Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,42

telling you now so you can prepare. I only want your best costumes. You'll need to be perfectly groomed, not that it's ever been an issue, but everyone's getting the same rundown. This event is mandatory for all dancers."

"Understood," I agreed and she gave me a tight grin. When she turned to leave, I called out to her, and she paused with raised brows. "I know it's last minute, but I need tomorrow off."

Hands on her hips, she shook her head. "We've been reaching max capacity every weekend for months. We really need you here, Nix."

"Desi, I never take off. I seriously need this one night."

She huffed and glanced at her watch. "Your set starts in exactly one minute."

"I'm on my way now, but I need tomorrow off. I'm serious."

"Fine." She threw her hands up in exasperation. "I'll see who can cover for you, but if you're not on that stage in thirty seconds, we'll need to find someone to replace you."

"Thanks," I gritted out, barely smothering the urge to point out a fact that we both knew. I was her best dancer.

The tight smile made a reappearance before she leveled me with an expectant look. I tossed my phone into my locker and slammed it shut before jogging toward the stage just as my song started playing.

I missed my entrance, but judging by the wild roar that filled the room as I spun around and pulled my doctor's coat off, no one gave a shit.

10

Archer

With their parents’ blessing, CJ and Caleb had once again turned their house into a party pad for the weekend. Something I couldn't imagine. Neither my mom nor my stepdad would’ve ever approved. Not that I’d know how to throw a party even if I wanted to.

Phoenix sat behind the wheel as we coasted along the highway with our windows down and radio blasting rock music, full of angst, from what I learned was one of his favorite bands, Breaking Benjamin.

Dark clouds, heavy with the scent of an impending storm, masked the last of the sunset, leaving the sky a dark purple. The highway was lit with bright billboards and streetlights as Phoenix smoothly wove through traffic as we headed toward the suburbs at the outskirts of the city. Tall buildings gave way to residential neighborhoods, and four lanes narrowed to two.

"This exit?" he asked as he turned the volume down.

"Yeah, exit here and take a right at the light." I couldn't help but stare at him.

His heavily adorned long fingers wrapped around the wheel, and the other hand shifted gears. The wind hadn't disturbed his short hair, but mine kept whipping against my face. His lips moved with the lyrics as he mouthed the words, and my thoughts naturally drifted to two nights before and the effortless way he'd owned my body.

My dick responded to the memory, and I fought not to adjust myself. Still, I squirmed, and he cast me a quick look, eyes sparkling as they dipped to my mouth.

He pulled up to the red light and grabbed the front of my shirt. With a quick tug, I was halfway over the center console where he met me with a hard kiss.

"Keep looking at me that way and we'll never make it to your friends' party." His words against my lips lit a spark of need through my body.

"Well, that might not be the worst thing," I offered as my lips tingled in response.

A slow smile spread across his face as he settled back in the seat. "You're trouble."

The light turned green, and I gave him directions to the house while grinning to myself. No one had ever thought of me as trouble—the opposite in fact. And I liked the way it sounded laced in Phoenix's raspy tone. The way he rolled the word as if he could taste it and wanted it.

We were minutes from the house, and I forced myself to watch the scenery pass by instead of ogling Phoenix. It was difficult, but unless I wanted to walk into a house full of people with my dick hard, I had to. The neighborhoods grew further apart until we entered a stretch of road with single houses built on full acres and set back from the main road by long driveways.

"The next house on the right." I pointed to where he should pull in.

I'd been to their place many times before, but as Phoenix turned and steered us along the driveway, the house was almost unrecognizable. The yard had been