Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124077 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 620(@200wpm)___ 496(@250wpm)___ 414(@300wpm)
Taurex frowned.
“I don’t expect you to have sex with me. I just want to spend more time with you.”
Her smile, which had slipped a little, instantly brightened.
“Well then—that’s good. I’m happy to spend more time with you, too, big fella. I just wanted to get that out of the way. You’ll get to see more of me in the booth—a lot more if you’re good and keep your hands to yourself—but I just wanted you to know about the rules of the club and what we can and can’t do.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
“Good, then come with me.” And she led him into one of the curtained booths.
Taurex ducked his head to follow, being careful not to let his horns get tangled in the pink, spangly curtain that separated the booth from the main part of the lounge. Inside, there was a single large, armless chair which looked sturdy enough to support his weight. There was also an array of what looked like sex toys—all wrapped in plastic with price stickers on them.
“Have a seat, big guy.” The woman—her had manager introduced her as “Bunny” but he had gleaned from their brief skin-to-skin contact that her really name was Terra—made a gesture to the chair.
Taurex settled into it warily, but it held. Good, it was as sturdy as it looked. Even sitting while she was standing, he was at eye-level with Terra. He looked at her expectantly.
“Now what?”
“Now I’m going to dance for you and give you your own private show,” she promised in a low, purring voice. “Just stay right where you are and let me entertain you.”
5
TERRA
The thick, spangly curtain fell closed behind them, muting the thump of the bass to a dull, distant heartbeat. Suddenly, the world shrank to the size of the velvet-draped booth, the single wide chair, and him…Taurex.
The name fit, Terra thought. It had a heavy, solid sound, like a stone door closing. He filled the space, not just with his impossible size—the horns, the broad shoulders that seemed to absorb the dim red light—but with a quiet, watchful intensity that made the air feel thicker, harder to breathe.
And then she smelled it.
Away from the main floor’s cocktail of stale beer, cloying perfume, and sweat, a new scent reached her nose. It was clean, male musk, like sun-warmed skin after hard work. Underneath that was something darker, richer—like well-oiled leather and the smoky scent of night air.
The scent was nothing like the cheap cologne or the sour desperation she usually smelled in here. It was… good. It pulled at something low in her belly, a primal tug she hadn’t felt in years, if ever.
It was Taurex, she realized–he was the source of the scent. Was he wearing some kind of cologne? But it didn’t smell like any cologne she’d ever smelled, and she’d smelled plenty–the guys that considered themselves “high rollers” were often drenched in expensive scents. But somehow Taurex smelled better than any of them. In fact, he smelled amazing.
She blinked, trying to clear her head. The strange, electric tingle from when she’d taken his hand was gone, but a phantom echo of it hummed in her nerves, a static charge waiting for a spark. The hot, raw images it had shoved into her mind—his mouth on her, his big hands spreading her thighs—were tucked away, but not forgotten. They were a secret she carried, a blush warming her skin beneath the glitter.
“Make yourself comfortable, sugar,” she said, her voice coming out softer than her usual stage purr. She gestured to the chair.
He sat, the furniture groaning in protest of his muscular bulk, but holding. Even seated, his eyes were nearly level with hers. They were a luminous gold, like old coins, and they watched her with an intelligence that was unnerving. There was no leer in them, no glaze of drunken lust. He was just… present and giving her his undivided attention. His golden gaze made her feel more naked than taking her clothes off ever had.
For a moment, she got lost in his eyes…and then she realized she was just standing there when she ought to be dancing…putting on a show for him.
The music from the lounge speakers was a slow, pulsing synth track. Terra began to move, falling into the familiar rhythm of her private dance routine. She swayed her hips, ran her hands over her own curves, let her head fall back.
But tonight, her routine felt different. Usually, her mind was a million miles away—mentally calculating bills, planning grocery lists, wondering if Cody had finished his homework. Now, her mind was right here, trapped in the cage of his gaze and the essence of his scent.
She reached behind her back, found the tie of her halter top, and pulled. The silky material loosened. With a practiced shrug, she let it slither down her arms and drop to the floor. The cool air of the booth kissed her bare skin, making her nipples pull into tight, aching points. Terra didn’t cross her arms or try to hide herself–she let the huge Monstrum look.