The Lion and the Lamb

“So why didn’t you continue with that and get your degree?”

He hadn’t touched her yet it electricity went straight between her thighs.

Licking her lips, she knew this conversation would be going down a road she didn’t want to take. “I had some family problems arise and couldn’t continue going.” His gaze locked on her mouth, and she felt everything start to close in. Despite the chilled air in the room, heat consumed her, and beads of perspiration lined her spine.

This man was so dangerous for her, especially if she had this kind of reaction to him after only being in his presence for twenty minutes. Pulling her hand away, she took a step back, trying to get some much-needed air into her lungs.

He cocked his head to the side and regarded her in that too silent way of his. When he crossed his arms over his wide chest, she refused to let her eyes wander down to watch the act. “So, you want a change? You want to go back to school and do something you love. I completely understand, and I want to help you achieve that.”

It was her turn now to cock her head and stare at him silently.

He chuckled softly as if he knew where her thoughts were. “Listen, I really do need a hostess. The job is easy enough. You work every other weekend, and three days during the week. You just have to escort the customers to their tables.” His smile widened when she narrowed her eyes at him. “Honest.” He lifted his hands in surrender. “I have enough girls to dance. I don’t need another one.” He stood and took a step closer to her, and she found herself craning her neck back just to meet his stare. “I need someone who is professional and knows how to be sweet to the patrons.”

“I’ve been anything but sweet to you, Mr. Castill,” she said almost breathlessly.

“I’ve asked you to call me Leo, Tatum.” His eyes were on her mouth again, and she found herself licking her lips. His jaw clamped down tight, and he took a step back. “You’re a tough girl, I admit, but that’s what I like about you. I don’t think you’d be quite so rough with the customers though.” He smiled, all straight white teeth that reminded her of a hungry animal.

“I’m sure there are other girls who aren’t….” She ran a hand down her body. It wasn’t that she was ashamed of the way she looked, but standing next to the women who looked like life-sized Barbies, she would look like the marshmallow man. His eyes did a slow travel down her body then back up again to her eyes.

Everything inside her screamed that he wanted her, but she knew that couldn’t be the case. Men like Leo could have any woman they wanted. There was no way he’d want a cigarette girl with a love of everything starch when he could have some blonde bombshell. That wasn’t the way reality worked.

“Do you want to know what I see, Tatum?” With his voice deadly calm and eyes half-lidded, she could almost imagine that’s what he sounded and looked like during sex. He took a step closer until his warm, sweet breath trailed over her face. “I see curves in all the right places and a face that could drop any man to their knees.” Her eyes fluttered at his words. “I could easily see myself on my knees… before you.” The way he said it had her seeing herself sprawled out with Leo on his knees, right between her thighs. She barely held in her moan. He stepped away again, and just like that, the spell of desire disappeared.

“So, what do you say, Ms. Weatherton? I’m offering you the job. Will you take it?”

“Okay.” The word tumbled out of her mouth, and she hoped she didn’t regret it.Leo had been standing in the same spot for the past ten minutes, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his mate had just walked into his life. It certainly didn’t fit into his plans, but he couldn’t deny that Tatum Weatherton was his mate and that he wanted her.

“Fuck.”

“What’s wrong, Leo?” Sugar came from behind the bar and walked toward him. She used to be his type, all tight body, big tits, and legs that went on for miles. Of course, that was before Tatum walked into The Lion and the Lamb. She was half the size of him and thick in all the right places. Her curves were what grown men jerked off to, and her face could get her anything she wanted. Hell, it had worked on him.

He didn’t even need a hostess, but he knew he couldn’t let her walk away from him, and she would not work as a fucking waitress. Every girl working in the club wasn’t opposed to a little tap on the ass and some heavy petting from the customers, but just thinking about Tatum getting mauled by the horny fucks had his hackles rising.