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  “Really,” she said. “I’m fine.” Looking down at her new gray tank, it was clear it wasn’t fine though.

  Tommy handed her a towel.

  “I keep telling them we need to oil in the showers,” he said. Tommy glared around the room. Most looked away, likely worried he might actually call them out.

  Riley winked at her. “It wasn’t all bad,” he said. “I’m a big fan of black lace.”

  Jennifer looked down. The silhouette of her bra was clearly visible.

  She frowned and covered her chest. She pulled her coat a little more over her chest. It wasn’t going to hide much, but it was better than nothing.

  Jennifer moved to the couch and sat gingerly down. It wasn’t as bad as she was expecting. She watched as Tommy talked quietly to Candice. Normally, he would have been shot down. She was starting to think her friend might actually like him. It was an odd match considering her highly religious background, but she’d seen worse.

  Riley sprayed glitter on his hulking form, and she choked on the fumes. In the back she spied an exit. With ease, she got up and slipped through the door. She just needed a few minutes to catch her breath. The whole experience was all a bit too much at once.

  Chapter Eleven

  Eric sat in his car and stared at the gaudy place. Light flashed on the signs to lure in women, and it worked. He knew first-hand how well it worked. It wasn’t really that he had a problem with the place, but more that it brought back memories he’d been trying hard to bury deep inside.

  He closed his eyes and breathed in. This was all pointless anyways. She wasn’t going to be there. As much as Tommy wanted to fix things for him, he couldn’t expect miracles.

  A woman like Jen wasn’t looking for someone like him. Just going off of her parents, he could guess at the kind of man she was used to. Someone that would lavish her with gifts and tell her that she was the only one in the world that mattered. That wasn’t his style. She was nice enough, but really he just needed to get her out of his system.

  This wasn’t a long-term fix. This was a chance to feed off the chemistry that they obviously shared.

  He opened his eyes and blinked a few times.

  This was not love. He didn’t do love. Not anymore.

  Eric watched as several women waited impatiently outside for someone to leave the club. Things hadn’t really changed much. Always a crowd, ready and willing.

  He glanced to the back of the building. Better chance back there. One thing he learned from the business, don’t mess with a woman on a mission.

  The back lot was far less busy but a bit of a hassle. It was further away, which meant it would take longer to get to his car if he couldn’t take it.

  Eric took a breath and stepped out. He couldn’t think like that. Besides, it wasn’t likely that he’d be there long anyway. She wouldn’t be there, and he’d be damned if he was staying to watch Tommy. Good friends drew the line.

  The gravel crunched beneath his shoes as he made his way to the door. It was hard to see the path, but he’d walked it about a million times, he could do it in the near darkness. He only hoped that a car didn’t come zooming in. With his black shirt and leather jacket, he’d be hard to spot.

  He stepped past the main gate and was glad for what little light came his way. Patches of ice made the sidewalk slippery. Carefully, he made his way to the building. The all-too familiar thump of the beat echoed into the quiet night.

  Just as his hand reached for the rail to the back steps, he heard a sharp intake of air. His head came up, and he peered into the darkness behind him, just to the side of the stairs.

  “Eric?”

  His heart kicked a beat in time with the one inside the building.

  Jennifer stepped out of the shadows and into the light. She looked different. Something about the way she did her makeup and hair. He stared at her, not quite sure what to say. All this time he had been expecting her not to show, and here she was, looking different from what he knew her to be.

  “You look different,” he said. The words had escaped his mouth before he even had a chance to think if they were right to say.

  She fiddled with a piece of her hair and looked down. He hated how shy she was with him.

  “My friend insisted,” she said and lifted her head slightly to give him a small smile.

  He felt his body pull toward her. His feet moved of their own accord, and he had no choice but to follow.

  Jennifer glanced around. There she was, all alone with him. It didn’t seem like a very good idea, and yet she didn’t want to leave. She’d missed him. As crazy as it sounded, she’d grown accustomed to seeing him, knowing he was there, watching over her. When he’d fought off that drunken slob at the bar, she knew that it had to mean something. Even if he didn’t want to admit it, she was someone he wanted to protect.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked quietly.

  He stopped just a few feet from her and stared silently. His eyes dropped to her now wet shirt, and she blushed. The cold air had made two ridged peaks on the front of her shirt. Quickly, she pulled her jacked as closed as she could get.

  “Tommy invited me,” he said. His voice was like gravel, and the sound sent zings straight to her center.

  “Oh,” she said. Jennifer didn’t really know what she was thinking. Of course Tommy had invited him. They were friends, and it seemed like a big night for Tommy for some reason.

  He stepped forward, and she pressed her back to the hard cold wall.

  “What are you doing here?” he asked.

  For some reason, she felt like it was a sort of test.

  “Tommy asked,” she said and glanced away. That wasn’t totally true. She looked back to him.

  “Curiosity,” she said simply.

  It was the truth. There were about a million other things she could be doing, but she hadn’t. Instead, she chose to get dressed up to watch men get undressed. Maybe he thought she was just a bit pathetic.

