Sleepless in Savannah

by Rita Herron

  Sophie had fought tears during the entire episode and had stayed late to chat with guests backstage and compose herself before she went home. The reunion had spurred her own troubled memories of her mother and their relationship, making her question whether Lucy was right. Maybe it was time to let the past go and try to build a friendship with their mother. After all, Sophie didn't blame her mother for her actions; she'd been young, foolish, had been cast aside by her own family, desperate, destitute, and pregnant at fifteen. She'd been little more than a child herself and had been forced to grow up fast. Of course, Deseree hadn't actually grown up, but she had taken some hard knocks.

  Sophie contemplated phoning her mother all the way to her house. When she parked in the driveway, she was relieved to find it empty. Grateful for the time alone to sort through her emotions and freshen up, she gathered her purse and made her way inside. The phone was ringing when she entered.

  She read the number for the Palace on the caller ID and frowned, her pulse clamoring. Was something wrong with Lucy? She hadn't talked to her all week, and her sister never called from work.

  She grabbed the receiver. "Hello?"

  "Sophie, I'm glad I caught you before you went out."

  "What's wrong? Are you all right? Is it Deseree?"

  "No, Soph, I'm fine, and so is Mom."

  Since when had Lucy started calling Deseree Mom? "Oh, well... good. I was worried; you never call from work."

  "I know and I can't talk long, but this is an emergency."

  "What kind of an emergency?"

  "Sassafras fell and injured herself and can't dance tonight or the entire weekend. I'm trying to cover tonight, but I can't keep it up for the rest of the weekend, and the crowd will complain if we skip the double numbers—"

  "Lucy, why are you telling me this? Can't one of the other dancers fill in?"

  "No, no one else knows the steps."

  "You're kidding? When I left, I told you to get an understudy, that this might happen."

  "I know, and you were right, and we did hire this girl named Jasmine. She subbed for me last weekend, but she has the flu and can't come in until Monday. We need someone now, just for the weekend show; you know Saturday night is our biggest night of the week."

  Sophie's nails dug into her thigh as she realized the reason for Lucy's call. "You want me to come there and fill in? Lucy, you're out of your mind."

  "No... well, maybe, but you're the only one who knows the dance, and Garrison might fire Sassafras, and she needs the money—"

  "To take care of that no-account boyfriend of hers?"

  "No," Lucy said, lowering her voice to a shaky whisper. "Soph, she's pregnant, and she can't go home. She has no one to help her."

  Oh, dear heavens. Sassafras was such a sweetie, and she'd actually taken over for Sophie when she'd gotten the offer for the Sophie Knows show, dropping everything to help her. There was no question Sophie owed her. She pictured the young girl, alone, frightened, struggling with an alcoholic boyfriend, worried about her job. She'd seen the same desperate face on too many young girls in the past, one reason she'd wanted to get out of Vegas. She'd even felt desperate herself a few times.

  Was that how Deseree had felt? Pregnant and alone, desperate, with no place to turn?

  "I swear no one will find out," Lucy said. "You can come incognito to the set; we won't release your name, and with all the makeup and costumes you'll be wearing, you won't even recognize yourself."

  Sophie squeezed her eyes shut, her emotions warring in her head. But she couldn't refuse to help this girl. And Lucy was right: If she went incognito the entire way, and avoided the press, they could probably pull it off.

  "Soph, please, if you do this, I promise I'll sign up for night classes. I've been thinking about what you said about not dancing forever."

  "You have?"

  "Yes. Will you come? We could see Deseree together, too." Lucy hesitated. "Or wait, scratch that, I'm not trying to push you, Soph."

  Sophie sighed. Hadn't she been thinking about Deseree? "All right, but make Garrison swear on his life that he won't reveal my name to the public, not even to the other girls. If he does, I'll sue his pants off."

  "I promise," Lucy said. "And Sophie, thanks—I knew I could count on you."

  Sophie said good-bye, then called the airlines. If she wanted to go standby, they could get her on a plane in a couple of hours. She'd have to cancel her date with Lance tonight, sleep alone....

