He spun around tossing his hat away from him as he did so. Spinning full circle twice until he faced me.
The mask covered most of his face, the edge to the top of his beautiful mouth. His lips mesmerized me, the bottom was slightly fuller than the top. They moved. “Pretty baby, pull the belt.”
Only because I was watching did I understand what he’d asked of me.
Like a robot I did as he asked. But the heart thumping against my chest told me I was human. Again he twisted away, this time he moved over to another group. I almost screamed, no, don’t go. My eyes tracked his every move, drinking him in like a thirsty woman would a tall glass of ice water on a hot day.
Six three, but he seemed taller, maybe because I was sitting down. One of the women he’d moved over to unbuttoned his coat. While two others got to take it off. My nostrils flared, I wanted to push them away. The lights flashed just enough to make sure we saw every single solitary inch of him.
“God have mercy.”
I heard the cry come from Odessa’s lips but they merely echoed my own. Along with all the other women in there who screamed, like they’d lost their damned minds. God’s truth, I didn’t blame them.
He was stripped of everything but a loin cloth covering a very healthy bulge, which had to be padding. His body flexed and rippled as he danced around the room, stirring warmth throughout every inch of my core like no one and nothing ever had. Perfect took on an entirely new meaning when looking at him.
Chapter Five
Harper
Dear Matrix,
Sorry about that last letter, I was in a really bad place. It’s better now. I’ve got the next 3 days off and am spending it with a couple of friends in Pamplona, Spain. I wish you could be here with me. Today I saw the running of the bulls. I didn’t watch from the street but from the balcony of my hotel room. All morning long people gathered along the street laughing, and curiously enough some were even doing exercises like they were getting ready to run. Lol which I’m pretty sure they were.
The air crackled with anticipation and excitement. First you hear the bells, the sound warning you that the bulls and steers are about to be released into the streets, then shouts from the crowd, and soon the building began to shake. Yeah, not kidding. I swore it was an earthquake, but no. It was a frigging stampede. Then pandemonium, people running and screaming everywhere, but surprisingly enough I didn’t get a sense of sheer terror from them, no scent of fear was in the air, more like a thrill. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was a seriously chaotic sight. I was just glad I was not in the midst of that madness. I’ve been in the middle of enough of that. I watched as some people slipped onto the cobblestones, but they managed to get out of the way or were quickly pulled away from being trampled. It didn’t seem as though anyone was seriously hurt. A person being run over or gorged by a bull wasn’t something I needed to see at that moment. Which made me wonder why I agreed to come, still I’m glad I did.
It’s truly a beautiful place. Peaceful too because at least tonight and the next couple, I don’t have to worry about a suicide bomber or sniper trying to infiltrate our base. I will sleep well tonight when I lie on a soft bed and not hard ground. I will still think about you lying next to me.
It did not escape my eyes you used the ‘L’ word. My heart pushed against my chest at reading it. Just so you know, every time I check my email that’s the same feeling I get when I see I have mail from you. Mush from a hard ass soldier but I’m a soft woman too. I’ll take an email or a paper letter from you any time.
I will do my absolute best to stay in this world with you. As far as meeting, that scares the shit out of me. And nothing much scares me but that sure does.
Love,
Nadya
P.S. Yeah, I used it too.
I couldn’t believe this was going to be my last night. It was kind of bittersweet for me. This place had helped me pay my bills and the owners were good people. One of them, Redd, even becoming one of my best friends and roommate. I owed them a lot so I planned on making this the best dance ever. Tonight, I let it all loose. Not that I ever held back, but tonight I danced like this for the last time. The new moves that Roman choreographed for me were perfect for my swan song as a stripper.
The room was packed tonight. We’d kept it quiet for the most part that this was my last performance. Bodies lined the wall, the room seemed more crowded than usual, so maybe my leaving might not have been that quiet. Yet, for all the beautiful women in the room, one stood out to me. It sometimes happened like that, that one or two would stand out and I’d focus on her.
