The Christmas Dare Page 11

Noah winked at her.

  Her heart took an express elevator to her throat and her impulse was to run as fast as she could. But another part of her, a brazen part she didn’t even know was there, said, C’mon, don’t you want to see what he’s packing underneath those pants?

  Comfort zone? What comfort zone? There was nothing the least bit comfortable about this striptease, but damn was it exciting. Comfort Kitty was gone and in her place was Feral Cat.

  Meow.

  Tasha draped Sean’s belt around her neck, danced in her seat.

  Feral Cat took things one step further. She lifted Noah’s belt to her nose. It smelled of leather and pure male testosterone, primal and real.

  Her stomach quivered, and her breath flew from her lungs, thin and thready. She put the belt between her teeth, bit down.

  And when Noah’s hand went to his zipper, she stopped breathing altogether.

  Only his pants, boots, and Santa hat remained on his sizzling body. He crooked his finger at her.

  Kelsey buried her face in her hands and laughed a little hysterically.

  Tasha poked her in the ribs with her elbow.

  She parted her fingers, peeked out.

  Noah was gyrating straight for her, coming down the steps of the stage, one at a time.

  The crowd loved it. Hollered, “Pick me! Pick me!”

  But Noah was coming for her.

  Kelsey thought her pulse was going to jump right out of her chest and take off down the street.

  Noah swaggered up to their table. Held out his hand.

  She shied away, sinking back in her chair, shaking her head.

  “Pick me, pick me, pick me!” the women chanted.

  Noah stood patiently waiting. The other men were still dancing onstage, but Kelsey wasn’t watching them.

  “Pick me, pick me, pick me!”

  Tasha nudged her. “If you don’t take his hand, one of these other chicks is gonna knock you out of the way and do it for you.”

  “It’s embarrassing,” Kelsey whispered.

  “Precisely.”

  Dare number two was staring her right in the face. Oh crap!

  “Come,” Noah whispered in a midnight deep voice.

  That did it.

  Kelsey came, embarrassment be damned.

  Blocking all sensible thoughts, she slapped her palm into his and followed him. Noah led her up onstage to that chair.

  The same chair all the Bards had been dancing around.

  Noah’s big calloused fingers curled around her soft ones, and he walked backward, twitching his hips to the beat. Damn, if her body didn’t take over and match his moves.

  The spotlight shifted to focus directly on the chair.

  Sweat ran between her breasts. Her heart galloped. She’d never been a fan of public speaking, but she could do it when necessary. This however, was something else entirely.

  Smiling tenderly, Noah met her gaze and eased her down into the chair.

  The audience members were on their feet clapping and singing to the song that started. Apparently, they were all familiar with this part. A jazzy, upbeat tune called “Back Door Santa.”

  Kelsey’s cheeks flamed.

  Noah began to dance for her and her alone. The other dancers faded into the background, letting him have center stage.

  Shaking her head, Kelsey sank her face into her palms again.

  Gently, Noah guided her hands away from her eyes, forcing her to watch him.

  She was beyond embarrassed, but at the same time she was thrilled. For once, it was all about her. Uncommon in Kelsey’s world.

  Velcro straps broke away as Noah yanked off his pants. The material made a hot, tearing sound.

  He flung the pants to the side of the stage and swayed in front of her. Bumped and grinded and shimmied in nothing but a Speedo, boots, and Santa cap.

  Provoked, the crowd let loose with more squeals and applause.

  Kelsey covered her eyes with her long braid.

  Noah took her hands in his. Her hair dropped. He shook his head, mouthed, No more hiding.

  She put a palm to her mouth to camouflage her smile. “You Sexy Thing” by Hot Chocolate was playing.

  Noah was directly in front of her, almost naked.

  She had no idea he was that well-endowed. She didn’t want to look, but she couldn’t help herself. How fast could your pulse race before you had a heart attack?

  Why was she so scared? This was Noah.

  Ah, but he was the man her body craved. Apparently, a man that hundreds of women craved as well. Not in a million years would she have guessed she’d find herself here.

  Onstage.

