Slap Shot by Lily Harlem

beat of her music. With a smile, a wink and a saucy wriggle of her hips, she harnessed the attention of the men in the room.
    It never failed to amaze me how effortless she made swinging from one limb look, and clearly in the last few years she’d honed and perfected her routine so it was completely seamless. Her waist-length blonde hair swept over the floor when she hung upside down and her endlessly long legs wrapped around the metal supporting her entire body as she spun and slid, landing solid but light every time.
    I glanced at Rick. He was sitting in the back row. He smiled up at me and took a sip from a beer, his eyes not leaving mine as he tipped the bottle. I looked away. Glanced back. His gaze was still on me.
    Pulling in a deep breath, I offered him my most professional smile. Best Laid Plans had given him what he’d asked for. Pizza, beer and beautiful girls to dance for his friends. I’d done my job. He couldn’t complain.
    When Tina finished showcasing her moves, Cindy took to the stage, flapping her feather boa provocatively. She was an amazing mover—her lithe, slim body incredibly beautiful and her expression sultry and sexy. She even treated the guys to some up-close-and-personal belly dancing, which generated several wolf whistles from the front row. I glanced at Rick again. He was chatting quietly to Phoenix and apparently oblivious of the show he’d paid an extortionate amount for.
    As if he felt my gaze he paused, turned and gave me a cheeky, lopsided grin, creating a dimple in one cheek.
    A flush traveled over my skin. What is it about his smile? It turned me to mush and created a warm glow in my belly and my chest. Not an unpleasant sensation, just new and impossible to ignore.
    The show lasted an hour and afterward, as the players wandered back to the kitchen in search of more food and drink, I heard several of them admiring the athletic qualities of the dancers. Though many, of course, were discussing their female attributes and wondering what other positions their supple limbs could twist into.
    Tina and Cindy quickly collected their bags from the bedroom and I met them at the front door to say goodbye.
    “Thanks for dancing so wonderfully,” I said, handing Tina an envelope thick with bills.
    “No, thank you, Dana,” Tina said, folding the envelope in half and shoving it deep into her purse.
    “The guys seemed to enjoy it, even though we stayed covered,” Cindy said, her expression one of wonder. “Didn’t even get my puppies out and they were hooked.”
    I smiled. “Not quite as Neanderthal as you thought, huh?”
    She shook her head. “No, quite sweet really.”
    I laughed. Sweet wasn’t an adjective I’d use for the crowd of hungry, loud men roaming around the kitchen.
    “Don’t be a stranger, Dana,” Tina said, reaching out and resting her hand on my shoulder. “Raif still asks about you. He’d love to see you sometime.”
    “I’m sorry, life is hectic, but I will stay in touch. And please, give Raif a hug from me.”
    “I will.” She reached forward and tugged me into a tight embrace. “And remember what I said earlier, you could do a lot worse than Ramrod.”
    “There’s nothing going on.” I pulled back.
    She sighed. “I might just be a dancer and I sure as hell don’t have any qualifications, but if there is one thing I know it’s men.” She cupped my chin in her hand. “And that man looks at you as though he wants to throw you over his shoulder and carry you off to his cave.”
    “He does not.”
    “Oh honey, he so does,” Tina laughed. “And if you ignore it, you’re not as bright as I thought you were.”
    Cindy opened the front door. “Come on, Tina, let’s get going. Rodrigo will be a complete shit if we’re late.”
    “Think about it,” Tina said, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. “There’s not many times in life a decent man passes your way. If I were you, I’d be grabbing him by that hot tushie of his and not letting go.”
    * * *