Dan threw him a dark look, but Josh had already turned back to the stage and was staring at the brunette who’d come on after the twins left to make their rounds of private dances. The girl on the stage was extra curvy and wearing a pair of red, skintight, see-through mesh shorts, red platforms, and nothing else. Dan took a drink, his gaze drawn to the sheer fabric hugging the girl’s pussy lips. How long had it been since he’d slid his tongue across a woman’s clit? Since he’d licked her sweet cunt until her thighs clenched around him, her breathing hoarse and quick?
Josh smacked him again. “That’s more like it, man.”
Fuck. If an idiot like Josh could see his hungry lust he was in worse shape than he imagined.
“Worry about yourself,” Dan grumbled, unable to pull his gaze away from the brunette’s ass cheeks. She was down on her knees and elbows, her shapely back dropped low to offer a better view of the slick curves between her legs. She pumped herself up and down, thrusting back and forth in rhythm to the music and then glided across the floor like a cat in heat. Fuck me, every one of her movements begged. Dan’s heart thumped, pushing still more hot blood into his stiff cock.
If he were still at home in the corner of his dark barn he could’ve spend the night pummeling the heavy bag instead of trying to silence the dark, sexual hunger that swam deep inside him. At least here he stood a chance of being useful to Matthew, whatever the plan was. Wait and see. Not something he was accustomed to. Or very good at. No, not good at all.
Chapter Two
Matthew watched the emotions storm through Dan’s eyes. Bringing his friend to Tigers had only been a guess but judging by the tormented yearning on the other man’s face he’d been right. Not surprising, one man learns a lot about another when fighting beside him.
Dan leaned over, tipping his head toward Josh but keeping his unenthusiastic attention on the dancers. “Why is that asshole here?”
“I have a plan.” That wasn’t a lie but it wasn’t the truth either. He did have a plan but it had nothing to do with Josh and everything to do with Dan. And Tara.
“You going to fill me in?”
For the second time in twenty-four hours Matthew found himself struggling with the truth and the right way to repair things that were wrong. “Yeah. In a bit.” He leaned back in his chair and forced his gaze to the stage. The women were beautiful, no doubt, but what they were doing wasn’t. Not really. Tigers wasn’t a place a man came to if he wanted to find a woman to spend the rest of his life with. Matthew’s gaze shifted to Dan and then Josh. For several long seconds he looked from one to the other, comparing the men’s movements, body language and facial expressions.
Josh was shouting and making jack-off gestures with his hands. It was only a matter of time before he got pulled away from the choice seats near the stage. Probably about the time he ran out of dollars. Matthew didn’t care when they hauled him off. He was already done with him, using him as an excuse to come to Tigers. Unpleasant yes, but worth it. He had the information he needed. Matthew let his gaze settle on his friend. Dan was coiled and compact. He had a tight rein on his emotions, but Matthew saw the pain and hunger clawing inside him, tearing at Dan’s heart and threatening to swallow his soul.
Matthew’s plan was to let the animal out and chase it right to the person he most wanted to protect, his wife Tara. It was a win-all or lose-all scenario.
Josh started hammering on the table with his beefy first. “Where the hell is the waitress?” he yelled, rising out of his chair to make a total ass of himself by blocking the view.
“What’s the plan, Matthew?” Dan asked the second Josh got impatient with the cocktail waitress and headed to the bar for another round.
Matthew looked down into his own glass, still half full, then moved over to sit beside Dan. “Not sure,” he said, which was true. And then the lie, “I figured something would come up. You know, something I could use against him.”
Dan tipped his head at the stage and lifted an eyebrow. “You aren’t up already?”
“Fuck you.” Matthew gestured at the bar where Josh was yelling to someone across the room. “Maybe I didn’t think this all the way through. But the guy is such an asshole I had to try something. This is all I could come up with.”
Dan rolled his glass in his hands, concentrating on the smooth, hard texture as it glided across his palm. Cool. Unyielding. Empty. But what he wanted was warm and soft. Willing. Something to fill. Someone who wanted to be filled.
