“I don’t fucking care! He’s a paying customer! It’s about fucking time she starts doing the private dances anyway.” His voice wound down as he finished.
“I told you I don’t do those. You knew that when you hired me.” The snap in Evelyn’s voice had him wanting to cheer out loud. He was glad to see his woman wasn’t a push over.
Tightening his grip on her, he looked at Hardy over his shoulder, telling him, “No more private dances, or she’s done.” The dark timber of his voice brooked no room for argument.
The indecision was clear on the other man’s face as he pondered his response before telling Case and Ev, “Fine. But only if he,” he pointed to Case, “doesn’t come here anymore. He’s banned from this club for as long as you’re employed.”
“Not fucking likely. She was in trouble here, and your bouncer couldn’t even get in. Like fuck I’ll trust you with her safety.” He felt like he was breathing fire he was so mad.
“Take it or leave it,” the other man countered.
“Leave it,” Casey growled tossing Evelyn over his shoulder, no longer caring if she’d be mad as hell at him for essentially quitting her job for her.
“Wait!” Hardy called before they even cleared the door of the private room. “She can stay. No more private dances. You can come in as long as you aren’t scaring off customers or demanding all of her time.”
Fuck, he knew that offer was as good as he’d get. “Fine,” he put her down before she nailed him in a crucial spot with her nearly well-aimed kicks.
Hardy, the bouncer, and the dancer walked away leaving them alone for a few minutes. As soon as they cleared the door, Ev let him have it. “Who the hell do you think you are? I barely know more than your name! You think you can dictate where I work or what I do at that job, you self-righteous, entitled asshole!”
“Calm down, Kitten.” He had to force himself not to laugh at how adorable she was all worked up. “I knew he wasn’t going to let you go. First off, you bring in more customers than any other girl in this joint. The amount of lap dances happening while you’re on stage and then after you’re done is disgustingly high. You bring him big bucks; he won’t lose you. Second, you have an amazing ability to move sensually to any music. It drives me fucking nuts that other men see it. Then again, I’m so enthralled with the way you get lost in the beat that I can’t take my eyes off your delectable body so I get it.”
She looked star-struck. Maybe stunned. Like she was shocked anyone could possibly see her that way. Then it hit him. She had men staring at her more hours in a day than not. Of course, she doesn’t know what she does to them. They come here horny, not for the girl behind the pole. They just want the good time.
Holding a hand over his heart, he reached out to her with the other one, pledging, “On behalf of mankind everywhere, I apologize for every raging cock past, present, and future. Unfortunately, it’s not gonna stop. I can promise that it’ll only get worse, and I’ll beat any motherfucker who thinks he can take more than you’re offering. Which is nothing because, woman, you’re going to be mine. One day soon, you’re going to accept that I’m real, that you can trust me, and that the only thing I want from you is your heart.” Shit, did those words just come from me?
He wasn’t sure what to expect after his passionate plea, but what she did sure as shit wasn’t it. Her finger poked him in the chest three times in three spots. The third time almost had him giggling like a school girl.
“Watch it, woman.” Gripping her finger, he brought it to his mouth, nibbling lightly on the tip before giving a light kiss.
“How are you real?” she whispered in what he conceitedly hoped was awe.
Boom, bitches! I’m awe-worthy. He cheered.
He’s not real.
He’s not real.
He’s not real.
No matter how many times she chanted the same mantra with every poke of his chiseled chest, it proved that, yup, he was fucking real. His words couldn’t be, though. Could they? He’d only known her for a New York minute. Why would he want anything from her when all she did was cause trouble?
“I still don’t know you,” was all Ev could think to say.
“Have dinner with me,” was his response.
It was simple and silly and yet, she was tempted.
A date? A real dat
e. She’d never done one of those before.
Before she could think of a response, her mouth was answering for her. “All right.”
Shock held them both speechless for a few seconds before a smile so brilliant she could hardly breathe graced his handsome face. His dark eyes lit up like there was a fire in them. He had those dimples in his cheeks that women everywhere were known to go stupid over. The laugh lines scrunched up around his eyes told of his happiness from her one simple word. In turn, she was happy and found herself matching his smile. Her first real smile in longer than she cared to admit or remember.
“Fuck, you’re gorgeous, Kitten.” His smile slowly faded as he spoke. Leaning closer to her, she knew he was going to kiss her.
One of his hands moved to hold her waist while the other tangled in her hair. He gave her about two seconds to choose whether she wanted it or not before he was descending on her. The first taste was nearly enough to melt her panties. His lips were soft, yet hard and demanding. He played along her bottom lip with his tongue, lightly licking it before sucking it into his mouth.