by Linda Warren
She walked to his truck and opened the passenger door. “Can I get a lift, mister?”
Ethan smiled. “Anytime, ma’am.”
Serena slid into the truck. “What do you think?”
“I think you make a damn good hooker.”
“Ooh, is that good or bad?”
“For tonight it’s good,” he said, starting the engine. “I wondered why you were in there so long.”
“I knew they have rest rooms, so that made it easy.”
“How did you do the hair?”
“With a spray, and I’ll probably have a hell of a time getting it out.”
“I hope this is all worth it.”
“Me, too.”
They drove to an area of Dallas Serena had never visited before. At an intersection she saw a sign that read Harry Hines Boulevard and Northwest Highway. Flashing neon signs of naked women seemed to be everywhere, as were strip joints, bars and adult-video stores. Unsavory-looking characters walked the streets and women who were dressed much like her strolled along, waiting for customers. She remembered Ethan saying this wasn’t a day at Sunday school and it certainly wasn’t. Suddenly she questioned her judgment in coming here, but she had to see the other woman. She had to get this settled, this doubt and confusion about her family.
Ethan parked the truck and turned to look at her. “Ready?” Serena with her red hair and blue eyes was stunning, but this black-haired Serena was just as stunning, too, in a different way. This one was bolder, more overtly sensual, daring.
“Yes,” she replied, pushing her aversion to the area aside.
Ethan hesitated. “For tonight,” he said slowly, “we have to act like lovers.”
She shrugged nonchalantly. “I don’t have a problem with that. Do you?”
“Just trying to keep things on—”
“A business level,” she finished for him. “You’ve already said that.”
“I don’t want you to feel—”
“I won’t,” she replied. “You have an honorable streak a mile wide.”
“One of my faults.”
“Yeah, I’m beginning to see it that way, too.”
They stared at each other, and for a brief moment Serena could see a rainbow in the warmth of his brown eyes. But it was pure fantasy, and so was this entire night. She’d been in the drama club in high school, and they’d put on plays in which she had to act, become another person. That was what she’d do tonight. As she felt the adrenaline pump through her veins, she knew that with Ethan beside her, she’d give the performance of her life.
Ethan lowered his eyes. “Let’s go,” he said.
Serena clambered out and walked to his side of the truck. Her role started now. She slid an arm around his waist, pressing her body into his.
Ethan didn’t stiffen or move away. Instead, he reciprocated. Her softness rekindled a familiar, almost forgotten, ache in his limbs, but he ignored the feeling as they walked into the club.
The place was packed. Ethan noticed one empty table and he forced his way through the crowd toward it, towing Serena behind him. The bouncer was nearby, but he didn’t spare them a second look. The disguise was working. They sat at the table close together, his arm draped loosely around her shoulders. Serena hadn’t said a word and he stole a glance at her face. It was white as a sheet.
Serena had trouble believing her eyes. She was trying very hard to be blasé and pretend this was all normal to her, but she suspected she wasn’t pulling it off. Her acting skills didn’t extend this far. Loud rock music played as women wearing nothing but G-strings danced in cages. Half-naked women waited on tables and the leers on the men’s faces turned her stomach. The place smelled like stale tobacco, whiskey and disgust. Not only did she feel disgusted with what she saw, she couldn’t help thinking that while these men might desire the women displayed before them, they had contempt for them, too. And the women themselves seemed numb, empty…and scornful of their audience. She knew disgust didn’t have a smell, but for her it did now. From now on, she would always associate the word disgust with this place.
Ethan’s arm tightened around her. “Want to leave?”
She shook her head. “No, I’m fine. It’s just so…”
A waitress came over to take their order. “Draft beer, light,” Ethan said, and looked at Serena.
“Ah…the same.”
The waitress eyed her. “You’re new. I haven’t seen you in here before, but you look kind of familiar.”
Serena swallowed. “Yeah, I’m new.” Whatever that meant.
