I tried to swallow against the lump building in my throat, but it was almost impossible. The living room and kitchen was one giant room, separated by a small dining table with two chairs. I had a place to sit and eat. An actual dining table. “It’s beautiful,” I murmured, not able to look at Asher nor Belle. I was afraid if I did, they’d see all of my emotions plain as day.
“The bedroom is through there,” Asher said from behind me, his voice low. “Jax got you a new mattress and Belle brought over some bedding.”
All I could do was nod as I walked into the bedroom. Inside was a double bed covered in a beautiful gray comforter and a bedside table. “I don’t know how to thank you,” I whispered, finally turning to face them both. They stood in the doorway with smiles on their faces, and for some reason, that was the final straw to make the tears fall from my eyes and slip down my cheeks.
“Oh, sweetie.” Belle lunged forward and wrapped her arms around me. “Don’t get upset. I know Asher has awful taste in beds, but we can—”
“Hey!” Asher chuckled, and I met his stare. He may have been laughing, but I could see the unsure look in his eyes. His throat bobbed as he swallowed, and he pushed his hand through his hair and gripped it. “If you don’t like the bed I can—”
“The bed is perfect,” I choked out, pulling away from Belle and wiping my face. I couldn’t believe I’d cried in front of them, and all over a bed that was now mine. “I’m just…I’ve never lived anywhere like this.” I ran my hand over the comforter, feeling the silk material under my palm. It was so soft, softer than anything I’d ever touched. “I’ve lived in trailers my entire life, and I…I …” I blew out a breath, frustrated I couldn’t voice what I was feeling.
“It’s okay,” Asher murmured. “I get it.” He leaned against the doorframe. “This is your home now, though. You never have to live in a trailer again.”
“Never ever,” Belle continued, her eyes glassing over with unshed tears. “Damn. I think I have allergies.” She fanned her hand in front of her face. “I need a tissue.” She opened the door to the left to reveal a small en suite, and I couldn’t stop my grin. I’d never had my own bathroom either.
Asher stepped forward. “Do you like it?”
I blinked and glanced up at him, trying to decipher what he had hidden behind his eyes. “I love it.” I took a step toward him but halted a couple of feet away. “I don’t know how to thank you.”
“You don’t need to,” he grunted. “Knowing you’re safe is thanks enough.”
I stared at him, not able to look away as his eyes darkened. The tension between us was building, and I wasn’t sure if I could stop the way I was feeling. He made me want to run away but also run to him all at the same time. I was scared to get closer but petrified to stay away.
“Wow. That escalated quickly,” Belle announced, stepping out of the bathroom. “I think this calls for takeout.” She turned to me. “Elodie’s pick, Asher’s treat.”
“I…I have to work in an hour.” I cringed as I said the words. She had no idea what my job was, and I didn’t want her to know. It was yet another secret I was keeping. But Asher knew. He knew my secrets whether I wanted him to or not, and he still looked at me the same. He didn’t judge me about things I had no control over. He simply took me as I was.
“We better eat quick, then, huh?” She winked and barged past Asher. “My favorite is Chinese, by the way, just so you know!”
I chuckled at her antics, already feeling more at ease. “I guess we should have Chinese, then?”
“Only if you want it,” Asher said, pulling his cell out the front pocket of his jeans. “I like Chinese. Pizza is my favorite but—”
“No pizza! Pizza is banned!” Belle shouted from the living room.
Asher shook his head, but his lips lifted into a grin. “Sore loser!”
“Am not!”
Asher glanced at me, his brown-eyed gaze meeting mine. “You sure you want Chinese?”
“Yeah.” He nodded and turned, but I darted forward and grabbed his arm. His muscles locked at my touch, but I didn’t let go, not until he was looking at me again. “Thank you for this, Asher.” I swallowed. “Seriously, thank you.”
“Anytime,” he responded, his voice rougher than it was moments ago. “I’m here whenever you need me, got it?”