Usually, it’s the shier ones, the ones a little unsure about themselves who tried to hide. I liked to pay the most attention to them, coaxing them out of their comfort zone. Funny though, this particular woman didn’t strike me as shy, not the way she leaned forward and tracked my every move. Not shifting out of my visual range as I slowly made my way through the masses but always circling back in her direction.
She wasn’t the most beautiful woman in the room, but she stood out. There was just something about her drawing me. Those big brown eyes maybe or perhaps the way she wore her hair pulled back into a short ponytail, but I could see the shape of her face. A strong one and I liked it. It was fresh, not heavily made up like others in the place. From what I could see, she only wore a little lip gloss making her plumb lips shiny. I’d like to lick it off.
I’d barely touched her and an electric shock sprung through my body. My stomach muscles cramped, my dick twitched. Damn. A new experience for me here. I never hit on clients before or returned their advances, not like some others who danced the club. I’d never been interested, this was just a job. I might have to change my mind, but it didn’t matter, after this dance, I’d no longer work here. This was new territory. For the first time in a long time I smiled with real interest at a woman.
I did my routine moving past her to work the rest of the room, gathering up singles, fives even a few twenties. Yeah, I was hot tonight.
Not stopping for long with anyone else, at last coming back around to her. She’d be the last one I danced with. The music changed to Donna Summer’s “The Last Dance.” I laughed. I knew that was Rom’s doing. I glanced over to the open doorway and there he stood in an all-black silk suit and tie, giving me a short wave. I stopped directly before the woman seated in the front of the room. My breath came hard and fast in anticipation. I caught her gaze, raked my hand through my hair then licked my lips, making it very clear she was my target for the night.
Her features lit up, her kissable lips curled up into a smile as she shifted in her seat. I placed my hands on her thighs, pressing against her body in a push up position, then slowly I rose. “Don’t be scared. Touch me,” I whispered, letting my breath fan her mouth.
“Wh…where?”
“Anywhere.”
I’d said similar words many times, but they meant nothing. It was impersonal, merely a dance with a stranger. Part of the show. But right here, right now. I meant it. I wanted to touch her and feel her touch on me. The minute she pressed her palms on my chest a fire consumed me. I had to blink to remind myself of the damn routine. Anticipation thumped through my body; for once these choreographed moves would be done in earnest.
She seemed shy, tentative, so I helped. “Wrap your arms around my neck, baby.”
Once she did, I put my hands under her thighs and picked her up. “I got ya.”
“Shit!” she cried.
I grinned. “Now trust me and whenever I grab your hands don’t let go.”
“Shit!” she repeated.
Instinctively, she twined her legs around my waist as I spun us twice. Then I unlocked her arms from around my neck and held onto her waist lowering her head toward the ground as I twirled her again. Turning full circle a couple of times, pausing to get a solid grasp on her hands. I lowered her, sliding her body parallel to the floor between my spread legs quickly, then twisting over her so I was now looking down at her face. S
till, holding tightly onto her, I pulled her back up into a standing position flush against my hard body.
If possible, the crowd went crazier than before. It was a complicated move but not that difficult if you had the strength to pull it off and knew what you were doing. I always chose the women I’d dance with carefully. I’ve done that move hundreds of times and I hadn’t dropped one yet. And I sure as shit wasn’t about to drop this one. Not when she spiked my curiosity. She wasn’t the hottest woman who’d ever set foot in the club, but she was very attractive. I even liked the fact she was on the tall side. We aligned together perfectly.
When the dance was over I hugged her to me, she rested her forehead against mine and laughed. “That was…that was.”
“Yeah,” I said. “Fucking amazing.”
Taking a step back from me she continued to hold my hands. “One way of putting it.”
“The only way. Thank you, baby.” I kissed her cheek and felt a spark. My dick twitched.
