Page 10 of Santa's Mistletoe Playbook

Danica did her best to follow the conversation. “What’s the Devil’s Club?”

All heads swiveled toward her as Monty explained, “It’s a dance club.”

“Do they have wonderful music like this?”

Jamin’s and Benny’s heads bobbed up and down emphatically. “Fantastic music.”

Danica stood, her lightheadedness making her woozy. “Then let’s go! What do you say, ladies?” She glanced at the two women, who clearly wanted to go wherever the men wanted to go. All three of them were chick magnets.

They all piled into Monty’s crew cab pickup. Danica sat next to the frosty window in the back seat. When Monty pulled out of the parking lot, the city’s holiday lights sped past, and dizziness kicked in. She squeezed her eyes closed to force the world to stabilize.

She tapped Monty’s shoulder. “Did Bryson say he’ll join us when he’s done working?”

Monty hesitated. “Yeah, he mentioned that earlier, but it sounded like he’d be working late.”

“Right.” Danica sat back, disappointed. She missed her honey-bunny and wanted to be with him. It’s why she camewith him to Alaska. Her self-control had gone on vacation, and she had a sudden urge to make love with Bryson—for sure she’d seduce him into making love with her tonight.

I won’t take no for an answer!

The truck lurched to a stop in front of a large two-story wood building with lights blinking all around it and a grinning devil’s face lit up in red. Everyone piled out and walked inside to a cacophony of whistles and yells.

Danica wobbled, and Monty took her elbow, guiding her to a large, round table. She squinted at a large stage with poles all around it. “Oh my God, are those naked women dancing up there?”

Monty laughed. “Indeed, they are!” The rest of the table laughed right along with him. So, they’d tricked her into coming here, but apparently, the other two women didn’t mind, as Jamin was making out with the redhead, and Benny had his hand under the blonde’s crop top.

Danica leaned over to Monty and grabbed his forearm. “I’m not into this stuff. Can we go back to Jimmy’s?” The music here wasn’t as good, either.

He patted her hand. “Sure. We’ll throw back a few, then head back over to Jimmy’s.”

“Promise?” she persisted, regretting that she’d agreed to come here. She thought by dance club, they’d meant one where everyone danced, like at Jimmy’s, not a strip club.

“I ordered you a glacierita. You can’t visit Alaska and not try one.”

Drinks appeared on the table, and Danica lifted the blue one and sipped through the straw.So yummy!

The last thing she remembered was a topless woman with huge boobs that was giving her a lap dance, and Danica asking her to please teach her how to do one so her boyfriend would make love to her.

CHAPTER SIX

BRYSON

Bryson clicked the remote start on the key fob to start the pickup. He had paperwork to finish before he left the hospital. He scrubbed to wash off the day’s work of delivering babies, then ducked into an office to dictate the last three patients’ information into the computer.

When he finished, he took out his phone and noted a text from Danica.

Cum see us at Devils Club!! I love U, yore soooooo hot! xoxoxo

Oh no.

His neck hair rose. What the heck was Danica doing at Anchorage’s most popular strip club?Damn that Monty!

It slammed into him like a Mack truck. Danica must be drinking. He’d told Monty she shouldn’t drink but hadn’t shared the reason: she had a biological intolerance for alcohol and went crazy when she drank. One glass of champagne at that frat party and she’d made out with him like their plane was going down. Two glasses and she’d torn off his shirt. Three, and she was in her underwear dancing on a table, singing into a champagne bottle.

His frat brothers thought he’d booked a stripper for the party, but Bryson said no, he’d just met her. But there’d been about the blonde beauty’s personality that had him calling her the next day. And the day after that.

His stomach fell to his shoes.I can’t go to a strip joint in my scrubs.

Or maybe he should—he’d love the shock value. He chickened out and changed, then raced out to the truck. He hoped Danica wasn’t completely out of her head like the last couple of times back in college. Her sensitivity to alcohol was a medical problem and something that continually worried him. Her body simply couldn’t tolerate it.

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