How Beauty Saved the Beast (Tales of the Underlight) (10 page)

“Is that a…a…gentleman’s club? Fine, so she’s not getting paid with dollars in her waistband. Other men are still looking at her.”

Hauk smirked. “I shouldn’t date a girl because other men are going to look at her? Have
you
looked at her? She could wear a nun’s outfit, and men would gawk.” He turned his attention back at the stage and shook his head. “I put up with it when I dated you. I can put up with it when I date anybody else.”

Ashley stiffened. “Me? Nobody
gawks
at me.”

“Yeah. Your cute, upturned nose and gray eyes. Smooth skin and thick hair. Petite little body. What man would want to spend his time appreciating those? Come on, Ash, I’m not the only man who’s ever found you attractive. You’re a beautiful woman, too.”

“I don’t dress like
that
.” She pointed at the stage, where Jolie’s red swimsuit halter and daisy dukes showed off how much she had nothing to hide.

He smiled brighter. “So? A pretty woman is a pretty woman, and sue us, we like to look. I don’t care how Jolie dresses or what she does for fun. She’s going to get stared at, and I’m okay with that. The important part, the part I want, is that she comes home with me.” And nobody else. But that part might take a while. Hell, the whole thing might take a while, and he didn’t blame her.

But for the first time since he’d known Jolie, his hope didn’t feel completely vain.

On stage, Jolie slid the rest of the way down the pole, spinning slightly. She made the movement appear effortless. There was a brightness to her expression he was starting to recognize as her “game face,” the one that meant she wasn’t showing what was going on in her head.

For all the skin she was happy to show, the woman rarely revealed what was going on inside.

In those pin-prick heels she was somehow comfortable in, she made her way across the stage under Paul’s approving gaze.

“You wear the best costumes,” he said, his voice easily carrying through the space.

She threw her arms out and twirled for the audience to appreciate. “Cloth won’t stick to the pole. Gotta show some skin if I want to dance on that.” She hitched a thumb at it.

His drummer piped up. “Hey, Red, what’s that tattooed on your hip? Rose petals?”

Eyes wide in mock surprise, Jolie glanced down at her hip. “Why, look at that.”

Paul laughed and leaned into his microphone. “Is she worthy of a song or what?”

Cnt ont sizThat got another cheer from the audience. The idea of Paul and Jolie was popular with the crowd.

Well, of course it was. They were both beautiful people. Everybody liked beautiful people. They
loved
beautiful people getting together and making beautiful children.

“I got a request,” Jolie said.

“Anything for you, gorgeous.”

“You guys do a kick-ass ‘Free Fallin.’ Can you do that for us?”

The audience roared in approval.

Paul smiled. “You got it.”

Ashley wrinkled her nose. “I take it they know each other?”

“Yeah,” was all Hauk managed. He tried not to sound too sour. But when Jolie turned and Paul smacked her on the rear, he stiffened in anger. Jolie threw a saucy grin over her shoulder at him though, apparently not minding in the least.

The music started with a lazy, almost folksy beat that gave the song an intimate feel. Jolie strolled around the pole, touching it delicately as she moved. She closed her eyes. The false brightness dropped from her smile, replaced by the genuine article as she hoisted herself into the air.

Jolie had told him she was ready to debut a new aerial skill, but she’d called it “vertical dancing” without an explanation of what that meant.

Apparently it meant walking on air.

Hauk had seen pole dancing before, back when he was in the military, but it was nothing like this. Jolie lifted herself up with the slow grace of a gymnast, inverting her body and then holding herself aloft, perpendicular to the ground. She curled around the pole as it spun. The stage light bathed her in an ethereal glow, making her skin luminous in the shadows above the stage. She danced, and the strongest woman Hauk had ever met revealed a side of herself that was delicate and vulnerable.

And happy. That was one of the biggest things he loved about watching her perform: the untainted joy on her face.

The audience applauded as each move topped the previous in gravity-defying beauty. The music picked up for the finale. She rotated faster, one arm holding on, the other reaching for the sky.

“Okay,” Ashley whispered. “That’s actually pretty neat.”

Hauk grinned. As the song came to a close, Jolie glided down the pole to the stage. She landed on her knees, back arched, one hand up the pole, the other trailing the ground.

Applause roared.

“Good God, take a bow, woman,” Paul said, admiration practically dripping from him.

Still flushed from her performance, she strode to the front of the stage, gave a smile to the crowd then turned to the alcove where Hauk and Ashley sat to give him his post-show wink. He warmed with the attention—even with Paul on stage, she remembered him.

Except, how did she know to look this way instead of his usual place?

