Still, he couldn’t deny thethrillin his gut when he thought about being on stagewithGabe. His body continued to burn from their time on the floor. Gabe wasn’t wrong; Cole had matched his rhythm almost effortlessly. He had never felt freer in his life.
“At least, think about it?” Gabe implored with those baby blues. It wasn’t easy to resist.
“I, uh…” Cole swallowed. “I really don’t think I could do it.”
Gabe leaned in, tilting his head. For a stunned moment, Cole thought he was going for akiss. But he stopped well before invading Cole’s space. “We could practice, on stage, without an audience. Let you get a feel for it.” The corner of his mouth curled up flirtatiously. “If you’d like.”
The only thing Cole noticed at that moment was the alluring curve of the man’s mouth—and the fact that he hadn’t pulled away when he thought Gabe might kiss him.
Did he want this to be the end? One hot dance, then maybe never see the man again?
What does it matter? He’s a stripper. It’s not like anything will come of this.
True—but Cole couldn’t get the dance out of his head. He still felt it in his body, felt how perfectly their bodies aligned, and howgoodGabe felt rubbing up against him.
Cole took a quick drink of beer, almost gulping it down. Gabe watched him, that half smile on his handsome face, those captivating blue eyes refusing to look away. “Maybe,” he heard himself say, with a slight rasp in his voice. “I don’t know.”
Gabe brushed the back of his fingers along Cole’s arm. “I’ll take maybe.” His hand slowly turned over, and he caressed Cole’s warm skin with his fingertips. “What’re you doing for the rest of the night?”
Theinvitationshot straight to Cole’s groin. His crotch swelled and suddenly throbbed. Was he ready for what he wasnearlycertain Gabe was offering?
“I…” He shifted on the stool as things down below became uncomfortably hard. “I don’t know.”
“You said you were new to the city,” Gabe murmured, stroking his forearm. “I could take you out on the town, show you around.”
Cole wondered why this stripper was so interested in him. He looked at the man uncertainly. “You’re not… an escort, too… right? ‘Cause I can’t afford…”
Gabe stared at him, blinked, then barked out a laugh. He grabbed Cole’s shoulder and shook his head. “No,” he said between choking laughs. “No, I wasn’t offering escort services.”
“I’m sorry,” Cole said sheepishly, suddenly feeling foolish. “I don’t know where that came from.”
“No, no,” Gabe grinned. “I’m totally flattered you thought I could be a paid escort.”
“Well… I mean… people pay you to dance for them…” It didn’t seem so far-fetched to Cole.
Gabe rested his chin on Cole’s shoulder, his breath warm on Cole’s ear as he murmured, “You think I’m hot enough that men would pay me forsex?”
Cole shivered. “I, um…” he cleared his throat. “I mean…” He turned his head and met Gabe’s curious gaze. “Yeah.”
Gabe sighed. “That’s the sweetest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
Unsure if he was serious or joking, Cole just stared at him. “It… is?”
Gabe pulled back, a little smile on his face. “In my line of work, that’s a compliment, baby.”
“Okay.” Cole still didn’t know if he was joking.
“So?” Gabe traced his fingers down Cole’s back, sending a flurry of shivers up his spine.
“So… what?” Cole’s breath hitched audibly.
“Night out on the town?”
Every part of Cole wanted to jump at the chance to spend more time with the hot stripper—one partdidjump—but he didn’t take the leap. “Maybe another night,” he mumbled and finished his beer. “I should probably head home.”
“You haven’t been here that long,” Gabe said. He squinted teasingly. “Got a boyfriend waiting for you?”
Cole smiled. “No. No boyfriend.”
