by Angela Blake
Claudia shook her head in amusement. “Seriously, though. What’s this for, Chas?”
“One of the patrons just kept tossing them at me and hollering as if I were some kind of circus animal. I barely tossed a glance his way, but I figured I’d get something out of it.”
Claudia raised an eyebrow. “He just tossed a bunch of one hundred dollar bills at you?”
“I’m pretty sure he even asked if I’d marry him.”
“What a romantic proposal. Very well thought out,” Claudia mentioned sarcastically as she handed Chastity the money back. “Well, as much as I appreciate being in on this whole plan of yours to seize the opportunity whatever it might be, I think I’ll pass.”
Chastity frowned. “Come on, Clo. You work too hard, and you’re not even having any fun. I know you enjoy being on that stage because you used to dance back in college, but you hate the way those men fawn all over you. At least the rest of us have something going for us.”
“I’ve got stuff going for me,” Claudia said defensively as she crossed her arms over her chest.
“Books and drooling over fictional character do not fall under the category of going for you.”
A laugh escaped Claudia’s lips, unbidden. “Touché. However, I wasn’t just talking about that. You know that I’ve been saving up to get out of here. Someday, I’m going to do just that.”
“Yeah, you’ve been saying that for 3 years now, Clo. Sometimes, I can’t figure out if you’re hiding from something you want, or running away from something you’re afraid to want.”
Claudia let her hands fall to her sides, knowing that you couldn’t really get anything past Chastity. She was very shrewd and analytical. “Does it matter?”
“Of course it matters, sweetie.” Chastity eyed her sympathetically. “It’s not a crime to want to be happy, to strive for it, to even go after it on occasion. We are human after all.”
“I know,” Claudia said quietly as she stared at a fixed point on the wall. “It’s just not that simple for me. You know that.”
“I know that you wish you could change the past, but none of us really can. All we can do is make the best of the hand we’ve been dealt, and if we’re lucky enough, be able to change our stars.”
Claudia gave her a small smile. “If only we could. I don’t know, Chas. I used to believe that. Now, I just keep my head low, and hope life doesn’t throw any punches my way that I can’t handle.”
Chastity leaned over to get a hug and squeezed tight. “If life starts punching you, punch back. I know you’re made of sterner stuff.”
She pulled back and gave Claudia a wink. “Besides, with that ass.”
Chastity pretended to wolf whistle. Claudia smirked and did a little twirl. “Think it’ll make them fall on their knees?”
“Girl, they won’t even know what hit them,” Chastity replied, as an ear splitting grin made its way to her face.
“And that’s my cue to get going. Everyone’s meeting up afterward for dinner at Charlie’s, right?”
“You got it. I’ll see you there, Clo.”
Claudia sighed as she dragged herself towards the costume room and wondered what kind of outfit they’d put her in today. They pretty much came up with the weirdest outfits sometimes. On rare occasions, there were themes here and there. Sometimes racy themes, sometimes geeky, but almost always skimpy.
They rarely went for the classy approach unless it was someone they knew could pull it off. Tonight, much to her surprise, they put her in something classy. It was a figure hugging gold colored dress that fit her like a glove.
It had a plunging V-neck, and it was a little bit above her knees. It was definitely made to show off. The fabric was so soft, Claudia couldn’t help touching every few minutes after they put it on her.
She was a bit nervous going on stage dressed like that, but she took a deep breath, steadied her breathing and went onto the stage.
As soon as she stepped onto the stage, the lights were dimmed, and all the lights in the club went off. A single spotlight shone on her, and she waited for the music to begin. After anxiously awaiting her track, Claudia caught the eye of the stage manager back stage who was frantically waving at her.
She managed to read his lips and find out that there was a technical difficulty that they were working on getting solved. Claudia knew that she could either let this moment get to her, and it could affect the whole show, or she could smile and wing it like a pro.
She counted backwards from ten in her head until she felt a sense of calm radiate throughout her body and calm her erratic heartbeat. She began to laugh and joke with some of the patrons until some of the confused looks on their faces dissipated, and they began to believe that this was actually part of the plan. That she was doing some sort of routine act that would be followed by music.
They had no idea she thought sardonically to herself as she continued the ruse. Thankfully, the music came back in, and she got back into what she was doing, but not before she caught Archer Paisley’s eye.
He was sitting close to the front, and he was keeping a close watch on her, but that wasn’t what caught her eye. What caught her eye is the fact that he seemed to be completely aware of the glitch that had occurred. He was watching her with an amused smirk tugging on the corner of his lips, his eyes sparkling mischievously, and his arms crossed over his chest in a nonchalant manner as if he dared her to say or do anything that he couldn’t predict.
Claudia wanted to wipe that smug smirk clean off his face, but she knew that it probably wasn’t a good idea. She forced herself to concentrate on the task at hand as she got through her routine with a flourish. She didn’t usually add a twirl to the end of her show considering it was mostly hip hop with a dash of contemporary dancing, but she felt that the move went with the dress, so she spread her arms and let the dress billow around her as the men hooted and hollered.
