to let Maddie experiment with styling his own longish hair.

"…and you want to see what I can do with yours?" Maddie's big grin let him know she easily caught on to what he was secretly hoping for. He slowly nodded, blushing even more.

"It's exciting, isn't it?" Her voice was softer now, quieter. Derek felt he could not lie. Maddie was sometimes so much like… Joyce. Or maybe she was like he sometimes wanted Joyce to be?

"Yes" He admitted. It was exciting to have her work on his hair, even the brushing was affectionate in ways he wished Joyce would be with him. Here he was, with another woman who was… flirting with him? No, this did definitely not feel like flirting. This was something else… totally new to him. It was more like Maddie was his sister. That's it! Maddie was like the sister he never had, maybe his big sister. Did this mean he actually wanted Joyce to behave in a sisterly way with him?

Maddie saw Derek's face change with his evident emotions. He seemed confused now, lost in thought. She quickly put down her diploma. Her hand picked up the thin long comb, passed in front of Derek's face all in one smooth motion, the comb entering his hair and drawing it over his forehead. Derek was trying to look at her through his hair as the scissors cut a precise line right across his face, just below his eyebrows. He had bangs now.

"I'm so glad you shampooed and conditioned your hair this morning."

"I…" Derek was lost for words. How should a guy respond when a woman who is styling his hair gives him a nice set of feminine bangs and expresses gratitude for him washing his hair in a… well, quite a fussy way?

"You don't know how many men just wash their hair with soap… take Robert for instance…" Maddie was talking a bit faster now, her voice expressing honest displeasure with the way men were washing their hair; or was she just trying to keep his mind off her hands as they worked all around his face, cutting his hair with slow deliberate movements. Clearly, she knew what she was doing. The scissors moved around his face as if they alone knew the master plan of how his hair should be styled, but she was the architect, and Derek, his hair was… the sculpture.

Maddie moved behind Derek now, gathering his hair in several bunches on top of his head. Clips appeared as if from nowhere. A big yellow hairclip caught his hair in an unfamiliar grip. Never, in his entire life, had Derek experienced this. Having his hair caught and held by hairclips was completely new as were the bangs across his face. When his eyes looked up, he could actually see the tips of hair dangling over his eyebrows, as if daring him to deny his hair was looking more and more feminine with every cut of the scissors.

Expertly, Maddie undid one clip and secured another long hair strand with it now. Working on the loose strands, she combed them first, to their full length. Then compared several strands against another group of strands. Happy with the length, she then proceeded to cut a precise line across the strands in her grip. This process, duplicated all around Derek's head, made his hair more defined with each cut.

Then, Maddie did something to his hair that felt weird and exciting. She undid all the clips, and then gathering all his hair at the back, she twisted it and re-clipped it against the back of his head. The hair on the sides, from around his ears was gathered and swept back into the hairclip. The only loose strands of hair were two long strands, one on each side of his face, on his cheeks. Maddie paid special attention to these two hair strands. Keeping them long but somehow still cutting at them.

Before Derek could even ask about the new sensation at the back of his head. Maddie let all his hair loose and combed her fingers through it, gently forcing him to tilt his head a bit forward. Clearly, she was in control, and knew what she was doing, so Derek let her bend his head forward and proceed with massaging his scalp.

"How does this feel?" Maddie's voice came from afar. Derek's eyes were closed, his breath steady and slow. He was quite relaxed under her touch.

"Mmm hmmm…?" was the only response from him.

She still hasn't decided what to do about his sideburns. The style she gave him could hardly be considered manly, but he could always wear his hair in a tail, slick his bangs back and pass as a man. Although, if she removed his sideburns, he would look so much more feminine… so cute!

He was motionless apart from his breathing. He just sat there and let her work. Why not remove his sideburns while he's still letting her style his hair? Certainly a girl wouldn't want ugly sideburn to ruin her new hairstyle, right?

Maddie loosened his hair and gently swept it to the left. A low buzz sounded near his right ear and he felt a something tickle his skin. Before Derek could respond in any way, his hair was swept again, this time to the right, while the buzzing sound now came from near his left ear. He realized his sideburns were gone when it was too late to do anything to save them.

"My… what… Maddie!!!" Derek was trying to protest the loss of his sideburns but Maddie's fingers on the crown of his head made him stop talking, and bend his head forward. She indeed was in control now, of the situation, and evidently, of him as well. Without a word, Maddie gathered and swept some of his hair from the sides and crown, twisted it and gently but firmly secured it to his head with two pins crossed one on top of the other, the top-front of his hair felt funny now. It felt, big… puffy.

Maddie was now doing something even more unfamiliar to Derek's hair. She held a group of hair strands in one hand, then brought it over and under another group, then weaved in a third… she was braiding his hair now! He was just speechless now. Shocked with himself more than with Maddie, after all, she was a professional hairstylist, she was supposed to style hair, and to style long hair in feminine long hairstyles. He was the one out of place in this picture. He was a guy, getting his hair trimmed in a layered haircut, and now, French-braided to boot!

