Susanna Carr - The Bridesmaid's Best Man

For some reason his assurance was met with a frosty stare. He watched with fascination as Angie’s skin flushed red. “Don’t worry about me,” she said in a clipped tone. “Give me all that you’ve got.”

“Angie, I know you’re uncomfortable with all this.” He saw the flash of injured pride in her eyes and he fell silent. Everything he said was being taken the wrong way.

“No, no, Cole. I’m curious. I’ve already seen some of your new moves. I didn’t realize that you had been holding back with me.”

“Holding back?” He never held anything back with Angie. Well, not physically.

“Go ahead, Cole.” Angie leaned back in her chair. “Drive me wild.”

2

COLE DIPPED HIS head and Angie closed her eyes. It was a defensive move but it didn’t help. She could still feel the heat from his body. She licked her lips, remembering how his skin tasted. Warm and masculine.

“I need to talk to you,” he said against her ear.

She felt his breath against her skin and shivered. “Apparently so. You’ve gone through a few life changes since I’ve seen you.” Cole’s bare chest grazed against her breasts and she jumped. She opened her eyes wide. “Or have you?”

Cole paused. “What do you mean?”

He was so close that she found it difficult to think. It was as if her body had been asleep and now energy sparked inside her. Her heart pounded against her chest and her blood pumped hard through her veins. Her skin stung with awareness. Why? Why did she only feel like this around Cole? It wasn’t fair.

A sickening thought occurred to her. “How long have you been a stripper?” she asked. “You’re very good at it.”

“Should I be flattered by your surprise or insulted?” he asked as he rolled his hips.

Angie curled her fingers tight into fists. She wasn’t going to touch him. Hold him. Guide his hips. No, she wasn’t, no matter how much her hands tingled with need. “I notice you’re not really answering the question,” she said, all too aware of how her voice cracked. “Were you stripping when we were together?”

Cole jerked back as if he’d been struck. His smile disappeared and his mouth tightened. “Do you really think that?”

“I don’t know what to think.” She really hoped he didn’t have a secret life, but the man had always been private. He kept things to himself and now she wondered if she knew him at all.

“This is not what it looks like,” he said as he kneeled down before her.

She tensed up as her heart pounded faster. “It never is.”

“I’m not a stripper.” He placed his hands on her knees and pulled them apart.

“Really?” Her voice was high and every muscle in her body locked. How could he touch her so intimately and yet so casually? “Because you’re faking it very well.”

She looked down at him and tried to fight off the memories. How many times had they been like this? How many times had their position been reversed? Cole knew how to touch her, please her with his hands and mouth. She never found that kind of satisfaction anywhere else.

Cole lifted her leg and placed it over his bare shoulder. Angie saw his expression. She recognized the desire and something else. Something bittersweet. She didn’t know why he felt that way. He was the one who walked away.

She couldn’t fight the pang of misery. Angie yanked her leg away. She held up her hands in defeat. She couldn’t do this. Not with Cole. When they were together, the sex they had was romantic. Intimate. It had meant something. She didn’t want to respond to the same routine he did for any woman who had a dollar. “This lap dance is over.”

“Not yet.” Still kneeling between her legs, Cole slowly slid his body up against hers.

Angie inhaled sharply as she remembered every plane and angle of his body. How it felt to curl up against his hard chest, cling to his broad shoulders and wrap her legs against his waist.

She felt the sweat beading on her skin and tried to remain calm. She saw the knowing twinkle in Cole’s eyes. Did he remember, too? Or did he know the effect he had on her? Angie looked away. “I’m not sure what you’re trying to accomplish here....”

“Then this must be your first time at a strip club.”

She turned back and frowned at him. “But you’re wasting your time with me.”

Cole gave a crooked smile. “It’s never a waste of time being with you.”

She stilled as the words washed over her. How could he say that when he’d dumped her and never stayed in touch? “We’re done.”

“No, wait.” He quickly straddled her legs and grabbed the back of her chair again. She was trapped and considered pushing him away. But that meant touching him. Pressing her hands against his naked skin... “I have something to tell you.”

“Yeah, I got it.” She searched for a safe spot to focus on, trying not to notice the way his broad chest rose and fell, or how his rock-hard abs gleamed with sweat from dancing. “I heard what you said. You’re not really a stripper. Let me guess. You’re in between jobs. You’re doing a favor for a friend?”

He thrust his hips to the music. “I’m undercover.”

Angie slowly shifted her gaze to meet his. That was one excuse she didn’t expect. A chuckle erupted from her throat. “That’s a good one.”

Cole stopped moving and frowned. “You’re not supposed to laugh while getting a lap dance.”

“I’m sorry. I can’t help it.” She shook her head as she continued to laugh. “It’s not like I’m pointing.”

He sighed and moved forward until his mouth was against her ear. “Angie, this is serious.”

The bubble of laughter died in her throat as she felt his lips against her skin. “Then stop joking.” She squirmed away. “I know you’re not undercover. You quit the police force after you broke up with me a year ago.”

“Hey, Angie, it’s my turn,” Heidi called out as she approached them.

Angie was unprepared for the fierce territorial streak that sliced through her. She knew Cole was no longer hers, but she couldn’t share him. It was bad enough seeing him dance with Brittany. She didn’t want him anywhere near Heidi.

“Stall her,” Cole demanded.

Angie felt a flash of relief at his reluctance to leave, but she knew it wasn’t because he favored her over the others. He needed something from her and it wasn’t to relive the memories or have one night together.

“Come on. No playing favorites,” Heidi said as she waved a fistful of cash. “I have money to burn.”

“Why should I do what you ask?” Angie asked Cole between her teeth. “I should throw you to the wolves.”

He looked into her eyes. “I really need to talk to you.”

His voice was harsh, but she saw the pleading in his gaze. What was so important? Curiosity got the better of her. She sighed and looked at the maid of honor. “Sorry, Heidi. I’m still waiting for him to rock my world. I’ll send him over to you once that happens.”

Heidi rolled her eyes. “I’ll be back.” She stormed off into the crowd of women, who were encouraging the other strippers to take it all off.

“Really?” Cole said. “Like you couldn’t come up with something more flattering?”

She shrugged. “I didn’t want to set her expectations too high.”

Cole did a sinuous roll of his hips that made Angie squeeze her legs together. “Get some money out so you can hold me here longer,” he suggested.

Angie shook her head. “I told you that I don’t have any cash.”

“You always have money in case of emergencies.”

She was surprised that he would remember that. For some reason she assumed he’d forgotten all about her when he’d moved on. “This is not an emergency.”

“Angie,” he warned.