His blue b.u.t.ton-up shirt offsets his cobalt eyes framed with s.h.a.ggy blond hair that looks as if he tried to tame it. His jeans aren"t tight, but they"re not baggy. A dark denim hugs his long legs perfectly, giving a hint to the powerful muscle that lies underneath.
"Trix . . . I . . ." He clears his throat. "You"re like . . ." He covers his mouth with his hand and shakes his head, his gaze giving away that he approves of my attire for the night.
Even with his admiration, I can"t shake the feeling of inadequacy. My gold bangles jingle as I fidget with the short hem of my dress. "It"s short, I know."
"d.a.m.n." He runs his hand through his hair, studying my legs. "I don"t know what else to say." His eyes find me. "You look really pretty."
A giggle bubbles up from my chest, cooling the heat of my nerves. "Thank you. You clean up well too." I grab my purse off the small table in the foyer and lock the door before walking out and closing it behind me.
He offers me his elbow, and I blush at the kindness of his overly formal gesture.
"What do you have planned for me? More midnight four-wheeling?" I motion to my gold strappy heels. "Just want to make sure I"m wearing appropriate shoes."
He c.o.c.ks his head and flashes a confident half-smile that stirs something deep in my belly.
"You"ll just have to wait and see." He opens the pa.s.senger-side door of his truck. "Are you hungry?"
I climb inside his truck as gracefully as I can. He groans, but covers it with a fake cough. My face heats when I realize I"d most likely given him a peek at my modest nude-colored lace panties.
I try to ignore that and answer him. "I"m okay for now."
He nods and shuts me in, moving around the hood and climbing in the driver"s side. "We"ll hit up one stop, and then the rest of the night is all about us."
I turn and watch him as he studies the rearview mirror, backing out of the driveway. "All about us? So, the one stop involves someone else?"
He cringes slightly. "Eh . . . a few someones." His eyes find me, rea.s.suring and kind. "But don"t worry. It"ll be fun."
"I trust you."
A shy grin curls his lips, and I have to look away to keep from leaning in to see if that smile tastes as good as it looks.
The cab of the truck swirls with the scent of fresh rain and honey, and I let the aroma soothe me.
We fall into a comfortable conversation about our day, mine being filled with sleep, some light cleaning, and then getting ready. His with training.
The summer heat is high, and we"re still a couple hours away from sunset. Funny how different the city looks in the day compared to night. The dual-personality feel of Las Vegas is what draws people in with dreams of normal days and erotic nights. My stomach jumps as I consider normal, like now, being picked up for a date by a handsome gentleman. Basic and yet more exciting than stepping out on stage mostly naked.
We pull in to the parking lot of a restaurant that has a pig on the sign, and he opens the door for me to escort me inside.
"This was your big detour? A sports bar?" I lift one eyebrow at him, teasing, but also concerned that I"m overdressed.
"Don"t worry. One drink and we"re gone, cool?" He pulls my hand into the crook of his arm and leads me to the door. "I promised a few friends we"d stop by. They just got back from their honeymoon and wanted to catch up."
Sounds easy enough. A drink, some small talk, I can do that.
We push into the dark restaurant, and it takes a few seconds for my vision to adjust. The aroma of cooking meat, specifically pork, wafts toward me, and despite my best efforts to avoid it, my stomach growls and my mouth waters. What is it about bacon?
Mason leads me to a group of people that take up two large tables at the bar. I catch a flash of red hair, and my grip on his hand tightens. "Is that . . .?"
"It is. Rex and Gia are here." He pulls me close to throw an arm over my shoulder just as we approach the table.
Gia"s eyes widen upon seeing us, and she rushes over. "I knew it!" Her gaze bounces between Mason and me just as Rex comes up behind her and wraps his big, colorful arms around her waist.
"Baywatch, you f.u.c.kin" punk." He leans forward and nips at Gia"s ear. "Did you know about this?"
"No, I mean, I figured after . . ." She shakes her head then blinks as if she"s snapped herself from her thoughts. "Well, come on, I"ll introduce you to everyone."
She grabs my hand and I look up at Mason. He nods for me to go, but before releasing me drops a long soft closed-mouthed kiss against my lips. My insides tumble at his open show of affection, his public declaration of our being together.
