by Rhonda James
“Oh,” she gasps. “Oh god. I wish you were inside me. Fu—” Her voice breaks as the orgasm takes over and her muscles twitch.
“Goddamn, I wish I was, too.” The orgasm rockets through my body, and my cock throbs in my hand until ribbons of thick, milky liquid cover my stomach and chest.
The water’s turned off, and she steps closer to the phone, draped only in a fluffy white towel.
“That was intense.”
“That’s just a small taste of how hot it’s going to be this weekend. I can’t wait to get my mouth on you. I swear, I miss you so much I would walk to Atlanta just for the chance to hold you again,” I growl into the phone.
And I would, too. I swear to God I’d pull a Forest Gump and take off out the door and keep running until we fell into each other’s arms.
Yeah, I know it sounds cheesy as hell. But this girl has me all twisted up inside.
I don’t know much about her, but I know enough to know I’ve already fallen for her.
Christ, if Cage had any idea, I’d never hear the end of it. But the saddest part is I need to talk to someone about it. He seems like the logical choice. If not him, then Cassie.
Laney goes silent and tugs her bottom lip between her teeth, a telltale sign something is wrong. “There’s something I need to tell you, but I’m afraid once you hear it you’re going to be mad.” Her eyes search mine.
I grab a shirt and wipe the jizz off my chest before speaking. “Baby, I won’t get mad. Just say what you have to say.” My voice may be calm, but inside I’m a twisted mess. I hate bad news, and surprises leave me unsettled. Right now, I have no idea which to prepare for.
“I don’t actually live in Atlanta. In fact, I don’t even live in Georgia.” She covers her face with her hands and backs away from the screen.
I won’t lie. I am surprised by this news, but it isn’t the bomb I was preparing myself for.
“Okay. No big deal. You mind telling me where you do live?” I ask casually.
“Actually, I’m a student at GLU in Ann Arbor, Michigan. I’m sorry I lied—“
“Wait a second,” I interrupt her. “Did you say GLU? As in Great Lakes?”
Holy fuck.
Does this change things between us? Should it?
“Yeah. I’m a junior in the dance program.” She comes back into view. “Are you angry?”
Dance program? That explains why I’ve never run into her. Those classes meet on the other side of campus. The university is massive. There are thousands of students roaming this campus on a daily basis. This means for the last three years we could have walked past each other and never would have made eye contact.
I find it ironic we had to fly to another state to finally meet up. Oddly enough, I’m not mad about her not living in Atlanta. I’m more upset with the fact we’ve been living so close, yet I’ve been deprived of touching her for weeks. Now that I know she’s here, I need to find out exactly where she lives.
“Angry? How can I be angry? Laney, we both attend GLU.”
“You’re here? At GLU?” she asks, sounding a touch horrified.
“Yeah,” I laugh at the irony. “All this time we could have been together. Tell me where you are and I’ll come right now.” I swing my legs off the bed and reach for a pair of shorts on the floor.
Her eyes go wide in fear, and the phone begins shaking in her hand. “No! You can’t come over. Not right now.”
“Babe, what’s wrong?”
“Derek, there’s something else you should know. Something worse,” she whispers.
About that time Cassie comes barging through my door.
“The guys are downstairs waiting for you.”
“What the fuck, Cassie? Ever heard of knocking?” I drop my phone and stomp over to the door to usher her back out.
Did I forget to mention that I’m still naked?
“Dude. What the hell is your problem? Why the fuck you swearing at my girl?” Cage comes up and nudges Cassie behind him to shield her from my nakedness.
“I’m a little busy right now, so both of you need to get the fuck out!” I push out my chest, challenging him to take another step. I’m not sure how intimidating I am standing here with my junk on full display, but I’m not thinking rationally at the moment. Thankfully, they both turn and head back down the stairs, grumbling the entire way. I know I’ve pissed them off, but right now, I don’t give a shit.
“God, baby, I’m sorry,” I pick up the phone, but it’s already too late.