He didn’t wonder long because when she straightened from her bow, Paul wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into another kiss. She stiffened as if surprised then softened against him as the crowd went crazy. Hauk felt sick.

“Huh,” Ashley said then shut her mouth. But the sound said everything she meant as clearly as a lecture.

It was a lecture he didn’t need to hear. Ceedh. But For the second time today, Jolie was kissing a man she hadn’t said a word about in two months.

Back in December, she’d clung to Paul outside her car and lingered in his arms until they had to go their separate ways. Hauk liked to think this kiss wasn’t as intense, that she didn’t lean into Paul with the same ease she had before. That maybe her hands were too stiff against him, her body too rigid to be natural.

Hauk liked to think he was learning to tell when Jolie was honest and when she was putting on a show. And his sense said
this
wasn’t
real
. This display was for the audience.

Earlier today in the gym and on the couch, she’d crushed herself against him. He hadn’t imagined that. She’d clutched at his clothes as she kissed him back with an intensity that had sent him burning. There had been nothing frigid, nothing restrained or tense about her reaction. About the hum of her voice. Even when she’d backed away, her tone had been husky, her eyes dark with more than just anger. Or was that wishful thinking from a lovesick idiot?

Catrina came back onstage and took the mic to close the rally. Behind her, Paul whispered into Jolie’s ear, and she laughed. With a final wave, they strolled off the stage, arm in arm, looking almost like the happy couple she’d once wanted to be a part of. Almost, but not quite. Or so Hauk thought.

It was hard to trust his senses when they were telling him exactly what he wanted to hear. Neither time
he’d
kissed her had ended with her laughing in his arms, that was for sure. Hell, he still hadn’t figured out why she’d been so pissed.

Jealousy threatened to overwhelm him as he tried to sort it out. He had no idea where to go from here. He wanted Jolie so desperately but had no idea what strategy to take. Did he simply tell her how he felt? Or would that panic her? Was she truly mad at him? If so, why? Most importantly, did she feel anything for him? Or was she simply the first woman who hadn’t flinched at his face in five years, and he was interpreting her reaction far too optimistically?

Ashley stretched her arms and tried to hide a yawn. “Shall we turn in?”

“You go ahead. I’m working the after-party.” No, he wasn’t. He never worked parties. He didn’t even know if there would be a place for him to hide. He should go home.

“Oh. Well, I’ll go too.”

“You will?” Ash didn’t do parties unless he dragged her. No, she hadn’t done parties
ten
years
ago
. He shouldn’t expect her to be identical to her teenaged self any more than she should expect him to. Even if this was the first difference he’d noted in her between then and now. It was a good change. He should encourage her to cut loose a little. “Okay. It’ll be fun.” He’d try to make sure it was for her, anyway.

Chapter Seven

Jolie kept her face neutral as she slid out of Paul’s arms, but his onstage crap had her seething inside. Three months ago she’d have cried happy tears to have him so possessive. And now? All she could do was wonder what Hauk had thought of their shenanigans. But Paul didn’t seem to notice her discomfort.

Kirk, their drummer, greeted her with a high five she was happy to return. She’d always liked him. “Nice job, Red! We should have you up there with us all the time!”

Paul laughed. “Whatcha say, gorgeous? You wanna be our official dancer?”

Jolie gave him a brittle smile her mom would’ve been proud of. “Yes. I trained with Houston Ballet for thirteen years in the hopes that I could be a backup dancer for a local punk band.”

“Ooooh…” Everyone but Paul joined in.

Paul took her arm and pulled her to the side. “What’s wrong? I was kidding. I know you’ve got your own thing.”

Maybe she had overreacted. She patted his hand but couldn’t bring herself to look him in the face without grimacing, so she turned back to the stage instead. “No, it’s fine. I shouldn’t have snapped. But if you’ll excuse me—” She tried to slip away, but he wouldn’t let go of her arm.

“You going to the after-party?”

“Yeah. A couple of us are performing at it.” She tried to get away again. Still no dice. What was it about this boy? When she’d been trying to hang on to him last fall, he’d been casual. Now that she wasn’t sure she wanted him anymore, he was like glue.

“What to ride over together?” he asked.

“I’m giving a ride to some of my troupe-mates.”

“Okay. Well, I’ll see you there then.” He smiled. “Gonna keep wearing that outfit? ’Cause hot damn, woman.” The smile morphed to the killer grin he regularly felled women with, turning that high-wattage focus entirely on her.

It reminded her that despite the lack of a defined relationship, they’d always had an understanding that when they were both at the same place at the same time, they went home together. Between his concert tour and her dancing schedule that hadn’t happened in two months, but Paul seemed hopeful the deal hadn’t changed.

