Shade (Shade #1)

“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.