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It only takes a few seconds for Z to recover from the shock. “Why is everyone always using my office to fuck?” He wags a finger between us, finally landing on Rock. “Aren’t you afraid of giving the baby a concussion this late in the game?”
Wrath throws his head back and laughs even harder. “What the fuck is wrong with you?”
Cheeks burning with embarrassment, I straighten up and try to retain some dignity. I give my hair a casual toss over my shoulder. “That’s not possible, Z.” I cast a glance Rock’s way. “Trust me, he’s asked the doctor. Multiple times.”
Rock grins and doesn’t bother to deny it. Wrath just keeps laughing while Z shakes his head.
“Swear to God the next time we remodel, fuck the stage, I’m adding a fucking room,” Z grumbles. “A room for fucking,” he clarifies in case we didn’t catch his meaning.
I jerk my thumb toward the VIP area. “Isn’t that what the VIP rooms are for?”
“Not cool, Hope,” Z scolds. “You know I run a clean club.”
“Not that clean anymore.” I press my hand to my mouth to hide my laughter.
Rock pulls me closer and squeezes my ass. “You’re full of it.”
“Actually, yes I am, Mr. President.” I giggle into my hands.
Wrath and Z groan. “You two are sickening,” Z says.
“Hello again,” a sultry voice greets from the back door.
Z’s face lights up, and he meets her at the door to take her bags. “Hey, Stella.”
Jeez, this woman’s stunning in person, and I doubt it took two friends and three hours plowing through her closet to make her look so good.
And my husband stood around watching her have sex all day. I hadn’t given it a lot of thought at the time.
I tune back into Z’s conversation in time to hear him say. “These two were busy defiling my office.”
Her smile’s wide and genuine as she shakes my hand. “Your husband glows when he talks about you.”
Okay. I guess that’s oddly sweet.
Too bad I can’t forget that she asked my husband to star in a porno with her. “Oh, do you mean when you asked if he wanted to be in a movie with you?”
Whoops!
Stella flinches and seems genuine when she says, “Sorry about that. I didn’t realize he was married.”
Because you missed the thick wedding band I placed on his ring finger? Thankfully, that comment doesn’t make it past my lips.
The guys won’t stop staring at me. Tense irritation practically radiates off Rock. I don’t think it’s directed at me, though. Wrath’s twitchy, ready to explode with laughter any second. Z shifts from foot to foot like he’s dying to be elsewhere or maybe he’s wishing he’d never invited me to the show.
An eternity ticks by.
“I read your column regularly,” I say to smooth over the awkwardness. “It’s really thought-provoking.”
“Thank you.” She opens her purse and pulls out a book with a red ribbon wrapped around it. “Um, Rock said you were a fan of my writing. I, uh. This is coming out next month. I brought you an advanced copy. I can sign it later if you would like me to.”
“Oh.” Now I feel awful for snapping at her. “Thank you. That’s so sweet. Yes, I’d love that.”
Fireworks over, Wrath excuses himself.
Rock keeps his hands on my hip while he talks to Z. I continue chatting with Stella like a civilized human.
She whips a pen out of her giant bag and cracks open the book. Dear Hope, Thank you for the support. Stella. She inscribes.
“Thank you so much,” I say when she hands it over. I glance at my tiny clutch and think of our table with all the drinks on it.
“You can leave it in my office, Hope,” Z offers.
Stella’s gaze darts his way. “I should get ready.”
“Sorry to keep you,” I say.
“No, no! I enjoyed this.” She flutters her hands in front of her. “I always get so nervous before shows. And usually it’s a bunch of guys who are wondering if I’ll perform nude or not. So this was nice. Thank you.”
“Of course.” Despite my annoyance over her proposal to Rock, I like her. A thought sparks in my head. “Hey, before you go. A friend of mine is here tonight. He’d really like to meet you, if that’s okay? Jonny Cage, he’s a singer—”
“Oh my God, he’s one of my favorite singers. Yes, I’d love that. After the show? I’ll definitely be too nervous now.”
“Oh great. I think he’s sitting at our table, so I’ll let him know.”
