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by Melody Anne

  “I need a beer. ”

  “I can agree to that. ” Without questioning Rafe’s outburst any further, Shane walked by his side as they made their way to the bar.

  “Hey, sugar, what can I get for you?”

  “We’ll take two Coronas. ”

  “Coming right up,” she said with an exaggerated smile as her gaze took in Rafe’s bare chest.

  This he was used to — women flirting, checking him out. Ari was good at bruising his ego, and he shouldn’t allow her to have that kind of power over him.

  “Here you go. ”

  Rafe turned his attention back to the blonde bartender as he pulled out a hundred and placed it on the counter. “Keep the change,” he said while giving her his best smile.

  Her eyes widened as she got caught in his stare and Rafe leaned forward closer than he needed to as he grabbed the drink. “Th…thanks,” she finally replied. Gaining back her composure, she added “I’m off shift in ten minutes. ”

  The hope in her eyes did nothing for him, but as he turned to see Ari kicking back with his sisters and the guys circling them like sharks, his fury rose again.

  “I’ll be right here,” he said with a wink before Shane grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the counter.

  “What are you doing, Rafe? Harmless flirting is one thing, but if you’re considering messing around with this girl, that’s an entirely different matter. Have you forgotten that you’re here with Ari?”

  “I haven’t, but she sure as hell has forgotten she’s here with me. Not that I give a damn. I can replace her in a heartbeat,” Rafe growled.

  Shane turned to see where Rafe’s gaze had landed and then Shane tensed as he watched Lia lean forward, her hand resting on one of the guy’s legs.

  “I think we need to go see the girls,” Shane said as he started parting the crowd on his way over. Rafe followed slowly behind as if he didn’t have a care in the world.

  “I wasn’t expecting you girls here,” Shane said as he glared at the young men. Rafe had to fight to keep his fists from clenching. As he glared at the man sitting too close to Ari, he took pleasure in seeing fright penetrate his eyes.

  “We’re just relaxing,” Lia said as she glared at both of them. “Boys, this is my brother…and his friend,” she added as an afterthought. Rafe noticed that she didn’t tell Shane and him the boys’ names.

  “I talked my friend into covering the last few minutes of my shift. Want to take a swim?” Rafe watched Ari’s eyes widen as the bartender pressed her large, barely clad br**sts against his arm.

  “That sounds like a great idea, sugar,” he said as he placed his hand on her lower back and tugged her even closer. She purred with happiness as her hand came up and ran down his chest. He was sure she’d hurried out to him before he could catch the eye of another girl. Rafe knew that he was a great catch; he had no illusions that his attractions went deeper than good looks and ready cash.

  “Excuse me, bitch. You can take your slutty paws off my brother. He’s here with another girl,” Lia said as she stood up and glared at the bartender. Heck, Rafe didn’t even know the woman’s name.

  Claws came out as she glared right back and her body tensed against Rafe’s.

  “In case you didn’t notice, he’s got his hands around me, so whether he came with someone or not isn’t the point. Obviously, he’s leaving with me,” she said before grabbing his head and pulling it down to hers.

  Rafe didn’t fight her when she pressed her lips to his and kissed him. His hand tightened on her waist as he pulled her close and kissed her back in front of everybody.

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  When he finally pulled away, the bartender sported a smug look on her face, which he could understand. But when he turned his head, guilt rose up as he saw the devastation on Ari’s features. Maybe he’d taken this a bit too far.

  “You know what? Go off with your tramp, Rafe. Ari is far too good for you,” Rachel snarled as she took Ari’s hand and started leading her away.

  “Ari, stop!” Rafe released the bartender and stepped toward the girls. Three heads turned with blazing eyes and zinged him with a nasty look.

  “I’d give them a bit of time to cool down, brother,” Shane said with a slow whistle.

  “Forget about her. I’m more than you need,” the blonde said.

