Page 123 of Off the Rails

Clever girl.

Refusing to drop my gaze, Tess held out her hand. “Phone.”

“So you can call for help?” I laughed.

“So I can change the music.”

Reaching into the soft pocket of her sweatpants, I obliged the request. She scrolled through her library quickly before clicking on a song and slamming the phone into my chest.

My brows knit as I looked down at the screen. “Rev 22:20?”

But the pulsing beat of a drum kicked in, drowning out any potential explanation. As a woman’s voice began to croon from the speakers overhead, Tess stalked toward the pole like an animal on the hunt.

Maybe it was the build of the bass, or maybe it was just her energy, but suddenly, my heart was beating against its cage.

Her fingers wrapped around the polished gold, curving perfectly to the pole’s contours. With an elegant step forward, she gave a little half spin, turning to meet my gaze.

Despite her cool demeanor, her chest rose and fell with weight. The tight black sports bra, the spandex shorts: I’d never seen so much of her skin. But somehow, it was her eyes I couldn’t look away from.

As the build dropped, so did she: right onto her knees. She crawled forward, her every movement fluid. My lungs tightened as the space between us narrowed.

But just as she drew close, her fingertips nearly grazing my boot, her foot hooked around the pole, dragging her back to her station.

Physics bent to her will on the pole.

One moment, she was on the ground, and the next, she was wrapping her legs around the metal, lifting herself up into a seated position. The constant spinning gave me a view of every dip and curve, every toned muscle on her body.

My chest burned at the sight: she was something I could look at, but would never be allowed to touch.

This was meant to unsettle her, but now, I was the one squirming.

Each time I thought that I could predict her movement, she surprised me with another impossibility: fanning out her legs, flipping upside down, soaring from the ceiling to the floor and stopping just short of disaster.

Usually, she was so timid around me. But here, I could see just how bold the little Ragdoll really was. Here, I was hers to play with.

And she was playing with me. Halfway up the pole, Tess wrapped her left hand around the metal and leaned back, arching her back. As she spun, she kept her eyes locked on mine, reaching her right hand out to me.

Her skin glistened under the studio lights. A soft trickle of sweat teased down her chest to her neck, and all I wanted was I wanted to lick it off.

By the second chorus, my heart wasn’t the only thing throbbing.

What is wrong with me?

Usually, I was so in control. But this girl…

She ruins everything.

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my composure. But it was like she could see right through me. Her slightly parted lips spread into a full smile.

Fuck.

There was no denying that Tess was fucking hot. Even if I hated myself for thinking it.

But this had already gone too far.

The song wasn’t over, but I was done. I sprung from the chair, toppling it as I headed for the door.

“What the fuck?” Tess dropped down to her feet, still holding on to the pole. She had to raise her voice over the shredding guitars and the singer’s growling, but I didn’t stop to listen.