Taming Lo: A You and I Novel (2 page)

“
I've had a few questioning moments but not
really. He is the first person that I don't feel like I am
suffocating when I am with him.”

“
Suffocating. That's a good way to put it.”
I shake my head and let out a light laugh.

“
Well, I'm sure you'll find someone too. You know,
someone that you want to continue to see after you hook up. It's
bound to happen one of these days.” She smiles sweetly at me,
twirling one of her dark curls around her finger.

“
I wouldn't count on that.” I let out a half
snort, shaking my head.

“
And why is that?” She asks, clearly caught
off guard by my reaction. I forget how very little Andrea still knows
about me. We've hung out on several occasions but it's always been
with Anna and very little of that time has been spent talking about
anything of any real importance.

“
Because I won't let it happen.” I answer
truthfully. “I am who I am. I've accepted that.”

“
You say that now. But really Lo, you're only
twenty-three. You have no idea how you might feel when your
twenty-five or thirty. You may enjoy the freedom and the random
hookups but for how long?” She asks.

“
Did Anna put you up to this?” I ask, for
the first time really connecting the dots. Ever since Anna stopped
running from Bentley, she has been more and more on my case about my
lifestyle. I mean, she's always given me shit. But the shit giving
has increased ten fold since she added a husband and now a baby to
the mix.

“
No she didn't. I'm just curious. I have never met
anyone quite like you. Here I thought me and Anna were about as wild
as they came. Before Bentley and Collin.” She quickly tacks on
when she sees the disbelieving look that crosses my face. “But
when you screwed that guy in the back alley behind the bar last
night, I have to admit, I was shocked.” She laughs, her
eyebrows pulling together.

I open my mouth to respond but then close it again when
Rebecca pushes her way through the door, followed by an emotional
looking Anna. “Shira said they are ready.” Rebecca
announces, gesturing for us to follow her.

Throwing Anna a smile and a wink as she passes, I can't
help but feel relieved that I am not in her shoes right now. While
she is full of nerves and battling pregnancy hormones, I am going to
be living it up and staking a claim on the man that will be lucky
enough to land my attention for the night. Yep, I think I am just
fine where I'm at.

Chapter
Three

Dax

“
Fuck.” I
pull at the tie around my neck, feeling like I am suffocating under
the restriction of this damn suit. Serves me right for agreeing to
this in the first place. I hate weddings. I hate everything about
weddings. But then, what was I supposed to do? Tell my boss, and one
of my oldest friends, that I had no interest in watching him enter
into a lifelong jail sentence?

That's what weddings are anyways; prison. I have never
understood why anyone would want to do that to themselves. Fuck that.
I like making my own rules. Doing what I want to do when I want to do
it. And tonight... Well, if I am going to be forced to endure a
wedding I don't want to be at, I am definitely going to make the most
of it.

I'm sure I can take my aggravation out on one of the
single women that is sure to be here tonight. If Anna is any
indication as to what her friends look like, I would even venture to
say that I might actually enjoy myself. Well, what will happen after
the celebration anyways.

Pushing my way inside the church, I cringe slightly when
the heavy wood door closes with a loud thud behind me. Looking to my
right and then to my left, I spot two saps dressed in all black
tuxedos, showing people inside a set of double doors that are propped
open with large white vases containing what I can only describe as
some kind of tropical tree.

Shaking my head, I make my way in the direction of the
other guests. Without waiting to be seated, I walk inside and
immediately feel nauseated by the amount of white flowers and lace
that covers the entire room. It's bad enough that Bentley is stupid
enough to get married. It's even worse that he agreed to this mess.

I spot Malcolm, someone I will soon be working with,
near the back on the groom's side, his auburn haired fiancée
tucked under his arm. Another man that is foolishly preparing to
enter into marriage. Stopping directly next to the pew they're seated
in, I slide in and take a seat at the very end, throwing Malcolm a
nod when he catches sight of me.

It's clear to see that the ceremony is about to start.
Had I realized I was this close to being late, I would have taken a
couple more laps around the block and then maybe I would have been
lucky enough to miss the ceremony all together. I'm sure Bentley and
his blushing bride would have been none the wiser.

I settle back against the less than comfortable bench
and watch as Bentley, Ethan, and the minister, make their way from a
door at the side of the room towards the front, taking their places
at the end of the red carpeted aisle. Had Bentley had his way, I
would be standing right up there with them. No thank you. It's bad
enough I have to be here, I certainly was not going to agree to
parade around in a penguin suit all night and pretend to be happy to
be here.

I can't help but shake my head in Bentley's direction.
Not that he sees me or anything. I just can't believe a man like
Bentley Reed has actually chosen to settle down with one woman. It
just doesn't seem possible.

If there's anyone in this world that could have any
woman, anytime he wanted, it's Bentley. I will never understand why a
man who owns seven of the most successful underground strip clubs and
has more money than he knows what to do with, would get tied up with
one of his own dancers. I mean, Anna is fucking gorgeous don't get me
wrong, but to me, that would never be enough.

I remember all the
college parties him and I used to go to. The random girls. That was
the life. Then, when I first started managing his club in Philly,
hell, we used to pick up more women than we knew what to do with. Too
bad he's moving me to his Chicago club,
Allure,
just as he has decided to settle down and start a family. Working for
him won't be nearly as much fun now.

It
seems like just yesterday when him
and I spent that wild night in Miami. Hell, I don't even remember
what year that was. We couldn't have been more than twenty-two or
twenty-three, back when Bentley was really breaking onto the
professional soccer scene. That night will forever be one of the best
times of my life.