Maddie was finally done, and was looking for a mirror when the door opened. Both Maddie and Derek turned their heads to look at Robert as he came in and closed the door behind him. Robert's shocked gasp made it quite obvious that Derek looked very different now. Derek almost did not need a mirror, but looking at one would at least let his imagination have some peace and not run wild with speculation.

Robert recomposed himself and presented Maddie with two hand-held mirrors, then turned and left the room without another word.

"Do you think he's mad at me?" Derek's eyes were suddenly filled with tears as he looked up at Maddie.

"What???" Maddie blinked in surprise. Immediately rushing to Derek's side with compassion.

"Honey, why would Robert be mad at you? You did nothing wrong!"

"I… let you… My hair…" Derek couldn't finish, his words stuck in his throat.

"Your hair is just beautiful sweetie, I swear!" Maddie exclaimed. "Look for yourself" she said as she gave Derek the smaller mirror.

He held it with shaking hands, turned it so the shining surface would reflect his face. His breath stopped, his eyes grew very wide as they practically darted from his new bangs to the puffy part on the top-front of his head. Maddie did not lie, his hair was… beautiful. Now, he could also see the back of his French Braid, as Maddie held the other mirror at the back of his head. It was a short French Braid, but it definitely looked pretty. Feminine, of course, and very becoming. The whole style was simple perhaps, but very elegant and flattering to his face. Those two hair strands which received so much of Maddie's attention were now gently caressing the sides of his face, swishing over his cheeks and ears where his sideburns used to be, whenever he moved his head. His new bangs completed the picture, gently puffing over his eyebrows. Maddie has done all this without her blow-dryer, without curlers, or any special products. All she had to work with was his hair, which was shampooed and conditioned before leaving the house…

The house… the Drylures… how could Derek go home like this? Things looked pretty bad now to Derek. His hair was a work of beauty now, but how can he face anyone like this? Letting the small mirror fall to his lap, Derek sat and cried now, feeling miserable. His thoughts raced between being too frightened to appear in public with such a beautifully feminine hairstyle, and feeling sorry that he would have to take down his hair and try to appear masculine in public.

Maddie was totally surprised seeing Derek crying again. She tried to hug him, but this time, he was actually inconsolable. Maddie tried to get Derek to raise his face from his hands and talk to her, but Derek kept his face hidden from her, almost as if he is upset with her for what she did to him, but how would that be possible when moments ago, he was visibly delighted to see his new do'? She left the room and went to get Robert, leaving Derek to his tears.

Derek's shoulders were shaking and his sobbing was soft and quiet when Robert entered the room and closed the door. Both men were alone now. Robert still could not believe how beautiful Derek's hair looked now. It was just not fair. Robert was older than Derek by one, maybe two years, and where Derek had a full head of hair, now beautifully styled, Robert's hair was all but gone!

Totally confused by Derek's crying, Maddie tried to explain to her brother that Derek was crying but she could not even get him to tell her why. Robert instinctively felt that Derek was not thinking things in a manly sort of way. How could he with his hair in a French Braid?

Kneeling down, Robert gently took Derek's hands in his. Surprisingly, that did the trick. Derek stopped crying, partly because there was a man kneeling in front of him, holding his hands in his, and partly because he was scared to death of having Robert even see him with his hair like this.

"…what's wrong?" Robert didn't even know how to continue.

"…I, my… hair… and… going home… and Maddie did…"

"Shhhhhh… don't worry, its going to be alright… I promise" Robert looked into Derek's eyes and smiled. It was a warm honest smile. Somehow, Derek's face seemed very young with his hair the way it was now styled. The bangs… the perky hair strands framing his face… his sideburns gone… everything about Derek's hairstyle made him look more… vulnerable, younger… feminine.

Derek stopped crying now, but his eyes expressed sheer terror! First, his hair is femininely styled, and now… another man is comforting him. Seeing the look in Derek's eyes, Robert just responded, without thought and out of compassion alone, and without regard to the consequences of his action, his lips found Derek's and they both kissed!

Robert was the first to break the kiss. Derek's face was… blank. It was as if Derek wasn't there, or perhaps what was left of Derek was just his body, his spirit, gone. Robert stood up in panic now. He has kissed a man… a man! But… Derek looked so… feminine now, even without makeup, or breasts… or…

"Is he ok?" Maddie's voice came as she opened the door.

Robert shook his head, thankful that at least his sister did not see the kiss. Robert looked at Derek again, his eyes drawn to Derek's lips, which were pressed on his own lips only a moment ago.

"I think he's in shock Madlaine." Robert seldom called her that. Only when things were very serious. Now, was such a time, things were serious and something had to be done, and quick.

  

  

  

*********************************************
© 2004 by Cleo Girlie. All Rights Reserved. These documents (including, without limitation, all articles, text, images, logos, and compilation design) may be printed for personal use only. No portion of these documents may be stored electronically, distributed electronically, or otherwise made available without the express written consent of StorySite and the copyright holder.