Gia heads to the far end of the table where two women are sitting. The blonde is absently rocking an infant carrier, while the brunette stands, swaying slowly with a baby strapped to her chest.
"Layla and Raven, I want you to meet my friend." Gia pulls me up between the two. "This is Trix, my old roommate."
The blonde, who I a.s.sume is Layla, peers up at me with kind dark eyes and a welcoming smile. "Trix, nice to meet you. Here"-she motions to a chair next to her-"have a seat."
"Thanks." I sit and try to adjust my dress. These girls are wearing more casual attire, cute worn jeans and biker boots or sandals, and suddenly, I feel self-conscious.
I turn my head to the dark-haired girl, and although she"s not purposefully looking unfriendly, her contemplative expression makes me uneasy.
She steps close, her hands braced on her baby, and I can"t help but feel like I"ve seen her before. "Who are you here with?"
My eyes move through the crowd of men at the tables, all of them facing the television screens that are plastered on every wall surrounding the bar. I search out Mason, who, like the rest of them, has his back toward me, the man he"s talking to nearly twice Mason"s size with dark hair and full-sleeved tattoos. My heart flutters with an anxiety I can"t shake, but I push it back and smile.
"She came with Mason." The high pitch of excitement in Gia"s voice catches my attention.
"We"re going out on a date tonight." I almost slap my forehead at how stupid I must sound, but I can"t shake the unwelcome feeling that p.r.i.c.kles beneath my skin.
Gia props a hip on the table, her big smile framed with all that orange hair. "How in the h.e.l.l did you and Mase hook up? Did you meet him at the club?"
Embarra.s.sment twists in my gut, and I do everything I can to keep a confident posture. "No, um . . . he had some friends in town, and Angel and I were hired to dance for them." I look between Raven and Layla, feeling more out of place than I"ve felt in a long time. I have nothing to be ashamed of.
The bar erupts in a mix of boos and groans, whatever happening on the television screen being some kind of disappointment.
"Oh my gosh . . . I know you." Raven"s blue-green eyes flash with recognition. "You work at Zeus"s."
"Trix, this is Raven, Rex"s half-sister I told you about." Gia turns toward the guys. "The big guy over there? That"s her husband, Jonah Slade."
Oh s.h.i.t.
". . . baby Sadie." Gia finishes, but I"m crippled with panic as the pieces slide into place.
UFL guys. Rex, Jonah, and- "Trix, I want you to meet the boys." Mason appears across the table, a big grin on his face. "This is . . ."
Blake "The Snake" Daniels. I remember.
Play it casual, Trix. Remember he"s a total stranger to you.
Blake"s eyes are narrowed for a few seconds, moving between Layla and me, before they widen and he swallows hard. "Trix." He nods.
"Blake." I nod back, but, as much as I wish I could cover up all the fear gurgling inside me, it"s too late.
Tension settles in the air, and by the look on Layla"s face, it didn"t take her long to figure it out.
"Zeus"s . . . do you and Blake know each other?" Her voice is barely a whisper, but the jagged edge of hurt is apparent.
"Mouse-"
"s.h.i.t." Jonah moves toward Raven, as if he"s planning to hold her back once she figures it out.
Mason"s smile fades. "What"s going on?" He flicks his hand between Blake and me. "You two know each other?"
"Blake?" Layla stands and locks her hands around her stomach. "Do you know Trix? Personally?"
Everyone"s eyes dart between Blake and me, and I feel Gia push in close, a silent but obvious show of support.
"f.u.c.kin" A, Baywatch." Blake glares at Mason, who"s staring intently at me.
"Blake? Tell me." Layla"s a lot stronger than I am. Whereas she"s inches from an angry tirade, I"m bordering on tears.
"Mouse, let"s go talk out-"
"No, here."
"f.u.c.k." He runs a hand over his cropped hair. "Valentine"s Day, when I left, I went to Zeus"s."
"I know that, Blake." She throws an arm out and points at me. "Tell me why you"re looking at Trix like she"s about to ruin your life."
"Nothing happened, baby. She danced for me. I had a private dance, but nothing happened."
"Don"t you f.u.c.king lie to me, Blake Daniels. What did you do?"