To my surprise, she gives me a quick hug before Rock and I leave the hallway. As we’re walking away, I realize she’s the first person I’ve met in a while who hasn’t asked me anything about when my baby’s due. It was refreshing for a change.
Trinity waves at me from the bar where she’s talking to Willow. My feet are killing me, which I try to mime to her through a bunch of hand gestures before taking my seat.
Rock sits to my right and drapes his arm over the back of my chair. We’re touching from knee to thigh under the table, and he settles his hand on my leg, slowly drawing my skirt up until his fingers caress my bare skin.
I lean into him. “What are you trying to do to me?”
“Getting in some afterglow cuddles with my girl.”
I can’t help laughing. “In the middle of your strip club?”
“Baby, I’ll take ’em any way I can.”
I sigh with contentment and rest my head on his shoulder.
“Are you okay? Tired?” He leans close and kisses the top of my head.
“No, I’m having fun.”
“Hey, you mind if I take this seat?” Jonny asks.
I reach over and pat the chair. “Nope.” When he’s finally seated, I turn slightly. “I talked to Stella; she’d really like to meet you after the show. She says you’re one of her favorite singers.”
He brightens up. “Really?” This is one of the things I always liked about Jonny. He’s humble, a regular guy when he’s not on stage. “Thanks, Hope.”
The lights dim.
A dancer I don’t recognize descends from a dramatic swath of red satin in the middle of the stage. Bending, twirling, and working the fabric between her legs in ways that don’t seem humanly possible.
Rock leans over. “Z’s not going to be happy with you,” he says against my ear.
“Why?”
“He’s got the hots for Stella if you didn’t notice.”
I search the crowd for Z’s tall, tattooed frame and find him standing by the side of the stage talking to Stella. “She’s not right for him.”
“Why’s that?” A teasing smile plays over his lips. “Because she writes feminist essays?”
“Well, yeah, that too. But did you notice how she never once asked me about the baby?” I tip my hea
d in Jonny’s direction. “Even he asked.”
“So?”
I roll my eyes, surprised I even have to explain this to Rock about one of his best friends. “Well, Z told me he wants a family, and she doesn’t have any interest in babies.”
He stares at me without answering and I shrug. The silks performance is short, but beautiful.
Trinity and Wrath join us as the lights dim for the next act. Dramatic music flows from the speakers. Purple smoke billows over the stage and when it clears, a blue velvet Victorian couch sits in the middle.
“Wow, Z must have gone all out on the props for this show,” I say to Rock.
More of the smoke lifts, revealing Swan. Wearing a sparkling white leotard, she sits on the couch in a full-split with her back to the audience. As the beats of the music intensify, she executes a backwards roll off the couch, still in the split, landing on the floor.
I lean over and whisper in Rock’s ear, “I bet that move would make getting this baby out easier.”
He chokes on his scotch and sets his glass down, shaking his head.
Swan’s performance is just that, a performance. It’s part ballet and part gymnastics. She grabs the pole and spins gracefully around it until she reaches the top, making it look effortless.
Jonny leans over. “This is way different from the usual.”
I laugh softly into my hand. That had been the entire point. I wonder what Z said when he invited Jonny. Although, on closer inspection, Jonny doesn’t seem disappointed in the performance. More like mesmerized.
When Swan finishes, the room erupts in cheers.
Trinity sits forward so she can see past the guys. “As soon as you pop that baby out, we’re so trying pole-dancing.”
“Like fuck we are,” bursts out of my mouth in response to that absurdity, making Trinity howl with laughter.
Rock leans over. “You can dance on my pole anytime you want,” he says against my ear.
I narrow my eyes, but can’t keep the laughter out of my voice. “You’d think that joke would be old by now, but it’s not.”
“Nope.”
“Did Rock say the only pole you’re dancing on his is?” Trinity shouts over the music.
Wrath reaches over and takes her glass of champagne away, setting it in front of him. “That’s enough for you.”
“Oh, good, we’re just in time for sex jokes about you two,” Teller says from behind us. “Can’t get enough of those.” He leans over and kisses my cheek. “Hi, Hope.”