“Oh my God! That was fucking awesome.” The woman seated beside the one I’d danced with joined us and hugged her. By then other dancers came in, but my routine was over. Yet, for the first time ever I was reluctant to let the one I’d danced with, who I still held onto, go. She felt right. Her touch on my arms had heat generating throughout my body.
“Thank you. So much, that was…thank you, Matrix.”
No surprise she knew my name, most of the members did and I was announced before my routine started. “You’re very welcome, beautiful lady. Thank you for the dance.” I stepped aside, bringing her hand up to my lips, I pressed a kiss on it and again my dick twitched. Damn!
I wanted to ask her name or tell her not to leave, to give me five minutes to change and I’d come back for her. Anything. I didn’t want to leave her, but I had to. Someone else came up to my left and began tugging on my arm. I’d been doing this for a long time and knew how to gently extricate myself. Time for me to go. I began moving away.
I glanced back at the woman I’d danced with and there seemed to be…no I shook my head. Those weren’t tears I saw pooling in her eyes. Must be the bad lighting, beside I blinked and they were gone. Yet, something about her wouldn’t let me just walk away.
I took a step back to her side and bent to whisper in her ear. “Ten minutes, meet me outside.”
I immediately turned away, not waiting for her answer. I didn’t want it to be no. It took me a few minutes to make my way out of the room, but finally I did and got to the dressing room. I changed faster than I’d ever changed in my life. There were showers in there and I should have taken one but didn’t want to take the time. Instead, just quickly wiping off the sweat and spraying on deodorant. It would have to do.
I must have been out of my mind asking her to meet me. I’d never done anything like this before. I have always kept the clients at arm’s length. Whatever happened in the club stayed in the club. I never socialized outside of it.
Shit! It wasn’t until I stood on the sidewalk in front of the club I realized she didn’t know what I looked like. I’d worn a fucking mask.
Chapter Six
Nadya
Dear Nadya,
Wow! I’d have loved to have seen that. But I’ll be honest with you, I’d probably want to be in the streets. Lol. I can see it now, me with a red cape waving it in front of the bull’s face then running like hell to get out of the way. But I’d depend on you to pull my ass out of the street, just in case.
Well, I’m finally into my senior year of law school and I’ve been sending out resumes. Most of my classmates did internships this summer and a few already have offers. Unfortunately I couldn’t but my grades are damn good, top 1/3 and I should finish strong, so I’m not worried.
I meant what I said ya know. Something else you should know. I might dance with a lot of women, but I never take it outside of the club and in the club all I do is dance. That’s it. I hope you can believe me because my words are true. There’s only one woman I’m interested in taking things to another level with. And some day (when we meet, I’m hoping) I’ll prove it to you.
Love,
Matrix
P.S. I’ll tell you my real name the day we meet. You should know who the hell the masked guy is kissing you.
“Wow, Cuz. He was just.”
“Yeah.” I wanted to leave, but my butt stayed glued to the seat, even though the rest of the show held no interest for me. The one I’d come to see already left the room. In truth, I didn’t leave because I was afraid I’d pulled something in that last move Matrix had done on me. Damned, I wasn’t quite as healed as I thought. I needed a minute before I tried to stand and walk out of there. I didn’t clue Odessa into the fact I had a little cramp, but she didn’t seem in a rush either.
“That performance blew my mind. Were you scared?” Odessa asked. “Cause my heart stopped when he tossed you between his legs then pulled you back up into his arms. Damn!”
I chuckled then winced when I felt a little tinge in my lower region. “Yeah, it was a bit disconcerting, it all happened so fast and he had a firm hold on me. He told me to hold on, so I did.”
Odessa frowned. “You okay?”
Trust her to notice, she’d been taking care of me since my discharge and had seen me in pain. I was no longer taking the pain meds, only over the counter pills if I overdid it with exercising. I took a deep breath. “Yeah, I’m fine. He just took my breath away is all.”
She bumped my shoulder. “I bet. In more ways than one. So now, what ya gonna do?”
