At First Glance Page 2
everything about her natural and very appealing.
Faye was taken aback for a moment. She was sure she
recognised the dancer. But she’d never been in a strip club
before, or met a dancer, so she batted the familiarity away.
The dancer crouched down in front of Faye, beckoning
her closer with a curl of her index finger. “Hi.”
“H-hi.” Faye stumbled over her words; her mouth dry.
She quickly lifted her bourbon and sipped.
“I…believe you’re all mine.”
Faye’s lips parted as she eyed Phoebe. “What’s going
on?”
“She’s all yours for the next thirty minutes.”
“Excuse me?” Faye almost spat out the drink she was
sipping. “Did you just… No! No way!”
“Go and have a little fun. It’s just a dance, Faye. God,
you’re so uptight lately.”
Uptight? Faye was a forty-year-old woman who had
better things to do than think about the next time she’d
have sex. Phoebe ought to remember that. “You’re telling
me you’ve set up a private dance for me from this woman?”
“Yep. And it cost me a small fortune, so…”
“So, get a refund!” Faye gritted her teeth as she leaned
in towards her best friend’s ear. It was one thing to be
sitting here at all, but to accept a private dance from one of
the women was another thing entirely. It was a line Faye
couldn’t cross. “Phoebe, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. This is my gift to you for your recent
bestseller. I’m so proud of you. Just enjoy yourself.”
“Again,” Faye paused as her dancer guided her out of
her seat, “dinner would have sufficed!”
With a deep intake of breath, Faye closed her eyes and
remembered that she wasn’t the only person in the world
to receive a private dance in a strip club. It hadn’t been on
her bucket list, it never would be, but something different
never hurt anyone. But this isn’t me.
Faye squared her shoulders, reached down for her
clutch bag, and followed the dancer away from the stage.
“I’ve been watching you since you walked into the club,”
Faye’s dancer glanced over her shoulder as she pulled back
a black curtain. “You’re new here.”
“Y-yeah.” She smiled. She had no idea what the hell she
was doing back here. Her dancer was gorgeous, those
smoky eyes alluring, but this wasn’t right. Was it? As much
as Faye hated this, her body told her otherwise. She
couldn’t recall the last time she’d felt so…aroused. You’re
disgusting! “Look, you don’t have to do this. I’ll pay you,
but the dance or whatever…you don’t have to do this.”
“What if I want to?” The dancer narrowed her eyes as
she pushed Faye down into a seat. Those eyes…Faye knew
them. “What if I want to dance for you?”
“I-I, uh…” Faye’s heart pounded when hot breath
washed over her ear. And then came the perfume. God, this
woman smelled amazing. Subtle, but a scent Faye wouldn’t
forget in a hurry. I won’t forget the woman wearing it
either. “W-what’s your name?”
“Don’t worry about my name right now.” Soft lips barely
brushed Faye’s ear, flaring up every last ounce of arousal
she had.
Faye’s eyes closed when the dancer ground down
against her lap. As beautiful as this woman was, Faye
couldn’t possibly enjoy something that required payment.
Not in this way. But her body continued to respond, telling
her otherwise.
“How about I just give you what you want?” The dancer
flicked her long blonde hair over her shoulder, her hips
rolling in Faye’s lap. “That’s why you’re here.”
“S-sure,” Faye said, swallowing as she fought back the
urge to reach out and touch her dancer. That wasn’t
allowed—and rightly so. Nobody had any right to lay a hand
on any of these women, and Faye was no different.
Her dancer turned; her arms draped over Faye’s
shoulders. Faye studied her, still convinced she knew her,
but she couldn’t place where from. She held back the need
to tell her dancer just how beautiful her eyes were, this
wasn’t the time or place to hit on a woman. They were here
for a job, not for a date. But God, she really is beautiful.
Faye focused on her cleavage. Her mother would hit the
roof if she knew what her daughter was doing tonight.
All she could do was watch on, and enjoy the show.
The dancer’s breasts pressed against Faye’s, and her
breath hitched from the mere thought of this delectable
woman against her. She shouldn’t feel this way. But Faye
had never been so captivated by another woman before. A
woman she knew nothing about, and a woman who was
only here to get paid.
That’s right. Find yourself attracted to the exotic
dancer!
CHAPTER TWO
TALIA BLEW OUT A NERVOUS BREATH AS SHE JAMMED A TEA TOWEL
into the cappuccino cup she’d been drying for the last ten
minutes. Monday morning at the bistro was busy, but the
constant orders coming in from customers hadn’t kept her
mind off the events from Friday night. A night that Talia
really wished she hadn’t been involved in.
