He was thinking about taking them up on it.
But not until he got his woman back.
15
Kat held the tray of watered down cocktails high in the air as she stalked through the Jewel Box. It was a ridiculously fancy name for what was in essence, a strip club. A high-end strip club but still, just another sleazy operation at it's core.
During the day she worked at a insurance office as the receptionist. The pay was crap but they gave her health insurance on the first day. She'd been able to cancel Bruce's fancy pity plan. She knew now that he'd just felt sorry for her. He'd wanted to screw her, yes, but it had been nothing more than that.
She was the idiot who'd fallen in love with him.
It was better to make a clean break. She'd already sent the unworn clothes back to the fancy department store and taken the car back to the dealership. The insurance had taken her the better part of a week to sort out but now that Tommy was home and healthy, it had been time to snip that final cord.
Now there was nothing to tie them together.
Nothing except the giant hole in her heart.
She bent over to put her tray down at one of the VIP couches by the stage. As she did, a hand closed over her ass, making her jump in the air. This was a regular occurrence unfortunately, one of the worst things about working there. Thankfully the huge bouncer Willis was by her side in a second.
"He messing with you Kat?"
"Just a quick grab."
Willis leaned ominously over the scared looking business man.
"You apologize to the lady now."
"I'm- I'm sorry."
Willis raised his eyebrows and waited until the man opened his wallet and threw a couple of hundreds on the table.
"That's better. Keep your hands off her. And leave a good tip."
"I just did."
"No, that was an apology. A tip comes at the end."
The man nodded eagerly, hoping to avoid getting kicked out of the club, or even worse, a beatdown. Willis smiled and patted the guys sweaty bald head. Then he scooped up the hundreds and handed them to Kat. She tucked them into her apron front. It was a humiliating way to make two hundred bucks but she wasn't going to turn it down either.
"Thanks Willis."
The big man just grunted. He liked her she knew. He was a good guy actually. He'd shown her pics of his kids once.
"You let me know if he bothers you again."
"I will."
Kat doled out the drinks without further incident and headed back to the bar.
The bartender pointed across the room.
"You got a new table. He specifically asked for your section."
She turned and frowned. She was too new to have regulars. And it wasn't like she was one of the dancers either. But sure enough there was someone sitting in the shadows, as far away from the stage as you could get. The dead zone they called it. She was new so they'd given her that section. She got one table up front per shift though, thanks to Willis.
Kat put a bowl of snacks on her tray and walked over to the corner table. As she got closer, she could see it was a well dressed man, built and good looking. He was wearing sunglasses and a baseball cap.
She stopped in the middle of the floor.
It was him.
Bruce Harrison was at the Jewel Box.
Oh god, she didn't want him to see her in here. To see what she'd been reduced to doing. Her costume left little to the imagination with a super short, cheap looking miniskirt and a tight cropped top with a low V. Her cheeks burned in embarrassment and indignation.
After a minute, she forced her legs to move.
Might as well get this over with so she could back to her oh so fabulous life.
*********
Bruce stared at her from behind his sunglasses. She'd recognized him, he knew. She looked angry. She looked uncomfortable. She looked like a god damn boner factory!
She plunked the snacks down on his table and whipped out her little pad and pen.
"That outfit should be illegal."
He looked her up and down. It might piss her off but he didn't care. She was the one who was denying him, while letting every jerk in this place have a good look at her charms.
A really good look.
Half the guys in the place were ignoring the naked girls on stage and watching her as she stalked around the place on those impossibly long legs.
"What do you want Mr. Harrison?"
He smiled slowly, debating about how to answer that. He could think of a few specific requests that would make her whole body blush.
"You know what I want."
She shook her head in exasperation.
"No, I really don't."
His smiled widened.
"I want you."
"You already did. That’s going to have to be enough."
"Well, it’s not. I don’t just want you for one night. I want forever Kat."
Her jaw dropped a little bit.
"Kat. Listen to me. Did you really think I would be that desperate for you if I'd been screwing groupies every night? I'm not 15 you know."