Anytime you wake up with not one, but two hot chicks
draped across your body, you know it was a damn good night. But then
to learn that Bentley had landed three, I think that's the first time
I have ever been truly envious of another man. Now look at him,
nearly ten years later. Smiling out at the crowd like he couldn't be
happier. Shit. Poor guy. I wonder how long it will take before he
realizes what a fucking mistake he's made.

The elevator music that has been flooding the church
since I arrived finally dies down, replaced by an older woman at the
head of the room who begins playing a harp. I follow the heads in
front of me as they turn towards the back of the room just as
Rebecca, Bentley's mom, steps inside. She smiles brightly as she
makes her way down the aisle and slides into the front row.

The first bridesmaid through is Shira. Too bad she's
Bentley's sister. I would have landed that months ago. Something
tells me she could use someone like me in her life. Someone to mess
up that perfect exterior she puts on for everyone and bring out the
wild child I know is hidden deep down inside of her, just begging to
be unleashed. It's a shame really. She has so much potential, if she
would just let herself go.

The next bridesmaid is one of Anna's friends that I met
at the opening night of Bentley's club in Seattle. Andrea I think.
Olive skin, dark hair and even darker eyes. She's a good looking
girl. Nice body, pretty smile. But like Shira, she is off limits,
only for different reasons. Bentley made it clear the night we met in
Seattle that I was to go no where near Andrea. Plus, she has a
boyfriend. And while I may be ruthless, I don't fuck other men's
girls. Not my style.

The moment I move my
eyes from Andrea to the next girl entering the room, my body
immediately goes rigid. It's her.
Lo
.
The one girl that has managed to stick with me past our initial
meeting. I think it has everything to do with the fact that she gave
me a private dance the first time I visited Allure. I have never had
a women move against my body the way she did and then do nothing to
take the edge away afterward.

Reason number one why I avoid the dancers that work for
me. It's hard enough managing a club filled with some of the sexiest
women I have ever laid eyes on. It's quite another to fuck said
women. Things can get really messy really fast and as such, it's a
line I refuse to cross, no matter how much I want to.

I knew better than to let her dance for me. But the
moment I saw her on that stage, her body covered in a tight red
corset and matching thong, her long blonde wavy hair brushing against
her near bare ass, I just couldn't resist the urge to be close to
her.

I am sorely regretting that decision now. Just the
thought of what it felt like to have that tight body moving against
mine, her crystal blue eyes skating across my face as she trailed her
hands lightly across my chest, makes me squirm slightly in my seat.
Fuck me. I am not easily rattled by women but this one, well let's
just say I have pleasured myself more than once while reliving the
private dance she gave me.

She looks different this time. I mean, she's properly
clothed for one. It's hard to see the dancers at the clubs as
anything other than dancers but seeing her like this, it's clear that
she is so much more than just some run of the mill stripper.

Her dress fits snugly against her petite frame. Her hair
is curled and pulled to the side, tied off and decorated with a
flower. She looks so much more innocent than the woman that danced
for me and yet, I can still see that woman too.

The moment her eyes meet mine, I can see the recognition
on her face. Her eyes widen and her bottom lip trembles oh so
slightly. Just enough that I can see that not only does she remember
me, but she's affected by me, that much is clear.

She flicks her eyes forward and focuses on the aisle in
front of her, not looking in my direction again. But that doesn't
stop me from noticing the pink hue that has taken over her cheeks or
how her steps seem to quicken a bit as she passes the row I am
sitting in.

Watching her backside as she walks past me, I can't help
the smile that pulls up my mouth. What was that rule I was just
talking about again? Oh yes, I don't fuck my dancers. Fuck me and my
fucking rules.

I have never worked
with someone I couldn't resist before, but something tells me that if
I don't get at least one go with
Lo
,
it is likely to drive me out of my fucking mind. Friday, my first day
at Allure is not until next Friday. Technically she isn't one of my
dancers until then, so what is stopping me?

I know I shouldn't. This plan has bad news written all
over it. But like the first time we met, I simply cannot resist
exploring more. I need to know what it feels like to bury myself
inside her at least once.

Fuck me.

Chapter
Four

Lo

Why does it have to be
him? Why, out of every man on this earth, does
he
have
to be the one whose eyes have been burning into my flesh since the
moment I walked down the aisle just minutes ago? I thought I would be
excited to see him again. After all, I have thought about him on
several occasions since the night I danced for him all those weeks
ago.

I flick my eyes in his direction to find his gaze on me
has not faltered. I do my best not to squirm and quickly turn my
attention away. Dear lord, he's even better looking than I
remembered. How is that even possible? His sleeved tattoos are hidden
beneath a dark suit that makes him absolutely drool worthy. His dark
shaggy hair is still the same stylish mess, and that facial hair....
Oh. My. God. Just the lightest dusting of dark hair across his jaw
that instantly makes me wonder what it would feel like against my
inner thighs.

Focus Lo.

I have wanted nothing more than to sink my teeth into
this fine man since he stumbled into Allure that night. But I don't
know if I can do it. I mean, I can and I definitely want to, but as
of Friday, he will be my boss. I will have to face him everyday at
the club and honestly, I just don't know how that will work out. If
Anna taught me anything, don't mix business with pleasure.

While it may have worked out for her with Bentley, I
remember all the shit she went through in the process, when she was
one of the dancers at Allure. Not to mention before Bentley, her hook
up with Josh, one of the managers at the club. He wanted more and she
didn't and it ended up being a pretty big issue for them both.