  As Ari and his sisters left, Rafe pushed off the girl’s clingy hands. “It’s not going to happen. Leave me. ”

  Her mouth dropped open before she raised one lip in a sneer, then stomped off to find her next wealthy victim. It seemed Rafe had pissed off just about everyone he could today. He didn’t know how he was going to get out of this one.

  “I’m sure glad I’m not you right now,” Shane said with a laugh. “I’m going to text the girls and tell them how sorry I am that you’re such an ass. I get to be the white knight once more. ”

  “You’re a prick, Shane,” Rafe growled before downing his beer. He decided he’d probably do best to avoid all three of the girls for the rest of the night.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Hurry up, Shane. I can’t believe you guys complain about how long it takes us to get ready when you’ve been in the bathroom for an hour primping,” Rachel called with irritation.

  “It’s called personal hygiene, Rachel. You might want to try it sometime, squirt. Besides, if you don’t like how long I’m taking, you can always go back to your own room,” he called back, not in the least offended by her taunting.

  “I like your room better. It’s bigger than ours, which is just wrong. Besides, I prefer the grunge look. As a matter of fact, I was thinking this whole toothpaste and shampoo thing is for wimps. I’m going to go au naturel,” she mocked.

  “Mmm, you’ll fit right in with all the woodland creatures in the forest,” he said as he walked by and ruffled her hair.

  “Shane!” she cried out as she rushed into the bathroom to fix her carefully styled hair.

  “You started it. ”

  “Grow up!”

  “Are you two at it again? I swear, it’s like babysitting,” Lia grumbled as she walked from the room looking like his wet dream incarnate.

  As Lia stepped toward him, he couldn’t take his eyes off her long hair tumbling down her back, and the way the stunning black stilettos accented her bare legs. Her dress molded to her br**sts and then ran out over her hips, the shimmering material swirling around her legs like the thundering end of a waterfall.

  Rachel’s phone rang and she excused herself, but Shane was oblivious to her. When Lia finally looked up and their eyes met, he wanted to march her backward toward his room and make her his.

  No matter how much he told himself that sleeping with her would be a mistake, the longer he was in her presence, the more he seemed to forget that fact. He needed to be buried inside her body while her fingernails scraped down his back, as she claimed him as her own with the same intensity.

  The absolute need to have her was starting to short-circuit his brain.

  “Sorry, guys, but you’re officially on your own. ”

  Shane turned to see Rachel taking off her silky blue shrug.

  “What do you mean?” Shane asked, feeling a bit light-headed. There was no way he could spend the evening alone with Lia with the way she looked now. Each day around her zapped a little bit more of his will to resist.

  “I have an important call I have to make,” Rachel said as she breezed away and closed her door. Lia followed, but no matter how much she knocked, her little sister wouldn’t open up.

  Neither of them knew it was all a ruse — Rachel was giving them the night together alone.

  “Well, Shane, it looks like it’s just you and me,” Lia said with a wink as she grabbed her shawl.

  Shane felt pressure build in his gut as he watched her turn her well-defined yet feminine back to him. No matter which angle he faced, she was just as appealing
. He beelined for the liquor cabinet and poured himself a double, downing it in one gulp. Please give me strength, he thought before walking to the door and opening it for her.

  “Which show are we going to see?”

  “I don’t know. Your little sister is the one who purchased the tickets. She told me to hold onto them since they wouldn’t fit in her purse, but I haven’t had a chance to look yet,” Shane replied as he grabbed the envelope from his pocket and walked by her side to the elevators.

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  “You were putting a lot of trust in her. ”

  “She wouldn’t stop pestering me until I caved in. I’d rather be playing a bit of blackjack than attending what I’m sure will be a girlie show. ”

  “Oh, have some faith. Rachel has great taste. ”

  It wasn’t Rachel’s taste in shows that had Shane on edge — it was his fear of not being able to keep his hands to himself. As Lia walked ahead of him, the sway of her h*ps caught his eye. She had just the right amount of curves for a man to grab hold of while he thrust deep inside her heat.

