Page 13 of Night Moves

“That’s right. I forgot you were a dancer. Right?” I smile. I’m used to being overlooked for certain things. That’s always made me good at what I do.

Standing I ask, if anyone else want more coffee.

At the counter, I hit the app for the song I queued. A hard pulsing beat starts to play over the speakers.

Rolling my shoulders, I inhale deeply, closing my eyes to get into my groove. Strutting across the room, I spin the chair so that I straddle the seat and thrust my hips forward to the beat. Rolling off, I glide toward Raven and hold out my hand for her to join me.

“Hell no,” Diego snarls. “She can watch.”

Raising an eyebrow I turn to Willow. Blushing, she shakes her head. “Help me show them,” I whisper.

Reluctantly, she takes my hand and rises to her feet.

I slow dance her toward the chair holding her loosely in my arms and let my knee slip between her thighs. Something I wouldn’t do on the dance floor, but this is Willow.

Willow who calls to me on a sensual level I haven’t felt this strongly in a very long time. When sex is a job, it loses some of its appeal. With this woman it’s coming back in spades.

I want more with her. I want heart and body.

Pretending to brush my fingertips down her arms, I cup her hand and bring it to my lips. I can’t resist planting a kiss on her palm then sucking one digit into my mouth. Her gasp and lowered gaze let me know she’s not as immune to me as she pretends.

Enfolding her hands with mine, I bring them to the front of my shirt, then in a move to look like she did it, I pull it open letting the fabric slide off my shoulders to expose my back and chest. Circling her, I lean in close enough to feel her heat, smell her essence.

Once I’ve seated her in the chair, I continue to perform body rolls, bumping and grinding the air between me and the floor. Circling and stalking her, getting close enough to air brush her whole body with my moves. Ending the song with a knee slide and thrust right in front of her.

Silence fills the room.

Standing, I take Willow’s hands and kiss the backs. “Thank you.”

Raven clears her throat. “Who the hell are you?”

Grabbing my tearaway shirt from the floor I slip it back on and drop into a chair. “Back in the day when I was performing, I was known as D-Man. I was one of the headliners when I left Swagger to join the Army.”

“There’s no way. You wouldn’t have been old enough.”

“I wasn’t. I had a fake ID and name. Denzel. I also insisted they pay me under the table. Which they were happy to do.”

“Why?” Diego asks.

“My sister and I were living on the street. She was four years older but––vulnerable. Vicky was just getting drug-free after breaking up with an asshole boyfriend. She needed something stable to pull herself together.

“I’d been picking up shit jobs at construction sites, mostly the heavy labor. I was in pretty good shape and big for my age, but I was also trying to get through school and needed day hours open. I heard this guy bragging about how much he made dancing and whoring.” I hold Raven’s gaze. “I spent every dime I had on fake papers and went to work.

“I’d been around strip joints and hookers from the day I was born. Vicky was not cut out for the life. In two weeks, I had us in a place with a real bed. In another month we had a two-bedroom apartment. I was eating at the best restaurants in town on my clients dime. Vic was getting counseling and had a job as a waitress.

“When I turned eighteen, she was stable. I had enough in a savings account for a year’s rent for her. I joined the army.”

“Have you talked to Jed and Steel about your plan?” Diego eyes me.

“Early this morning.”

“They know all this. They’ve got more support for us since we don’t know who we can trust?”

“Hell, you know Jed and Steel. With I-Tee on the keyboard they always know everything. Or will soon.”

“We’ll need someone else. Busboy or something as backup for you.”

“Excuse me,” Raven snaps. “Did the two of you forget I’m here? Who’s in charge?”

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