Claudia had the satisfaction of seeing Archer look grim, and a little miffed. She grinned, blew the audience a kiss, and went backstage where she was greeted with warm applause from her fellow peers.
***
“I’ll meet you there, okay, Chas? I’m finishing up here!” Claudia called out as she looked around for her ballet flats which she could’ve sworn she left somewhere in the vicinity.
“No problem,” Chastity called back, and she heard the sounds of their laughter receding as they left the building. She sighed as she let her gaze travel all over the room, frustrated at being unable to find such a small thing. She dropped to the floor, got on her hands and knees and began to search for it underneath the chairs and clothes.
“Now there’s a sight I could get used to.”
Claudia cursed as she shot up and ended up hitting her head on one of the nearby shelves. She scowled as she began to rub the sore spot on top of her head as her blurry vision tried to make out who said that.
There stood Archer Paisley in the flesh. Looking amused with his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms, his tie hanging askew, his hair looking he’d raked his fingers through it, and his blue eyes smoldering, tearing a hole in the side of her head.
Claudia stood up with as much dignity as she could muster and dusted off her clothes before she let her eyes slowly trail up and meet his. “What are you doing back here? You’re not allowed to be back here.”
“You are if you know exactly who to bribe, or how to get past them.”
A flood of anger shot through Claudia at their security personnel’s flippancy. They couldn’t let just anyone back here, and they knew it. Their blatant lack of disregard for women’s safety made them a liability, and she had half a mind to go over there right now, and let them have it, but first, she had to deal with the rather large, devilishly handsome problem at hand.
“Yes, well, regardless of how you got here, you need to leave.”
Archer tossed his jacket on one of the chairs and gave her a pleasant smile. “Now, why would I do that when I’ve got
a lovely view right here?”
“Mr. Paisley, as I’ve already told you, you aren’t supposed to be here, and we’ve been through this before.”
Archer stepped forward and stood in front of her. “Been over what before?”
“This,” she gestured making a sweeping hand gesture, “between us. Whatever you think exists between us. Nothing exists between us.”
Archer stroked his chin thoughtfully. “Are you sure about that?”
Claudia nodded her head empathetically. “I’m positive.”
“Now, Claudia, I know that you’re smarter than that. If nothing was going on between us then why does my presence unnerve you so?”
Claudia snorted. “It doesn’t unnerve me, what makes you think it does?”
Archer looked thoughtful as he eyed her speculatively. “The fact that you took a step back just now, that you can barely make eye contact with me for more than a few seconds, and that you can’t stand to be alone with me for more than a handful of minutes.”
Claudia turned her gaze on him. “Is that why you think I do that? Don’t flatter yourself, Mr. Paisley. I don’t do any of those things because you affect me. I do them to avoid spending time with you.”
“I don’t believe you.”
Claudia narrowed her eyes into slits. “As Rhett Butler would say, ‘Frankly, my dear. I don’t give a damn.’”
Archer stared at her with an unfathomable expression for a minute or two before his face broke out into a smile, and he let out a whoop as he slapped his leg.
“I know you were feisty, but damn, I had no idea you had this much fire, Claudia.”
Claudia bristled with barely concealed annoyance. “Look, I don’t know what you think you’re doing, but I hardly think your comments are appropriate.”
One eyebrow shot up in amusement. “You think complementing you on your spark is inappropriate?”
Claudia made a dismissive hand gesture. “It’s not the fire thing I’m talking about specifically, it’s what it represents.”
A smile twitched on the edge of his lips. “And what exactly does it represent?”
“Your desire to get into my pants.”
Archer began to laugh, a deep throaty chuckle that sent shivers up and down her spine. Claudia told herself to get a grip considering who this man was, but she couldn’t help that she loved the sound of his laugh.
“Well, now. I must say, the honesty is very refreshing.”
“No point in beating around the bush, is there?”
“Indeed.” He looked thoughtful for a moment before he shook his head. “I won’t deny that it is a part of my plan.” He perused her thoroughly making her feel more vulnerable than if she was standing in front of him, stark naked. She wondered at the effect he seemed to have on a lot of women, and she wondered if he knew and secretly used it to his advantage.
“However, that isn’t my whole plan.”
Claudia titled her head to the side. “Are you planning on luring me into one of your dungeons and have your wicked way with me?”
Archer grinned. “That was part of the plan, yeah. Discovering the wanton woman who hides beneath that carefully composed façade.”
Claudia straightened her back and looked him directly in the eye trying to pretend that the color of his eyes didn’t just make her want to drown in a pool of silver. “Yes, well, sometimes plan are ruined much to our dismay.”
He gazed back, and apparently, he liked what he saw because he gave her a 1000 Watt smile. “That can easily be fixed.”
Claudia gave him a blank look. “I’m not sure I know what you mean.”
“You know exactly what I mean.”
Archer took a step forward, and before she knew what he was doing, he had his hand on top of hers and was stroking it gently with the pad of his thumb.
Claudia glanced down at their intertwined hands and frowned. “I won’t be persuaded, Mr. Paisley. So, whatever it is you think you’re going to accomplish, you’re wasting your time.”