“Keep bringin’ your johns in here, honey. We’ll treat you good,” the waitress said as she walked away.
“Oh, my God,” Serena breathed painfully. “She thinks I’m a hooker.” Maybe her acting was better than she’d thought.
“And she thinks I’m a john, so which is worse?”
She smiled—and as long as Ethan could make her smile, she’d get through this. But she was worried about something.
“Ethan, do you still drink?”
“No, I just order it as a reminder that I don’t need it. Anyway, it’s expected in places like this, so don’t worry,” he told her as the waitress set two foaming beers in front of them.
She did worry, though. She didn’t want to cause Ethan any difficulty or unpleasantness, but she’d already done that by asking questions about his personal life. Still, he’d seemed fine with that. She knew instinctively that Ethan could handle just about anything.
Suddenly he pulled her closer. “Talk into my ear,” he said urgently.
“Why?” she asked against his face.
“Because the bouncer’s coming this way and I don’t want him to get suspicious.”
“Oh, I’m supposed to act like a hooker.”
“Yes.”
Instead of talking, Serena stroked his ear with her tongue and rained tantalizing kisses along his jaw. Her hand played with the hair at his nape. “How’s that?” she whispered, realizing the acting part had gone right out of her head. Her actions felt natural—and very exciting.
Ethan’s breath was locked in his chest in exquisite torture. Her touch was driving him crazy, and he wasn’t even aware when the bouncer walked by them. He was too wrapped up in Serena.
“Ethan?”
“Hmm?”
“You didn’t answer.”
He let out a breath, trying to remember what she’d asked. “Yes, yes, it worked. He’s gone.”
Before he could say anything else, the music stopped and a man strode onto the stage with a microphone. A spotlight was centered on him.
“All right, guys. It’s time for the main attraction, so sit back, relax and enjoy the ladies. And please be generous. The ladies deserve it.”
The music started with an upbeat dance tempo, and the first woman came out dressed as a secretary, carrying a pad and pen. Seductively she began to take off her clothes, and the men went wild with whistles and catcalls. They threw money onto the stage and the stripper leaned over repeatedly to let men tuck money into her G-string. Each woman who came out was dressed as a different profession—nurse, teacher, cocktail waitress.
Serena stared with her mouth open; she couldn’t seem to close it. She couldn’t imagine why a woman would degrade herself like this. But she had to put that out of her mind. She was here for a reason. Where was the redhead?
“Do you think she’ll show?” she whispered to Ethan
“We’ll just have to wait.”
The next woman came out, swathed from head to toe in flowing purple robes. “The mother of all professions—the madam,” the MC announced.
Ethan recognized her from the way she moved. “Watch closely,” he said. “This is her.”
“Are you sure?”
“Just watch.”
The woman slowly removed the cloth from around her head, and her red hair fell sensuously around her. Serena gasped and Ethan reached for her hand. She gripped it tightly.
The woman tossed her hair and with t
he same slowness she began to remove the cloth. Whistles and yells filled the room as with each movement the men grew more frantic, more excited.
It was like looking in a mirror. Ethan wasn’t lying or exaggerating when he’d said the woman was her double. She was.
The last piece of cloth gone, she swung her hair and rotated her hips boldly one way, then the other. Serena closed her eyes. She couldn’t watch anymore. It was too painful, too humiliating. Like those dreams she’d had. She didn’t even know the woman, but Serena felt as if she was on that stage—naked—in front of these men. Her skin crawled with revulsion.
Her body grew hot and she thought she might throw up.
Finally the woman ran off the stage. Without even knowing what she was doing, Serena pushed back her chair and went after her.
CHAPTER EIGHT
SERENA MOVED so fast she caught Ethan off guard. He made a grab for her, but she was headed for the stripper, shoving her way through the crowd. He immediately followed. She went through the double doors that led to the back of the club. A big man stepped in front of her.
“Backstage is off-limits,” he said in a gruff voice.