She’s already hung up.
Fuck. My. Life.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
LANEY
Only five minutes have passed since I heard another woman’s voice in Derek’s room, but it feels like hours.
Who the hell is Cassie? And why was she in Derek’s room?
Those are the questions swirling around inside my head. And the obvious answer…
Let’s just say it’s left a bitter taste in the back of my mouth.
This day really hasn’t been the best of days.
This morning, I received a letter from the bank informing me I have less than thirty days to come up with the remaining balance or the house will be put up for auction. Matthew had called yesterday to give me a heads up the letter would be coming, so it wasn’t a surprise. But it still hurts to see it in black and white. The short time frame is daunting, but I’m trying not to let it freak me out.
I made the hour-long trek to the prison today, because I needed my dad’s advice about the house. I wanted him to tell me to keep fighting for it. I needed to hear him say that it still meant something to him.
I needed to hear that I still meant something to him.
Sometimes I think it would have been easier if he’d been killed in the accident along with Mom. Dad may have physically survived the crash, but his heart died the moment he was forced to let Mom go.
Derek’s call couldn’t have come at a better time. I was on the treadmill, pushing myself far too hard, trying to run away from all the problems weighing me down. I tried playing it off like the interruption annoyed me, but the truth of the matter was his voice does something to me. It quiets the voice of doubt inside me. Calms the ever-present storm that threatens to strike.
He makes me feel special.
Needed.
Something I haven’t felt in a very long time.
My phone rings, and I’m smiling before I even pick it up, knowing it’s him.
“Before you say anything, that was my buddy’s girlfriend. I don’t care about the Atlanta lie, all I want to know is when can I see you again?” The words rush out of his mouth at lightning speed.
I can’t resist laughing at his urgency. “You know, if this is how you feel after a few weeks, maybe I should keep you waiting a little longer. What do you think that would do for the anticipation?”
“Woman,” he growled. “You already gave me blue balls twice; any more and I fear my boys may suffer irreversible damage.”
“Okay. Okay. You win,” I chuckle. “I work late tonight. Maybe we can get together tomorrow for lunch?”
“Nu uh, not soon enough. How ‘bout breakfast at six a.m., then we spend the rest of the weekend together?” he counters.
“Umm, that may be a little tough seeing as how I don’t get off work until one in the morning,” I sighed.
“One in the morning? What the fuck kind of job keeps you out that late?” he demands to know.
“Breakfast it is,” I relent, ignoring his question. “Why don’t we meet at Zola? You remember what I like. Right?”
He pauses before answering, no doubt waiting for me to tell him where I work. I guess he decides to let it go, because he gives in and agrees to meet me.
“Yeah. I remember. Zola. Six a.m. And Laney?” His voice drops to a low growl. “I can’t wait to kiss you again.”
***
When Gavin Anderson opened The Library three years ago, he had a vision. He wanted his place to be a classy establishment where men coul
d go and unwind after a hard day’s work. He hired only the best-looking dancers and made sure they were taken care of. Businessmen gathered here for corporate meetings. Husbands and fathers came here merely to escape. And college students flocked here to have a beer with their buddies and stare at a bunch of nearly naked women.
I use the term ‘nearly’ very loosely, because the G-string and pasties we wear don’t qualify as clothing. At least not by my standards. But in the adult entertainment industry, a small triangle of fabric is enough to set us apart from other establishments that offer ‘Live Nude Dancing.’ That small factor is very important to Gavin.
When I enter the backstage dressing room, the aroma of hairspray and jasmine incense immediately assaults me. When I first started working here, it used to drive me crazy. Now, I’m so used to it, I don’t pay it any mind. I hang my purse in my locker and reach for my makeup bag. Normally, I don’t wear a lot of makeup. A little blush, eyeliner, mascara, and lipstick, or lip balm, and I’m good to go. But when I perform, I go for a more dramatic effect. A smokey eye. Dark lipstick. Heavy liner. And I top it off with a triple application of mascara to make my eyes really pop.