  His imagination took over as he pictured peeling off her tight dress and revealing those beautiful curves to full view. So hypnotized was he by her walk that sweat broke out on his brow. And when she turned suddenly, it took a moment for him to lift his eyes to her face.

  The knowing look she gave him didn’t instill confidence. She wanted him — he had no doubt about that. The only doubt he had at this point was whether or not he should take what she was offering. His resistance could last only so long.

  *****

  As Shane and Lia were being escorted to their seats, excitement was building inside her. He’d been glancing her way repeatedly from the moment she’d stepped out of her bedroom, and the car ride had been filled with enough heat to melt the Arctic Circle. Maybe tonight would finally be their night.

  “What in the hell is your sister planning?”

  “I don’t know what you mean. ” Lia replied as she surveyed the small theater.

  “Well, for one thing, is that a stripper pole in front of me?”

  “It looks like one, but it isn’t as if I’ve ever been to a strip show, so how would I know?” she said, shrugging her shoulders.

  She looked around her with growing anticipation. All she knew was that they would be watching a burlesque show. She and Rachel had gone to a couple of burlesque classes last year, and she’d had a blast. Never had she felt so sexy.

  “I had assumed we’d be going to something more classy,” he snarled.

  “All I can tell you is that it’s burlesque,” Lia defended.

  “There’s a big freaking X in front of the burlesque word!” he snapped.

  “Well, maybe it’s just really sexy burlesque. Be quiet; people are starting to stare at us. ”

  Shane threw a withering look her way, and everything became clear to her. Lia now knew beyond a doubt that he was fighting the urge to take her back to his room and finally take her. That’s why he was so upset. But the sexy atmosphere — her clothes — being in Sin City — it all added up to her getting what she wanted.

  The two of them sat back as they waited for the small theater to fill. The venue did surprise Lia a little; she had expected Rachel to pick one of the Cirque du Soleil shows. Still, Lia was relieved because the dark room was small and intimate, and Shane’s leg was pressing against hers. The stage was in touching distance, and the waitress had just brought them each a nice large glass of wine.

  She wanted to giggle when she realized she was hoping to get Shane drunk so she could take advantage of him. She wasn’t usually so bold, but something about him brought out her hunting instincts — he was currently in her sights and she wasn’t letting him escape.

  “I think we should just go, Lia,” he murmured as he turned to her and pulled at his collar.

  “Quit being such a prude. If you were here with Rafe, you’d be drooling over the stripper pole, hoping and praying that some hot thing was about to come out onstage and get naked. ”

  “I’m not with Rafe — I’m here with you. ”

  “Is that really so bad, Shane? You know, I took a few burlesque classes not long ago. I will have to show my moves when we get back to the room. ” Lia’s hand moved to his thigh and she ran her fingernail from his knee nearly to his groin.

  Shane’s hand snaked out and stopped her before she reached her prize, but by the way his eyes dilated Lia’s confidence shot through the roof. Tonight was going to be their night — even if she had to drug the man. He was going to have to get over the fact that she was Rafe’s little sister. She wasn’t a kid now — she was all grown up, with very adult needs.

  The lights dimmed and the music started as a giant projector screen dropped down in front of the red velvet curtains hiding the stage, and two sensual women sauntered through a burning X on the video they were playing.

  Wearing only G-string panties, garter belts with fishnet stockings, and minuscule bras, they gazed out at the crowd through the large screen with take-me expressions on their faces. Oh, this was going to be so good…

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  As the video ended and the screen began rising, a sensual music started filling the room from the strategically placed speakers, the pulse of the music pumping through Lia, making her body hum in anticipation.

  When the screen disappeared into the top of the stage, the curtains opened and the real show began — seven incredibly hot women in hats, suit jackets and tight pants strutted their feminine curves out onto the stage.

  Lia’s eyes were drawn to the performers’ gorgeous bodies as their sultry movements carried them around the stage. Shane took a sudden interest in his shoes after loosening the top button of his shirt to help him breathe. The more uncomfortable Shane became, the greater Lia’s enjoyment.

