Stripped Love (Guys Next Door #1) - Baylin Crow Page 0,7

and I didn't care. He groaned, and my head spun in euphoric circles. With zero experience of my own, I handed myself to him, completely at his mercy—he showed me none.

My breathing came in labored short bursts as he settled into a rhythm a lot more like sex than dancing. There was no other way to describe it. Nix was dry fucking me through his thin shorts, and I wished I could pop open the button to my jeans to feel him better. Maybe when it was over embarrassment would wash over me in spades, but Nix left no room for that, not when he held me enthralled under his spell.

He pressed his lips close to my ear. “You, Archer West, are dangerous. You already have me breaking my own damn rules.”

“What do you mean?” How I managed a coherent question, I had no idea. My balls were drawing tight, and I was fighting the orgasm racing through my body like an unstoppable freight train.

He grunted, as if he was holding back too. "I don't touch customers, Arch. And I'd fuck you right now if I could."

That did it. I gritted my teeth as I tried to warn him. "Nix, I might… I'm close…"

"Phoenix," he growled and the mood shifted, tension drawn tight to the point of snapping. “Say my name.”

“Phoenix,” I obeyed, chanting his name in breathless whispers.

"Fucking hell." As if invisible shackles had held him back, he broke free. The illusion of dancing was shattered when his hand dug into my hair, jerking my head back to stare him in the eyes. "You need to come in your fucking pants, Arch? Pretend it's my mouth sucking your hard cock?"

Maybe the comment should have mortified me, but I was too far gone. "Yes, please make me come."

His jaw clenched. "Then do it. Let me see you fall apart for me. Come for—"

The curtain was whipped back, a jarring clatter against the metal rod, and we both froze. My eyes slammed closed from the sudden flare of light, and reality threw a sudden punch through the lust fogging my brain.

Oh, no. What had I just done? My cheeks filled with a rush of heat that I knew would be bright red, and I chanced a peek through my slightly cracked eyelids.

"Shit, sorry. The song was over, and…" A guy with dark hair and smooth tan skin scratched the back of his neck and shot me an apologetic grin. "Well, this is fucking awkward, and not gonna lie, kinda hot."

"Damon." Phoenix flashed the newcomer a warning glare. "Get out."

But he'd been right, the room had grown quiet. I hadn't even noticed.

The dancer, Damon, shrugged. "I'm going, but Desi's looking for you. Your set starts in ten."

Phoenix sighed but didn't move away. "Tell her I'm on my way."

Damon nodded before he smirked and reclosed the curtain.

Once the heavy fabric fell back into place, Phoenix dropped his forehead to the back of the couch over my shoulder. "You okay?"

"Oh, me? Yeah, I'm good. Just, you know...I'm fine," I rambled.

When he leaned back, he kept his eyes on the wall behind me, avoiding my gaze. "That got out of hand. I'm sorry."

My brow furrowed. "What are you sorry for?"

"That wasn't how this was supposed to go. Some of the guys do this regularly, but I don't. I have rules I've never broken—until now." He climbed off my lap. "I just took it too far. I don’t touch the customers. Ever."

The memory of Phoenix telling me that as he turned me into a mindless slave for him, flashed through my mind. "Why did you then?"

I reached down to adjust myself, and Phoenix groaned as he followed the movement.

"Why?" he repeated, and then scrubbed a hand over his face, muttering, "I have no idea."

"Oh." I deflated but still felt bad because he was clearly struggling. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong. If anything…" Phoenix shook his head. "I have to go." He turned to leave but paused with his hand on the curtain, glancing back at me. His mouth curled into a softer smile. "I'm glad you came tonight, Archer West."

A surge of relief flooded through me that his smile was back. “Me too, Phoenix fill-in-the-blank.”

"Ryan." His lips twitched, as if fighting a grin. “Phoenix Ryan.”

Phoenix Ryan. I liked the sound of it and it suited him. I nodded in approval and his grin widened before he sucked on his bottom lip.

"You're kind of weird." Phoenix quirked a brow. “But I think