The dancer on the stage, a woman with harsh, spiky, red bangs leaned into the pole, running her hands up and down her stomach, staring at him. Gyrating slowly, moving her body in long, loose, motions. He’d seen the look often. Pay me enough and I’ll convince you I want you to fuck me. Pay me more and you can take me downstairs to one of the suites. I’ll do whatever you want.
Still staring at him, she dropped to hands and knees and crawled toward him, ass in the air, huge tits swaying. Sweat glistened on her fair skin. Her muscles flexed as she rolled onto her back and cupped her breasts, flicking her pink nails over her big, dark nipples. She arched her back, spread her legs and rocked her hips. The musky scent of her wet pussy filled the air.
Dan let his gaze rake across her body and remembered the satisfaction of being sought out so quickly and easily in such a large crowd. Then he remembered the reason they’d come to Tigers. Matthew. Josh. And that power-hungry bitch who was their boss.
“He’s going to screw up on his own,” Dan said, tugging his attention away from the stage to move it across the crowd. “Who the hell is he yelling at?”
“Oh shit.”
Matthew twisted in his chair and looked in the same direction. “What the hell is she doing here?”
Her being there was bad. That she was coming their way made the situation worse. Anger had ignited Dan’s lust and he’d let the emotions meld together. Now there was no telling what he’d say to the woman.
He shoved himself out of his chair and dodged between the tables. Olivia spotted his hasty exit and called after him but he ignored her, moving instead as quickly as he could to the bar. He was there to support Matthew, but a man could only go so far.
He ordered another drink, turned to watch the woman on the stage closest to him, and concentrated on blocking out the fresh wave of resentment seeing Olivia brought on.
The next dancer was waiting at the steps, so the one on the stage strutted to the opposite side and then stopped, gradually grinding herself up and down, rolling her hips in tight circles. The arch in her back created by the angle of her arms made her look particularly vulnerable. She blew the men nearest her a kiss then gathered up the last of the dollars and headed to the steps.
As she was tucking the bills into the band on her leg, their eyes met. She straightened and headed directly for him, her breasts glistening in the gleam of the stage lights as she strode toward him.
Men moved out of her way as she came to him, their attention already fixated on the new dancer, a tiny thing wearing a schoolgirl outfit. Not Dan’s type. Not at all.
The dancer climbed onto the stool beside him. “Hiya. What’s next?”
He looked her up and down but said nothing. He knew the unsaid rules of Tigers. When a girl came back by the bar, she wasn’t on duty. That meant she was making her own rules, setting her own prices.
“I remember you from a while back.” She made a point of looking down toward his dick.
Dan lifted the dancer off the stool, dragged her backward and slammed her back to the wall. Her body shook from the impact but she didn’t hesitate when he pressed himself to her and told her to close her eyes. Her lashes were dusted with silver glitter, the perfect contrast to her delicate skin. With her eyes closed, her face looked innocent and sweet.
That innocence was part of the show but in that moment he wanted to believe the lie.
“Open your eyes and say the first thing that comes to mind.”
Her lashes lifted and her lips parted. But she didn’t speak
.
“Say what you’re thinking. I want to hear it.”
“I’m not here to think. I’m here to do.”
Her canned respond should have annoyed him but he was so far gone he didn’t care that her come-on was an act. He could act also. “What do you want to do? Say it. I want to hear the words.” So I can believe them.
She circled his face with her gaze, sizing him up no doubt. Trying to tell if he was serious. Or trying to tell how serious he was. Or how much money she could get from him. Then there was a shift in her expression, something so small he probably only saw it because he was so close. And then, “I want—”
“Dan?” The word was followed by a thump on the shoulder.
It took a few long seconds for Dan to recognize Matthew’s voice. After he did, he used his hip to keep the dancer pinned to the wall as he turned to his friend.
