Set Loose Read Online Free PDF Page B

another drink, and Patty’s already cut him off. Richie’s busy in the VIP room, so…”
    She looked at them both apologetically.
    “No problem, I’m on it,” he said, not sure whether he was relieved or aggravated. He turned back to Emily. “I guess I’ll be seeing you.”
    “Yes. Sure. I’ll see you around,” she said, smiling uncertainly before heading for the door.
    He was definitely in trouble.
     

Chapter Three
    Cutter was heading to the club that Friday morning to work on the expansion of Steve’s office when he caught sight of Emily standing on the curb a block away, trying to hail a cab. She raised her hand and waved it around, standing on tiptoe as if the added height would help.
    That creamy skin of hers was going to burn if she stood out there much longer. Without planning it he pulled to a stop in front of her and opened the passenger side window.
    She’d fallen back a few steps and was frowning and shading her eyes as she looked warily at his truck. Then a smile of recognition spread across her face, lighting her up. Cutter’s heart, which had picked up its pace as soon as he saw her, began to pound. He smiled in return, feeling dopey and pleased with how happy she looked to see him.
    Which only served to remind him that he shouldn’t be going anywhere near her. He’d managed to keep his distance Tuesday and Wednesday and he damn well better keep it now, metaphorically if not literally. He didn’t date the dancers. It was a bad idea, not least because he wasn’t sure he could handle watching his girl stripping and getting pawed night after night. Watching Emily strip was damn near torture, and he barely even knew her. Maybe that made him some kind of Neanderthal, but it was what it was.
    Of course, he didn’t have to watch her up there. If he had more control, he’d do his job and keep his eyes on the customers and away from her.
    “Need a ride somewhere?” he asked, his annoyance with himself making the question come out more tersely than he’d intended.
    Emily approached the truck and peered in the window.
    “I need to go get my car from the shop. I don’t want to put you out, though.”
    “You’re not. Hop in before you go up in flames, girl.”
    Emily obeyed, smiling tentatively as she opened the door and climbed onto the high seat. He raised her window and turned the air up to offset the brutal heat. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a setting high enough to combat the heat he felt just sitting next to her.
    He pulled out into traffic and headed toward the address she gave him, trying to ignore how her pale green sundress had hiked up, revealing a few inches of those killer thighs before she pulled it back down. Seeing her covered up was as erotic as seeing her naked. Regardless, he wasn’t going to let on how she affected him. He knew how to play it cool. He wasn’t a kid, after all.
    He shifted into fifth gear as they hit the highway and glanced over at her. “Still planning on coming back for more next week?” he asked. It was the best he could do, seeing as how he sucked at small talk.
    “Definitely. The money’s too good to stop now. Besides, I mostly like it. I’ve been miserable ever since I had to stop dancing. Do you think I’m doing okay though?”
    “Well sure, you’re doing great. You know, from what I’ve seen,” he added, hoping she hadn’t noticed that he’d seen everything.
    “I’m used to being critiqued, so it won’t bother me if you have pointers. You know, like maybe something I’m doing isn’t sexy, that kind of thing. I’m especially concerned about my pole work.”
    He glanced over at her and couldn’t help smiling at the way she was frowning with such seriousness.
    “If you got any better at it, you’d probably give everyone in the place a heart attack. Just keep doing what you’re doing.”
    He could feel her looking at him but decided now was a good time to keep his eyes on the road and his thoughts hidden. He’d said quite enough