Page 10 of The Promises We Break

“Earth to Ember!” Dana screams my way from her inverted position on the pole. Her hair grazes the ground as she floats upside down, her body slowly slipping down the pole, even with her white knuckle grip and leg haphazardly wrapped around it.

“Oh my god, you’re going to break your neck!” I launchmyself at her in an attempt to catch her, even though she’s not actually falling.

“You are the oldest twenty-three-year-old I know. You seriously need to relax. You’re giving yourself permanent wrinkles on your forehead. Get whatever is stuck in your head out of it, because when we step into Temptation, all you bitches better leave all your inhibitions here.” She places her four-inch heel to the ground, pulling herself upright.

“Doesn’t Temptation only have female strippers, not male strippers?” Sara asks.

Suzy’s eyes widen as she snaps her neck over at Dana.

“No, no. It has multiple levels. The bottom level is a sex store, bar, and I hear you can rent rooms. Rumor has it there is a chapel there, too, which is weird, but whatever. The second level is where the female strippers perform, and the top level, the male strippers. We’re top level, baby.”

Dana was the first to get married. She got engaged the day after graduation to her high school sweetheart, Scott, and officially married before the end of our first summer out of high school. Their love story is the epitome of a small town romance. She was the prom queen, he was the quarterback of the football team, and that’s all I need to say about that.

Being that she’s been married for the longest, with the most kids, three already in total, her wild side comes out anytime the girls get together.

“We’re pulling in,” The driver yells from the front of the bus as he flips a switch on the top display above his head. The lights dim softly, changing from one color to another, flowing from the back to the front, then music so loud the windows shake. Ginuwine’s Pony starts playing and the girls start hollering.

I guess now is the time to shed those inhibitions.

Joining them, I roll my hips, moving with the music as we glide down the steps into the warm breeze of the desert air.Even though it’s early in January, there is still a warmth to the wind. So different compared to the chill of the air in Missouri.

The host, an incredibly sexy firefighter, but clearlynota firefighter, greets us at the front and calls Dana by name. Listing off each of our names, and even without any type of megaphone, the man’s voice booms through the small entrance area of the building.

“Ladies, you are our VIP’s tonight, front row with top shelf bottle service. Vodka will be served with champagne, along with the mixers of your choice. Each of you get one lap dance with admission, any other lap dances are fifty dollars. It’ll be the best money you’ll ever spend on yourselves.” He winks, handing us back our IDs, then punches the elevator button.

Dana squeals in excitement, doing a small clap jump at Suzy, who’s biting her lip, trying to hide her smile.

The elevator doors open, and our host holds his arm out with a small gentleman-like bow. Suzy leads the way in with all of us trailing behind, me being the last.

“Ember?” I hear my name from somewhere behind me. Turning around, I see a group of guys walking up toward the entrance. My stomach flutters, making my breath hitch as his dark eyes connect with my light ones. He’s standing at his full height, peering over the top of another guy standing in front of him. “Ember!” Pushing the guy to the side, jutting out in front of the group, but unable to reach us before the elevator doors close.

“Holy shit.” Suzy turns to me. “Was that him?”

“Who?” Sara asks in unison, with Dana asking, “Who the hell was that?”

Hudson.

Panic blankets every inch of my body. I shift uncomfortably and turn to the girls, then back at the closed doors. The feeling of lust and anxiety blend like oil and water as my body stuttersto react. I open my mouth and close it. Words have completely escaped me.

“Wait. Is he… that group of guys… Are they coming up here?” I turn, grabbing the jacket of the firefighter attempting to turn him toward me. Instead, I just end up exposing more of his torso and chest as his jacket flies open with my aggressive grip.

“Oh, um. Sorry,” I say, while he chuckles. I pull his jacket forward again, trying to close the front with a small awkward pat, but he adjusts it himself, leaving his abs open and on display.

“That’s probably the group for the second floor. There’s no access once you are on the floor to move. We have it set up so you stay on the floor you pay for.”

“Oh, good. Thanks.” I’m relieved. Right? Ugh. Why did they have to come here? Why did we have to come here? What are even the chances we would run into each other in Vegas? There have to be a million people in this city.

“Good? Girl, that is not good. I don’t care if it’s a Vegas fling. You need to let that man dosomethingto you.” Dana circles her hand at the elevator door.

Shaking my head in short, frantic movements, “I can’t handle the temptation that is Hudson.”

Dana leans in to me and whispers in my ear. “Inhibitions are on the bus, remember? Plus, thisisTemptation.”

6

HUDSON

“Was that her?” Seamus pulls my arm back before I cross over the threshold where the host stand is.

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