Everything
had
changed, though. For her, anyway. Or it had, provided Hauk wasn’t taking Ashley home.

The thought threw ice on her anger. From the overheard conversation, it sounded like they’d had sex—no, not sex, it sounded like they’d
made
love
the last time they saw each other. And that was
after
they’d broken off the engagement. Ugh. Engagement. She shuddered at the word.

Did she really want to spend the night at her condo pounding pillows and trying to sleep while Hauk’s ex-fiancée explored his skin and he showed her exactly what he could do with that first-class tongue? Did she really want to toss and turn and not getting a damn wink of sleep while Ashley gave Hauk his first orgasm in years? To wake up alone, knowing Ashley was waking up in the world’s strongest, most comforting arms?

Oh
,
shit
. A wave of pain rippled through her, and she reached for something to steady herself.

Paul happened to be the nearest thing. “You okay? Dizzy?” He threw an arm around her again to help hold her up. His fingers petted her cheek. “Started the party without us, eh? Sure you can drive?”

She hadn’t had a drop to drink. You didn’t drink and aerial dance; that would be a hospital visit. But Jolie could barely explain what was going on to herself, much less to Paul. “I’m fine. I’d better find Mercy and the others.”

“Are you sure?” Paul sounded so solicitous. She had to convince him nothing was wrong or he’d follow her to her car.

Knt ito
Act
,
Jolie
,
act
.
Pretend
nothing
is
wrong
.
You
got
this
lesson
while
you
were
still
in
diapers
. She straightened her spine and managed a coy smile. “Too much rotating around a pole. Takes a while to regain equilibrium sometimes.” She winked.

Paul laughed, his eyes back to sparkling mischievously as he leaned into her space. “Only when you do it right.” He kissed her cheek. “See you at the club!”

As the band headed back to the stage to load up their gear, Jolie numbly went in search of Mercy to offer that ride she’d so blithely claimed she was giving.

Would Hauk even be at the party? Probably not. He didn’t do public events. He and Ashley might be on their way home now. To do what, though? Go to sleep? Or something more intimate?

Catrina came out of the dressing room with a stack of photocopied maps, her satisfied grin showing how thoroughly pleased she was with the night’s event.

“Where’s Hauk?” Jolie blurted.

“Good show, sweetie! The crowd loved you! I believe Hauk and Ashley already left.”

“Oh.” Fuck. If they’d left with the first of the crowd, they could be back home already. If they went straight to his room from there, there was no way she could catch him. And there was no way in hell she was interrupting them once they got to his room. Of course stupid Underlight residents didn’t own stupid phones, so she couldn’t call him and…what? Beg him not to take his ex-fiancée to bed? Yeah, that was not pathetic.

What business was it of hers anyway? So she and Hauk had kissed. So what? People did it all the time. Didn’t have to mean anything.

Though clearly it meant a lot to her. Far more than she’d realized.

“Did I kick your puppy?” Catrina asked with a sympathetic tilt to her head.

“I don’t have a puppy to kick.”

Catrina patted her head. “Go have fun at the party. I made sure they’ll have potato vodka for you.”

So this was her social life, getting drunk on celiac-safe alcohol and going home with cute singers who had no interest in a relationship. She should have her own reality TV show.

She shook her head. Despite twenty-four years of experience to the contrary, Jolie still believed life could be so much more than that emptiness. Wesley Haukon could be her path to a more meaningful happiness. If he was interested in her.

And if she hadn’t fucked it up by taking so damn long to figure that out.

On the other hand, getting drunk and going home with Paul was a helluva lot better than not getting drunk and going home by herself to think of Hauk and Ashley and whatever they were doing.

Jolie clenched her jaw. She couldn’t catch them before they got home, and she’d already promised Catrina she’d dance at the party. However the night ended, her next move was already set. She nodded at Catrina. “I’ll see you there.”

* * *

Hauk hated parties.

“Do you normally run security Krunnt>

Usually he was happy to let normal security handle the regular problems and Mercedes Salvador, who was a cop in her day job and plenty handy with a gun, handle the irregular ones.

Maybe his usual absence at these events should make him consider his motivation for being here, but he chose to ignore any doubts. Both Atropos and a crazy asshole with his own agenda had showed up to the rally. They could show up at the after-party. He was here at this hellhole of a club doing his job.

Okay, fine, he was here because he was horrifically jealous and wanted to break up Paul and Jolie before she went home again with the playboy. Hauk wasn’t sure how he was going to do it without getting noticed, but with that goal in mind, he’d watched through the curtain for some sign he needed to make a move. So far he’d had a clear view of Jolie gyrating with every man in the building.

Every
other
man.

