Lily got up from the couch to go to the table where the beer had been set up at and got him one. When she came back and handed it to him, Shade reached up and pulled her down on his lap. Lily tried to wiggle off.
“Sit still,” Shade ordered.
Lily quit wiggling.
Shade ignored her rigid posture, resuming his conversation with Razer about the production of one of the tools which was selling well.
“The only way to increase production is to go with another manufacturer,” Razer said.
Their conversation continued while Lily and Beth talked about the church store Lily had volunteered to put together with Rachel Porter.
It wasn’t long before Train and Jewell came downstairs and started dancing alongside Viper and Winter. Train wasn’t wearing a shirt, but he had on a bandana over his hair and a patch over one eye. Jewell was wearing a pirate wench outfit which left most of her breasts bare, and the short skirt showed the long length of her shapely legs.
As the song changed, Razer got to his feet. “Let’s dance.”
With that, Beth and Razer joined the couples dancing.
Halfway through the song, Evie came downstairs dressed as a French maid with Cash dressed as himself.
Lily laughed, looking into Shade’s eyes. “Train is the only one who dressed up?”
Shade shook his head. “Rider dressed as Tarzan, but I threatened to kick his ass if he came down here.”
Lily’s giggles were cut off as Shade got up, setting Lily on her feet before taking her to the dance floor. She tried to get away but he snagged her around the waist, pulling her close.
“Dance with me, Lily.”
“I don’t know how,” she protested.
“That’s okay. They don’t, either.” Shade pointed his hand at Evie and Cash.
She began moving, and by the third dance, Shade could tell she was relaxed.
The other members came and went, moving back and forth between the two floors, everyone seemingly enjoying themselves.
Shade pulled her closer as someone turned off a couple of the lamps, dimming the room without making it too dark. The thin material of her dress let him feel every inch of her body. Yes, he had a lot to thank Beth for.
Beth, Razer, Winter, and Viper had gone upstairs while Cash, Evie, Train, and Jewell were still dancing. She seemed to have grown comfortable enough around the members to have a good time. It was definitely a party unlike any at the clubhouse. While upstairs the usual ‘anything goes’ was in effect, the downstairs was tame in comparison.
“Are you having a good time?”
Lily smiled up at Shade. “Yes, I am.”
“Don’t seem so surprised,” Shade said, his thigh sliding between her legs as his hand dropped to circle her waist.
“I just thought it would be wilder.”
“It is, upstairs.”
Lily blushed, turning her eyes away. “If you want to go upstairs, I won’t mind.”
“Shut up. I’m exactly where I want to be.”
Lily smiled.
Shade lowered his head then, his lips briefly touching hers. Lily didn’t move away from the brief encounter, so he did it again, lingering against hers. He increased the pressure on her lips, trying to get her to part them. When he slid his tongue along the seam of her lips, she gasped and Shade took advantage, sliding his tongue inside her mouth.
Lily’s hands grabbed his T-shirt, but she didn’t push him away; therefore, he gently explored her mouth, giving her the first kiss from him, one she would remember. He wanted to replace each memory from her childhood with something which could be cherished.
Then Shade lifted his head, breaking the tender kiss, continuing to dance as if nothing had happened.
The music ended, and Shade stepped back. “Want to get something to drink?”
“Yes.”
As they moved off the dance floor, an out-of-breath Evie plopped down on the couch next to Jewell.
“I love your outfit, Lily. It looks all demur. Then, when you move, it shows that rockin’ body of yours. I might need to borrow it for the next party,” Jewell complimented.
Lily’s mouth dropped open as she glared at Shade. It was time to beat a hasty retreat. She obviously hoped he would feel guilty for not telling her the dress was sheer, but she was shit out of luck. A person had to have a conscience for that crap.
“The drinks are all gone. I’ll go get some more,” Shade said, making his move to get out of Dodge.
He climbed the stairs, going into the packed kitchen. The parties were getting larger every weekend, and he noticed a couple of new women he hadn’t seen previously at the club. He didn’t let his eyes rest on any of them as he moved across the room, taking a large pack of beer and soda out of the fridge.