After their gazes connected, Matthew took a step back. Dan exhaled, intentionally easing the sexual hunger he knew lingered on his face. “What’s up? Josh fucking with you?”
“No, it’s not that. I was, I’m—”
“You want to get going?”
“Yeah.” Matthew glanced at the dancer, still pinned to the wall, her breasts rising and falling sharply with quick breaths. “But, I—”
Dan loosened his hold on the dancer and felt her breathing slow in response. It would’ve been better if Matthew hadn’t seen this side of him, but he had tried to avoid coming in.
The dancer grabbed Dan’s belt and tugged.
Matthew took a step back. “Don’t worry about me, man,” he said, then disappeared into the crowd.
The woman was still clutching his belt when he turned. She arched her back, drawing his attention to her glitter-coated tits. “I want to go downstairs. Let me dance for you and if you’re a real good boy, I’ll let you come.”
He took her hand, turned around and ran straight into Olivia.
Olivia’s gaze was raking across the dancer, her mouth tight but her expression open and greedy. “I had no idea you were such a bad boy,” she said, reaching out to tap his chest.
Dan moved back before her hand touched him.
“No need to be shy.”
The vodka on her breath explained the glaze in her eyes, but even so, he didn’t want to make things worse by saying something he meant. Dan pulled the dancer to his side and wrapped his arm around her warm waist. “Excuse us.” But Olivia wasn’t about to take the not-so-subtle hint. She moved with them through the crowd.
Dan jerked to a stop. “Go find Josh. He’ll take care of you.”
Olivia reached for him again, this time managing to grab one of the belt loops of his jeans. “I’m not so sure about that. Maybe I think you could take better care of me.”
The dancer took Olivia’s hand and rubbed her palm across Dan’s zipper and then cupped the bulge of his dick. “She can join us. Special price for you, handsome.”
His lust stupor evaporated from the awkward caress. The thought of having anything to do with Olivia made his stomach curdle. And the other woman, she was only doing a job, offering what she thought he wanted, a mindless release. But that wasn’t what he needed. Not by a long shot.
Dan let go of the dancer and worked his way through the thickening crowd. He spotted Matthew standing near the bar, watching a basketball game. “Thought you left,” he said, adjusting his pants over his softened cock.
Matthew slid him a look, taking in the motion of his hands. “Nah. I was—”
“You ready now?” Dan bumped Matthew’s shoulder with his own, moving him toward the exit.
Matthew pulled out his keys and tossed them one from hand to the other. Without another word, they headed through the door. The air outside was warmer than in the club but it was fresh and Dan wiped his forehead with the back of his hand. The low, thumping bass of the dance music disappeared as soon as the door closed behind them. The lot was busy, guys in pairs, groups, or alone headed in to pay for fantasy.
The truck locks clicked open when Matthew hit the remote. Dan swung open the passenger door and set his foot on the sideboard. “I don’t think your plan worked,” he said over the roof.
“I never told you what it was.”
“Josh, Olivia, you were trying to break that up, right?”
Matthew opened the driver’s side door and replied across the top of the cab. “No. I only made you think that to get you here.”
Dan dropped his foot. “That’s kind of fucked up.”
“If you think that’s fucked up, wait until you hear what I actually have in mind.” Matthew climbed in and called to him from inside the truck. “Get in. We’ll go get a six-pack and head to the beach.”
* * * * *
About an hour later, despite the mixture of relief and fear churning through Matthew’s veins, he was glad to have the plan out in the open. It was the first step toward doing something. Even if what he did turned out to be the wrong thing, at least he’d done something. Doing nothing simply wasn’t an option any longer. He’d tried that and he knew it wasn’t working.
Dan had listened, not interrupting once while Matthew explained his situation. He had yet to respond to the request. Matthew watched Dan roll his empty beer bottle between his hands. “I don’t care about the shit you care about, Matthew. I don’t have a wife.”
Matthew wasn’t going to say, but you want one. Even though it was the truth and they both knew it. “If you wanted to be fucking some random piece of ass, you’d be back at Tigers with your dick in some nameless pussy.”
