Ask For It
Page 25
“Good. Because I don’t have any reading glasses,” she said with a smile of her own.
They put the ear crushing headphones back on and stared at the On Air sign.
“We’re back with Crystal Reed. Librarian, Author, and Stripper. Crystal is telling us about her decision to become a stripper. Crystal?”
“I did research on the work environment and take-home pay. I even looked into the different types of stripping and regulations.”
“You sound very analytical.”
“I try to be.”
“Did it interest you at that point?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t mind taking your clothes off…in front of an audience?”
“No. Not really.”
“Crystal, you probably just caused half a dozen traffic accidents across Dade County. Can you tell us why you don’t mind taking your clothes off for the audience?”
She managed not to laugh at the eagerness in his voice. Most of the men she’d met on her tour had wondered and gotten excited about her unabashed nature.
“I think the human form is beautiful. Otherwise why would it be the model for so many sculptures, paintings and photos throughout history? No, there’s nothing to be ashamed of by being in the nude.”
“But what about stripping? You come out on stage, with clothes on, right?”
“Clothes or lingerie. Correct.”
“And you take it off.”
“To music. Yes.”
“And you dance.”
“Very seductively, I’m told.”
She waited for his next comment, his next question, but he merely stared at her with his mouth hanging open slightly. Perhaps she’d short-circuited his brain.
His reactions were amusing. “So after a few months of stripping, I got a job as a librarian. Things went really well for a few years. My library was far enough away from the club that I didn’t really think anything of it.”
“But you were fired, correct? From the library?”
“Right. One Friday night one of the other librarian’s husbands came in. We’d met a couple of times. Anyway, he reported, anonymously, to the library that I was seen dancing at a strip club and the rest, as they say, is history.”
“So they fired you for being a stripper?”
“Correct.”
“How do you know who reported you?”
“Well, he was at the club, he gave me a twenty-dollar tip, and the next day I was fired, so I’d say those facts pretty much lead to one person. Him.”
“Not to sound like a shrink, but how did you feel about that?”
Was she mistaken, or were his eyes beginning to glitter? His jet-black hair fell in unruly waves across his forehead giving him the ultimate bad-boy surfer look. If he was playing doctor, she’d love to lay down on his black leather couch for his professional, and not-so-professional, observation. And exploration. Her nipples hardened at the thought.
Focus.
“Bad, obviously. At the time it really hurt, but now it almost seems like a blessing in disguise.”
“How so?”
Crystal uncrossed and re-crossed her legs and leaned back toward the mike. His eyes followed the movement.
“Well, it gave me the opportunity and the drive to write, which I’d never done before. It also made me take a look at my morals. The switch led me down a different path, an unexpected one. One that I’m glad I’m on.”
“All righty, folks. We’ll be right back to hear about Crystal Reed’s début book, The Sex Life of a Stripper.”
This time when the On Air sign went off, Crystal leaned forward. “So how long have you been in Miami?” she asked.
“Two years. Why do you ask?”
“Your accent.”
A pitch-black eyebrow shot up.
“You’re from Texas, right?”
That arrogant smile returned, and he nodded. “Where are you from?”
“I’m a Miami girl.”
It didn’t take a lot of imagination to envision him in cowboy boots atop a big horse. His jet-black hair would glint in the sunlight and blow in the breeze. He kept it a little on the long side, a few unruly locks curled over his ears.
“So why does a Miami girl go to Illinois for school?”
“To get away for a while,” she said.
“Why do I get the feeling there’s more to it than that?”
Crystal just smiled and waited, as the producer began his countdown.
“Afternoon, everyone. We’re talking with Crystal Reed today. Crystal’s new book, The Sex Life of a Stripper, is on shelves now. Crystal, I was really surprised that the title has nothing to do with the book’s content.”
“Yeah, most guys are disappointed by that. But you have to admit it’s a catchy title.”
She glanced over at him and felt her heart falter. He was smiling at her again. An honest-to-God, melt-in-your-seat-smile. Heaven help her.
“Indeed.”
“The book is actually about discovering myself. About finding confidence, grace, acceptance.”
