Raven's Return - Ruby Dixon Page 0,68

tosses a handful of sand in their direction. "You can't just ask a woman to take her clothes off for you, idiots!"

"But why is it a big deal?" Sessah exclaims, gesturing at me. "Ray-ven dances all the time!"

Something tells me the burning curiosity isn't going to go away until I show them. It's like with U'dron, he didn't grasp it until I explained it several times, and even now, I'm not sure he gets it. He knows that I dance, and he knows it's a problem, but he just trusts me on the rest. I dust off my hands and get to my feet. "I guess I could show you guys a little."

"Annnnd it's time for me to take the kids down to the beach," Harlow says with an apologetic grin. "Much as I'd love to see you strut your stuff, this might be too much for young eyes. Come on, Rukhar, honey. Why don't we go enjoy the waves and see if any pretty shells washed up?" She gets to her feet, taking her son's hand, and Liz sends her girls off with them.

I expect more people to peel away, but surprisingly, most everyone sticks around. I don't see looks of judgment on faces, either. Sure, there's a few of the single girls giving exasperated looks to the alien men, but they seem more irked on my behalf. I do a few stretches while I wait, trying to think of a decent song to sing while I dance. Not Nine Inch Nails. I'll go with Destiny's Child, I think. Something playful but standoffish. There's no pole here, either, but I see Vaza standing to the side with his spear, and I get an idea. I head over to him and gesture at the weapon. "Can I borrow this?"

He hands it over, a mystified look on his face.

I take it and bring it to U'dron. "Will you stand up and hold this steady for me? No matter how much I pull on it, I need you to keep it anchored."

My big guy nods at me. He leans in. "If you do not want to do this, you do not have to. I can tell them all to leave."

"I know. I want to, if nothing else, to show them. It won't happen again, though. All my dancing will be in private for you after this." I give him a smile, pleased that he's not trying to stop me or getting jealous. He just wants me to be comfortable, and that's the best kind of support.

With a song humming in my head, I glance around at the group. I'm wearing an oversized, belted tunic, and it's cold and frosty, and most of the couples here are married—sorry, mated. There's no music except what I create, and it's a weird situation, but…this isn't any weirder than a private birthday party for some ancient creep with money, and lord knows I've done those. So I shrug to myself, pull my hair free of the bun, and let it cascade down my back.

I close my eyes, put a hand on the “pole,” and start to sing.

And dance.

“Bootylicious” isn't the sexiest song, but it's a fun one. I like to take songs and slow them down, change the tempo and make them something new, and I do that this time, too. With my hand on the pole, I use it to pop and lock, bounding down and then bounding back up again, rolling my hips and flinging my hair. I get into the music, putting on a show and letting the skirt of my tunic twirl out and reveal probably more than I should. My focus is on U'dron, though. He's big and close, and so I shimmy up to him, turning around, and pushing my gyrating hips up against his. I turn, cupping my breasts through my tunic and keep singing, even as I work through an improvised routine. I drag my hands up and down his legs, showing him just how much I want him, touching him all over. Okay, so I don't normally do that when I dance, but I also don't normally keep my clothes on, and I figure a little improv never hurt anything.

Plus, I love the scorching looks U'dron is sending in my direction as I perform.

By the time I get to the end of the song, I'm slightly winded, more than slightly turned on, and U'dron looks like he's ready to fling me over his shoulder and haul me