  She was surprised when he gave her a small smile and moved closer to her.

  “Curiosity?” he asked quietly.

  She breathed in deeply and could smell the fresh citrus from his soap. It filled her senses and made her slightly weak.

  “I’ve never seen a man…” she trailed off, not quite sure what to say.

  He moved closer still. She could now feel the warmth from his body. If she leaned just a fraction of an inch forward, her breasts would meet his chest.

  “You’ve never seen a man?” He raised a brow and gave a knowing grin.

  He was messing with her, and yet she couldn’t help following along.

  She blushed and looked away. “I’ve never been to a show,” she said finally.

  The knuckle of his hand brushed the side of her face as he tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. The rough callouses on his hands scraped the tender skin, and she shivered at the contact.

  His hot breath hit her ear as he leaned in.

  “I’m sure, if you wanted, you could get someone to give you a private show.”

  Her breath hitched in her chest as she turned to stare at him. Fire blazed in his eyes, and she ached for him to pull her to him.

  “I didn’t see anyone in there I wanted a private show with,” she said. The words came out faster than she could even process, and if she’d had time to think about it, she might have been more embarrassed. Instead, she groaned as Eric leaned forward and covered her mouth with his own.

  She was reminded of the heat they shared before.

  His mouth was forceful and demanding. She opened to him and moaned as he began to fuck her with his tongue. Her body moved against him in rhythm, rubbing her sensitive folds hard against his powerful thigh.

  Not wasting time, his hand found its way to her side and slipped under the fabric. Skin against skin was all the she could have hoped. His fingers were rough against her skin and sent shivers up her spine.

  He moved them in slow and maddening circles. His thumb scraped along the edge of he
r bra. He stilled as he pulled back to look at her. Keeping his eyes locked with hers, he slipped his hand over her breast and cupped her through the thin material.

  “Lace,” he groaned and flicked his thumb over her hard nipples.

  Jennifer gasped and leaned back to give him better access. She closed her eyes.

  His fingers rolled and pinched her hard peaks through the material. With each pull, he drew her in, pushing her to the edge and then pulling her back.

  “Eric.” Her voice was hoarse as she called out. She was not really sure what she wanted, but whatever it was, she needed him to do it.

  Her eyes popped open as the snap on her pants was undone. She stared at him as he moved a hand down the front of her pants and between her legs. His fingers slipped easily against her, coated with her juices.

  Carefully, he slipped his fingers back and forth, just inside her folds. He bumped her clit, and she gripped his shoulders with more strength than she knew she had. Cold air hit her stomach as he pulled her shirt up just past her breasts. The air was replaced by the heat of his mouth as he lowered it to her lace-covered breasts.

  His mouth hovered just above her left breast but didn’t go any further. Jennifer hiked her leg up a bit more, making room for his fingers, opening herself up to what she really wanted. And yet he continued to slide his fingers just along the surface.

  Annoyed, she leaned back and thrust her breast into his face.

  She could hear him chuckle just before his mouth closed over her throbbing peak. Eric swirled his tongue over the lace, and she caught herself struggling to breathe. The rough texture was about to send her over the edge, and he hadn’t even entered her.

  Eric switched his attentions to the other breast. He nipped as he continued his ministrations lower. A heat grew deep inside. She felt the first flutters as she skirted the orgasm he refused to let her have. The slow burn was eating her up.

  Just as she was about to finish the job herself, Eric pulled her nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. Her nails bit into his shoulder, and she held on tightly as he pushed a finger deep inside.

  As if he had been kicked into high gear, his hand worked furiously into her. When he switched back to the other breast and sucked it into his mouth, Eric slipped a second finger inside.

  Her moans were loud now. She couldn’t contain them even if she wanted. At that moment, Jennifer didn’t care that she was partially naked outside in the winter. She didn’t care that she was on the cusp of an amazing orgasm just outside a strip club. She didn’t even care that she hardly knew Eric. All she wanted was to find the release she’d been thinking about for days. Hell, since the moment she’d first met him.

  Eric pushed hard against her clit in strong circular motions. He’d let her breast slip from his mouth, and the cool air on her wet bra only made her nipples tighten until they tingled. She brushed them against his shirt as she bucked her hips.

  “So sexy,” he said roughly.

  Jennifer felt the flutter deep inside as her heart pounded in her ears. Eric thrust his fingers into her one more time, pushing her orgasm even further.

  She sucked in air as the world around her started to come back into focus.

  Never had she experienced anything like that. She’d come so hard that she was still feeling the aftershocks.

  It was only then that she realized Eric had rested his head on her shoulder. His harsh breathing in her ear only proved how affected he was. She shifted slightly, and he pulled his hand from her pants. When her clit bumped the hard ridge in his pants, they both groaned.

  Jennifer turned her head and planted wet kisses along his neck, only stopping when she reached his ear. She flicked her tongue along the edge and reveled in his moan.

  “Jen,” he said. His voice was low and seemed to teeter on the edge of being in control. It thrilled her to know she could push him so far.

