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But he’d be back

Chapter Three

"You ran out of here pretty fast last night, Holly Was everything okay?"

"Uh Yeah" Holly applied crimson lipstick to her upper lip

"You sure? Bubba said you disappeared for awhile into the private area and then you careened back here like you’d seen your grand a thick red line across Holly’s cheek "Goddammit, Ivy! That’s not even funny"

"Jumpy er and swiped at the streak "What’s going on with you?"

"Nothing" She couldn’t share what’d happened with Nick with anyone, least of all Ivy

Nick Just thinking about the hs That coas outstanding and out of her league with a capital "O" for orgasm--unintended or not After the volatile lap dance, she’d hidden in the dressing rooain, it’d taken two shots of schnapps to bolster her courage

Thank God Nick hadn’t been around She’dher sexy, sassy persona and heading hoht, chances were sli for his hundred bucks anyway Her discussions with other strippers cemented her mortification Hoas she supposed to’ve known there was no touching, no kissing and definitely no orgash to face the naughty truth: even if she had known the rules, she would’ve done it exactly the sa to have it bad for a man she’d met in a strip club? And she didn’t even know his last name? Her attraction to him mattered not one whit, because if Nick found out she wasn’t a hot-to-trot stripper, he wouldn’t be interested in her at all

"Holls, why is your face all red? You aren’t getting sick, are you?"

"No" Holly jerked her chin frooodness you haven’t contracted the creeping crud floating around here If I haven’t already told you a ain tonight"

"You’re welcome Remember this favor when it’s tax season and I need an office drone"

Ivy grinned "You’ve got it" She tugged the bustier down, so the lace barely covered Holly’s niles and handed her the velvet mask "Same drill as before Knock ’em dead"

Thethe croith Christ at the bar surrounded by a dozen ado

She’d even stopped scanning the crowd for a tall, well-built coith golden curls and knowing hazel eyes She reh the first two stripper sets and only ventured back to the dressing rooe strut

After she was announced and as she , ainst the closest wall The heat in his eyes was powerful enough to ignite the fires inside her froot to watch her step and stumbled over her own feet Just when it looked as if she’d take a header down the stairs, Nick’s apparent cat-like reflexes kicked in and he caught her fall frorace before she broke her neck

"Hold on there, darlin’ I gotcha" Hands fir her hips, he steered her to an eestured to the bartender "Bring her a glass of water, would ya?"

"Sure thing"

Holly perched on the edge of the barstool, hooking her heels on the botto heart "You must think I’ered as she sipped the lukeater froht, she said, "I didn’t think I’d see you tonight"

Those shrewd hazel eyes focused on her "Why’s that?"

She shrugged and studied the kaleidoscope of colors spinning across the walls by the stage

"You wondering if I’m here for more of the same?"

"Even if you were, it wouldn’t ht"

Warmth suffused her cheeks beneath the ulps "Thanks for keeping ratitude does not include a lap dance Of any variety" She stood without acknowledging him, even when the man cast a shadow across the width of the bar that was danore

"Holly--"

"Mistress Christmas? Can I buy you a drink?"