His arm tightened around me. “I’m trying. It ain’t easy.”
“What is?”
We remained snuggled together until I sat up and brushed my hair back. “I gotta get out there. It’s not fair to James and the other guys, and I don’t wanna miss out on the tips. We need the money.”
His lips thinned. “I don’t like it, but I get it. And yeah. The money’s gotten great. I can’t believe how much you’ve been bringing home every night.”
I met his gaze in the mirror as I edged on fresh eyeliner. “I been thinking.”
“Yeah?” He stood and stretched, giving me a fine view of his six-pack. “’Bout what?”
“Uh, yeah.” I had to clear my head of images of licking along those hard ridges of muscle. “I’m gonna open up an investment account with the money I’ve been making. It’s stupid to keep it all in the bank, earning no interest. I want my money to make money.”
Once again his brows twisted together in puzzlement. “Um. Okay. I don’t know anything about that stuff. I didn’t think you did neither.”
“I gotta take classes in business at school, and I’m doing really well in them. They’re as interesting as designing. So I’m gonna try it with a little bit of money and see what I can do.” I’d finished fluffing out my curls. “I’m ready to go back out.”
He held the door, and we walked together down the hall and back out to the dance floor, where my pulse quickened as the music hit me. The beat thumped, and automatically my hips began to move.
Aaron kissed the top of my head. “I’m gonna go back to the guys. Come find me when you’re done.” He walked away, and I got lost watching how his jeans hugged the curve of his fine ass.
“You okay now?” Cort stood at my side.
“Yeah. I’m good.” I kissed his cheek. “I’m sorry I got all snappy with you before.”
“That’s what friends are for. I appreciate the concern, but you know how you say you see things in Aaron other people don’t? Well, that’s how it is between me ’n Harlan. I know he ain’t some random drifter. I saw enough of ’em back home to know what’s what.”
“Let’s talk while we dance, so James don’t get mad at us.”
I slid my arm around him, and we began to move together, our hips grinding even as we continued our conversation. Amazing how we could separate our minds from our bodies. No one would get the serious talk we were having as we flexed and wiggled our asses.
“Okay, I get your point. Be careful, is all I’m saying. And yeah. I gotta get used to Aaron again. It’s different than it used to be.”
“Different in a good way, though? No more yellin’ and blamin’ you, right?” Concern radiated from his big, baby-blue eyes.
From the beginning, Cort’s protectiveness toward Austin and me made us a close-knit circle, and I vowed not to shut Cort out of my life like I had all my old friends once I started dating Aaron. The old Aaron had hated when I’d talk to my friends from school and expected to be the sole focus of my attention the moment he walked through the door, whenever he came home. Not anymore. It was all part of the new Frankie and Aaron.
“No. He’s trying so hard, and so am I. It’s a partnership now, and we’re listeningtoeach other instead of talkingovereach other.”
“That’s good.” Cort nodded with approval. “My mama and daddy always said both sides gotta listen. It ain’t a contest if there ain’t no winner to be found.”
We began to dance in earnest and finished our routine to applause and cheers. Whether the customers felt sorry for me for what happened earlier or they truly loved our dance, the dollar bills flew, and we’d gathered a hefty pile before Morgan and Tristan came onstage. On our way to the bar to have José hold the tips, I had at least four guys pat me on the back and tell me they agreed with how I’d handled the assholes from before. A couple even slipped me a tip to make up for it.
“Doing okay?” José took my wad of bills, twisted a rubber band around the stack, and slipped it into the lockbox he kept there for that purpose. “Hector told me the crew he tossed out was so drunk, their Uber driver refused to pick them up.”
“I’m good. Really. I’m glad I’m not working tomorrow, though. I plan to spend my whole morning in bed.”
“I’ll bet you do.” José threw me a wink and took Cort’s tips to store them. “You and Aaron getting along, then?”
“Very funny. Ha-ha.” My face heated, and I was glad for the darkness of the club so they couldn’t tease me for my blush. “He has to work. I need a rest from school and dancing. I’m gonna do nothing but read theSunday Times, then go to my parents’ for dinner.”
“Sounds like fun. How about you, Cort?” José handed me a margarita and gave Cort a bottle of Bud. “Got any plans?”
I listened, curious to see if Cort would reveal anything to José about his mystery man.
“Uh, well, Sunday is usually the day I go to the bookstore for the day. They do readings and stuff.”
“Sounds cool,” José said. “I take my little niece to the library all the time.”