She pressed her mouth into a thin line.
"It doesn't matter. That's your life. This is mine."
"Yeah, it looks like you are doing fantastic Kat."
"There's nothing wrong with being a waitress! Besides I have a day job too."
"I know. You look exhausted by the way."
Her mother had kept him informed of what was going on. But only after he'd bribed her with a case of expensive chocolates. And the promise of a big old fashioned wedding. And a new house in Malibu so she could be near Kat and Tommy once they'd moved in with him.
Her eyes filled up with tears.
"Just - just leave me alone! I don't need this- I don't need you!"
She turned and ran out of the club with Bruce close on her heels. He grabbed her arm and yanked her around to face him. She was crying. Not in that manipulative way that some women had. No, his angel was weeping tears of pure heartbreak. He'd hurt her, without even trying.
But he couldn't stop now.
"When are you going to stop running Kat?"
She frowned at him and looked away. He pushed her backwards gently until she was against the wall. Then he leaned over her, boxing her in with his body.
"Let me take care of you Kitty Kat. I want to be with you. Don't you want to be with me?"
Her eyes were blinking up at him in surprise. She still didn't believe him. But she would.
He was reaching into his pocket for the ring when a dark cloud passed over head. No, not a cloud. The bouncer from inside the club was looming over them.
"This guy bothering you Kat?"
"No, he's- he's an old friend. Just give us a minute okay?"
Willis nodded slowly but he didn't go far. Just leaned against the wall and stared at them.
"Jesus, the guy's a tank."
"Yeah, well you can see I'm not in any danger here."
"I am."
"What?"
"I'm in danger. I’m in love with you Kitty Kat. Don't you know that?"
Her eyes got really wide. He smiled at her. And she broke into tears. Big heaving sobs.
"It's only you sweetheart. I promise. It's only ever been you. From the first minute I saw you."
She was really wailing now. He almost laughed. He knew he'd won. He could feel it.
"I didn't really want to do this here, but…"
Slowly Bruce lowered himself to his knee.
"Katrina Henley, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?"
Her crying got even louder if that was possible.
"Is that a yes then?"
She nodded tearfully and he stood up, slipping the ring onto her finger. He kissed her tenderly.
"We can just tell people we got engaged at a restaurant."
She laughed finally and he took her hand, kissing the back of it.
He picked her up and carried her to his car. As he passed the front entrance, he smiled at the bouncer triumphantly. The enormous man was smiling slightly.
"Bruce Harrison!"
He stopped and looked at the giant.
"Yes?"
"You take good care of that girl now, you hear?"
He grinned.
"Oh don't worry, I will."
Epilogue
Kat rolled over onto her stomach under the warm Bora Bora sun. They were on a private beach in front of the spectacular beach Bruce had rented for a full month.
For their honeymoon.
She smiled and turned her head, seeing Bruce sitting under a palm tree with his guitar. He'd been writing since they got here. Not all the time of course… there was plenty of times he was, um, otherwise occupied.
He was writing songs for her debut album, including a duet. He was also writing songs for his own new album- also with a duet.
He was determined to put her on the map in a big way. She even wrote a few of the new songs with him. They were surprisingly good. It was her first time writing her own music but he said she had a knack for it. A natural.
That was just before he'd made love to her in the hammock.
And right after he'd asked her to consider stop taking birth control. Whenever she was ready of course. But the thought of having his baby filled her with a quiet happiness that nearly eclipsed all the other things he'd said and done to bring her joy.
Nearly, but not quite.
Bruce looked up and saw her watching him. He smiled and jerked his head toward the water. She nodded and stood up, stretching her body languorously.
Bruce watched her hungrily then peeled off his suit and ran into the water. She grinned as his pert bottom disappeared into the waves. In a moment she too was naked and floating on her back. Something tickled her bottom then and she squealed.
He popped up beside her, nibbling on her earlobe.
"Have we done it in the ocean yet?"
"Only twice. Don't you remember?"