Page 72 of You Rock My World
“And watch you strip? How scandalous.”
“I promise to be very professional about it.” He cocks an eyebrow. “If you can do the same.”
It’s a slippery choice. I shouldn’t go. But it’s been two days of wanting to be alone with him and not being able to. The smart thing would be to stay here, to keep things in the safe zone, to avoid any more temptation than I can handle. And yet… I want to go.
My mind races through the potential outcomes. If I go, we’ll be alone in an enclosed space. The tension between us is already at a breaking point; one wrong move and it could snap. But then again, one right move and it could be everything I’ve been imagining. Every rational thought is drowned out by the way he looks at me.
I think about the kiss he asked for that I denied, no matter how much I wanted to give in. I pretend to consider for another second, then sigh dramatically. “Well, someone has to make sure you don’t wear your T-shirt backward on national TV.”
He grabs his chin, mock-pensively. “The risk is real.”
With one last glance at the screen broadcasting the ceremony, I let him take my hand and lead me down the hallway, away from the flashing lights, the screaming fans, and straight into trouble.
33
DORIAN
We stumble into my dressing room and I push the door shut behind us, the thud cutting off the sounds of the ceremony. Josie is hugging herself, her back turned as she scans the limited space. In the vanity mirror, her face looks like she’s questioning every life choice that brought her here. She’s maddeningly innocent and sexy as hell.
My pulse is loud in my ears. I should have thought this through.
I stay with my back pressed to the door, afraid of what I might do if I get close to her. “Sorry, no free alcohol back here.”
She lets out a breathy laugh, shaking her head as she turns to me. “As long as there’s a floor show, I’ll survive.”
I adore her sass, but I also enjoy calling her out on it. So I unhurriedly detach from the door and drag off my vest. Her cheeks flush, but she doesn’t avert her eyes.
Her gaze follows my hands as they slide over the fabric, her lips parting in anticipation. I take my time, savoring being the sole focus of her attention.
I shrug one shoulder off, then the other, letting the vest hang loosely. Her eyes are drinking me in with a thirst I recognize too well—because I share it.
“Have I earned a twenty yet?” I go back to her joke of last week when she told me I was only worth one-dollar bills.
“Keep going and I’ll slip you a hundred.”
I give her a slow, seductive smile and get closer, invading her personal space a little as I shake the vest off. I catch it with a quick flick of my wrist, then break the tension with an exaggerated hip roll. It should be ridiculous, but she soaks it in, biting her lip. I twirl the garment over my head and throw it at her.
Josie catches it mid-air with a swift motion, her fingers curling around the luxurious fabric. She holds it, studying the intricate embroidery and the texture of the velvet. Then she does the hottest thing I’ve ever seen: she pulls it to her chest, inhales deeply, and closes her eyes, letting my scent wash over her.
Her lips curve into a subtle, guilty smile. Watching her savoring something so intimately connected to me sends a rush of blood through my veins. I imagine her wearing the vest with nothing else underneath.
She’d be perfect, she’d be mine.
Her eyes flutter open, and she catches me staring. I don’t even try to hide it. She knows. We both know. But she has to be the one to decide. I promised her I’d wait. And I will, for as long as it takes.
“I’ll be passing with a tip jar later.” I wink at her and break the moment by bending to open the small suitcase pushed against the wall. I grab a fresh T-shirt and a pair of jeans. “I’ll wash up real quick.”
Josie nods. She drapes my vest on the chair behind her and turns to examine the stack of water bottles on the floor, as if half a striptease was already too much for her. I take that as my cue and move to the small sink in the corner to wash off the sweat from the performance. The cool splash against my chest is an instant relief. When I’m done washing, I grab a white towel and drag it across my skin.
I glance behind my shoulder as I dry off. Josie is standing stiffly, her back turned to me as she studies the ceiling.
I smirk. “You know, I’m not naked.”
“That’s great news,” she says, voice more high-pitched than usual. “I was admiring the, uh, structural integrity of this room.”
I chuckle, shaking my head as I toe off my boots and swap out my leather pants for jeans. Once I pull my clean T-shirt on, I walk up to her in my socks, dropping my hands onto her shoulders. She jolts at the contact, spinning so fast she collides with my chest.
She narrows her eyes. “Are you a panther?”
