“Well, kissing isn’t a discussion.”
“It’s mine.” He glanced over his shoulder at me. “And now you’re going home.”
“Fine, but I’m going home with a job.”
“Jesus, you’re stubborn. No fuckin’ way. Get it through your head. I don’t want you dancing here, and since it’s partially my place, I don’t need a reason, although I just gave you one. You need money. I’ll help, but working here or any other club is off limits.”
“The media said you were nice.” My lips still tingled and my body still swam in heated desire.
“I was never nice, Savvy.”
He nodded to Luke, who stepped into the room, but he made no move toward me. “A word, boss.”
“You can say what you need to in front of her, Luke.”
His brows lifted as if surprised. “She wants to work here?”
“Yes,” both Killian and me said at the same time.
“Better here than in his clubs. And Brett runs a tight ship.”
Killian’s jaw clenched and his hands curled into fists.
“His?” I asked.
Silence. Who were they talking about? Maybe Trevor knew who owned the other nightclubs.
I waited, heart still pounding, the scent of Killian still in the air around me, the taste of him still on my lips.
“Give us a minute?” Killian finally said to Luke.
Luke nodded and left, quietly shutting the door behind him.
“Who were you referring to?” I asked.
“Seamus Kane.” Oh, shit. His father. “He owns the competition. Two nightclubs.”
Right. I recalled hearing in school Kite’s dad owned nightclubs. “Does he know you part-own Compass?”
“No. But if he looks hard enough, he will find out. Not that I give a shit.” He walked over to the desk and leaned his butt against it while crossing his arms. “Sit, Savvy.”
Since my knees were about to give out from the mixture of dancing for the last five hours and his kiss, I sat on one of the chairs in front of him. It was obvious Killian and his dad were not on good terms, which wasn’t surprising.
“What happened?” he asked.
“Meaning?”
“Something happened. I may not have seen you in years, Savvy, but you’re the same core person. I see it in your eyes, and I felt it in your kiss. You’ve been involved in two incidents within a week, one being illegal. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s not you. Something’s happened.”
He read me right. That wasn’t me, but life had a way of throwing hardballs, and I was still learning how to swing the bat. “Why do you want to know? Will it make a difference on whether I get the job or not?”
“Maybe.”
I swallowed. “Okay. I was involved with my dance instructor who later became my boss when he hired me, and I taught dance at his studio. Fast forward two years and he cheated on me with one of his students. I moved out of his place and quit my job.”
He frowned, jaw ticking. “So, why a nightclub? Why not work at another dance studio? His can’t be the only one.”
“He didn’t like that I quit and moved out.” He snorted. “So, he spread word in the industry how difficult I was to work with.” Among other things. “No one would hire me.”
“And he thought you’d have no choice but to come back to him?” I nodded. “Fuck,” Killian muttered under his breath. “How long has it been?”
“Six months.”
He nodded, head bowed, eyes on the floor as if he were contemplating something. I was about to get up when he looked at me.
“I have a proposition for you.”
“Does it involve getting the job?”
“Yes. But with one condition.”
I nervously laughed. “What? Personal lap dances?”
A mild smirk emerged. “Would you like that, Savvy?”
“Of course not.” But the image barreled into me of sitting on Killian’s lap, his mouth on my nipples while I rode him. “So, what’s the condition?”
“You’ll date me for a month.”
Whoa. Of all things for him to say, that was the furthest from my mind. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“No. I’d pay you, of course. Just name your price.”
I stood. “That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard. You’re a rock star and can date any girl you want. Why would you pay me to date you? God, that’s crazy. I’d be your what… call girl?”
He shook his head. “The dating would be for appearances only, Savvy. And the reasoning is simple. I can’t stop you from dancing in another nightclub, so I give you the job here, but everyone knows you’re dating me and off limits. You won’t take my money to help you out, so this way you can work for it.”
“By dating you?”
“I didn’t say it would be easy.”
I found that hard to believe. “What about the club rule?” And the fact that he just kissed me and I had a hard time resisting him. “And the fact that you don’t date.”
He frowned. “Club rule?”
“No fraternizing with the other staff.”
He grinned. “Do I look like staff?”
No. He looked like a sexy, hot, pierced rock star who I’d had a crush on since I was fifteen. And he wanted me to date him, but not really date him. This was insane. “And what about the Kite who doesn’t date?”
He shrugged. “My publicist will be happy I’m dating as it will be good for my reputation. The added bonus is you know me. You know my past. Not many do. It makes things easier.”
I can’t believe I was even having this discussion and actually contemplating it. “I’m not fake dating you.”
“Orchid.”
God, he purposely used my nickname, and like the flower, I bloomed a little inside every time he called me that. “I dated my boss already and look what happened.”
“We’re not really dating. There’s a difference. And I’m a silent partner at the club.”
“No. Thanks, but I’ll find something else.” I stood and headed for the door.