Tease (Club Deep #1)

“Because most people who apply to work here want the staff discount on membership.” He shrugs. “It’s good motivation for them, and it makes most people work harder. You didn’t mention it in your interview. People almost always do.”

“You were at my interview?”

He shakes his head. “No. I spoke to Jared.”

Jared is the manager of the club who interviewed and hired me. “Oh.”

“I’m Cole,” he says, offering me his hand.

I take it, my hand dwarfed by the size of his. “Andrea. But you probably already knew that.”

His full smile is dazzling, almost glittering in the chaos of the club lights. “I hope you’re not too overwhelmed.”

“Well,” I laugh, “it’s a lot to take in when you think you’re working at a night club and it’s actually…” I don’t have the words to describe exactly what this place is.

“So much more than that,” Cole finishes for me. “My partners and I, we wanted a place where anyone could have their fantasy. Where anyone could come and safely be themselves, dig deep until they find out who they really are.”

Somehow over the course of the conversation we’ve gotten closer, so close now that I don’t even have to strain to hear him over the music. So close that we could be touching if either of us moved an inch. “Is that where the name comes from?”

“Yes.”

I shake my head. “I’ll be honest, I’m not sure how to feel about it.”

“You don’t have to be sure. We’re all about exploration here. If you need any help with that exploration, you be sure to let me know.”

He winks, and my breath goes still in my chest. My body warms with that same arousal that I felt upstairs. Oh yeah. They definitely need that rule about no sex on the clock. With men like Cole wandering around, no one would ever get anything done.

“Everything going all right so far? Even though it’s overwhelming?”

“Yes, Sir.”

His face grows serious, and I see a flash of something hot and dark in his eyes. “We’re relatively informal around here. All employees are free to call me Cole. But,” he says with a meaningful glance at me, “I very much enjoy being called ‘Sir.’”

I swallow, my mouth going dry under the intensity of his gaze. “I’ll remember that. Sir.”

Cole pulls away from me, and suddenly I can breathe again. “I’m sure I’ll see you soon,” he says with his mysterious smile.

“Yeah.”

It’s only after he’s gone from sight that I realize how stupid I must have sounded just then. ‘Yeah.’ Maybe something witty or flirtatious? No, you go with ‘yeah.’ I shake my head. This is why I’m single. Get it together, Andrea. I grab a bottle of water from behind the bar. There’s a fridge labeled ‘staff’ so I’m assuming it’s okay. I’m sure I’ll find out soon enough if it’s not.

I’m taking the last sip from the bottle when Rosie appears in front of me. “Did you finish the rooms?”

“Yes. Fully stocked. You were right, the orgy room needed the most.”

She smirks. “Yeah. You can see why.”

I laugh. “It’s a…quite the show.”

Rosie takes my empty bottle off the bar and tosses it in the recycle bin. “Right. Well, you have a new assignment. One of the owners wants you upstairs in the VIP lounge serving drinks to him and his guests.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, sometimes they prefer to have a dedicated waitress instead of just ringing down for drinks. I think the guests tonight are important, so it’s crucial that you make them feel special. Whatever they need, make sure they have it. Let me see your keycard?”

I give it to her, and she takes it to the monitor behind the bar. There’s some number tapping and she swipes the card before she hands it back to me. “The elevator for wait staff is back there.” She points to a darkened corner near the dressing room. “You’re looking for the blue room up there. That’ll let you swipe in. Get going. Told you you’d learn a lot on the job.”

I head towards the corner she pointed to, then turn back. “Rosie, you said one of the owners? Why would they request me?”