"I should shower," he muttered eventually, releasing my lips but keeping his arms tight around me like he was echoing my thoughts.
I grinned, kissing his jaw. "Can I join you?"
A low groan dragged from him as I ran my tongue down his neck, tasting the saltiness of his sweat, and scraped my teeth over his skin. "Fuck yes," he breathed. "I don't think I'll ever say no to sharing my shower with you, Hayden."
In a dramatic move, he swept me up into his arms and kissed me again as he strode out of the gym. He raced up the stairs with me still carried in his arms like I weighed nothing at all and all but kicked open the door to his room while I tried not to laugh.
"You probably shouldn't be carrying me," I scolded gently as he crossed the room to the attached bathroom.
He just shot me a cocky smile. "I probably shouldn't be underage drinking or working in a strip club either. But I have no intention of doing what I should do." He set me down gently, his hands already finding the hem of my blouse to lift it up over my head.
I was loving his attention enough that I let him strip me down, then waited while he got the shower running warm. But just as he indicated for me to step in, his words sank through the thick haze of arousal.
"Uh, you don't work in a strip club anymore, hot stuff. Or did you forget the whole gas leak–explosion situation?" I tied my hair up in a high bun to keep it dry, then took his extended hand. He pulled me into the shower and into his warm, naked embrace. Delicious.
He guided me carefully into the water, letting me get warm and running his hands over my skin like he was committing my curves to memory. "How could I forget?" he murmured in response. "But Zed said he's got me on the schedule at Club 22 instead."
I jerked backward, placing a hand on Lucas's chest just beside his fresh ink. "Zed said what?"
Lucas quirked a brow at me. "Uh, he said that all the 7th Circle staff were being spread out between the other Copper Wolf venues so no one loses their job. I asked if I could go to Club 22 because it's my favorite one. It's so classy with everyone dressed in theme."
I gaped at him a moment, then a simmering anger built within me. "I'm gonna have to kill him," I muttered.
"Um, can I ask why?" Lucas reached for the bodywash and squeezed a healthy handful out into his palm.
I scowled. "Because he fucking well knew he wasn't supposed to put you on the dance schedule. He's constantly pushing my fucking buttons these days."
Lucas hummed a sound, gliding soapy hands over me and making my breath catch. It was really damn hard to stay mad at Zed while Lucas was playing with my nipples like that...
"Why not?" Lucas asked, pressing me into the cool shower wall with his body, his hot, hard length teasing at my belly. "I asked him to." His hands moved from my breasts and slipped down my sides, curving around to cup my ass.
I gasped as his hips pinned me, and he caught my lips in a quick, open-mouthed kiss.
"Yeah, but you're not... I mean, you and I are..." I was having a difficult time chasing my train of thought as his hands tightened under my thighs, lifting me and coaxing my legs around his waist. His thick shaft crushed against my aching pussy, and I almost forgot everything I was trying to say.
"You mean you're still hung up on not dating employees?" he murmured against my neck before kissing my pulse point and making me sigh in ecstasy. "Don't you think it'd be kinda hot to sneak around and fuck in your office? Don't you wanna watch me dance, knowing all I can think about is what I wanna do to you?"
Oh fuck. That did sound hot. But... ugh, there was something not sitting right with me.
"Lucas," I moaned, arching my hips as he ground against me. "I just... Wouldn't it feel a whole lot like I was taking advantage? Besides, I'm never letting you pay me back for your mom's medical, so—"
"Hayden," he cut me off, his voice sharp and firm as he met my eyes. "Maybe I wasn't clear on this. I'm not dancing at Club 22 because I'm