“Please, I have to talk to her.”
The man laughed. “We’ve had lots of men trying to get to that stripper, but you’re the first woman.”
“Please, I…” She stopped as she saw the redhead standing some distance away, tying the belt on a black robe. Two men stood beside her. The stripper raised her head and their eyes met. Serena saw the fear Ethan was talking about and felt it echo through her own body. The woman was frightened of something—or someone. Suddenly the men whisked her away.
Serena tried to follow, but the man blocked her path again. “I don’t want to have to tell you twice. Get out of here.”
An arm slipped around her waist. “C’mon, honey.” It was Ethan.
The man gave him a sly smirk. “If I were you, I’d get her head checked. She was chasing the stripper.”
“Sorry about that,” Ethan said. “She’s very friendly.”
“Sure, if that’s what you wanna call it.”
Ethan led Serena away, resisting the urge to punch the guy in the mouth. He knew when he was outnumbered.
“Ethan, we can’t go,” Serena protested. “She’s back there! I have to talk to her.”
“Didn’t you see all the guards? We won’t get anywhere near her tonight, but at least we know she’s still here.” All the while he was leading her toward the front door.
Outside Serena pulled free of him and sucked air into her lungs. Nausea churned in her stomach and she fought the weak feeling inside her.
Ethan walked her to his truck and helped her in. “You okay?” he asked quietly as he settled into his own seat.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she said, “She looks just like me. She really is my double. She even has a sprinkling of freckles across her breasts like I do. Who is she?”
“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.” He reached for his cell phone and punched out a number.
“Daniel, it’s Ethan. I’m at Teasers and I just saw the stripper. She’s here, but she’s being guarded by several big burly guys.” Pause. “Okay, I’ll be at my motel.”
When he hung up, Serena asked, “Will the cops come here?”
“Yeah, Daniel’s gonna pay the club a surprise visit.”
“So that means he’ll get to talk to her?”
“Yep. Now we just have to wait.” He started the truck and drove toward the motel.
“I don’t understand why they’re guarding her so heavily.”
“We’ll find that out, too,” Ethan replied.
The rest of the drive took place in silence. There seemed nothing more to say.
As soon as they reached the motel, Serena jumped out and ran to her car for her overnight bag. She met Ethan at the door. “Hurry! I have to get out of these clothes. I feel so dirty.”
He opened the door and Serena sprinted for the bathroom. Well, Ethan thought, that must mean she’s staying the night. Now what? Should he ask her to leave? He removed his baseball cap and threw it on the bed, then sat in a nearby chair. He had a few minutes to decide what to do. She’d probably be in there a while. He listened to the sound of running water and didn’t understand why this was so difficult for him. She didn’t seem to mind his crippled hip, and she had a softness that complemented the hardness in him. So what was the problem? Oh, he knew what it was, all right. He just didn’t want to think about it.
“Ethan?” he heard her call.
He walked to the bathroom door. “Yes?”
“I need more shampoo. I can’t get this crap out of my hair.”
“I’ll see if they have any at the front desk.”
“Thanks.”
The motel office was around the corner and empty at this time of night except for a woman in her sixties reading a mystery novel.
“Can I help you?” she asked as she pushed her glasses up on her nose.
“Do you have any shampoo?”
“Isn’t there some in your room?”
“Yes, but my…girlfriend needs more.”
“I see,” she said in an impatient tone. She got up, heaving a loud sigh, and went into the back room. She returned minutes later with a small plastic bottle.
Ethan stared at it. “I don’t think that’s gonna be enough. You see, she has long thick hair.”
Without a word, the woman stomped into the room again and this time came out with a handful. “Will this be enough?” He didn’t miss the irritation in her voice.
“Yes, thanks,” he said as he took them from her. He turned to leave, then stopped. “Do you have any vacancies?”
She tapped the sign in front of her with one long fingernail. It said, No Vacancy.