“Chapter nine is titled, ‘Have Him Eating Out Of Your Hand In No Time.’ Can you tell us about it?”
She felt her eyebrows arch. He’d actually read the book? No way. Most likely he’d just skimmed the table of contents.
“That was a fun chapter to write. It’s kind of like a crash course in being confident as a woman—not really about making men your love slave or anything. There are so many things that can just kill your confidence. Things that make you feel undesirable. Society’s image of what’s beautiful, for instance.”
“You mean the push to be super thin?”
“Exactly. Super thin. Super beautiful. Suddenly normal size average women are made to feel like ugly ducklings, and it’s just not true. But because the attitude is deemed acceptable, it kills the confidence of some women. And that stinks. So chapter nine is my tribute to normal women everywhere who need to take back their confidence.”
“No offense, Crystal, but you sound like you’re speaking from the heart—”
“I am.”
“—yet, you’re a knockout.”
“Ahh, but Mr. Vartan, you’ve just judged a book by its cover. I didn’t always look this way. It was after I decided, ‘to hell with Hollywood I like my curves’ and started paying attention to myself, my body, my appearance, that things changed for me.”
“It’s Hollywood’s loss that they don’t like curvy women.”
“My thoughts exactly.”
“You actually have pictures of yourself from when you were younger in your book.”
Of course he would have looked at the pictures. The picture section was on extra glossy paper right in the middle of the book.
“Yes.”
“Why did you include them?”
“So people can see that I’m real. I’m not some bimbo Barbie. I’m not super thin. I’m not super beautiful. And I don’t wear a D-cup.”
Crystal saw the producer out of the corner of her eye. He appeared to be choking.
“Inquiring minds want to know more…” Garrett said, his dreamy brown eyes getting impossibly darker.
“I’ll bet they would.” She gave him a little smirk.
“Well, put us out of our misery, Crystal. Every single man in Miami has one question on their mind right now. Ok, two. Number one, do you have a boyfriend? And Number two, what’s your phone number?”
Visit Madison’s website for more information: http://www.madison-chase.com
ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
An action movie buff with a penchant for all things supernatural and sexy, Selena Blake combines her love for adventure, travel and romance into steamy paranormal romance. Selena’s books have been called “a steamy escape” and have appeared on bestseller lists, been nominated for awards, and won contests. When she’s not writing you can find her by the pool soaking up some sun, day dreaming about new characters, and watching the cabana boy (aka her muse), Derek. Fan mail keeps her going when
the diet soda wears off so write to her at selenablake@gmail.com.
Visit her online at http://www.selena-blake.com or if you’re on Facebook, become a fan at http://www.facebook.com/authorSelenaBlake
OTHER BOOKS BY SELENA BLAKE
Series: Stormy Weather
The Cajun’s Captive (erotic paranormal romance novella)
Bitten in the Bayou (paranormal romance novella, ménage)
Seduced by a Cajun Werewolf (previously titled Bound & Determined, erotic paranormal romance, long novella)
Mated to a Cajun Werewolf (erotic paranormal romance, long novella)
Stranded with a Cajun Werewolf (erotic paranormal romance novel)
A Cajun Werewolf Christmas (paranormal romance short story)
Series: Mystic Isle
Fangs, Fur & Mistletoe (erotic paranormal romance novella)
A Werewolf to Call Her Own (erotic paranormal romance novella)
Games Demons Play (erotic paranormal romance novel)
Anthologies
Stormy Weather anthology (5-in-1)
Stormy Weather Collector’s Edition (5-in-1, plus interviews, deleted scenes and more)
Double The Pleasure (2-in-1, ménage edition)
Ready & Willing (erotic paranormal romance novel)
Surprising Darcy (short contemporary erotica ménage)
Just a Little Taste (short contemporary erotica)
Series: Deep Space Encounters
Reclaiming Isis
Rescuing Natacha
Azula’s Rebellion
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
OTHER BOOKS BY SELENA BLAKE
Table of Contents
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
CHAPTER TWENTY
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
ABOUT SELENA BLAKE
OTHER BOOKS BY SELENA BLAKE