She loved dancing at Vision. She loved dancing period.
She didn’t particularly care for the men who drooled over
her, or the women on some occasions, but she loved the
freedom to express herself—and the money she took home
at the end of the night. In reality, she didn’t need the job at
the bistro, but with only being required to work a Friday
and Saturday night, a normal 9 to 5 job appealed to her. If
she wasn’t on the go, Talia didn’t know what to do with
herself.
But then the woman from the coffee shop had walked in,
apparently booked a private dance, and now, any hopes of
Talia charming her in here had been smashed to pieces.
She knew she was fooling herself; she couldn’t hold down a
relationship because of her other work, but Talia couldn’t
give it up either.
Regardless of what people thought about the profession,
she loved it. Every second of it. At a time when she could
have ruined her life and fallen into a routine with the
wrong people, Paul, the owner of Vision and its sister club
in London, had come calling after seeing Talia’s audition
tape.
And now, she was considered one of the best dancers in
Europe.
But she knew what people thought of her. They may not
say it out loud—her family and old friends who didn’t call
anymore—but Talia knew exactly what they were saying.
She was a whore. She would give up her body for anyone if
the price was right. She was a disappointment in her
mother’s eyes. But none of it was true. Vision had a strict
no touching policy, and if anyone dared to cross the line,
expecting more, the client was blacklisted from the venue.
And in s
ome cases, the dancer was released from their
contract. Talia had witnessed it on several occasions, but
she had never crossed the line with a client. And she never
would. It would change how Talia saw herself.
It would also change her career. In her eyes, she was a
performer. It really was as simple as that. She didn’t pour
herself over clients because she wanted something more
from them, but they paid the top end of the pricelist for her
attention, and at the end of the night, Talia was the one
who left feeling good about herself. Because she’d worked
hard to have the life she had now. At 29, she had a
mortgage on a gorgeous apartment in the city, her own car,
and she didn’t rely on another soul for anything in life.
While her friends from school were up to their eyeballs in
debt, sleeping with the wrong people, or in prison, Talia
was quite literally living her best life.
And as she stood here this morning, taking coffee and
breakfast orders, she knew she wouldn’t change a single
second of it. If someone wanted to pay the best part of four
hundred pounds to spend thirty minutes with her in their
lap, who was she to complain? She must have been doing
something right.
She snapped out of her thoughts when she realised she
had a queue forming at the cash register. It was Monday
morning, the beginning of a new week, and she’d already
paid her bills for the month. This was just something to
keep her occupied, but she wouldn’t offer a shitty service
because of it.
When she approached the counter, her eyes widened.
The next customer to be served was the woman from the
club on Friday. Talia had never felt embarrassed about
what she did, but this morning, the potential was there.
The customer would see her and probably out her to
everyone around.
God, she is so beautiful too. And respectful. The first
reminder that sprung to mind from that night was how
respectful her client had been. Talia knew she didn’t want
to be there, her friend had dragged her along, but she had
offered to pay Talia without the dance. That was definitely
the sign of a woman who didn’t agree with dancing in
gentleman’s clubs. Yet, she still walked through that door.
“Hi. What can I get you?” Talia bit the bullet and
stepped behind the register. The pretty cappuccino woman
was going to bump into her at some point. Why not get it
over and done with now?
“Oh, hi.” She smiled, her eyes fixed firmly on Talia’s.
There was a slight crease to her brow. Did this woman not
recognise Talia? Surely not. Okay, she had blonde hair
when she was dancing, not her natural jet black, and her
makeup was kinda heavy, but she didn’t think she’d be so
unrecognisable. “Uh, cappuccino please. And I’ll take a
cream cheese bagel, too.”
“What’s your name?”
“Excuse me?” The customer’s brow furrowed deeper.
And then Talia realised exactly what she’d said. She’d
asked the very same thing her client had asked on Friday
night.
“F-for your order. I need a name.”
“Oh, right.” She shook her head and laughed. “Faye.”
“I’ll bring it over to you when it’s ready. Take a seat.”
Faye left the counter and took a seat in the window.
Talia assumed it to be her preferred spot since she’d been
sat there on Friday morning too. But it was a good spot.
You could see the people going about their business from
that table, and there was a great view of the city.
A few minutes later when Faye’s order was ready, Talia
cleared her throat and approached the table. Faye had to
realise who she was sooner or later, but Talia didn’t have
the heart to tell her. Faye seemed quiet, perhaps timid. She
looked as though she preferred her own company, always
lost in thought as she sat behind her laptop. Hidden away—
that’s how Talia felt about Faye. As though she wanted to
be hidden away.