  She hastily threw together a suitcase; then Lance's headlights flickered in the driveway.

  How was she going to explain her sudden trip to him?

  Chapter 19

  Lance took one look into Sophie's eyes and knew something was wrong. He kissed her tenderly first, then pulled back and clasped her hands in his. "What is it? You seem upset."

  A faint flush crept onto her porcelain cheeks. "I didn't realize you could read me so well."

  "Tell me what's bothering you."

  "I... I have to cancel tonight," Sophie said, her voice filled with regret.

  His first instinct was jealousy, but they had to build a trust between them. He wanted that as much as he wanted to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless. "Work?"

  She shook her head.

  "You haven't had some other long-lost acquaintance show up again, have you?" If she had, he'd have to pulverize him. He wasn't about to sleep with her, then let some other man put his grimy hands on her.

  "No, it's not a man." Sophie laid her palm against his cheek. "It's Lucy; she called, and there's an emergency with a friend of ours—"

  His mouth tightened.

  "A girlfriend," Sophie clarified quickly. "I have to go tonight, Lance. I hope you'll understand."

  "Is she hurt? In the hospital?"

  Sophie hesitated, her gaze dashing to their joined hands. "She's pregnant, and I need to take care of her." She kissed his fingertips, her lips lingering for a fraction of a second before she met his gaze. "Can we pick up where we left off when I return?"

  "Of course. How long will you be gone?"

  Sophie squeezed his fingers. "Only for the weekend. I'll be back for work Monday."

  He waited for more, but she didn't offer it, and he knew he had no right to probe. They might be sleeping together, spending most of their evenings together, but he hadn't made any declarations of love or commitment, and neither had she.

  Still, when she kissed him good-bye, he sensed she was lying to him. What secrets did Sophie have hidden in her past that she wouldn't share with him?

  Were those secrets part of the reason she had to go to Vegas?

  A half hour later Lance crawled back onto the bar stool beside his brother. "I thought you might already have met up with some chick."

  "I figured you were in bed with Sophie now."

  Lance frowned. "Yeah, well, looks like we both struck out tonight. Sophie had an emergency."

  Reid's hand froze on his glass. "Lucy?"

  Lance grabbed a handful of peanuts and crushed them in his hand, almost laughing at his brother's worried expression. Did he really care for Lucy? "No, some girlfriend of theirs, said she was pregnant. Sophie had to go help take care of her."

  "Sounds odd," Reid commented.

  "Tell me about it," Lance said. "I can't figure Sophie out. One minute she's loving and all over me; the next she's secretive."

  "Who can figure out women?" Reid asked. "I told you her sister was a complete ditz."

  "Yeah, but Sophie's not ditzy; she just won't open up and talk about her past."

  "Maybe there's nothing to tell."

  "I think she's hiding something." Lance swallowed a sip of beer to wash down the peanuts and crushed another handful. "But she can't hide it forever, and sooner or later I'm going to find out what she's keeping from me."

  * * *

  Reid stood outside the airport in Vegas, grateful he'd caught a flight as soon as he'd left Lance. He was waiting on a cab, wondering why in the hell he had come and what he
hoped to accomplish. Luckily Maddie had had Lucy's address in Vegas.

  He hoped his suspicions proved wrong, that Lucy hadn't called Sophie to Vegas to get her away from his brother. He refused to let her mess up his brother's life.

  His own was another story.

  On the plane ride over, he'd fallen asleep and dreamed of Lucy's luscious lips creating havoc over his body and awoke, damn near humping the armrest of his seat. The airline attendant had glared at him as if he were a pervert, and the elderly lady sitting next to him with the bird-nest hairdo had screeched and jumped up, demanding to be moved. He'd gotten so riled, he'd knocked his beer over into his lap and soaked his jeans in an inopportune spot, so now he reeked of alcohol, which had earned him plenty of other odd looks.

  The cabbie slowed and he hopped in, giving the address. Fifteen minutes later he was arguing with the landlord of the building while her teenage daughter looked on.

  "She's not here," the woman said in a Midwestern accent, "and we don't want no drunken male hoochie-coochies bothering our tenants."