Instead of answering, Dan finished the beer and slipped the empty bottle into the carton.
“That’s not what you want. Admit it.”
Dan reached back, took another bottle from the six-pack, opened it with his teeth, then tossed the cap up and caught it with his free hand. He took a drink and stared out into the rolling blackness.
The rumble of the waves roared in front of them, the churning of the tide a swell of white foam and shadowy water. Matthew waited until Dan looked over at him. “You’re the only person who can help me.”
His reply was matter-of-fact. “Seems to me I already helped you.”
“That’s true. You brought me back. So it’s your fault I’m here. Now finish the job and make me whole.”
Dan secured his bottle by pushing it deep into the sand and then tugged off his boots and socks. He shoved himself up, smacked the grit from his hands then walked toward the water, his feet throwing small clouds of sand as his moved.
Matthew knew that this was Dan’s way. Not talking while he thought.
Dan stripped off his shirt first, threw it down. His jeans and briefs came off in one motion. Moonlight and the gleam of distant city lights brightened his bare skin as he stalked into the waves, his legs crashing through the tide until it was deep enough to dive. Bullets, rockets, hell—not even hand-to-hand killed Dan. Heavy, dark waves were no match either. The man would wear himself out and then, when he was ready, answer. Matthew lay back and watched the stars.
“You’re serious. You’re sure.” Dan’s whack on his leg brought Matthew back from his drowsy state. “You really want me to do it?” he asked.
“Yeah.” Matthew opened one eye.
“All right. I’m in.” Dan yanked on his shirt then zipped his jeans. “For you, for Tara. But I hope you know what you’re asking.”
* * * * *
The ride from Matthew and Tara’s apartment up into the Topanga Canyon had been quiet. Not uncomfortable, but the kind of silence two people share when they have no idea what to say and even less idea what’s going to happen next. Dan pulled into his driveway, cut the engine, and tossed his keys onto the dash. Before his tours, the isolation and still country air had been a source of irritation. It’d made him restless, as if the world were passing him by. Now he welcomed the calm of the mountains and the vastness of the sky. The place where he’d grown up suited him well. But he was used to coming home alone, not arriving with a woman, and certai
nly not with a woman who belonged to another man.
Tara climbed out of the cab, her fingers trailing along the hood of his truck as she stood in the shade of the giant massive oak tree that’d cast a shadow across the yard for as long as Dan could remember. “Don’t see many of these in the city,” she said, looking up into the gnarled branches.
“I used to climb up there, wait for my brother to walk by, then throw acorns at him.”
A flicker of a smile tugged on the corners of her mouth as she looked him up and down, her gaze light but he felt the effects of it anyway. “I can see you doing that,” she said once her eyes connected with his. The breeze caught her dark hair and flipped it back over the shoulders. She reached up, gathered the sleek strands, and then held them at her neck. The wind pushed the fabric of her dress across her breasts and tossed it around her hips, lifting it high enough to show her thighs. But she made no attempt to stop it. Instead, she held on to her hair, watching him. Assessing him.
Demanding lust flared inside him. Maybe it showed too fiercely in his eyes because she looked away, turning her attention to the rough desert surroundings. Neither delicate nor patient had ever been two of his qualities. Matthew knew that and so Dan took it to mean he should be himself with Tara. He came around to the front of his truck and propped his foot on the bumper.
Sure, she was admiring the mountainside mixture of yucca, white sage and chia, but she was also watching him from the corner of her beautiful eyes. She moved out of the shade. “Can I see the barn?”
“It’s behind the house,” he said, dropping his foot then heading down the drive. The soft thud of her steps as she followed him made him wonder if her dress was still being pushed up by the wind. Or had she let go of her hair to hold it down?
The wide wood door was already unlatched, so he shouldered it open and stepped inside. She followed, brushing past him as she went into the dim light and took a deep breath. “He’s right. It does smell great in here.”
Wicked Pink Page 2