I knew what she meant and I knew what I wanted to do, but not what I should. My chest ached just thinking about it. “Nothing’s changed. I wanted to meet him, now I have. Sort of, it’s enough.”
“I call Bull Shit! He was into you hon, but I thought you told me he didn’t screw around with the women he danced for here?”
I paused considering it. “He doesn’t or at least he didn’t. I don’t know. It’s none of my business, not anymore. Not that it ever was especially, since I stopped writing to him six months ago. I’m sure he got over whatever our relationship was.”
“But you haven’t. Nadya, you’ve got to tell him. Give him the chance to decide what he wants.”
“I can’t.”
“You can, but you won’t. Well I heard him ask you to meet him outside, and I noticed you didn’t immediately get up and get out of here right after he left. Our asses are still firmly planted in these seats. So what are you going to do when he’s waiting in front of the club for you?”
Good question, and she was partially right. I had every intention of leaving after he cleared the room, but the cramp in my abdomen told me I needed to stay put for a minute, something I didn’t want Annie to know. “I don’t know. Walk right past him I suppose, since I still don’t really know what he looks like. Remember he wore a mask.”
“Honey, mask or no mask, that man was fine as fuck. I’d recognize him.”
In truth, I think I’d recognize him too. There was something in the way he looked at me, something that made me respond to him the way I did. But for fuck’s sake, he’s a stripper. A performer. I’m sure he looks at all the women in there that way with a similar reaction. How many times has he done this?
“Come on, let’s go.” She stood up.
I stood up and winced, pressing my hand against my stomach. Damn, I didn’t have any pain pills with me. I stopped carrying them around a week ago.
Odessa’s forehead crinkled. “Something is wrong. You’re not okay. Do you have your pills?”
“No,” I ground out.
“I might have ibuprofen.” She searched her purse pulling out a little tube full of pills. She took out two.
I tossed them in my mouth, picking up what was left of my drink, mostly ice water now. I downed it and inhaled. I was beginning to feel better already, the cramp had passed and I knew the pills would kick in soon.
“Come on,” I said to Odessa. “Let’s go.” I figured enough time had passed. Hoping he’d
hadn’t been serious about meeting me and even if he was he’d have given up or surely been distracted by now.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“Yes, those pills will do the trick.” I took a sure step forward and really felt fine. I’d only been working full time now for a month with the civil engineering division of Arlington County, and tonight was the first time I’d been out late since my accident. I just needed to get home and get some sleep. I’d be fine by morning. Damn it. I was pissed. I hated feeling like an invalid in any way shape or form. I’d done that for months, enough already.
As soon as we stepped through the exit I spied the tall frame of the man leaning against the post on the sidewalk. The real reason I hated feeling this way hit me. What it meant for my body.
Odessa bumped right into me, I hadn’t even realized I’d paused, but I tried to play it off and kept right on walking. Like I didn’t know the man standing there may be waiting for someone—waiting for me. Yes, mask or no mask I’d know this man anywhere. Matrix. My Matrix.
Unfortunately, I turned to walk in the wrong direction, away from the valet station and Matrix. I paused again and turned around. I realized Odessa had stepped toward the valet stand and had handed over her claim ticket. I couldn’t help it, my eyes had a mind of their own, I glanced at Matrix. His eyes were locked on me, and he took the few steps in my direction. This time I didn’t turn away from him, I couldn’t.
Two hundred pounds of sleek solid muscle topped off with dirty blond hair stood in my way. Those light brown eyes burned past my surface layers right down into my core.
“Hello,” he said.
I trembled. His voice was still low and husky. I’d noticed that before in the club. Even with the loud music and screaming going on around us, I could hear him.
“Hi.” I managed to croak out.
“I’m Matrix.”
“I know.”
He tilted his head to the side and smiled. If he was sexy before the smile, well my loving God, it’s a good thing he wore a mask. The man could make a fortune on his face alone.
Stirred: The Martini Lounge Book 2 Page 3