Those blue eyes were twinkling with amazement. If her slack jaw and the hard lines of her nipples through her shirt were any indication—and I admit, I'm no Sherlock—she was still turned on from when I'd been grinding on her.

Under me, Kit was twisting, arguing. Fueled by my new burst of energy, I dragged him to the door. “Wait!” he gasped, futilely trying to stop us with his heels. I just kicked at his legs, ignoring his wince. “What about my money? Eliza owes me for this gig! It's in the contract!”

On the threshold, I paused. Wrenching Kit upwards, I held him in front of me. Every muscle fiber was tensed, every inch of me that could knot up was doing so. “You had a contract?” I asked, shaking him once.

“Yes! She owes me five hundred bucks!” I could see the droplets of sweat on his forehead. Kit was terrified, and with good reason. I'd handled him like he was a bag of potatoes. The disgust in my green eyes was rampant. “Look—it's just how it is. Okay? She owes me the money. She has to pay, or else.”

I tilted my head. “Or else, I like that phrase. How about this. You get the fuck out of my sight, or else I shove this contract of yours so far up your ass you'll choke on it.”

His mouth fell open. “I—I mean, it's a digital contract, so you couldn't—”

In one smooth motion, I threw him over the steps and into the yard. Luckily, he missed one of the plastic reindeer Eliza must have set-up to show her Christmas spirit. Grunting, Kit stumbled in the grass. On hands and knees, he took one look back at me.

Grinning, I cracked my knuckles and started to climb down off the porch. That was all it took. Kit was a ball of limbs, clamoring into the street and towards what I figured was his car. The screeching tires confirmed that guess.

Across the way, someone was in the middle of getting their mail. Openly gawking at me, they—and the wind—reminded me I was standing there in my underwear. Lifting a hand, I gave the woman an ecstatic wave. I got to enjoy her astounded face, but then a hand grabbed my elbow and tugged me inside. “Get in here, you idiot,” Eliza laughed.

Shutting the door, I realized every woman in that house was crowded in the entry way. They'd seen everything. “Sorry,” I said, rubbing the side of my neck. “That wasn't the sort of show Eliza paid me to put on for you girls.”

Some of them clapped, pumping their fists high. Eliza waved her arms, shooing them out of the tight space. Giggling so that the noise merged into one loud, ear-bending mass, the party-goers dispersed towards the room with the drinks and music. Only Zoe and Eliza remained, the former leaning on the wall as if I wouldn't see her.

“Seriously, Huck,” Eliza said, her arms folding tight. “Thanks for throwing that asshole out of here. What a clown. I canceled on him, his contract means shit. I don't owe him a dime.”

“If he shows up to collect again, call me. I'll help him understand the message.”

Zoe perked up, but she remained silent. Her sudden shyness was so odd to me. Then again, I had to admit, I didn't know anything substantial about her. How she acted when we were alone wasn't going to indicate her normal personality.

Sighing, Eliza flipped her hair back. “Muscle for hire. Thanks for the reminder. Anyway, Zoe, sorry you had your private dance interrupted.” She wiggled her eyebrows, but Zoe was busy fixating on me.

Stepping off from the wall, she approached us both. “Wait, what do you mean by muscle for hire? I thought you were a stripp—uh, a dancer.”

I didn't hide my laugh or my smirk. “Stripper is fine. A guy should have a few talents, though. That's just one.” And really, I thought to myself, Stripping... isn't my usual stomping ground these days. There was more money in whoring myself out to the right women. Plus, I genuinely preferred it. “I'd give you a card, but...” I motioned to my lack of pockets.

Eliza moved to a chair, unhooking a black purse. “Here,” she said, “I still have one.” Digging out a thin piece of cardboard, she clopped back on her heels to Zoe.

Curiosity bloomed as the red-head took the card from her friend. Her eyes flicked to it, then to Eliza, then to me. “You seriously have a business card?”

Shrugging, I rested my thumbs on the elastic band of my underwear. Purposefully, I lowered the fabric and enjoyed how she flushed. “In a business like mine, all my work comes from reference. If I leave a good impression, people call me back.”

Eliza broke up the tension, tossing her head at me as she laughed. “Read the back of the card, Zoe.”

Shaking herself, waking up from the warm cotton of my voice, Zoe did as she was told. Her smile was subtle. “Huxton Blake: Muscle for hire. So you're what, a stripper and a bodyguard?”

“I'm whatever you need,” I said. “I'm someone who prevents trouble or chases it off, like our friend Kit back there.” I peeled my briefs lower, the top of my pubic bone showing. “Or... I'm a warm body in your bed. Like I said, I'm whatever you need. Just give me call, I always answer.”

Zoe cleared her throat, grabbing a purse off the counter and tucking the card inside. “Uh, right. Listen, Eliza... I think I need to go get some air. Why don't you and Huxton entertain the girls before they tear our living room apart?”

My stomach dropped. I'd expected her to ask me to continue our lap-dance.

“What, you're leaving?” Eliza's disdain was obvious. “Zoe, don't do that. This is your party!”

Lifting her hands, Zoe spread her fingers and smiled. “I know, I know. I'll be back, I swear. I'm just...” Shooting a sideways look at me, she faltered. “I'll be right back, seriously.”

The unease I had melted away. She's not getting air, she's getting space from me. Alright. Not what I preferred, but it was flattering. Causing someone to need a breather from my presence was intriguing... and good for my ego.

“It's fine,” I said, moving towards her as I swayed down the hall. “I'll go calm the masses. See you after, Zoe.” As I slid by her, I lowered my head and inhaled so deeply, so loudly, that both girls heard the sound. The fire in my eyes was real. It matched the one in my belly, the one that was still pissed it hadn't been sated when we were alone.

Tightening like a spring, Zoe watched me go. All the way until I rounded the corner, until I was swept up in the roar of the hungry crowd, those blue eyes tracked me like a bloodhound. She never even blinked.

Oh yes. I looked forward to more time alone with this girl.

- Chapter Two-

Zoe

Pure strength and perfect flesh. Each piece of it, each curve, coated in the permanent mark of ink that drew my eye even further. Huxton was gorgeous.

I fucking hated that.

Why did he have to look and sound and smell so good? How was this fair? Even when he vanished out of my line of sight, I still looked at where he'd been. It was easy to imagine him, he should have been from my imagination. Hell, he should have just existed in my head, not appeared at this crazy party my roommate had thrown for me.

Eliza cleared her throat. Twisting, I was half-way to blushing before I saw the accusing glint in her eyes. “Don't even,” I said, warning her.

“Zoe Zoe Zoe,” she sighed dramatically. “Did I pick the right entertainment for you, or what?”

For me, I thought cynically. “Eliza, please give me a break here.”

“I'm only teasing.” Her glossy lips spread over her pearly teeth. “But he's something else, isn't he?”

Recalling how his cock had sizzled between my thighs, I shivered. “Something else, yeah.” Which was why I had to shove him from my mind. This had been fun, too fun. I was minutes away from doing something in Eliza's bedroom I shouldn't have ever considered.