Set Loose Read Free Page B

roomful of drunks.
    “That’s right. We’ll see if she can make the whole goddamn room as hard as she made me. Jesus Christ.”
    Looking disgusted with himself, as if he ought to be able to control all such reactions by now, Steve walked away, grumbling under his breath.
    Cutter stood where he was, barely breathing. Tomorrow night he’d get to see the rest of that incredible body, every inch of those endless, perfect legs. If he ever got a hold of her he was going to start at the bottom and lick his way up.
    Then he caught himself. What the hell was he thinking? He didn’t touch the dancers. He protected them from guys who looked at them the way he’d just been looking. Christ. This girl would need his help more than any of them. The men were going to love her, and he was going to have to work his ass off to keep everyone at bay.
    So fine. Tomorrow night the classy blond was going to get naked on stage. It was going to be a goddamn beautiful sight, and he would try his damndest not to care.
     

Chapter Two
    “Gin and tonic please.”
    At five o’clock the next evening Emily’s confidence had waned considerably and her stomach was churning like it used to before a performance, the difference being that tonight she was fortifying herself with some liquid courage from one of the hotel bars. As she nursed her drink she reviewed the choreography she’d worked out earlier in the day.
    She was most nervous about the pole since she had no way to practice. She was pretty much going to wing that part. Maybe she’d slide up and down as if terribly excited by its phallic nature and hope she didn’t look too ridiculous.
    In the duffel bag at her feet were all the things she’d bought that afternoon – thong, garters, four-inch black heels, gold glitter, the works. In the shower she’d become acutely aware of every hair on her body and how it would be seen close-up and personal if she didn’t remove it, which led to a painful appointment with a Brazilian wax. If she didn’t at least make back what she’d spent today she was going to be seriously bummed.
    She stuck to one gin and tonic since she was such a lightweight and was worried that the combination of liquor, nerves and dancing would end in her vomiting in the middle of her routine. Or what if she fell off the pole or was generally so unsexy that she was booed or laughed at?
    Almost as nerve-wracking as the situation itself was the thought of the bouncer seeing her up there. Which was ridiculous since there’d be a whole roomful of strangers she needed to impress, and she knew him only slightly better than she knew them.
    But it had been a long time since she’d felt any interest in a man. She’d been too focused on her career, and more recently too confused, to get involved with anyone.
    The club was a lot quieter when she arrived than it had been last night. A dancer was on stage but the audience was small and its response lackluster. There was no way to know which came first, the lack of interest or the low energy dance, but Emily sincerely hoped she got a little more love or it was going to be hard to maintain a brave face.
    The bouncer was there and her heart gave a little leap at the sight of him. He came over to where she was standing, his expression serious.
    “I hear you’re auditioning. You sure you want to do that?”
    “Why wouldn’t I?” she asked, taken aback.
    “No need to get defensive. It’s a tough job, that’s all, and it can do a number on you. I’ve seen it happen and it’s not pretty.”
    Emily wasn’t sure how to respond. No doubt he was right, but she wasn’t a fragile flower. And anyway, she wouldn’t be around long enough to worry about that sort of thing.
    “I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about me. I’m a lot tougher than I look.”
    ‘Is that right?” he asked, looking skeptical.
    “Yes, that is right,” Emily said, enunciating clearly because the gin and tonic had hit her full on and she was