He used to love parties, back when he was on the floor with high hopes of having a good time. But when he couldn’t join in, it was an exercise in frustration. He rubbed the back of his neck. “Go have fun, Ash. You shouldn’t be stuck back here with me.” How many times had he said that? He’d lost count.

“Oh, this isn’t really my scene.” She yawned, covering her mouth with a weary hand.

“I can take you home.” He should leave. Trouble didn’t seem to be starting, but if pretty-boy didn’t get his hands off Jolie, Hauk was going be the one to cause it, landing his own ass in prison for the rest of his natural life. It would be awful satisfying to terrify the shit out of that boy. He had no doubt he could do it. The consequences, however, weren’t worth it. Close, maybe, but so far sanity had won out.

“And let you come back here and sit by yourself? Nah, it’s okay.” Ash settled back into the corner, resting her head against the peeling black paint. “If you can stay up ’til all hours, I can do it too.”

But her eyes were already closing, and in spite of his dark mood, Hauk chuckled. “I think you lie. You always were the morning person.”

Eyes still closed, she shot him a sleepy grin. “True.”

Hauk scowled back out the curtain. There Paul was again, with his pelvis glued to Jolie. Oh, while some woman in a skirt so tiny it barely existed ground against him from the back. Pretty-boy sandwich. He must be loving this. Or who knew, this could be a normal night for the wannabe rock star. Par for the course. Nothing exciting. “Would you do me a favor?” he asked Ashley.

She opened an eye. “Sure. What do you want?”

“Could you get me another drink?” Or three.

“Do you normally drink while you…” She noticed his expression and trailed off. “Okay, then. Another beer?”

He managed to soften his tone from the growl he wanted to make. “Please.”

Ashley stood up and dropped a hand on his shoulder with such genuine concern he had to look away. “I’m so sorry, Wes. I can lov Ks. -1">But imagine what this is like for you.”

He shrugged, trying to stay casual. “It is what it is.”

Her mouth moved like she wanted to say more but couldn’t find the words. As far as he knew, there weren’t any. Finally she said simply, “I’ll get you that drink. Tomorrow, let’s do something fun. Something without these.” She tapped the empty bottles with her foot. “You can show me the town.”

He sighed. “I’m not like my dad, Ash. I don’t spend all my days off work getting drunk.” His dad hadn’t been a true alcoholic, nor was he unpleasant to be around when he was lit up. The tight household budget Hauk’s family lived on, though, could’ve been improved with a couple less bottles of Jack a month.

“I didn’t accuse—”

“But that’s what you meant, isn’t it?”

It was her turn to look away. That was exactly what she’d meant. It had been years since anybody had known enough about his past to question his choices, and Hauk didn’t appreciate the reminder.

He tipped his head back and rolled his shoulders, trying to unknot them enough to stem his overreaction. Ash was just trying to take care of him. Same as he’d do for her in his own way. He jerked a halfhearted nod her way. “Yeah, tomorrow I’ll take you around Austin. It’s got a lot of cool sights. I think you’ll like it here if you give it a chance. It’s different than we’re used to from before.” He caught her eyes. “Not all change is a bad thing, though, Ash.”

“Of course it’s not. And thank you.” She squeezed his shoulder. “We’ll have a good time.” Turning on those two-inch pumps with a deep exhale, like a boxer heading into the ring for a big match, Ash pushed through the curtains into the club.

He almost laughed. Maybe somebody would drag her onto the dance floor. He used to do it all the time. Ashley acted all prim, but she’d dated him for a reason, and he’d often thought it was because he was bullheaded enough to make her have a good time despite herself.

He stood up and paced to the back door, just to keep his eyes from the dance floor. If he watched through the curtains he wouldn’t follow Ashley’s progress or lack thereof, amusing as that might be. No, he’d watch Jolie. And he’d work himself up into a worse temper.

The fabric parted behind him more quickly than he expected. He turned back around, wondering what Ashley had to say.

But it wasn’t Ashley.

Jolie stood backlit from the party. A purple halter-neck showed off her killer shoulders, jeans clung to every muscular curve in her legs and loose red curls tumbled down her chest. Fists balled on her hips, one eyebrow arching, she looked ready for a fight. He still hadn’t figured out why. “Well, that didn’t take long,” she said.

He tried to play it cool, but the heat resonating from her had his mind reeling on how good her mouth tasted. On how badly he wanted to taste the rest of her. “What didn’t take long?”

In two strides she was in his space. She walked two fingers up his chest from navel to collarbone. The touch put his body on alert. “What’re you and Ashley doing back here, huh?” It sounded like she was insinuating something.

Him and Ashley? Why would she think that?

And why would she care when she’d been pasted to her singer for the past hour?