I just finished fluffing my hair when Gavin knocks on the door to announce his entrance.
“Ladies.” He saunters in sporting a dark grey, tailored three-piece suit with a fuchsia tie. Most men couldn’t wear that color, but Gavin Anderson pulls it off.
He stops to chat with a few other dancers before heading to my station. He leans against the counter and braces his hands on either side of him.
“Looking good, Delaney.” He offers a smile that’s equal parts sexy and shy.
I often suspected he has a minor crush on me. He’s friendly with all the other girls, but he reserves a certain smile just for me.
Not that I’m at all interested in my boss, because ew!
“You’re not too bad yourself.” I finger the tie and give him a sideways glance. “Fuchsia?”
“What? I’m confident in my masculinity.” He runs a hand over the fabric. “Besides, I like the way it looks with the suit. Listen, a group of college guys just came in and is seated at table eleven. They’re celebrating their friends birthday tonight and bought him a seat on stage.”
“You know how I feel about those dances, especially when college guys are involved.” I groan, hoping he’ll take this request to another dancer.
“Sorry, doll. They’ve specifically requested Double-D as the girl they want dancing for the birthday boy.” I roll my eyes at his use of my stage name. I didn’t pick it; it was chosen for me by a rowdy patron during my very first night on stage.
“Fine.” I stand and reach for the royal blue and silver pasties I use for anything related to GLU. “But if I do this, I’m leaving an hour earlier tonight.”
“One more thing.” He reaches inside his suit jacket and pulls out a jersey. “The guy who requested the dance asked me to have you wear this. Apparently, it’s the birthday boy’s hockey jersey.” There’s a smile on his lips, but his words are dripping with disdain.
Great. I’m about to give a lap dance to one of Derek’s teammates…
Over the last few weeks I’ve grown very fond of hockey players. One in particular comes to mind. I hold up the jersey and look at the back. The player’s name is printed across the top, in all caps, DAVIS, with his number 14 beneath.
It occurs to me I have no idea of Derek’s number or his last name.
I flash Gavin my best fake smile and dangle the jersey from my right hand. “Well, if I’m going to do this, you need to leave so I can get ready. When do I go on?”
“Twenty minutes,” he tells me on his way out the door. As soon as he’s gone, Anita comes over and sits in the empty seat next to my dressing station.
“You okay, honey? You look a little stressed.”
“Yeah.” I stand and pull off my shirt, not worrying about modesty; we’re all accustomed to being naked in front of each other. “I just hate these birthday dances, and Gavin just told me the guy is a hockey player from GLU.”
“So? What’s the big deal? You’ve given countless birthday dances to those college hotties.” She gives me a quizzical look then hands me the jersey.
“Remember the guy I met in Atlanta?” I take the jersey and slip it over my head.
Anita scoffs then moves behind me to fluff my hair. “Are you kidding? I’ve had dreams about the guy, and I’m not the one who fucked him. What about him?”
“He plays hockey.” I stare at her reflection in the mirror. “At GLU.” Understanding washes over her face and her mouth opens but nothing comes out. “Yeah, and now I’m about to go out there and dance for one of his teammates. What if they go back and tell him about me? What if he’s in the audience? What will I say to him?”
“Sweetie, I hate to break it to you, but you were going to have to tell him sooner or later.” She offers a sympathetic smile.
“I know. I guess I just wanted one more night where I could just be Laney. Not Laney, the stripper.”
Her hands go to my shoulders and her cheek comes flush with mine while our eyes meet mine in the mirror. “Now, you listen to me. I want you to stop all this nonsense. This job doesn’t define who you are as a person. Yeah. You’re better than all this”—she waves a hand over the room— “But this job is just a means to an end, and if he doesn’t see the woman you are beneath the makeup and the pasties, then he isn’t worth your time.” She kisses my cheek before stepping back to look me over. “Gorgeous. As always. Now, go give that player a birthday to remember.”
