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“Aces as usual,” CJ replies.“We’re interested in private dances tonight.How do we go about setting that up?”
Nick chuckles, and it vibrates through his whole barrel-chested body.“I can arrange that.Let me guess,” he says, turning to me, “snake-hips Santa?”
“I would like that very much,” I say, quashing my nervousness at booking my first private dance from a stripper.
“Excellent.”He slaps his belly in approval.“We have a handful of VIP rooms in the back.There’s a flat fee, and after that, you and the performer work out your mutual expectations for the performance.Tips are appreciated, and we ask that you abide by all state and local regulations.”
“Which are?”CJ asks, every inch the cutthroat corporate consultant-slash-assassin wrangler as she makes sure she understands the operational guidelines.
Nick taps a QR code at the bottom of the drinks menu on the table.“Everything’s spelled out here, but you can also check with your dancer for the do’s and don’ts.I only ask that everything be consensual and clearly communicated or you’ll be asked to leave.That goes for the first floor where the female dancers work as well as the male dancers on the second floor.”
CJ and I both murmur our understanding, and Nick taps a headset that’s been hidden in his mass of fluffy white curls.“Is Luke still backstage?”He listens briefly.“Okay, tell him to stay put.”Then he turns to CJ.“And who would you like to spend time with tonight?”
CJ tilts her head in thought.“You know what I’d like most for Christmas?”
Nick’s face lights up.“Tell me.”
She leans forward and says conspiratorially, “I would like to see the biggest dick in this place.Like I want to be startled by how big the dick is.”
Nick’s fluffy brows twitch, but beyond that he has no reaction as he taps the headset again.“Eugenio, tell Diesel he’s up.”Satisfied that his order’s been conveyed, he turns back to us.“I’ll head backstage to make sure everything’s set up.One of our servers will fetch you when it’s ready.In the meantime”—he snaps his fingers toward the bar and gestures to our table—“please enjoy champagne on the house.”
He excuses himself, leaving me and CJ grinning at each other like loons.
“What am I feeling?”I ask.“Is this what the kids call being a ‘boss bitch’?”I bust out sarcastic air quotes, and CJ snorts as she accepts two flutes of champagne from our shirtless waiter, handing me one and keeping the other.
“What you’re feeling,” she says, “is the freedom of not giving a fuck what other people think.You’re gonna love it.”
We clink glasses, and I let the bubbles float across my tongue and sink into my blood, more than ready for whatever comes next.
Eleven
Jonesy
I’m not moping in the dressing room while the other guys are working the crowd.I’m dog-sitting Roo so Nick can run the club without distractions.
“Isn’t that right, girl?”I croon, scratching behind her floppy ears while she peers up at me with her soulful doggy eyes.“You needed me to hang out with you tonight.”
Roo understands me.Roo knows I blundered into this whole set of circumstances completely on accident.Maybe she can tell me how to undo this clusterfuck too.But when Nick’s heavy tread hits the stairs, even she puts distance between us, leaping to her feet and trotting to the doorway to greet her human.
“Hey,” I say dully from the floor where I’m sitting cross-legged in my tear-away Santa pants.
Lines appear on Nick’s forehead as he takes me in.“Everything okay with you?”
“Nope.”
“Ah.I’m sorry to hear it.”
I lift a shoulder and let it fall.“S’all my fault.”
The only sound is the jingle of Roo’s collar as she gives herself a frantic head-to-toe shake like she’s trying to get the feel of my hands off her.Or maybe I’m just taking everything a little personally right now.
“Is this a bad time to say that a guest has requested a private dance with Santa?”Nick asks carefully.
I slump lower against the wall.“The ladies sure do love Santa.”
“This one especially.She’s a repeat customer.”
Thathas me straightening.“No fucking way.It’s not…”
