3. Chapter Three #2
I shut the door and scamper for the dressing room. I want to mop off the sweat, put on something more than a spangly red thong, and drink some water before Mark gets here.
The knock on the dressing room door comes just as I’m pulling on my shorts.
With no underwear beneath them, they’re not safe for public consumption—can you say short?
—but since I’m planning to show Mark everything I’ve got anyway, that doesn’t seem like a big deal.
Plus, they’re loose and comfortable and will give the boys a chance to relax before the next glittery G-string goes on.
I grab my water bottle and head for the door.
Mark is waiting on the other side, looking cautious and a little flustered.
“Hi!” I say brightly, only just holding back from hugging him. As far as he’s aware, we’re casual acquaintances, if that. He doesn’t know yet that we’re going to be fuck buddies.
Just the thought sends an excited thrill through me.
“Hi. Uh, I hope it’s okay that I’m here? The bouncer said you wanted to see me, and then the nude guy with the big hose told me to knock.” He closes his eyes briefly and begins to laugh. “Oh man, that did not come out right.”
Since Rob just left the dressing room with the hose prop, I can guess what he meant. It also wouldn’t surprise me if Rob deliberately flashed his “hose”—it’s a monster, and he likes seeing people’s shock and awe.
“It’s great to see you. I’ll tell Rob you were impressed by his hose.
” I wink. “Come on, we’ll go into the break room.
” I’m not the only one who uses the dressing room, and even though none of us are particularly bothered by our own nudity, we generally respect each other’s privacy and take guests to the break room.
It’s just across the hallway, but when I open the door and turn back to usher him in, his eyes are fixed firmly on where my ass was a second ago.
I grin, and he sputters apologies as he jerks his gaze upward.
“You’re good,” I assure him. “Like what you see?”
His eyes go wide, then a wicked grin crosses his face and he steps closer, looming into my space in a way that makes me feel all shivery.
“Oh yeah,” he murmurs. “There’s a lot to like.” He walks past me into the break room and perches on the edge of the table.
This is going to be fun.
I close the door and go to stand in front of him, but before I can proposition him—why waste time?—he thrusts something I hadn’t even noticed him holding toward me.
“I went by your house, but you’d already left for work. I was going to just leave this at the bar, but then your act started and I couldn’t tear myself away.”
It’s the container I’d put the cookies in all those weeks ago. For some reason, I find this adorable.
“Enjoyed the act, did you?”
He smirks. “If I’d known human holidays were so erotic, I’d have learned more about them years ago. So this Santa person comes down the chimney in sparkly tear-away pants and entertains parents as they put out presents for their children?”
I laugh, because joke, right? But he just gazes at me, patiently waiting for an answer. And really, his version sounds a lot more fun.
“Something like that.” I take the container and set it on the table, stepping up close so there’s barely any space between us. “If you like, I can give you a private performance later. At my house. I have a pole and everything.”
The wicked smile is back. “Do you, now? Well, that sounds like an offer I can’t refuse… in the name of learning about human culture, of course.” His face becomes serious. “Are you sure?”
I know he’s remembering my embarrassing word vomit where I blurted out that I was practically a virgin, and I’m touched that he cares enough to check. I guess he’s just that kind of guy.
“Definitely,” I assure him. “I’m not caught in an exhausting cycle anymore. I control my life now.”
A grin spreads over his face. “Good. What time do you get off work?”
“My last set’s at one thirty. Give me a chance to shower and get rid of all the oil when I get home. Let’s say two thirty? Unless that’s too late. Do you have work tomorrow?”
“Yes, but I’ll arrange to go in late. Some things are worth using personal time for.” He leans in and brushes his lips against mine. “Maybe I’ll just take the whole day off and we can spend it talking about… Christmas traditions.”
“You mean like eating cookies off each other’s naked bodies?”
He pulls back sharply, his eyes lighting up, and the mood is broken.
“Cookies? Really? Off your body? Why didn’t anyone ever tell me about this?” he complains, and I laugh.
“Here.” I pick up the container and shove it into his hands.
“Go home and take a nap. I’m going to need you at full strength.
Bring the container with you, and I’ll fill it with cookies before you leave tomorrow.
” I made a fresh batch this morning, splitting the base dough and experimenting with different flavors.
“I’ll hold you to that,” he promises. “But as for needing a nap… has nobody told you about shifter stamina?”
“It didn’t come up during my integration sessions, no,” I say dryly, although I probably could have asked Xiao Wei. She would have gotten a kick out of it.
He takes the container and strolls toward the door, turning back with his hand on the knob. “Let’s just say that ‘all night’ isn’t hyperbole.”
Oh hell yeah.