Offensive Behavior

“I don’t go out with customers, Reid.”

If that was her real objection it was easy fixed. “So I’m never coming to Lucky’s again.”

Her hands went to her hips and she popped her weight to one leg. “Let me get this straight. If I agree to eat with you, you’ll agree to quit drinking at Lucky’s.”

“That’s right.”

She smiled. She didn’t smile on stage. He’d have been walking around with a mortal injury for weeks if she had. “Thank you for the flowers and the tips.”

What? No!

She spun around and made for the bar area. He got out of the booth and took a few steps after her. She was stopped by a group of men, shifting back when one of them made to touch her. What was he going to do if he got close to her? She’d brushed him off again. Of course she would, she knew him as a drunk, a loser customer of Lucky’s who’d never even had the courtesy to tip her before tonight.

But it wasn’t enough and he wanted more of her smoky voice politely putting him down, more of her glittery eyes and not to be pushed attitude.

He watched her disappear off the floor. He watched her dance, with his heart in his throat and his hands fisted. He didn’t like this feeling she made pulse in him. It wasn’t like anything he’d felt before. For a start he’d been semi-hard since he stood at his desk at home and wrote that note, now he doubted he could’ve stood straight without discomfort.

He waited for her to look at him, to throw him some challenge, some acknowledgement from the stage. She danced three songs and never glanced his way, as if she’d already forgotten him, and he was surprised how much that cut.

Vi tried to sell him whiskey, rum, beer, vodka, but he stuck to Coke. She told him not to take getting shot down hard.

He beckoned her closer and she leaned down so he had a damn good view of her cleavage. “Do I Iook like a man who crashed and burned?”

He was exactly that man, but Vi didn’t know that and Reid knew more about poker and blackjack than simply counting cards. This time Vi laughed.

“I’d like to take you and all the dancers in this shift out for a meal.”

She rolled her eyes. “You want to take all of us out, together?”

He nodded once.

“You’re kidding?”

He gave her a not kidding eyebrow twitch.

“What if she won’t come?”

He nodded again. “If she won’t come, then I gave it my best shot.” And he’d have to find some other way to start redeeming himself.

SIX

“Oh no.” Zarley waved her hands in front of her face. “No, no, no, no.” It only made Vi laugh harder. She’d been laughing since she came into the dressing room with Reid’s damn note, and now she was back with his group offer. He was preposterous.

“He’s not, absolutely not, taking us out.”

“That very fine man can sure as glitter sticks take me out,” said Lizabeth.

“Me too. Ages since I’ve had a good steak,” said Kathryn. She slapped her concave stomach as though it was missing the benefits of a chargrill.

“I’m certainly not going anywhere with him,” said Melinda.

Kathryn tossed her hair. “Knock me down with a feather.”

“He doesn’t mean me, does he?”

That was the new girl whose stage name was Tiffany. She looked to Vi who nodded. “All of us. He’s not joking around. I think he’s loaded.”

He was clearly loaded. “I think he’s a dealer.” Who else would live like Reid did? That luxurious unfurnished apartment that was all gym and games, bath and bed. Which didn’t explain why he was a drunk and not an addict. Not that she needed Reid to make sense. She didn’t need anything from him, and certainly not flowers and dates.