Archer gave her a slow indulgent smile. “Yeah, I know you’d like to convince yourself of that, but I’m just not buying it.”
“Frankly, I don’t care whether or not you do.”
Archer tugged on her hand, so that she stumbled forward. “I think you care. You care very much what I buy especially if it’s you.”
Claudia laughed dismissively. “You’re fooling yourself. I don’t care. Now, I’d appreciate it if you’d release my hand.”
Archer stared at her for a moment before he stopped what he was doing. Claudia couldn’t help the stab of disappointment that flashed through her, so she tried to ignore it by pulling her hand away and letting it lay limply at her side.
“What are you so afraid of, Claudia?” He tried to get her to make eye contact with him, but she resolutely refused afraid of what her twin pools of hazel would reveal to him, and how he might somehow be able to see right through her like she always thought he could.
“I don’t fear much, Mr. Paisley. Bankruptcy as businesses mostly do, and occasionally faulty plumbing or architecture, but other than that, I think my list is fairly small,” she said, very slowly, and very calmly.
Archer studied her very carefully before he let out a long whistle. “Somebody really did a number on you, didn’t they? I don’t know what they did to you, but it’s high time you moved past it, I think. Also, don’t you think it’s high time you dropped the whole Mr. Paisley act and actually used my real name?”
A flash of annoyance crossed her face. “It’s not an act. This is how we treat patrons here, and using your first name would be intimate, which is something we aren’t.”
“Not if I can help it,” he murmured as he took a huge step forward. Surprised, Claudia stumbled backward. “Would you stop doing that?”
“Doing what?” he asked innocently, a little too innocently for her to believe that he wasn’t doing it deliberately. His hand reached up and undid the first button on his shirt sleeve.
Claudia pointed between them. “Trying to start something between us.”
Archer took another step forward till he had Claudia backed into a corner. “If I were trying to start something between us, you’d know, Claudia. I wouldn’t be so subtle. I’m not the man who will hide behind pretenses and play games. I’m very clear and direct about what I want.”
“Okay.” She breathed trying not to let his presence affect her, but the smell of his heady perfume was wafting into her nostrils and making butterflies erupt in her stomach.
“Do you know what I want, Claudia?” he asked in a very controlled voice.
Claudia allowed her eyes to look into his eyes. “What?”
“I want you.”
She sucked in a harsh breath. “You can’t want me.”
“Why? Because you work here, and turn down all the offers that have been made for reasons people don’t understand and can only guess about.”
She looked surprised before he continued. “I’m not saying I’m a knight in shining armor, Claudia. I’ve probably got more dark than light in me, but what I won’t do is lie to you. You already know that I have very specific needs, and I think that you can fulfill them.”
Claudia opened her mouth to protest, but Archer brought his finger up to her lips. “I know you’re about to argue, so I’m just going to say this then you can talk. I want to dominate you, Claudia. I want to see you writhe underneath me, panting for more. I want to see you in all kinds of naughty positions just waiting for me to eat you up, or bring you to your knees, and I think you want it too.”
Claudia swallowed audibly. “What makes you think I want it?” Her voice sounded unconvincing even to her own ears. “It just sounds like you’re projecting.”
“Projecting? That’s big talk, Claudia. You sure you want to go down that road?”
Claudia moved her head so that his fingers fell. “You’re projecting your desires onto me. It’s as simple as that.”
Archer began to trail his fingers over her arms, lightly. “I’m not projecting anything. If you want to tell yourself that to keep hiding behind this titanium wall you’ve built up, that’s up to you. That’s not the case though.”
Claudia’s eyes narrowed into slits. “You think you know me so well, don’t you? Well, you don’t.”
“Ah, but I do,” he said pleasantly as if they were talking about the weather. “I know that you are fiercely independent, that you have a fire that burns deep down in your soul, and I know that you know a lot more than the other virgins around here. You haven’t been with a guy, but you know enough which makes me think that you actually came close a time or two. How am I doing so far?”
Claudia stared for a beat. “That’s actually -” she trailed off. “Well, that proves nothing.”
“That’s because I’m right, aren’t I?”
Claudia shrugged. “Doesn’t matter if you are. It doesn’t change anything.”
His fingers moved from her arms to her neck, and a smattering of goose bumps began to break out across her skin. “That’s where you’re wrong, my dear. It does matter, and it does change things. To seduce a woman like you, you have to appeal to her mind first, and secretly, I think that you like that I’m able to read you so well.”
Claudia shook her head. “No, I don’t, and frankly, I find your lack of respect for personal space annoying.”
Archer cocked his head to the side. “If that were actually true, you’d have pushed me away and called the buffoons you guys hired as bodyguards. They might have let me slip past, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t come to your aid if you yelled for help, and as I’ve already proven, I can keep my hands to myself.”
“Somehow, I don’t find that entirely too convincing right now,” she commented, very dryly as his fingers hovered over the pulse on her neck.
“Right now, I’m not trying to be convincing. At least, not that in that respect. What I am trying to convince you of how however is to give me a chance. I can show you pleasure in ways you’ve never even dreamed of, Claudia. If you just surrender.”