  Her dream man doing a public striptease for her. Maybe this wasn’t really happening. Maybe it was a dream.

  Yes, that was it. A sweet, sexy dream.

  But Tasha had pinched her. It wasn’t a dream.

  Oh dear. This was happening.

  People had their cell phones out. Snapping pictures. What if someone uploaded it to social media? What if her mother saw? The thought of Filomena’s rabid indignation had every muscle in her body clenching. She did not even want to think about that tailspin.

  Relax.

  Even if a picture did end up on social media, no one knew who she was. That was the nice thing about being a background player. No one would think to tag her. They only wanted Noah’s picture.

  Kelsey glanced off in the distance, unable to bear the pressure.

  That’s when she spied him.

  Middle-aged, ruddy face, black suit, looking completely out of place in the sea of estrogen. So familiar. The man looked like Lewis Hunter. The latest driver in a long line of her mother’s revolving door of employees.

  Chapter 11

  Noah had lost her.

  He was nearly naked, and he still couldn’t hold Kelsey’s attention? What did a guy have to do to get her to notice him?

  She’s embarrassed.

  Yeah, well, so was he. This Santa striptease shindig was not his thing. He was not a fan of being ogled. Not thrilled with taking off his clothes to get a reaction. But the Christmas Bards performed strictly for charity. Each Bard donated their part of the take to the charity of their choice.

  His star power and physical fitness was why the group had invited Noah to join them. What motivated him to perform was to get as much money as he could to defeat the terrible disease that had claimed his mother’s life. That’s what got him to put his embarrassment aside and do the Magic Mike thing.

  His mind was on Kelsey, but he had an audience to please. They’d come for a show and he wasn’t going to let them down. In time to the music and wild catcalls, Noah took off his Santa hat and settled it onto Kelsey’s head.

  She turned her gaze back to him, reached up to touch the hat. It was too big for her and the brim dropped to the level of her eyebrows.

  God, he’d missed her. Noah’s gaze gobbled her up.

  Kelsey wore a blue angora sweater that molded to her lovely breasts. Through the material and the layer of her bra, Noah could see the pert poke of her nipples. She was turned on.

  His stomach pitched.

  If they were back at the Rockabye, he would not stare at her so overtly. But here? Amid the sexually charged striptease, he didn’t hide a thing.

  With a fast, adept twirling move, he spun on his heels. A full three-sixty, winking at the crowd as he whirled past before spinning back to Kelsey.

  He bent down, grasped both arms of the chair and leaned in until his face was inches from hers. He touched her bottom lip with the pad of his thumb.

  She parted her lips, showed him her teeth. Touched his thumb with her tongue. She might be hesitant, but she wanted this.

  That realization pushed him to push her. She deserved to be the center of attention. To recognize and indulge her inner playful self.

  The music throbbed.

  The crowd stomped, and cheered, clapped, and hollered, “Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!” He knew the audience was putting themselves
in Kelsey’s shoes. Letting her be their proxy. Chanting what they wanted from him.

  She shuddered and closed her eyes.

  Overwhelmed?

  Well, she wasn’t alone. So was he.

  An inferno of savage need blasted straight to his groin. It was all he could do not to scoop her into his arms, carry her offstage, and whisk her back to the Rockabye as fast as he could.

  She peeked open one eye.

  He held out his hand to her, pulled her up off the chair.

  The music boomed “Sassy Sexy Wiggle.”

  Noah gyrated to the slow-paced, but hard-driving beat. Kelsey’s cheeks blazed red. She grinned shyly. He did a deft little two-step shuffle, took her in his arms and spun her in a circle.

  She gasped.

  The crowd went nuts. “Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!”

  He righted her, let her go, danced away. Crooked his finger for her to come toward him.

  She stood staring at him.

  Deer in headlights.

  Sweat dripping off her forehead, but a coy smile creeping across her lips. She liked it. She just needed some encouragement to let go and enjoy the moment.

  Wiggle, he mouthed silently and bopped his shoulders.

  She dropped her gaze to Tasha, who was standing in the seat of her chair whistling, clapping, and shouting her approval.

  From where Noah was standing, he saw rather than heard Tasha mouth dare you.

