Chapter Thirty-Five #2
She and Zander had spent forever choosing stone, and it was even more beautiful than she’d imagined it would be.
Music was blaring, Tobias was coiling an extension cord, joking with Zeke as he put something in a box, and Blaine was wiping down tools.
Maverick dried his hands on a rag, then snapped Blaine with it, and in the middle of the room was Zander, dusty from head to boots, pushing a shop vac across the floor.
Shauna watched his muscles flexing, remembering how good they’d felt against her last night.
He turned, catching her staring, and winked, sending a shiver of heat through her.
“Wow. This place looks amazing!” Madigan exclaimed, startling Shauna from her trance.
Zander chuckled as he turned off the vacuum. The brat never missed a thing, and he was closing the distance between them with a cocky swagger that told her he knew it.
“Hey, Blue Eyes,” Tobias called to Madigan as he set the extension cord down.
Zeke turned off the music and said, “Hope that food is for us. I’m starved.”
As Madigan and the guys talked about food, Zander slid a hand to Shauna’s back and said, “What do you think, Angel? We still have to put in the mantel and do a few coats of mud and sanding, but it should be ready to paint by next weekend.”
“It’s gorgeous. I can’t believe this is the same cottage I walked into and wondered if you were really a serial killer who might bury my body at sea.”
He laughed.
“He’d never risk getting blood on his boat,” Blaine said.
“That’s true,” Maverick hollered.
“Well, it looks incredible,” Shauna said. “You guys must be hungry from all that hard work.”
“Hold on, Angel. Before we eat, I’ve got one more thing to show you.” He walked over to the tarp hanging in front of the dining room.
“Did you paint the dining room?” she asked excitedly. They’d chosen a color a few days ago.
He didn’t answer as he unhooked one side of the tarp and Zeke unhooked the other and yanked it to his side of the entryway.
Shauna’s jaw dropped, the casserole dish wobbling in her hands. “Zan. Is that a pole?” Her cheeks burned, but her heart thudded faster.
“It’s a unique dining room showpiece, don’t you think?” Maverick said, taking the casserole dish and the bag from her.
Shauna couldn’t think at the moment. She could do little more than stare at Zander.
“He said it was for exercise,” Tobias chimed in.
“I bet it is,” Madigan teased, earning a round of laughter.
Zander shrugged, like he hadn’t just shocked the hell out of her. “I thought you might want to have one of your own to practice on. It’s not like Kitty needs the whole dining room for her toys.”
Shauna walked into the dining room and touched the pole as she circled it. “You really are crazy.”
The guys laughed.
“So I’ve heard,” Zander said.
“This is as amazing as the living room.” She couldn’t stop smiling. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Say you’ll give us a demo,” Zeke said coolly. “I’ve got a few twenties.”
“Hey, that’s my wife you’re talking about.” Zander shot him a narrow-eyed glare. “She doesn’t work the pole, asshole.”
“That explains why you’ve been so grouchy,” Zeke quipped, and the guys howled with laughter.
Shauna strutted into the living room, eyeing Zeke, and said, “I think what Zan meant to say was that I don’t give demos to anyone who didn’t give me a ring and a vow.”
“Oh, man,” Maverick said.
The guys broke into laughter and jeers, and Madigan said, “Way to shut him down, Shauna.”
Zander squared his shoulders like he’d won a prize, and that had Shauna’s heart doing somersaults.
Blaine and Maverick went home to eat with their families, but Shauna and Zander had a great time with Tobias, Madigan, and Zeke. The guys raved about the meal, and afterward, they helped clean up, which she knew was a Wicked thing. Eventually they made their way to the door and said their goodbyes.
“Have fun exercising tonight,” Madigan said as she and Tobias headed out.
“Zan, you’d better hydrate before she practices with that pole so you don’t overheat,” Zeke chimed in before climbing into his truck.
As Zander closed the door behind them, Shauna admired the living room, the echo of family lingering like a smile. Zander’s arms slid around her middle, his scruffy cheek tickling her skin. “Did you miss me today?”
“Like a sore thumb.” She turned around, soaking in his grin.
“Did you have fun with the girls?”
“It was a blast. Lettie wasn’t kidding about gossip. I learned a lot today.”
“Care to share?”
“Nope. Girl code. I’m sworn to secrecy, but I can tell you that your cousins and brothers and Tobias are very well loved. Chloe and Leah brought their girls, and they were so freaking cute. I picture you and Zeke when you were younger to be like Rosie and Junie.”
His brows slanted. “What do you mean?”
“You said Zeke always watched out for you, and that’s what Junie does for Rosie. I can see how it could be too much as they get older, but it’s really special how much Junie loves her little sister.”
He was quiet for a beat before responding. “Yeah, it is.”
Shauna glanced into the dining room at the pole, and happiness filled her up anew. “Thank you for the pole. I still can’t believe you put one up.”
“I’m glad you like it. I know how much you enjoy your classes, and I thought you might want to practice without driving across town. No big deal.”
Like it? She loved it, and she loved that he’d thought about what made her happy and went to the trouble of putting up the pole. Maybe that level of generosity was just the kind of thing that these big-hearted Wicked men did, but to her it was a very big deal.
She dragged her finger down his chest and sauntered into the dining room, where she brushed her fingers along the cool metal as she circled the pole. “So, do you want that demo my brother-in-law asked for?”
Heat flared in his eyes. “Is that a trick question?”
“I’m not into trickery, so I’ll take that as a yes.” Her pulse quickened as she toed off her sneakers and tugged off her socks. “It’ll be hard to do with all these clothes on.”
Those piercing blue eyes were trained on her as she stripped off her shorts and tank top. His jaw clenched, his lips curving in a devilish grin as she stood in her underwear and bra, navigating to “Pour Some Sugar on Me” on her pole playlist. She hit play and set her phone down.
Keeping her back to Zander, she wrapped one hand around the pole, went up on her toes, and rocked her hips to the beat.
Bending at the waist, she ran her hand down one straight leg, flipped her hair forward, then back, and tossed him a seductive glance over her shoulder as she ran her hand back up her leg, starting the sexy dance she’d been imagining doing just for him.
Strutting around the pole, she reached up, curled both hands around it, and propelled into a spin, knees bent, back arched, eyes on him. She lowered her feet to the floor for only a second before lifting straight legs up and over each shoulder, knowing the view of her ass would drive him wild.
“You’re so fucking sexy,” he growled as her toes touched the floor and she twirled around the pole.
She threw in hip dips, then hooked one leg behind the pole, launching into a back-hook spin, momentum carrying her around the pole in a graceful sweep.
It wasn’t flawless as her feet touched the floor, but the look on Zander’s face told her it didn’t matter one damn bit.
She sank down on her knees, facing him, then grabbed the bar behind her and went up on her toes, bringing her body parallel to the floor, and undulated her hips.
“Fuuck.” He grabbed his groin, adjusting himself. His gaze was volcanic, his body wound tight, like she was fire and one more move might set him ablaze.
Burn, baby, burn. She rose to her feet, one hand on the pole, and wound her legs like a clock in a fan kick.
Her hair whipped over her shoulder as she twirled around the pole again, hooked one knee around it, and leaned back, arching as her hand traced the line of her own thigh, then pulled herself upright with a twist that brought her face-to-face with his hungry stare.
Heat rushed through her, and he charged forward, lifting her into his arms like a Neanderthal claiming his prey.
She laughed. “I was just warming up.”
“You get any hotter and the whole fucking house will go up in flames.” He headed down the hall to their bedroom.
“But I didn’t get to finish.”
“You’ll finish all right. Several times.”