“Music to tango to,” Julia said, already knowing Ryan could dance. They’d tangoed in Fiji under the moonlight. It was one of her favorite memories, and the hot sex in their bungalow afterward hadn’t hurt either.
Caleb grinned in their direction, his nimble fingers plucking out the sultry notes of a Latin number. Ryan drew her nearer and led her into the steps. Across the street a group of young women stopped to watch. Ryan, ever the charmer, flashed a smile in their direction and dipped Julia. The women hooted approval and crossed the street when the light halted traffic.
Julia and Ryan kept dancing, flowing into some showy moves. The crowd increased, and by the time Caleb came to the end of the song with a flourish, they stood in a circle three deep.
Julia sucked in air, her breathing rapid despite her fitness. Ryan curved his arm around her shoulders, his scent and heat surrounding her.
“Are you going clubbing tonight?” Ryan directed his question to the young women who’d stopped to watch them first.
“Girls’ night out,” a cute redhead said. Her eyelashes fluttered as she peeked up at him in a flirtatious manner.
“Why don’t you start your night here?” Ryan asked.
One of the redhead’s friends wrinkled her nose. “This place is a dive.”
Julia opened her mouth to refute the point, but Ryan squeezed her in warning.
“The place has received a revamp, and I personally vouch for the new manager. They have a new lineup of dancers and routines. You should try them.”
The redhead made a scoffing sound. “You have to say that. You work there.”
“I’m helping out for a few weeks,” Ryan said. “I’m not on the payroll.”
“Do you have a girlfriend?” the redhead asked with another flutter of her stick-on lashes.
“He has a wife,” Julia said sweetly. Damn. She bit down on her lip.Way to attract new customers.
“I don’t have a girlfriend,” Caleb said.
“Is it worth trying out this club?” the redhead asked.
“Yes,” Caleb said.
Two couples from the group wandered off, and Julia wanted to run after them and drag them back. They stopped byMaxwell’sclosest opposition, took in the length of the line and had a quick discussion before retracing their steps.
“Score one for the new club,” Julia murmured.
Most of the people who’d stopped to watch them dance ended up walking inside, ready to try the new place.
“Fantastic job, guys,” Julia said to Ryan and Caleb.
“Should we sing?” Ryan whispered into her ear.
“A ballad,” she suggested. “Something I can do a simple routine to.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Caleb said, strumming his guitar.
Ryan and Caleb’s voices blended into a thing of beauty. Closing her eyes, Julia attempted to shrug off her earlier jealousy when the redhead had flirted with Ryan. When the emotion lingered, she gave it a harder shove, scooting it to the back of her mind. After another breath, she started to move to the beat of the music, lifting her hands and clicking her fingers while two of the members ofFrench Letterssang of love and candy sweet kisses.
Julia had to force herself to open her eyes and watch for potential customers. As she’d hoped, their singing, dancing and patter attracted attention, and many of those who spied the line outside their opposition decided to giveMaxwell’sa try instead of queuing.
By the time she’d hustled and danced outside for an hour, they’d enticed a respectable number of customers inside.
“That should do it for now,” she said, pleased with this way of attracting patrons. “That worked well. I need to consider hiring hosts and hostesses to entice people into the club.”
“You might need to hire additional security,” Ryan said.
“I’d prefer not to, but Stan would need help if we had troublesome customers.”