  Kelsey’s gaze darted back to him.

  He smiled, encouragingly. It was hard performing under these circumstances, but he knew after she’d done it, she would feel exhilarated.

  Noah held up his wrist so Kelsey could see his ink.

  Dare.

  Crooked his finger again. Come to me.

  “Do it, do it, do it!” chanted the crowd.

  Hesitantly, Kelsey started to dance toward him. She was naturally graceful, even if she wasn’t a practiced dancer. Her body moving in sensuous, serpentine undulations. There was an earthy carnality to her that she worked hard to keep boxed up.

  That’s it. Let yourself go, babe.

  She wore a hot black leather skirt over black leggings and black kitten heels. Her curvy little butt bounced in time to the beat.

  Yeah, give me that sassy sexy wiggle.

  Swinging her hips, she sauntered closer. She had pinup queen legs, showcased by that tight leather pencil skirt. Shapely thighs and foxy knees. Slim but muscular calves that tapered to narrow ankles.

  Divine.

  She reached him. Placed one palm on his shoulder and then the other. He put both hands on her waist and they moved together.

  Dancing.

  Closer.

  Bodies rubbing.

  Just the two of them now. The audience forgotten.

  Noah cradled her in his arms. She smelled like summer. Honeysuckle and lemonade. He dipped her so low that her long blond braid grazed the ground.

  The crowd gasped, “Oooh.”

  He righted her.

  She stood in front of him, cheeks the color of scarlet roses in full bloom. Panting. Her breasts heaving with rapid breath.

  He dipped his head, anxious to taste her again.

  The crowd started in again with “Kiss her, kiss her, kiss her!”

  Her crystal blue eyes were twin full moons in her face, glittering like diamonds in the spotlight.

  He rested his forehead against hers. Stared into her until they were both cross-eyed. “Firefly,” he murmured huskily. “I’ve missed this so much.”

  “What?” She chugged in air. “Performing a striptease?”

  “No.” He laughed. “You. Me. Us.”

  “Well,” she said. “What are you waiting for? We can’t disappoint the audience. Kiss me.”

  As the last notes of the song ended and the spotlight faded, Noah pulled her close and kissed her.

  The minute Kelsey got back to her seat, Tasha grabbed her hand. “Let’s go backstage before the rest of these hungry wenches get their claws into our men.”

  “Huh?” Kelsey felt dazed, her eyes glazed.

  In the heat of dancing onstage with Noah, she’d forgotten about Lewis Hunter being in the club. She glanced around but didn’t see her mother’s driver. Anxiety nibbled at the back of her brain.

  Trouble.

  She was in trouble.

  “C’mon.” Tasha urged. “They’re lining up at the back door to accost our men.”

  “Our?” Kelsey giggled.

  “Now is not the time to play coy. I’m jonesing for Sean and you are burning up for Noah. Even a blind person could see that. I swear that dance you two did was the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen outside of an X-rated movie.”

  “I . . . we . . .”

  “Come on.” Tasha thrust Kelsey’s coat at her. “I need me some Sean.”

  “You just met him.”

  “So what? You know me. When I want something, I go after it.” Before Kelsey could slip on her coat, Tasha yanked her by the hand. “Let’s move it.”

  “We haven’t paid for our drinks—”

  “They were on the house, remember. Move it.”

  “Tip?”

  “Already left one.” Tasha shot a frantic glance out the window.

  Kelsey followed her gaze. Women were lining up in the alley at the back door of the bar to get the Christmas Bards’ autographs.

  The house lights had come up. The nightclub was a mess of crumpled napkins, bent straws, overturned chairs, empty glasses, and spilled popcorn. Tasha latched onto Kelsey’s elbow and dragged her around the side of the stage.

  “Where are we going?” Kelsey asked, struggling to get her arm into her coat.

  “Backstage.”

  “The guys are getting dressed. Shouldn’t we wait outside with the others?” Kelsey worried.

  “Don’t be a putz.”

  “We can’t just barge into their dressing room.”

  “Why not?”

  “That would be rude.”

  “Does barging into their dressing room embarrass you?”