  As the performance progressed, the dancers started shedding clothes, a pair of pants flying off the stage and landing in Shane’s lap. The tiny thongs the women were wearing covered less of their bodies than Lia’s most immodest swimsuit, but the way they moved was exquisite.

  By the middle of the first song, the women reached up and unclasped their bikini tops, pulling them free and exposing their br**sts. Shane’s head immediately went down again as he squirmed in his chair.

  Since the girls were now wearing far less clothing than when they’d started the song, Lia was worried Shane might have a heart attack. Being there with her was probably about as pleasant for him as sitting through a poetry read. If he could watch this show and still not take her afterward, the situation was hopeless.

  Thank you, Rachel!

  “They’re just boobs. Half of the population has them,” Lia taunted, and he lifted his head long enough to send her a quelling stare before he resumed looking at his feet. She put her hand back on his thigh and rubbed her fingers against the soft material of his pants.

  When her hand brushed against something hard, pure joy possessed her. She was going to get the benefits of that impressive erection.

  Lia tried to memorize some of the dancers’ moves over the next thirty minutes. The women undulated across the stage, and the closer they approached to her and Shane, the more he tensed up. When the performers got to a scene involving a bed and lots of lots of hip movement, Lia was ready to jump into Shane’s lap and show him some of her own choreography.

  Halfway through the performance, in the middle of a dance featuring flight music and the girls in skimpy flight attendant costumes, one of the dancers moved directly in front of Shane and held out her hand. He glanced up, mortified.

  “Go with her — don’t make her look bad,” Lia hissed, and Shane reluctantly stood and followed her up onstage, where she had a large lounge chair waiting for him. The dancers wiggled around him for a minute before wheeling him and the chair behind the giant screen.

  When they brought the chair back out, Rafe’s buttoned shirt was han
ging open and his face was grimly expressionless. His eyes connected with Lia’s, and they were promising punishment.

  She could hardly wait.

  When the show ended, Shane grabbed Lia’s hand, pulling her from the theater and straight to the front of the hotel, where he made a beeline for the open doors. Ignoring the people passing by, he dragged her out to the sidewalk and began to walk briskly toward their hotel.

  “Aren’t we taking the car back?”

  “No. It’s not far and I need fresh air. ” Shane said nothing else as they practically ran down the street, passing drunk and rowdy vacationers.

  By the low growl in his voice, Lia knew things were about to get hot and heavy. Excitement mingled with apprehension. What if it weren’t as great as she expected it to be? What if the two of them had zero chemistry when it — or rather they — got down to it?

  She’d been picturing this moment for years, and now that it seemed to be arriving, nerves were overcoming her. Doubts and fear crept in as Shane and Lia neared their hotel. What if he were to just dump her off at her room?

  If he didn’t take her after she’d put herself out there so boldly, she was done. She’d gone with the man to a topless burlesque show, for goodness’ sake. If that didn’t get him in the mood, she sure as heck didn’t know what would.

  With insecurity now crowding in to help fog her mind, she began to imagine he was going to dump her off and then go find some floozy down in the casino. Anger swamped her other emotions as they entered the lobby of their hotel and he made a beeline for the elevators.

  When they reached their floor and he made the long walk down the hallway, she was prepared for the fight. She’d demand he either step up and come in her room, or stay away from her for good.

  “Listen, Shane —”

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  Lia was cut off as he inserted the key in his door, and used his body to shove her through. The next thing Lia knew, she was pressed up against the wall. Shane bent down and consumed her mouth.

  Finally!

  There would be no interruptions, no self-consciousness, and no regrets. This was her night to finally feel Shane’s power as he took her right over the cliff of pure bliss.

  “I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t resist you anymore,” Shane gasped as he reached behind her and tugged down the zipper of her dress in one mighty pull. It took only seconds for the sleek material to pool at her feet, leaving her standing before him in nothing but her teal lace panties and high heels.