RAZZLE DAZZLE RIO

“Never got a tour,” he grins, still staring at her. “I like what you’ve done with the place.”

He hasn’t looked away once.

Something strange bubbles in her chest at his words, she hates herself for it, but she briefly wonders if he means it.

He looks away then, steps around her with a soft chuckle.

“Told you, darlin’, you’re making dreams come true here.”

She inhales sharply at his proximity, at the low drawl of his words and the hand curled around her upper arm that lingers a little too long even after he’s turned her towards the stage.

He’s looking at the bachelor party of young men seated at the stage all but howling at the dancer twirling above them.

Alexa - also known as Lexi Pro, slides off the pole with the grace and control reminiscent of a champion gymnast. She tosses her black curls over her shoulder with a lazy roll of her eyes and turns her back on the bachelor party without a second look.

“Ouch,” Rio says in a low breath, tone just on the edge of being impressed.

A waitress squeezes by them with a tray of neon shots, and an apologetic smile at Beth, forcing her another inch closer to Rio.

“You uh - do private dances?”

Beth doesn’t look at him, refusing to give him the satisfaction of seeing her squirm. She keeps her eyes on the stage when she answers, even when she sees him grin out of the corner of her eye.

“The champagne room is down the hall,” she cocks her head to the left, towards the dark hallway that leads to the private rooms in the back of the club. “I’m sure Lexi would - ”