“Stripper moves?” he queries. The smooth rasp of his voice has my pulse quickening.
“Yes,” I say with a faint laugh. “I was waiting for the hidden cameras to jump out from behind the curtains and say ‘surprise, you’re on hidden stripper cam.’”
My eyes drift over Hugo’s fetching face. The concern marring it is changing to a more relaxed expression.
My lips pucker as I eye him with fake curiosity. “Have you been harboring secrets from me?”
His brows furrow, and he swallows harshly.
“Because no white man should have moves like that,” I murmur, my tone thickly laced with sassiness.
A surge of energy pummels my body when his profound chuckle booms through my ears. I smile, loving that I can still switch his mood from infuriating to playful in under thirty seconds. Once his laughter dies down, he takes a step closer to me, entrapping me in the tiny alcove with his impressive body. A whimper ripples from my lips when the coolness of the mirrored wall refreshes my inflamed skin.
All playfulness stops, and a new type of friskiness impinges the air when his hankering eyes lock with mine. “If I were a stripper, wouldn’t that mean I should’ve been removing my clothes?”
My eyes remain locked with his, but I don’t speak. I can’t. I can barely breathe, much less articulate a response.
“Is that what you want, Ava?” He stares at me with wild eyes, his chest rising and falling with every breath he takes. “Do you want me to dance for you…naked?”
I stare into his lusty eyes and mutter, “I have the dollar bills for it.”
My pupils widen as my mouth gapes, shocked by own audacity. Any apologies for my inappropriate remark are crammed back into my throat when the suit-wearing gentleman returns to stand next to us. My dropped jaw gains leverage when the mysterious stranger pulls a handkerchief from the breast pocket of his jacket and uses it to remove smears of blood from his swollen, red knuckles.
Once the evidence of a fight has been removed from his hands, his eyes lift to mine. “I hope the puerile actions of one doesn’t deter you from visiting my clubs in the future. I can assure you that that type of foolhardiness will never be acceptable in any of my clubs.”
I shrug my shoulders. “I guess it’s part in parcel of spending your night out drinking and dancing.”
He shakes his head. “Not in my establishments, it isn’t.” Even though his tone is stern, his eyes are relaying his genuine concern.
His dark eyes shift to Hugo. “Are we good?”
Hugo nods. “We’re good.”
“Good.” He stuffs his hands into the pockets of his trousers before sauntering through a wooden door at the side of the mirrored wall.
When he enters the office, I turn my eyes to Hugo. “Who was that?”
He grins a full-toothed smile. “That’s my new boss.”
My head ricochets to the office door. “That’s yourboss?”
If I had to guess, I’d say the suit-clad gentleman would be only my age, if not a little younger. Although he looks impressive in his expensive designer threads, and his allure comes off as fierce, his eyes give away his true self. Even guarded, they show that beyond his tough exterior is a young man trying to find his place in the world. How do I know this? Because Hugo’s eyes have the exact same appearance.
My attention returns to Hugo when his fingertip brushes my cheekbone. Feverish heat follows the pattern of his index finger as it trails down the edge of my neck and along my collarbone before stopping at the swell of my breasts peeking out of my strapless dress. The tempo of my breaths quickens when his eyes lift and lock with mine. Even though he has been drinking, his gaze is vivid and clear. Almost readable.
I pull in a slow, shaky breath when he asks, “Do you want to get out of here?” The provocative tone in his voice has the twinging of butterflies fluttering in my stomach.
Stuck in a trance, I nod in agreement.
Ten
Ava
Smiling at my agreeing gesture, Hugo entwines his fingers with mine.
“C-can I use the bathroom first?” I stammer.
I manage to catch my eye roll halfway from the dimness displayed in my voice. All the work I’ve done the past six months transforming into an independent, strong woman becomes null and void with just once glance into Hugo’s eyes.