  “I see your point,” Kelsey said. “Let’s go.”

  Tasha tugged her behind the stage and down the hallway, Kelsey’s pulse ticking at a fast clip.

  “What was it like up there with Mr. Hot Body?”

  “Intimidating.”

  “But exciting?”

  “Well . . .”

  “Admit it. You’re scorched. Why do you have such a hard time having fun?”

  “I saw Lewis Hunter in the audience.”

  “Huh?” Tasha wrinkled her forehead. “Who?”

  “Mom’s latest driver.”

  “She has a new one every few weeks. How do you remember their names?”

  “I try to get to know them. They vote, you know.”

  “You might be hallucinating. I didn’t see anyone in the audience that looked like a chauffeur. You were freaked, and your mind conjured up one of your mother’s henchmen.”

  “Maybe so.” Kelsey worried her bottom lip. “But I wouldn’t put it past her to send him after me.”

  “Me either, but I would tell you if I’d seen him.” Tasha was opening each door as they went past. Bathrooms and a janitor closet and an office. One door left at the very end of the corridor.

  Tasha paused outside the final door in the narrow hallway, where the sound of laughing masculine voices greeted them.

  Kelsey’s pulse buzzed like a chainsaw.

  “Here we are,” Tasha announced.

  “We are here,” Kelsey said. “Maybe we should—”

  But Tasha wasn’t given to self-reflection. She was a go-getter, not a thinker. Considering the wisdom of barging into a room full of half-naked men didn’t enter her mind. Her friend twisted the knob, barreled her way inside, hauling Kelsey along with her.

  A riot of male voices came to an instant halt as seven guys in various stages of dress stopped and stared at them.

  For a split second there was nothing but silence.

  “Hi!” Tasha chi
rped. She propelled Kelsey toward Noah, who was wrestling into a long-sleeved black T-shirt. “There you go.”

  Noah’s eyes lit up at the sight of Kelsey and she felt a corresponding light flood her senses. Overstimulated, she glanced at the floor.

  Across the room, Sean was leaning his shoulders insouciantly against the wall watching Tasha. His gaze was inscrutable.

  Tasha marched up to him.

  He smiled. “Yes?”

  “What are you doing after this?”

  “What do you have in mind?” Sean folded his arms over his chest, pushed off from the wall. His biceps bulged. On one shoulder he had a navy SEAL tattoo, on the other, lettering that said Get Comfortable with Uncomfortable.

  “Kels and I were going to cruise the square and get in on the Dickens thingy. You and Noah want to come along?”

  Kelsey wasn’t sure how she felt about Tasha’s open invitation.

  Sean shrugged, looked amused. “I’m in.”

  “Me too,” Noah said.

  Whew. Kelsey let out her breath. Sometimes Tasha’s bold approach worked. Sometimes it didn’t. This time she’d scored. They officially had dates for the evening.

  What about Lewis Hunter?

  He was bound to tattle to her mother. If it had been Hunter. She could have been mistaken.

  Guilt played up and down Kelsey’s spine. Maybe she should just go back to the Rockabye and lie low. She tried to catch Tasha’s eye, but her friend was busy ogling the former navy SEAL’s buff body.

  Sean snapped his fingers next to his temple. “My eyes are up here, darlin’.”

  “If you don’t want people to stare, maybe you shouldn’t look so hot,” Tasha sassed.

  “I could say the same to you,” Sean drawled.

  The air fairly crackled with their chemistry, but Kelsey had plenty of stewing chemistry of her own.

  Boy, Noah was something else. His hair damp from a quick shower, and his masculine cologne teasing her nose. “You guys ready?” he asked.

  Sean pulled on a white T-shirt and topped it with a black leather jacket. He held out his hand to Tasha. “Are we?”

  “Oh yes!” Tasha sank her hand into Sean’s.

  Not to be outdone, Noah slipped his arm around Kelsey’s waist. Possessive gesture, but she liked it. Giddy with desire, Kelsey stepped closer, absorbing his warmth.

  “Later, fellas.” Noah lifted his hand at the other guys in the room. “Great show tonight.”