“Thank you. Love you, lady.”
“Love you more.” She winks then heads off to get ready for her set.
Once she’s gone, I take a final look in the mirror and run my hand over the jersey. It’s so big it nearly swallows me, the hem touching just above my knees. The sleeves are so long they wrap around my thumbs, and the V-neck does a good job of showing off my cleavage.
I close my eyes and pray this is someone I don’t know. The thought of dancing, dressed like this, for a guy who I may run into at school, makes my stomach a little queasy. But I’m a professional.
“Let’s do this,” I tell the girl in the mirror, but she just stares back at me with the same nervous look on her face, so I stick my tongue out at her and march out the door.
I’m starting to loosen up by the time I reach the stairs that lead to the stage. The music from the previous act is still playing, but Katrina is nearing the end of her routine.
Gavin steps into the space beside me and fingers my sleeve.
Or, the guy’s sleeve.
Whatever.
“Relax. You’re a pro. You make this stuff look easy.” He slings an arm around my shoulder and briefly pulls me against him. I feel my muscles tense up, but it’s over before I know it, and his arm is back by his side.
As I wait for Katrina to take her final spin around the pole, I think about my hockey player.
Yes, I realize I’ve already claimed him.
I can’t help it. I miss him. As far as I’m concerned, tomorrow morning can’t come soon enough.
CHAPTER TWENTY
DEREK
I should have known something was up when we drove past Skeeps and Rivers kept going. I didn’t think too much of it, figuring maybe they decided on Rick’s instead. But when we pass the street where we should have turned, I look to my left where Jordan is sitting and give him a questioning look. His brow shoots up, and a wicked smile fills his face, the whites of his teeth a stark contrast to his olive skin in the dark confines of the Charger.
“Is there something you assholes aren’t telling me?” I ask suspiciously, knowing damn well they’re hiding something.
“Let’s just say the place we’re going is a popular study hangout,” Cage announces from the passenger seat.
Study? I thought we were drinking? Just where the hell are these guys taking me? I’m just about to ask that question when a familiar building comes into view.
“Why are we at The Library?” I groan when Rivers steers the Charger into one of the empty parking spaces out front.
“What? You don’t feel much like studying tonight?” Cage twists around in his seat to face me and is met with my middle finger. “Look, I feel bad about what happened with Cassie. I never should have sent her up there. Consider this my way of apologizing.” He waves an arm in the direction of the club. “You’re welcome.”
I scrub a hand over my face and give my head a shake. “Nah, It’s me who should be apologizing.” We climb out of the car, and he gives me a puzzled smirk. “Cassie’s seen a glimpse of what she’s missing. Now when she starts calling out my name during sex, at least you’ll know why.”
“Keep dreaming, rich boy. You may have the biggest bank account, but I’m the one making the largest deposit.” He cups his junk, and I give him a shove.
“Hey,” Rivers interrupts us. “You two aren’t gonna drop your pants and start comparing junk, are ya? ‘Cause that’s not the show I came to see.”
“Shut the fuck up, Rivers,” I growl.
“You guys go on. I’ll be there in a minute. I forgot something in the car,” Cage calls out before turning back toward the Charger. I slow my stride and contemplate waiting for him.
Masterson walks by, cuffing me on the back of the head on his way to the door. “We gonna go stare at naked asses or hang around the parking lot all damn night?”
Naked asses?
Suddenly, a night at The Library seems like the perfect way to pass the time until I can get my arms around Laney.
“Hells yeah, let’s do this!” I jog past him and make a gallant display of holding the door open for all of them. “After you, my horny friends.”
We’re seated at a table two rows off the stage. The floor is dotted with roughly two dozen other tables, and overstuffed chairs have been strategically positioned in front of the floor-to-ceiling stone fireplace. The wall behind the bar is lined with bookshelves that hold bottles of every kind of booze you could possibly desire.