My fingers tensed on his arm. “Got it.” I didn’t want to let go, but I knew I had to, so I slowly let my hand drift away from him. He stared at me for another beat and then left the room, leaving me wondering what the hell was going on and why I didn’t want it to stop.
Chapter Fourteen
ELODIE
I’d never realized how much difference having a safe place to go home to made. I didn’t want to leave my little apartment, and if it wasn’t going to school, work, or dance practice, I stayed there. For an entire week I’d made little adjustments to my space and added medals and awards I’d won from my competitions. I’d even created my own little corner where I could do my hair and makeup. Not that I had many supplies to do it with, but it was a work in progress.
Picking up an extra shift this week meant I already had next month's rent saved in an envelope under my mattress, so I only had to do two shift this week, and I’d decided to keep my Saturday night as that was always the best night in the club. I hadn’t seen Asher since I’d come home after dance practice on Tuesday and walked through the shop to get to my apartment, and part of me missed seeing his face.
The tension between us was almost too much at times, so I’d pulled back a little. Everything was happening all at once, and I just needed space to breathe. I needed to take it all in and figure out what I was doing. And besides, it wasn’t like he’d reached out to me either. Leo had come over last weekend, and Belle had even brought me some home-cooked meals to put into my freezer. I was making a home for myself, yet something felt missing. No, not something, someone.
“Girl, you are so far in your own head you haven’t even heard me shouting your name for the last five minutes.”
I whipped around on my stool in front of my station backstage and nearly fell off it. My arms twirled to try and get my balance back, but if it wasn’t for Reign reaching out to grab me, I would have face-planted the floor. “Shit. Sorry.” I sat up and pushed my hair out of my face. I’d curled it with Reign’s curling iron and borrowed her red lipstick to finish off the new look I was trying out. I was so used to doing the same thing over and over again, but I felt different now. Something inside me wanted to switch it up, so I’d pulled out my black lace bra and thong and decided to go all out tonight.
“You’re up in ten,” she said, tying her long, dark-brown hair on the top of her head. “You look…different.” She turned her head left and right. “More grown up.” She narrowed her eyes and flicked her gaze down to my feet where I was wearing a pair of strappy black pumps. “Sexier than usual.”
“Do you think I look okay?” I asked, placing the red lipstick in front of the mirror of my station and standing up. I opened my robe to show her. Reign had been here the longest out of everyone, and she was Jax’s go-to girl. He liked to act like we all didn’t know, but we did. We could go to Reign whenever we needed to, and although I hadn’t told her about my situation, I knew Jax would have confided in her.
“Damn.” Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as she reached out to trail her finger along the edge of the triangle-shaped material covering my chest. “Holy shit, you look smokin’ hot, girl.”
My cheeks reddened at her words, and I quickly closed the robe back up. I’d never been afraid to get on stage, not since my first night working here, but tonight, my stomach was dipping and diving, acting like I was on a roller coaster with no end in sight. “I wanted to do something different,” I told her, hearing the last beats of the song currently playing. As soon as it ended, it would signal my dance on stage.
“Different is damn right.” She winked and plucked her lipstick off my station. “I need to go find the best seat
in the house to watch this.” She sauntered away in her silk robe, and my nerves slammed into me even more. Was I really going to do this? Was I really—
The song stopped, and I inhaled a breath, trying to calm myself down. My legs were shaking as my feet carried me toward the stage. Showcasing a new dance sometimes didn’t go down too well, but I was hoping this would be what I needed to spice things up a little. It was one thing performing on a stage and letting your emotions bleed out, but it was something entirely different seducing someone with only the movement of your body.
I halted at the edge of the curtain and turned to face the MC. He knew the changes I’d made, and one nod was all I needed to know he was good with them all. My heels clicked on the stage floor as I made my way into the middle. It was basked in complete darkness as I got into my starting position: my head back, one arm clutching the top of my head and the other by my side. I made sure the robe was peeking open at my thighs, then gave the signal I was ready.