  He glanced down at his disheveled shirt and jeans and wished he'd taken the time to change after his flight. Still, he turned on the charm. "I'm a friend of Lucy's from Savannah. I just got in and wondered where she was, that's all. Come on; I've come a long way."

  The landlord's daughter fluttered acrylic nails through her orange-and-purple hair. "Lucy's at work."

  "And that would be...?"

  "You must not be such a good friend if you don't know where she works," the mother said in a nasal tone.

  "Actually, I'm more of a friend of her sister's. Lucy and I just met last week, but I got word there's some kind of emergency. I wanted to check on them while I'm in town."

  "The Palace," the teen said. "I could ride over with you, if you want."

  Reid gently declined, sensing that the teen was either looking for trouble or trying to escape her overbearing mother. As he took a cab to the hotel, he stared in awe at the glitzy lights and glamorous hotels. He'd never been to Vegas and realized he'd missed something. It was exactly as he'd pictured, the nightlife humming with excitement, the neon lights dazzling the clear, dark sky, the traffic and bustle of tourists and gamblers and showgoers charging the atmosphere.

  The Palace proved to be a huge establishment that offered extravagant nightly shows featuring something called the Diva act, with a restaurant that promised five-star dining, a casino, and a shopping mall built beneath. Something for everyone.

  Glamorous showgirls and music filled the stage as he entered. "And now for our special feature, the Virginal Princess and the Virginal Vampiress." Reid's gaze shot to the stage, his interest sparked.

  Although he'd missed nearly all of the show, the staff allowed him to watch the last two acts. He was completely mesmerized by the various stages of undress. Some dancers were topless, while others wore skimpy sequin-studded outfits that hinted at nudity, and others wore thongs and feathers, boas and huge headdresses. Every costume, set, and prop was elaborate, creating a glitzy show that captivated the audience, men and women alike.

  He remembered Lucy saying she was a hostess, but she hadn't seated him. Still, the place was so huge they had more than one, and she might not even be working tonight.

  He ordered a beer from a waitress in a tight black bustier and tipped her nicely. "Hey, sugar, do you happen to know a girl named Lucy Lane? She's strawberry blond, a hostess—"

  "Hostess?" The waitress laughed. "No, hon, she's onstage. Don't you recognize her?"

  "She's onstage?"

  The waitress winked. "Uh-huh. Her sister used to work here, but she took off for some bigger job." The waitress slid the tip into her bustier. "Must run in the family; the mom was a stripper, too."

  "Uh... really." Lucy and Sophie were strippers? His gaze shot to the stage, where a dozen beautiful women danced and paraded, all made-up and in costume. Shock filled him. Then memories rushed back—Lucy dancing at Sophie's. He slapped his forehead, feeling like an idiot. Why hadn't Lucy mentioned that she danced? And Sophie?

  Was that the secret Sophie had been keeping from Lance?

  To think he'd come here to try to keep them together, when Sophie was lying to his brother about everything.

  He squinted, trying to pick her out. Two, no, three or four blondes at least were dancing in the first row; two were wearing masks; the other's face was practically covered in feathers. Which one was she? The one in all red? The silver-clad desperado figure? The one with the purple sequins? He decided she was dressed in black in the back row and forced himself not to watch her. Then a hot redhead in all white appeared, and he moved to the edge of his seat. The Virginal Princess. She was sexy enough to make him forget Lucy... at least for a while.

  Anger started to mount inside that Lucy and Sophie had played him and his brother for fools, and he guzzled his beer, then ordered another. What should he do?

  Confront Lucy? Call Lance?

  And who was that knockout dressed all in white? He could have sworn she was watching him, too, maybe even playing up her act just for him....

  * * *

  Lucy's body and feet ached, and she was dizzy from trying to double up and carry off two parts in the show, so dizzy in fact that she thought she must be having delusions when she first spotted Reid Summers in the audience.

  But she danced closer to the front of the stage, gyrating her hips and swaying backward so her white feather boa fluttered enticingly toward the crowd. Kicking out her legs first, she swung around, strutted around the stage, then placed her back to the audience, bent forward, and touched the floor, peeking between her knees.