Train and Cash came upstairs, foraging for what food was left. Cash swiped a pizza away from Nickel, and Train took a bag of chips out of the pantry.
Heading back down, Shade saw Lily on the pole when he reached the halfway point of the stairs, his feet automatically moving to the bottom as he watched her unconsciously seductive movements.
“It’s great not only for the thighs, but your stomach muscles, as well. Just don’t let your arms do the work for you; let your tummy and thigh muscles do it,” Lily was telling the women.
When no one said anything, Lily rose and turned to see Shade standing there.
“I was just showing Evie an exercise I learned in my pole class,” Lily said, jerking her leg down from the pole and straightening her skirt.
“Could you show me that move again? I have a few pounds I need to lose,” Train asked seriously.
Shade shot a threatening glare at him as he set the drinks down on the side table.
Lily went to get one, picking an orange soda. Shade pulled her back down on his lap. That time, she didn’t try to wiggle away.
Stori came down the stairs dressed in a bunny outfit which was even more suggestive than Jewell’s wench costume. She began dancing with Hound, a brother from Ohio who was putting his hand on her ass, grinding her closer to his hips.
“You never told me you knew how to pole dance.”
Lily turned bright red. “My gym at college taught an exercise class using the pole.”
“Lord have mercy,” Shade muttered.
He wasn’t embarrassed to admit to himself that he enjoyed watching strippers perform. It was highly erotic watching the way they moved. The really good ones had a sensuality which was hard not to appreciate, and he had shown a great many of them his gratitude. Lily, on the other hand, was unaware of her sexuality, but once she learned to accept it, she would be able to drive a man to his knees.
Lily laughed at his expression as she playfully hit his chest. Shade’s hand went to the back of her neck, tugging her head down to him so he could catch her mouth, feeling her relax against him. They were in a dark corner, and no one was paying attention to them.
Her arms slid around his neck as she kissed him back. Shade felt her breasts against his chest as he gave her another kiss to remember. Then his hand flattened against her flat stomach before sliding up to her shoulder, raising her back up to a sitting position.
“Let’s dance.”
“Okay.” She got to her feet and they went to the dance floor, spending the remainder of the evening dancing.
The rest of the members spent the night continuing to go between the two floors. Viper and Winter both showed up a couple more times before eventually saying they were going to bed.
It was getting late as Shade talked to Train and Evie while Lily talked to Beth. When she yawned, Shade noticed.
“I’m going to bed. I have to be up early to go to the church store.”
After everyone told her goodnight, Lily went into the bedroom.
* * *
He stared down at Lily sleeping in his bed before taking a shower. The smile playing on the corners of her lips affected him in ways he never knew were possible. Her peaceful sleep was deep, unmarred by the night
mares she was constantly trying to outmaneuver. Then his smile slipped when he thought about how he was going to kick Razer’s ass for not telling him Lily knew how to swing on a pole better than any stripper he had ever paid for.
His backstabbing brother knew there were three things he enjoyed in life: whiskey, pole-dancing, and Lily. He could finally enjoy all three.
He whistled low as he took his shower then dried off. He blow-dried his hair, not wanting to get Lily’s pillow wet, then shaved before going to bed.
His arm went around her waist, pulling her close. He rubbed his cheek against hers as he thought about how Lily had discovered she could fit in his world that night. He just had to convince her he belonged in hers.
Shade fell asleep with Lily against him, breathing in her scent. However, sometime later, his predatory instincts woke him, alerting him to danger. He gently moved away from Lily, not wanting to wake her until he found out what the issue was. He didn’t doubt the pervading sense of alarm sending out warning signals—his instincts were never wrong. He had seen too many soldiers who hadn’t trusted their instincts end up in a casket, so he didn’t hesitate when it came to his own.
He quickly pulled on his clothes and boots then went to the bedroom door, already smelling the deadly smoke on the other side. Going back to the bed, he started shaking Lily awake. There was no time to lose since there were no windows in his bedroom.
“Wake up, Lily!”
She jerked upright in the bed. “What’s going on?”
“Get up. The basement’s on fire!” He grabbed her from the bed.