I don’t know why. She’s absolutely gorgeous.
She had the cutest dimples Talia had ever seen on
another woman and stunning blue eyes. When she smiled,
her entire face lit up and made Talia’s heart jump ever so
slightly. But Faye wouldn’t be interested in someone like
her. Talia knew it without a shadow of a doubt.
Faye’s blonde hair whipped around her face as Talia
cleared her throat. “Your order.”
“Oh, thank you.” Faye’s full smile melted Talia. This
woman really had no idea who she was.
And maybe that was for the best. She didn’t expect to
see Faye at the club again; she’d noted the disinterest in
her eyes as she took her hand and guided her to a private
room. She’d heard the tremble in her voice as Talia
straddled her lap. The uncertainty was palpable in that
room on Friday.
Talia noted the paperback sitting on the table, just as it
had on Friday morning. “Did you read it?”
“Oh, I’ve read it many times,” Faye said, glancing up at
Talia as she stirred her cappuccino.
And then Talia put two and two together. Faye Holmes.
“Wait! Are you…her?” She nodded towards the book.
“This is your work, isn’t it?”
“That is me, yes.”
“Wow.” Oh, God. I gave a bestselling author a lap dance.
Talia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It was
amazing.”
“Thank you.” Faye lowered her eyes, her cheeks red.
“I have to say, I didn’t expect the woman who wrote that
kinda stuff to look like you.”
Faye lowered her eyes. “I’m not sure what that’s
supposed to mean.”
“It’s…raunchy.” And it really was. Talia didn’t often
blush, and she had no qualms with discussing sex, but that
book had really done a number on her. She would also
admit to some one-handed reading throughout the turning
of those delicious pages.
Faye barked a laugh. “It’s also fiction.”
Oh, now now, little miss butter wouldn’t melt, Talia
thought, fighting back a grin. “Fair enough. Well, it was a
great read, anyway. Looking forward to more.”
“You’ll be lucky,” Faye said, relaxing back in her seat. “If
I don’t get some work done soon, there won’t be anymore.”
Talia held up a hand, backing away. You’ve told her how
you felt about it, now get out of her way. “Apologies, I’ll let
you be.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean—” Faye exhaled a breath. “Sorry.
I wasn’t implying that you were interrupting me.”
“It’s okay. I should probably get back to work anyway.”
Talia threw a thumb over her shoulder.
“Hey, Talia?” There was an edge to Faye’s voice this
time. Perhaps a hesitation.
Great. She’s realised who I am. She swallowed and then
perked herself up. “Y-yeah?”
“Do you have a break coming up at all?”
S
he turned her watch towards herself. “In an hour.”
“Did you want to join me for coffee? If you don’t already
have lunch plans…”
Talia’s heart settled. Faye wasn’t about to reveal her
dancing career. This woman was genuine and had
absolutely no idea. Talia didn’t know if that was a blessing
or a curse. “I’d love to.”
“Okay then. I’ll see you in an hour.”
OKAY, just be yourself.
Talia took two coffees from the counter and made a
beeline for Faye. She’d been working away at her keyboard
since Talia had brought her order to her an hour ago, so
her concern now was disturbing the incredibly beautiful
writer. Maybe she should let her be. She was sure Faye
didn’t particularly want her company. She was probably
just being nice when she offered earlier.
The more time you spend with her, the more likely she is
to recognise you. Not only that, but the more time Talia
spent with Faye…the more likely she was to get too
attached.
She’d been here before. She wouldn’t put herself
through the pain ever again.
For the last hour, Talia had mulled over it all in her head.
She wasn’t ashamed of who she was or what she did, but
she’d decided she didn’t want Faye to know about her real
life. It was easier if things could remain separate at the
bistro. If the management found out about Talia’s dancing,
they may not want her on their books. Sure, there was
probably a lawsuit that could come with that, but she didn’t
want to fight with people to make them understand that
what she did on her weekends was perfectly acceptable.
But there would always be that stigma. Talia knew that
coming into the business she was in.
“Are you joining me or are you thinking about running
away?”
Talia shook her thoughts away, clearing her throat as
Faye’s soft voice reached her ears. “Sorry. I didn’t know if
you were on a bit of a roll.”
“I’m ready for a break,” Faye said, smiling as she pulled
out the chair beside her. “Sit. You’ve been rushed off your
feet all morning.”
Okay, that was kinda sweet. Faye clearly paid attention
to other people and her surroundings. “I brought you more
coffee.”
“Perfect. Maybe I could just move in here and have you
ply me with coffee.”
“If it means you give us more amazing novels, I