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“After the town or the legendary bird?” I asked

“Both” She s I wondered how e name

“Would you like a drink, Phoenix?” Newman asked

“That would be lovely”

He asked what she wanted She ordered so with ice in it I wondered if she’d drink it for real or sip it and let the iceher drink so she’d stay in control would win her points with ht of her, not for real As she wiggled her short skirt acrossworth this level of up close and personal with a strange woman

Neent to put her drink order in, and she snuggled her face against the side of ainst ood perfume Her hair was clean, thick, and smelled of shampoo If there were hair-care products in her hair that were keeping it to one side, they had left her hair soft to the touch

Moveht my eye at the table nearest us It was four men who looked like they’d run in from work for a late lunch, or an early dinner They were in ties and suits with the food in front of the at us Shit, I was dressed for hunting bad guys, with more weapons than most people owned, so I hadn’t felt like a woman in that strip club anyway, but the woh to make up for me—or maybe the fact that I was dressed more like a man fed some lesbian fantasy? I tried not to think too hard about it

I glanced farther out into the club So at us, too The ones around the stage were still watching the girl onstage, which was good, because it was considered bad fore waseven less than before, and she still see

The blonde brushed her lips against the skin of my neck, not a kiss but still more reality than usual t

his early in the gaet the custoe show later, or irls better than boys

I laid ainsthere this early, Phoenix? You’re too good for the early crowd”

That h to look into s, and you’re right Another dancer couldn’t coirl”

Her face was so close to e like an anime character It was so artificial, so practiced, that it didn’t move me nearly as much as the brush of her lips had That had felt real, as if she’d forgotten the act for a second Or maybe that was part of the act, too With strippers, you never knew One of the reasons I’d been able to resist Nathaniel and Jean-Claude for so long was that they both flirted professionally, so I hadn’t been able to tell that they were serious with ure out the difference The girl in my arms was a mystery still

“Were you working two nights ago?”

Phoenix nodded,action into it than necessary She had good hair, and she knew it, but then she knew exactly what her assets were and how to use them for work I’d never have been that smooth, but that was okay I had other skills