My heart hammered in my chest as the opening beats of the song came on, and then the low purple lighting illuminated only me. I swayed my hips left to right and slowly lifted my head, looking out into the crowd. I never kept my gaze on any one person. I always scanned the patrons and danced to an invisible man, but this time I halted on someone toward the back. The booth was rarely occupied, but when it was, it was always MC members and their friends.
Goose bumps prickled along my skin as I slowly moved forward toward the main T of the stage and closer to the booth. I didn’t need to see him to know it was him, but as soon as Asher’s gaze met mine, I knew I’d be dancing for him tonight. I’d never have had the guts to do this if it was just me and him, but there was something about the darkness which gave me strength.
I bit down on my bottom lip as I got to the edge of the stage and leaned my back against the solo pole there. My stare never left his as I seductively untied the belt of my maroon silk robe. I didn’t let it open all of the way, not until I was at the right part of the music. I watched as he leaned forward, almost as if he was trying to get a better look, and a thrill went through me. He wanted to watch me as much as I wanted to dance for him.
I lifted my shoulders off the pole but kept my ass pressed against it as I pulled the robe down over my shoulders and pushed my boobs together. The scrap of material left little to the imagination. The robe finally dropped to the floor and I twirled around the pole, only breaking eye contact as I gripped my palms on it and leaped onto it. I opened my legs, doing a split as I spun around the pole, then landed on my feet like I’d done that exact move a thousand times.
It was normal for the women dancing on the stage to take it out onto the open floor, but I’d never done it. I’d never wanted to do it. Not until right this second. My routine was only one-third done, but I couldn’t stop myself from taking the steps off the stage and walking between the tables. I let my hand stroke someone’s shoulders and I paused in front of a different table and gave a few sways of my hips, but it was his table I had my eyes set on. And finally, I was at the edge and the crescendo of the song was about to start.
Asher wasn’t alone. Al was sitting opposite him, but I didn’t look at him once. If I did, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I desperately wanted to. Two bottles of beer sat on the table and I swiped my arm out so they were on the edge nearest Al, then lifted up onto the table. My palms collided with the cold wood as did my knees, and I bowed my back, giving him his own show.
In the back of my head, I knew I wouldn’t be able to come back from this, but I didn’t want to. For once I wanted to do what I wanted to do. I wanted to let my body do all the talking and speak the words I couldn’t seem to vocalize.
I let my ass hit the table and spun so I was facing Asher. His gaze met mine, fire lighting in his dark eyes, and I opened my legs and placed my feet on either side of his thighs. He didn’t look away from my eyes as I shuffled forward, only inches away from him. I let my head drop back, feeling the ends of my hair tickling my spine, and reached for the small clasp on the back of my bra. One move and it sprung off me, showcasing me entirely to him.
“No.” His hand grasped the small of my back and yanked me to him, and my head whipped up, wondering what the hell was happening. The rule was that you couldn’t touch the dancers, whether we wanted people to or not, but no one came to tell him that. My bare chest was flush with his, my erect nipples scraping against the material of his T-shirt, and I groaned at the sensation. His face was nearly buried into my neck and my lips were so close to his ear all it would take was a small move and I could have pressed them to the soft skin and—
“Not like this,” he murmured in my ear, causing my chest to heave. “When I see you naked for the first time, it’ll be because you’re in my bed, ready to give yourself to me.”
He pulled back a little, still keeping my chest against his. His dark eyes were almost black in this light, and I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t open my mouth and get words to come out. All I could do was stare at him and relish in the feel of his embrace. “I want to kiss you so bad right now,” I finally confessed, and his nostrils flared in response.
“Not here,” he whispered, bringing his face so close to mine I could feel his breath on my lips. “Not like this.” His hand tightened on my back and he shuffled forward. He was telling me no, but his body was screaming yes. “I will kiss you again, Elodie.” I swallowed as he used my real name and not my stage name. “But not here. Not in this way.” He didn’t stop looking at me, drumming the point home. “But I will touch you again, sweetheart. That’s a promise.”