  Oh, my God, it was Reid.

  And he was contorted in his chair with a goofy grin on his face as if he were drunk, and as if it were the first time he'd seen a professional show. She added some extra sauce to her moves, wiggling her butt and dipping and leaning forward so her breasts jiggled and nearly popped out of the sequined top. He leaned forward, his tongue lolling out.

  Did he recognize her?

  Another maneuver across stage, and she pranced into the center arena for the grand finale, where male dancers lit a series of fiery handheld lanterns to surround her—their Virginal Princess. Of course, she was missing her partner, the Virginal Vampiress.

  Every man's fantasy, a virgin princess and vampire. Sophie had been a genius to come up with the concept and the costumes.

  Sophie... Oh, Lord, what would she do if she knew Reid was here? Somehow she had to get Reid alone and convince him to leave. Or maybe she should avoid him.

  Fireworks suddenly exploded onstage, their glittery lights flashing a rainbow of colors around her, and smoke swirled into the air in a dramatic style. The last number finally drew to a close, and she watched Reid down another beer, his gaze feasting over all the dancers, then returning to her. Did he recognize her? Or was he lusting after someone he believed to be a stranger?

  Only one way to find out.

  Keeping her Diva mask, costume, and wig firmly in place, she strutted toward him, first stopping to speak to Deseree. She told Deseree that Sophie would be coming in, so they could get together, perhaps before or after Saturday night's show.

  Reid was still watching her, his smile raking over her as she approached. His eyes appeared slightly glazed over, his smile was lopsided, and from the wobble of his body as he stood to greet her, he'd been enjoying himself a little too much.

  She shouldn't take advantage of the situation.

  Then again, he had come here, perhaps to see her. To make up, maybe?

  "Hey, sweetheart," he said in a slurry voice.

  Lucy fluttered her white-gloved hand, playing the act for all it was worth. "Hi, handsome."

  "Can I buy you a drink?"

  Lucy nodded, the waitress appeared out of nowhere with her favorite, a Cosmopolitan, and she took his arm. "Did you come to Vegas looking for me?"

  "Honey, of course I did. You're the woman of my dreams."

  So he had come to
see her! And he was being so romantic. "Are you stayin' here at the Palace?"

  "Sure am. Wanna see my room?"

  Lucy told herself she shouldn't, but his promise that the real thing was better than her Sleepover, Inc., products still haunted her, and she was in a forgiving mood, and he had come all the way to Vegas to be with her. No man had ever flown across the country for her.

  What could one steamy night between the sheets hurt?

  She'd screw his eyeballs out, then send him packing in the morning with some wild excuse, and he would never know that Sophie was here, or that Sophie had been involved in the Diva show. He certainly didn't seem to mind that Lucy had. In fact, he seemed completely turned on by her costume.

  Five minutes later he was lying naked on satin sheets in a bedroom cast only in moonlight, and she was performing a strip-tease dance for him, one he'd requested.

  As soon as her feathers hit the floor, she crawled on top of him and proceeded to have her way with him while he moaned and murmured that she was his fantasy come true. She had yet to remove her mask, though the thong had slowly been peeled from her body, and then came the heavy headdress and sequined top, her bare skin still glittery from the special costume makeup.

  "You're all shiny, baby," Reid whispered as he took one pert nipple in his mouth and suckled her.

  Lucy writhed and clawed at his arms, stroking his calf with her bare toes and kissing the sleek muscles of his chest. He tweaked her other breast with his fingers, pinching and rolling the nipple, and she moaned, folding her hand around his sex and stroking until he begged her to stop.

  "No, let me touch you, baby." He flipped her to her stomach, slid his body on top of hers, and slowly tortured her with his hands and mouth. Lucy ground her hips into his erection, aching to have him inside her.

  She had always liked sex, but she had never been so wanton with a man or wanted one as much as she wanted Reid. Cupping her hips in his hands, he lifted her to her hands and knees and slid his sex against her femininity, driving her wild with slow, grinding movements until she parted her legs farther and pleaded with him to take her.