“Sorry, didn’t see that.” He hadn’t seen it because his mind was preoccupied with thoughts of Serena and the night ahead. He quickly made his exit. Outside he had the urge to laugh, but didn’t. He felt ridiculous, as though he’d been trying to wrestle condoms, not shampoo, from the desk clerk.
Back in the room, he tapped on the bathroom door. Serena, a towel wrapped around her head and one around her body, opened it a crack. He handed her the shampoo. “This had better be enough because I’m not asking for more,” he told her. “The woman thinks we’re clean freaks or worse.”
“Poor Ethan,” she cooed as she closed the door.
He kicked off his shoes and sank into the chair again. His hip throbbed a little, so he propped his feet on the bed. He glanced at the phone and wondered if Daniel had his search warrant yet. Since a missing cop was involved, Daniel shouldn’t have a problem getting the warrant. Were they at the club?
He’d been involved in a lot of unusual situations in his career, but tonight had been…surreal. He’d seen Serena sitting beside him, yet he could look at the stage and see her there—totally nude. His hand went to his left ear. Serena’s touch was more tantalizing, more memorable, than anything the stripper had done. And he knew Serena was awakening parts of him that had been dormant—needed to be dormant because that was how he’d been able to endure, to survive. But now…
Serena came out of the bathroom in the blue silk nightshirt. She was rubbing her hair vigorously.
“Did you get it out?” he asked.
“Yes, finally.” She crawled onto the bed and sat cross-legged as she continued to rub her hair.
Her hands suddenly stilled. “I can’t get over how much she looks like me. You said she was a dead ringer, but I didn’t expect her to be my exact double. We have to be related.”
“Through your mother?”
“Yes.”
“What was your mother’s name?”
“Jasmine Aurora Farrell.”
“Where was she born and where did she die?”
“In Fort Worth.”
“What’s her married name?”
“Welch.”
“First thing in the morning I’ll check it out at the Tarrant County clerk’
s office. Then we’ll know for sure if she’s dead or alive.”
Serena smoothed the towel across her thigh. “I won’t talk to my grandmother until afterward.” She stared down at the coarse white towel. “This sounds terrible, but I’d like to have proof if she lies to me.”
“Yeah. It might also be a way to get a lead on the stripper.”
She raised her head, the damp strands framing her face. “Do you go to strip clubs often?”
He was taken aback for a second, but answered readily. “No.”
“You went a couple of weeks ago with your brother.” She shouldn’t be prying into his private life, but she didn’t want Ethan to be one of those guys she’d seen in the club. Her heart had already told her he wasn’t, and yet…she had to hear him say it.
“That was a forced situation. I was trying to get Travis home for a visit. He’s a musician and he’s into the night-life. I’m not.”
“Then you don’t get turned on by naked women prancing around in front of you?”
He watched her serious expression. “What are you getting at, Serena?”
Her eyes met his. “When you saw her nude body, did you think about her or me?”
“What?”
“Since we look so much alike, did you wonder if I was the same underneath my clothes?” She couldn’t believe she’d asked that question. It wasn’t like her to be so personal, but she had to admit she wasn’t herself tonight.
Ethan removed his feet from the bed. “I think it’s time for me to take a shower.” Come hell or high water, he wasn’t answering that question. He realized it was constantly on his mind—and it shouldn’t be. “While I was in the office, I checked into vacancies,” he added.
“Ethan, please, I don’t want to spend tonight alone.” There was a wealth of meaning in her words, and her voice was low with an appeal that sent a warmth pulsing through Ethan’s stomach. As he tried to gather his wits, she spoke again. “Tonight when we were at the club and I was nuzzling your ear, I felt something happening between us. Was I wrong?”
God, no, you’re not wrong.
“Serena.” He thrust a hand through his hair. “We’ve known each other a very short time. You’re fresh out of a broken engagement and dealing with a lot of complicated emotions. You’re very vulnerable. I won’t take advantage of that.”