I bit down on my bottom lip, soaking his promise in, and knowing he wouldn’t go back on his word. I’d made the first move in coming over here, but he’d made the last. He’d told me exactly what was going to happen, but I didn’t want to wait. I didn’t want anything but his lips on mine and his body pressed against me.
“Now you’re gonna pull away from me, and I’m gonna turn away. You’ll finish your set, go home, and have patience. Got it?”
I nodded, too afraid my words would come out a jumbled mess. He pressed against me one last time, closed his eyes, and let go of me. I didn’t move for several beats, not until my song finished and left the entire room in silence. He turned me down, but in the process, he’d made me feel special. He’d made me feel like more than just a stripper.
He’d made me feel like me.
ASHER
I leaned forward, pressed the needle into my client's skin, and flicked my wrist to get the correct shading effect I wanted. I’d consumed myself in work for the last six days, trying to occupy my mind and not do what I desperately wanted to. Each moment that had passed since I’d left the club felt like an eternity, but I knew it was the right thing to do. Elodie wasn’t Elodie when she was there. She was Lotus, and although I couldn’t deny Lotus was hot, Elodie was hotter. Elodie captivated my attention like no one else ever had.
So, I’d kept to myself, repeating the words I’d said to her in my head over and over again. Had I been too forward? Had I imagined something which wasn’t there? I snorted to myself. She’d come to me. She had been the one who sat herself on my table and shown me what she wanted. And yet, I found myself avoiding her. Or maybe she was avoiding me? Maybe we both were.
I leaned back and switched my machine off, fed up with the same thing going around and around in my mind. I was overthinking, I knew that, but it didn’t stop it. I picked up my spray bottle and sprayed the area of skin, then dismantled my machine as my client moved over to the mirror to check his leg piece out. He’d been booked in for a late appointment, and I’d been working on it for nearly five hours straight, which meant it was now the middle of the night. I hadn’t heard Elodie come back to her apartment, but I’d been so in the zone she could have walked right past me and I wouldn’t have known. I grinned at the absurdity of my own thoughts. There was no way she would have walked past me without me noticing.
“It’s fuckin’ great, bro,” the cl
ient said, turning his leg left to right.
I stood and picked up the clear wrap to cover it with. “You need to be more careful over the next couple of days. I worked the skin hard, so it’ll need longer to heal than usual.”
He nodded and walked back to me, then I wrapped his leg and handed him the care sheet as he paid. Once he was out of the door, I locked it behind him and stared at my entire shop. It was always eerie being here alone, but since Elodie had moved in, I wanted to be here more and more, and I almost made it an excuse to be here when everyone else had left.
Since Maverick wasn’t here, likely was out with his friends as it was Friday night, I had to clean my own station up. I discarded all of my little ink pots and my used needles, then disinfected my machine and client bed. By the time I was done, another fifteen minutes had gone by, and my feet itched for me to head up the stairs and knock on Elodie’s apartment door.
It was nearing midnight, so even if she was there, she most likely was asleep, yet I found myself standing at the bottom of the stairs, staring up at her door, and trying to hear any noise. I felt like a creeper, but I couldn’t stop—
The blast of my ringtone made me jump and I shoved my hand into my pocket, trying to get it out before Elodie would know someone was here, but…wait. Why was Elodie calling me? I jammed my thumb onto the answer call button and brought it to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Hey,” her soft voice greeted. “I, erm…”
Did she know I was here at the bottom of her stairs? Shit. Could she see me?
Her breath sounded over the line. “Okay, so, I’m trying to do better with this whole asking-for-help thing.”
My lips lifted into a smile, and I leaned my shoulder against the wall. Her voice did things to me that I couldn’t explain. It relaxed me but also had me on edge. “Okay.” I drew the word out, waiting to see what she’d say.
Burned Duet: Asher & Elodie: Fast Burn & Deep Burn (Easton Family Duet Boxsets Book 4) Page 19
