a woman!”
“Well, if you were a dude, we’d be having a different conversation and you probably would have punched the guys grabbing your ass earlier . . .”
Without thinking, I grabbed my glass of champagne, chugged it, poured another, chugged that one, then with shaky hands grabbed the little remote, turned up the music, and jumped on stage.
I expected Lex to say something inappropriate or at least roll his eyes. Instead, he looked . . . panicked.
“Gabs!” he yelled above the music. “Look, I’m sorry! Just get down!!”
“Oh, I’ll get down!” I grabbed the pole with one hand and leaned back. “Just wait.”
Chapter Thirteen
Lex
Warning bells went off in my head, but I still didn’t move.
A freaking alarm sounded, and my hand twitched.
My body was paralyzed. Though my blood was still pumping, which I knew because I felt that blood hurry its way to all the wrong places as Gabs took a teetering step onto that stage.
My eyes . . . thank God my eyes were still working as they greedily searched for an exit, for an escape, because my body and my mind were not in sync, not at all. My body wanted to stay, while my mind told me it would be just one more thing, one more moment that would slide me farther down the hill. One day I was going to look back at all these moments and go, well, hell, it wasn’t the first step that did it, or even the second, but the accumulation of all those moments and all those instances when I said yes—but should have said no and run like hell.
Ellie Goulding’s voice filled the room as “Powerful” began playing. Shit. I gripped the leather sofa, then panicked. I didn’t want her to think I was responding, but with the way my fingers were digging into the leather, I might as well have been Wolverine.
Gabs’s heels were plain and black, but still spiky. The sound of them clicking against the floor next to the pole did something to my body, making my breathing pick up speed even though she hadn’t started yet.
Bold, clear green eyes locked on mine, and then her hand touched the pole. I felt that touch as if she was grabbing me. My body gave a little jerk as her fingers slid down the metal. Jeans tightening, I had no escape, no choice but to watch and pray she wouldn’t notice what that simple action did to my sanity.
“So?” I challenged her, praying it would make her lose her nerve. Hell, I’d even take the tears. “You gonna dance or just touch the pole?”
Her eyes narrowed.
Shit. I knew that look.
Too far, Lex.
She’d dance all night to convince me. I didn’t need that; no man with my sexual appetite needed that sort of torture.
One sexy leg wrapped around the pole.
My mouth went completely dry as she slowly threw her head back, and then that little tease spun around the pole like she was born there.
What the hell?
Since when did virgins pole dance?
Knowing she was untouched, knowing that for the most part no man had ever seen her in the throes of pleasure, made the experience that much more raw. Everything about the way she slid around the pole—the way her body moved down it only to slowly move back up, making me notice every curve of her hips and ass—had me losing my damn mind.
I crossed my legs.
I coughed into my hand.
I thought of Ian’s grandmother.
Nothing.
My body wanted.
Simple.
Hard.
Fast.
Slow.
In as many positions and ways as physically possible.
Patience wasn’t one of my virtues.
My hands twitched at my sides as my cock swelled with painful need. I briefly closed my eyes, giving myself a break, but that was almost worse, because at least when my eyes were open she was fully dressed.
But when they were closed?
She was stripped of every piece of clothing—except her shoes. Bad idea!
I popped my eyes open again. Her hair had fallen in her face and one eye peeked out as her lips parted. Getting into it, she spun again and again.
Damn, I was beyond uncomfortable, getting rubbed raw by my own jeans while I tried to adjust myself without her seeing.
The song was coming to an end.
And so was I.
In more ways than one.
Ian would have laughed his ass off, and if it had been any other girl I would have told him.
But with Gabs?
He’d probably kill me.
And I’d deserve it.
Family.
Sister.
Best friend.
Holy shit, she just sucked her thumb.
My vision blurred as she stepped off