CHAPTER 8
Gabe crossed the floor in three long strides, his body finding the beat before he even reached them, and seized Cole by the waist, his fingers branding the exposed skin above Cole's jeans.
Without missing a beat, he melded into their rhythm, his body a perfect counterweight to Dane's.
Cole found himself caught in the vise of their synchronized movements, Dane's chest pressed against his back while Gabe's hips rolled against his front, both men moving with a precision that left him breathless.
Cole snaked one arm up behind Dane’s hot, slick neck and the other around Gabe, gripping the back of his head.
His hair was still damp from their earlier “warm up,” and Cole’s fingers slid through the wet strands, pressing firmly against his fevered scalp, dragging his face closer until their lips nearly brushed—a torturous, almost-kiss that electrified every nerve ending below his waist.
Electric blue eyes seared into Cole as Gabe's open mouth hovered so close that the heat of his quickened breath surged between Cole's parted lips and down his throat, tasting of alcohol and raw desire.
A deep groan escaped Cole as he gripped Gabe's head harder, his blunt nails gouging the stripper's scalp, his hips involuntarily bucking forward, desperate to taste the man's molten kiss while feeling the delicious friction of their erections grinding together through denim.
Gabe pushed closer, his thick, throbbing cock finding the perfect angle against Cole's own straining hardness, shoving him back against Dane, whose hips rolled and swiveled against Cole's ass in sinuous waves.
Dane was impressively hard, but Gabe's cock radiated heat like molten steel through the denim barrier between them, pulsing with each heartbeat, sending waves of hunger through Cole’s rigid shaft.
Cole moaned helplessly—a raw, broken sound—as his head dropped back onto Dane's shoulder, exposing the vulnerable column of his throat.
Gabe seized the invitation, descending with parted lips that suckled and nipped at the sensitive skin, leaving a trail of fire.
His tongue traced a wet path up to Cole's ear, where his teeth grazed the lobe before his voice, rough with lust, sent vibrations through Cole's core.
“Is this too much?” he panted, his breath hot and ragged against the shell of Cole's ear, making him shudder violently between the two men.
“Do you want to stop?” Even as he asked, Gabe's hips rolled in a mind-numbing figure-eight that made Cole's cock leak against his boxer briefs.
His words contradicted the possessive way his hands slid down to grip Cole's hipbones, thumbs hooking into belt loops to pull their bodies impossibly closer.
Gabe's pelvis rolled in a hypnotic rhythm that shot electric currents into Cole's painfully confined cock.
Dane matched the tempo perfectly, his fingers splaying across Cole's abdomen, dipping dangerously below his waistband.
Cole swallowed hard, his throat clicking dry, coherent thought dissolving into pure sensation as pleasure short-circuited his ability to form words.
Is this how you “don’t” overwhelm him?
The thought fought its way through the thick sexual haze clouding Gabe’s mind, and even then, it only made a fleeting appearance.
But it was enough to give him pause and cause his rhythm to falter.
Cole had a tight grip on the back of his head, clenching a fistful of his hair, forcibly holding Gabe’s face close to his as they panted into each other’s mouths—yet not quite kissing.
Cole maintained an equally tight grip on Dane, his fingers digging into the sweat-slicked nape of the other man's neck, short hairs curling around his knuckles. Sandwiched between the two strippers’ hard bodies, Cole rode their rhythm with unexpected confidence, his spine undulating in perfect synchrony with the pulsing bass that vibrated through the floor and up his legs.
His response to Gabe's question came not in words but in the desperate tightening of his grip on those dark, damp strands, yanking just hard enough to make Gabe's pupils dilate, then thrusting his hips forward in a slow, deliberate grind that left nothing to the imagination.
Cole hooked his right leg around Gabe's muscular thigh as he drew it firmly against his throbbing crotch, riding the solid muscle with the same desperate intensity as before.
“Boss man is here,” Dane panted over Cole’s shoulder without missing a beat, his sleek, muscular body maintaining its rhythm.
Gabe’s forehead pressed hard against Cole’s, their eyes locking onto each other.
His thigh drove deeper between Cole’s legs, the man’s cock a steel rod against his leg muscle.
Gabe forced his head to turn toward the bar.
It took a moment for his bleary eyes to focus past the growing crowd of men as he spotted Max Raines perched on a stool, watching them.
Gino stood next to him, having apparently abandoned the stage after losing his customers to the floor show.
Max caught his eye and raised an eyebrow.
Gabe groaned and shoved his face into Cole’s neck. “Fuck…” He was so fucking hard, and so ready to cum—but even with his body eager to launch over that ledge, he still didn’t want their first orgasm to happen this way.
When Gabe withdrew—not without effort—both Dane and Cole slowed their pace until they stood still in the middle of the floor, breathing heavily, sweat trickling down their flushed faces.
“We should… speak to the boss,” Gabe panted, barely able to catch his breath.
He wiped a shaky hand over his slick, fevered face, then cupped the side of Cole’s neck, his skin scalding to the touch.
Gabe’s thumb stroked small circles just below Cole’s earlobe as he gazed into the man’s hazy eyes.
“I think we could all use a breather, huh?”
A stuttering “Yeah” escaped from Cole with a small gasp of breath as he leaned into Gabe’s touch. They stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment, the heat fusing them, unwilling to let go.
“Come on, boys,” Dane said with a smile, exhaling as he grabbed their shoulders and guided them toward the bar.
Cole reached out, his fingers fumbling and then catching onto the rear waistband of Gabe’s pants, more for support than anything else, as his legs felt dangerously close to giving out beneath him. His gait was stiff and unsteady, with the painful bulge between his thighs.
Dane lowered his arm to wrap around Cole’s lower back, helping to steady him.