  They jumped when the door to the left of them clicked open.

  “Jennifer?” Candice said into the darkness.

  Eric pushed back slightly from her as she slipped her shirt back down.

  Candice found them in the dark and frowned. She whipped out her phone.

  “Do I need to call the cops?” she asked hesitantly, her face alternating between confusion and fear.

  Jennifer put her leg down and stepped forward. Her knees wobbled like jelly, and she struggled to keep from falling.

  “It’s fine,” she said and held up a hand as if to stop her. “This…” She glanced over to the man in front of her and sighed. He was pulling back into himself. “This is Eric.”

  Candice raised a surprised brow and looked between the two of them. Although Jennifer would bet money that her friend hadn’t fully comprehended what Jennifer had been doing, she was sure to have the general idea.

  “Well…” Candice cleared her throat. “Tommy is on in two minutes.”

  “We’ll be in in a sec,” Jennifer said quietly.

  Candice nodded, and the door clacked shut behind her.

  Jennifer intended to come up with something witty to say but was surprised when Eric closed in for another searing kiss. His tongue found hers and moved sensually with it.

  He pulled back and rested his forehead against hers.

  “We’ll finish this later,” he said.

  Her heart thumped so loudly that she was afraid he might hear it.

  “Okay,” she whispered.

  He stared hard at her for a moment and then glanced over to the door.

  “We better get in,” he said. “If we miss his show, we’ll never hear the end of it.”

  She nodded and snapped her pants as they made their way up the stairs.

  Chapter Twelve

  The music was even louder from the side of the stage. She watched as Riley made his way off the stage and winked at them. The money hung from his G-string, and she wondered if he was their star. With the number of big bills she saw, it was hard not to think that.

  Someone talked loudly over the microphone as they introduced Tommy. The crowd went wild at his name, and she knew then that he was the main show.

  She was zoning out when she heard the announcer said, “And this will be his final performance, ladies! What you’re witnessing here is club history!”

  The crowd screamed.

  Jennifer blinked. No wonder Tommy had been so insistent.

  A steady beat thumped the whole time as the announcer spoke. When he said Tommy again, she watched as her friend made his way on stage.

  Since she’d never been to a show like this, she was a bit surprised to see him walk on the stage fully clothed. He was wearing a Stetson, button-up shirt and some very cowboy pants.

  The announcer went quiet, and the lights focused on Tommy.

  She turned to look at Eric, who seemed more annoyed by the whole thing. He slipped an arm around her and pulled her, so she was standing in front of him. She could still feel his semi-hard cock and smiled at the thought that she had caused that.

  Tommy started to move, and she watched intently. He was far more agile than she would have thought.

  The Stetson was the first thing to go. She laughed when he tossed it their direction and Candice caught it.

  The music stilled for a moment, and a hush fell over everyone in the club. Just like thunder, it came back and off went his shirt. The women in the front row went wild. She could see the little bride and her friends.

  He was a pro at working the crowds. Every part of the stage got used and when another wave of loud music came, he yanked off his pants. This time, instead of tossing them to the side, he rode them, pulling the material between his legs and grinding against it.

  Getting to his knees, he moved over to the bride and jumped down from the stage. Her face heated as he bumped and ground against her. The women around them screamed for more.

  Jennifer gasped when she felt her own body moving in time with the music. Eric tensed behind her, and she sighed when she felt his hard length press hard against her.

/>   “Be good, or I’ll take you to the corner and fuck you,” he mumbled in her ear.

  She stilled and turned slightly in his arms to look at him. His face was hard, and she believed he was totally serious. She turned her attention back to the stage as Tommy finished his set.

  * * *

  The whole sight was odd and not something she ever thought she’d experience. Her parents’ world didn’t have people like Tommy. Or even Eric for that matter. No, they had bankers, CEOs and lawyers.

  They all played like they were the better people, but in the end, everyone was just the same. They were all flawed in some way. It was just that people like Tommy weren’t afraid to admit it.

  She glanced over at Eric as Tommy made his way off the stage with even more money than Riley dripping from his G-string.

  Eric hadn’t said it, but everyone seemed to know him at the club. It would only make sense that he’d worked there at some point. Trying to picture him dancing like Tommy made her heart kick into gear, and she looked away quickly. After what they had done, it wasn’t a good idea to get too excited.

  “What did you think?” Tommy asked them as he stepped behind the curtain. She could barely hear him above the screams from the crowd.

  He nodded his head toward the stairs, and they followed.

  “They sure love you,” Candice said with a grin.

  Tommy stopped. His eyes fixed on her and the Stetson she wore.

  “But what did you think?”

  It was rare that Jennifer saw her friend squirm under pressure, but Candice sure seemed to be feeling the weight of his stare.

  “You know you were good,” she said quietly and pushed through.

  “I’m surprised you’d leave,” Jennifer said, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

  They all filtered into the back room as the crowds up front began to filter out.

  Candice took a seat on the couch, and Jennifer sat next to her. She watched as Eric stood back a bit. He was being too quiet, and she just wished she knew what was going on in his head.