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Jessie
I take extra care preparing for tonight. It’s stupid. It’s just a job, after all. Not a date. I keep telling myself this while I shave my legs and my bikini line and my underarms and check at least five times that my hair looks nice and the polish on my toenails isn’t chipping.
OK, I’m being ridiculous. He’s not going to be looking at my toenails that closely. But I’ll know. For some reason, I really want to look my best for this gruff gargoyle who seems to stumble over his words and finds it hard to smile. Maybe it’s that he seems to stumble over them especially because I’m around. As if he’s so overwhelmed with my presence he can hardly talk.
God, that’s flattering. Or it would be, if it was true and not just my imagination.
I choose my newest set of lingerie: pink with black bows and black ribbon trim and my stay-up black tights with my black heels. I even wear a dress, for an extra layer of mystery. I figure if I’ve only got one person in the audience, I might as well draw out the show for his enjoyment.
So when I climb the stairs and step out into the tower, I’m disappointed when he doesn’t even turn.
“Hello.” I try to use my best sultry, sexy voice as I saunter up behind William. He doesn’t move. He doesn’t reply.
I slink around so I can look at him from the side, but he remains locked in place, as still as the first night I danced for him.
Has he turned back to stone? His skin never changed from the marbled gray color it was when I first saw him, not even when he was awake.
Reaching out a tentative hand, I place my fingertips against his bicep. Warm. Subtly soft to the touch, though he is firm in all the right ways. It’s not like that first night when I held onto his tail to slide down onto the roof. His body is flesh, not stone. So why is he just standing there? He hasn’t even turned his head to look at me. He still stares rigidly out the archway toward the street below the theater.
“Are you ready for me to dance now?”
No response.
Huh. Well I’m not giving up that easy. I flick through my phone and select the song I want. Let’s see if he really is just ignoring me.
I begin. Moving away, I slowly undo the jacket with my back to William. When I shrug it off and turn to see his reaction, he still isn’t even looking.
I drop the jacket to the ground and stalk over to him. Time to raise the stakes. I use his body, just like I did last time, grinding and dropping low to slide back up again. When I deliberately turn and allow my ass to brush against his arm, I spin to see the muscles in his neck bunched and tighter than they were before and his hands balled into fists. I allow a little smile to curve the corner of my mouth.
Whatever this game, I’m going to win.
Still moving to the music, I consider. I liked kissing him last time. I wouldn’t usually kiss a client during a dance. I’m pretty strict about how much touch I allow. But I can’t stop thinking about his firm lips against mine and how much I want him to sweep his tongue into my mouth and really kiss me back. I step closer, running my hands up his chest. His hands clamp over my wrists and stop me.
“You should leave.” His voice is little more than a growl.
Why do I get the sense he’s holding onto his control by a thread? “Why would I leave? I’m paid to dance for you, right? Just making sure you get your money’s worth.”
“Christ, Jessie. Don’t say it like that. It’s not even my money. Just go, OK? I’ll make sure you get paid.”
I step back and he releases me. “Is that what this is about, then?”
A muscle tics in his jaw. “You’ve done your part. No need to waste more of your time on me.”
“Oh really?” I pull my dress slowly over my head, noting the way his gaze drops to rove over my body and he swallows visibly. Those muscles in his neck and shoulders aren’t the only thing bulging right now.
I drop the dress to the ground and cup my breasts over the bra. “Why don’t you prove that to me? Step off that perch and come over here. Prove you’re cured.”
“No.”
I smirk. “No? You can’t, can you?”
“No.” The rumble of his growl vibrates through my body, sending shivers down my spine.
“Well then I guess you can’t stop me doing whatever I want over here, then. Can you?”
I laugh to myself and tease my nipples through the fabric of my bra until they’re stiff peaks. Reaching behind, I unfasten it and drop it to the pile of clothes on the ground.
William lets out an unsteady breath. Does he realize he’s turned his head to get a better look at me? I’m not sure.