He scrubs his face. "I thought you were leaving me for that a.s.shole! You kicked me out!"
"So . . . did you guys . . . ?"
"No, Mouse. I love you." He moves closer to her, but doesn"t touch her. "I love you."
"Would you just tell me what the h.e.l.l-"
"I kissed him."
All eyes in the room swing to me, wide with shock.
"It"s true. He hired me, and once we were in a private room, I kissed him."
Layla drops her chin to her chest and breathes deep. Blake moves in, pulling her to his chest and kissing the top of her head.
My gaze swings to Raven, who gives me a half smile, almost as if to say she"s grateful I told the truth but even the kindness in her eyes isn"t enough to erase the awkward tension in the air.
Gia and Rex are at my back, and although they"re supporting me enough, they"re arms are wrapped around each other. I suddenly feel like the odd man out, searching for an anchor, something to remind me that I"m not as horrible as I feel.
On instinct, my gaze swings to Mason. He"s glaring at Blake, and I recoil at the disgust I see reflected in his eyes. I drop my gaze and slide away from the table. There should be something to say, some parting words that will give them some peace, but I can"t think of what that would be.
The fact is I don"t belong here.
This world of dating and romance and happily ever after isn"t mine to have.
I"m a stripper. I"m the woman from a married man"s past-the other woman, the temptation-and I"m staring boldly at my reality. Just my presence alone has managed to break up this entire event.
Yeah, this was a mistake. One I need to remind myself to never let happen again.
Mason I"m staring at Trix as if the power of my will alone could keep her here. I saw the second it happened, when the spark in her eye turned to fear and the urge to run. She forced her chin up, despite the awkward moment that would make a lesser woman hide behind her hair.
"Um . . . I should go." She scoots between chairs, extracting herself from the cl.u.s.ter of people and bar tables.
"Trix!" She doesn"t turn around, but her shoulders. .h.i.tch up at my call. "Wait up."
I move around to catch her before she gets too far, pulling her into my arms and holding her there. "Please, don"t go."
"Mason, how can you say that? You know as well as I do I don"t belong here."
"You belong with me, and if you don"t belong here"-I survey my friends, all of them clutching their women, their expressions either that of pity or disappointment-"I don"t belong here either."
f.u.c.kin" h.e.l.l! First Lane, now kissing Blake. This information should make me angry. h.e.l.l, at the very least, I should be jealous, but since I"ve gotten to know Trix, I see this s.h.i.t doesn"t mean anything to her. She said it herself that her body is nothing more than skin, bones, and nerves. She feels no attachment to the men she"s hooked up with in the past, but it"s me whose arms she"s curled in now. Her tiny fingers are gripping my shirt for dear life, and f.u.c.k if it doesn"t make me want to sweep her away and protect her from ever feeling the embarra.s.sment she"s suffering now.
After all, it"s me who has the honor of taking her out on a date. She didn"t throw on that s.e.xy-as-sin dress, those mile-high shoes, and leave her hair and makeup simple the way she knows I like it, for them. She did it for me.
So f.u.c.k them. They reject her because Blake is a stupid piece of s.h.i.t for walking out on his girl over a f.u.c.king year ago. That"s on them. Trix doesn"t deserve their judgment, and I"ll be d.a.m.ned if I"m going to sit here and subject her to it.
"I"m getting Trix out of here." I glare at my team and shake my head, hoping they see the disappointment.
"Mason, you should stay," Trix whispers.
"No, don"t go." Layla pushes back from Blake, a friendly smile on her face. "Could you give us a minute?"
I squeeze Trix to me. "No f.u.c.kin" way."
"It"s okay, Mason." Trix peeks up at me with violet eyes. "I deserve it."
"The f.u.c.k you do." I turn my anger to Blake. "You treat her like she"s the one who broke a d.a.m.n vow, man. You walked out on your woman and showed up at a strip club."
Blake cringes. "You"re right. It"s not Trix"s fault."
Jonah steps forward. "Told you this s.h.i.t would come back and haunt you, Blake."
"We tried to tell him." Raven shrugs.
"Alright, I get it, a.s.sholes. s.h.i.t." Blake sets his eyes on Trix. "I"m sorry. This is my fault."