He appreciated the support and leaned into the man slightly while still holding onto Gabe’s pants.
The heat from their overstimulated bodies continued to flow between the three of them, keeping Cole lightheaded as they navigated through the sea of disgruntled men, upset that the show had been cut short.
Cole looked ahead, really noticing the club boss for the first time. He was an attractive man in his early thirties with black hair, dressed casually. As they approached, Cole saw his eyes were emerald green, a color intensified by his dark hair.
“That was… impressive,” Max said with a small smile, looking at Cole. He held out his hand. “I’m Maxwell Raines, owner of the Phoenix.”
Cole accepted the handshake. “Cole,” he mumbled, his voice thick. “Cole Young.”
“Cole was thinking about applying for a job here at the club,” Gabe said with a notable rasp. “We were just…” He cleared his throat and smiled. “Showing him some moves.”
“Uh huh.” Max nodded, his green eyes shifting back to Cole. “Well, if that was your audition, you’re hired.” He chuckled but seemed genuine.
“I’m with the boss,” Gino said as he leaned against the bar in just his G-string. He brushed a glistening dark curl out of his face and grinned, flashing a perfect set of white teeth. “You are hot.” He pointed toward the crowd of men slowly dispersing. “And we know you can stir up a crowd.”
A nervous laugh escaped Cole. “I don’t think I can take credit for that.” He glanced at Gabe, then at Dane. “It was mostly them.”
“Like fuck,” Gabe snorted, shaking his head. He dragged a palm over his face and exhaled hard, making the others laugh. “You were on fire out there, baby. Don’t pretend you weren’t.”
“I have to agree with Gabe,” Dane chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. “You were burning up the floor. You’re a natural.”
“I don’t—” Cole started when Max cut in.
“You are,” the boss said. “I know dancers. And you’ve certainly got what it takes.
Move that floor show to the stage on a Saturday night, and you’ll be raking in the big bucks.
This is a high-class club that attracts high-class patrons with deep wallets.
Give them a good show, and they’ll reward you handsomely. ”
Cole’s system was still on fire, and he wasn’t sure he should be making any big decisions in his current state.
One thing he did know was that performing in front of the crowd of men hadn’t made him feel self-conscious, as he’d thought it would — it had turned him on and excited him in ways he’d never experienced before.
“You can take some time to think about it,” Max said. “Whenever you decide, just let me know.” He smiled. “No pressure, but I do think you’d be a great asset to the club.”
“Thank you,” Cole said quietly. “It’s a nice club. I…” His eyes flicked to Gabe, then back to Max. “I like it here. I’ll think about it.”
“Good enough.” Max stood and patted Cole’s shoulder in what felt strangely like fatherly affection. “I’ll talk to you boys later.” He left the bar and crossed the floor to the far side of the club, where he entered a room, closing the door behind him.
“His office,” Gabe said.
“So…” Gino leaned toward Cole, a flirty smile on his handsome face. “Are you going to dance for us again?” He sidled closer, trailing a fingertip over the curve of Cole’s bicep. “You can dance with me on stage, see how you like it up there.”
“Uh…” Cole swallowed hard and smiled uncertainly. “I think I need to take a break. I’m kind of…” He glanced at Gabe again. “… overheated.”
Gabe gazed at him. “Me, too,” he murmured.
“Same,” Dane said. “In fact, I think I’ll step outside and get some air.” He grabbed his shirt from the dance floor and headed for the club’s entrance.
“Well…” Gino grinned, shrugging. “Guess I’ll go back to the stage now that there aren’t any distractions.” He laughed and walked away, leaving Cole and Gabe alone.
Moving closer, Gabe pressed the back of his fingers to Cole’s cheeks.
“You’re still a little flushed.” His tone did nothing to cool Cole off.
Gabe gently brushed his fingers down Cole’s neck, then lower between his pec muscles.
Cole shivered, though he was burning up inside.
“Maybe you need a…” Gabe shrugged, his baby blues gripping Cole’s stare. “… cool shower.”
Honestly, a cool shower sounded wonderful right now. But he sensed that wasn’t all Gabe was hinting at—and that only fueled the fire inside.
“We have showers here in the club,” Gabe murmured. “In the back… off from the dressing rooms, if you so… desire.”
Gabe’s fingers moved lower, his knuckles caressing Cole’s tense stomach muscles that quivered beneath the stripper’s tender touch.
Cole looked into his blue depths as he slowly covered Gabe’s hand, fingertips softly grazing his palm.
Their fingers slowly laced, and Cole realized he was breathing faster, his heart racing.
“Why don’t you… show me?” he whispered.
“Show you… what?” Gabe stood before him, their bodies nearly touching.
“Whatever you think…” Cole swallowed, his breath shaky. “… I need to see.”
A slow smile spread across Gabe's face, the kind that made his eyes darken to midnight blue.
He leaned in, his warm breath fanning against Cole's skin before his lips—soft yet insistent—grazed the sensitive corner of Cole's mouth, the contact arcing electricity through every vertebra.
Gabe's mouth traced along the sharp edge of his jaw, leaving a trail of heat that prickled Cole's skin before finally reaching his ear.
“That's a risky statement, baby,” he whispered, his voice a rough velvet that vibrated through Cole’s entire body.
Cole’s heart pounded so fiercely that he could feel his pulse in his fingertips where they pressed against Gabe's damp skin, each thunderous heartbeat sending blood rushing south.
He tilted his face, causing his parted lips to brush the delicate shell of Gabe's ear, inhaling the intoxicating blend of cologne and clean sweat.
His tongue flicked out to taste the salt of exertion on his skin.
“I can be a risk-taker, too,” he breathed, his voice dropping to a tone he barely recognized as his own as Gabe shivered against him.