Cole’s eyes rake me from head to toe as I undulate my core to the erotic beats of Beautiful Liar by Beyoncé and Shakira. The choreography to this song focuses on synchronized hand rotations, head tosses, and dramatic hip kicks to punctuate the hard beats.
With his unadulterated attention on me, I rev it into high gear, writhing my curves with enthusiasm while holding his gaze with a flirtatious smile.
He sucks in a breath that lifts his chest and parts his lips.
I toss him a wink and spin away. Then I perch my rear in the air, flatten my palms against an imaginary wall, and watch him over my shoulder as my lower half twists and shakes to the sensual music.
His hand flies to the back of his head. I’m not good at reading lips, but I think he curses a prayer to Jesus. Then he twists in the chair, likely scanning the audience in a surge of possessive jealousy.
The restaurant patrons are enraptured. This is an adult-only venue, and the people who dine here aren’t prudes. Most are frequent guests who come just to watch the show.
There are as many women in the audience as men, and this seems to appease Cole as he swivels back to me, his shoulders more relaxed.
I’m halfway through the next song, when Trace’s tall silhouette appears in the entrance. I tense through a pelvic shimmy as he strides directly toward Cole.
Black suit and tie, crisp white shirt, and all glowering business, he stops beside Cole and folds his hands behind him.
Cole reclines back and casts Trace a devil-may-care expression, but there’s mischief in those dimples. Surely, he didn’t come here to pick a fight?
I try to focus on the dance routine, but I’m glued to the interaction before me.
Trace towers over Cole, staring him down for a tense moment before taking a seat beside him. They launch into a stiff conversation, which quickly elevates to fists curling on the table, heated whispers, and red faces.
For fuck’s sake. This song can’t be over soon enough. The moment it ends, I do the customary bow and hop off the stage to the sound of applause.
The next song in my set list streams through the speakers as I stroll over to the table and lower into the chair across from them.
They stopped arguing when they saw me approach, and now they’re staring at me as if bracing for a fight.
Rather than give them one, I prop my chin on my fist and smile at Cole. “I like your haircut.”
The displeasure radiating from Trace heats my face, but I keep my focus on Cole.
“Thanks, baby.” Cole grins back.
“Do you like Moroccan food?” I ask.
“Yes.”
I catch a passing server and ask for a menu. Then I turn to Trace. “Are you finished working for the night?”
He gives a starched nod, his neck looking strangled in that tightly buttoned shirt.
“Why don’t you loosen the tie?” I gesture at my own throat. “Relax a little?”
“Take the rest of the night off.” He bends closer, with the small table separating us. “Spend the evening with me.”
“I’m going to finish out my shift.” I tilt my head, eying Cole. “Did you come here for the food, the show, or to ruffle Trace’s feathers?”
Trace leans back, scowling at Cole, though it looks more like a pout.
“The food and the show.” Cole smirks. “Trace can ruffle his own feathers.”
“You’re not welcome here,” Trace says curtly.
“Is this your first time at the casino?” I study Cole’s sobering expression. When he shakes his head, I ask, “Did you come here after you met me? To visit Trace?”
“Yes.” He frowns.
He used to go to the casino while living with me, to hang out with a best friend I didn’t know about. It’s a bitter sore spot for me, a deception I struggle to forgive, even though I understand why he kept their friendship a secret.
Had I met Trace through Cole, if I’d been introduced to him as the friend of my fiancé, would I have still fallen in love with him after Cole died? Or would I have kept him in the friend zone? It’s hard to say and doesn’t really matter at this point, but I wonder how different things could’ve turned out.
“I know you haven’t been to this restaurant.” I accept the menu as the server approaches and hand it to Cole. “It’s only been open for six months.”
“I thought I’d check it out, see where you worked.” Cole glances around. “It’s a nice place.”
A sneaker slides against my barefoot beneath the table and hooks beneath my calf. I narrow my eyes at Cole but don’t move my feet.
“The entertainment here is exquisite.” He opens the menu and stretches his other leg toward me, capturing my ankles in the cradle of his. “I’m jealous of that light you dance on.”