All In: Double or Nothing Read online

  “Yeah, I dance at Infinity’s.”

  “You’re a stripper?” The word came out sounding more incredulous than I'd planned.

  “I prefer the term 'exotic dancer'. What? Is that profession frowned upon by law enforcement? Because I only dance, regardless of what men may hope and believe.”

  “Not just dance. Dance naked. That’s a pretty important aspect to it, don’t you think?”

  “It’s not that big of a deal,” she said, turning her head away to look out the window.

  “You just don’t seem like the type. You look ...” I trailed off trying to find the words.

  “Like a shy and innocent virgin?" she suggested with a laugh.

  “Well, yeah, actually,” I admitted with a grin.

  “Maybe that’s why I make twice as much as most of the other women.”

  “I don’t doubt it. Not one damn bit,” I said with another sneaking look at her from the corner of my eye.

  Shit, I’d gotten a hard on just talking to her fully clothed. Seeing her without clothes on, there wasn't hope for any man alive. Hold on, she said she'd been dancing for four years, but she was only twenty.

  "Please tell me you haven't been working there since you were sixteen. That's all kinds of illegal."

  "Actually it was a few weeks before my sixteenth birthday. And what are you going to do Officer? Go down there and arrest someone?"

  "Someone should be arrested."

  "I needed the money, and when you're paid under the table in cash, there's nothing else required. If you ask any of the owners they'll swear I lied to them about my age. So who are you going to arrest?" she asked with a shrug, like it was no big deal for a teenager to take her clothes off for grown men.

  "Where the hell were your parents?"

  "Oh, well my mom was at home with boyfriend number one million seventy-two getting trashed, and Darth Vader could be my father for all I know."

  "Shit, I'm sorry. I just ... I can't believe your mother would let you do that sort of thing." And did she really just make a Star Wars reference? God that's hot.

  She laughed. "My mom didn't just let me, she encouraged me. Hell, she tried to talk me into ... Anyway, she didn't work and we had to eat and pay rent."

  "Into what?" I asked, afraid to hear what she was about to say.

  "I just meant she didn't care what I did as long as I brought home money."

  "Talk you into what Lauren? Selling your body?" I asked.

  I was feeling sick thinking about a sixteen-year-old version of this innocent girl, letting men see her naked and hit on her when she was still basically a child. Doing it because her mother was a piece of shit.

  "She said I'd make a helluva lot more than I ever could dancing."

  "But she didn't ... you didn't ever ..?”

  “God no! I’m not a whore,” she answered indignantly.

  “That's not what I meant."

  "Could we not talk about this anymore? I'm a grown woman, and it's my decision now. Do I plan on doing it forever? No. I'm going to school to be an x-ray tech, and when I graduate in a year from now, I'll never have to do it again."

  Wow. She'd been raised without actual parents and was trying to make something of herself. I'd only just met her, but I didn't think I'd ever known anyone who'd been through what she had and was still so optimistic and driven to dig themselves out of that sort of hell.

  "That's great Lauren, and I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be disrespectful. It's just, I hate to see a girl as nice as you working in a place with horny men getting all worked up and trying to put their hands all over you.”

  “There's no touching allowed, that’s what the bouncers are for.”

  “Well, good, I guess.”

  Why did I care what the girl did for a living? I'd just met her, but damn if I didn’t want to see her again. A chance to see her without her clothes on? Fuck yeah. That was something I couldn't resist seeing. I guess that meant I wasn't any better than all the other horny perverts.

  “So when do you, ah, work again?”

  She laughed, knowing what I was hinting at, and I could absolutely get used to that beautiful sound.

  “I’m actually off this weekend for the first time in, hell, I don’t even know. So next Thursday night. Why? Are you going to actually come see me at my offensive job? You want to watch me dance naked for horny men, Mr. Law Abiding Officer?” she asked, her voice all sexy and sultry.

  That's a big hell yes.

  “Maybe,” I replied with a smile and shrug.

  “I hope you do come by. I’ll even give you a private lap dance for your very kind civil service today.”

  Fuck. I was so screwed.

  “How could I say no to that offer?” I remarked, unable to prevent the huge grin that stretched across my face.

  She laughed again. “Why don’t you bring some of your officer buddies and we’ll all have a good time? The girls I dance with love men in uniform.”

  Oh, so this was just about business and making money, not her actually wanting to dance for me specifically. Awesome.

  “Maybe I will,” I finally responded, knowing for certain I didn't want any of the other fucking cops to see her naked. But I wasn’t throwing in the towel just yet on seeing her again.

  “So what are you doing tonight, on your night off from dancing?”

  “Nothing as of right now. Why?” she asked, and from the corner of my eye I noticed her fingers teasing up the hem of her dress. I had to clear my throat before I could respond, and damn if my pants weren't so tight they were cutting off my circulation. I needed to readjust, but I would damn well wait to grab myself until she left my car.

  “Well, some friends and I are meeting up at Shooter's after work, around six. It's the bar and pool hall over on Holden Road. Would you want to join us?” I held my breath, and my pulse thumped, making me feel like the nervous middle-school nerd again as I waited for her answer.

  “Sure, sounds fun, even though I suck at pool.”

  I glanced at her and smiled. “Alright, then I’ll see you there,” I told her as we pulled up in the car rental lot.

  "Thanks for the ride Officer Evans. I hope it won't be the last one," she said, then stretched over, pressing her lips briefly to mine. She quickly jumped out the car with her belongings before I could absorb her innuendo, or figure out what the hell had just happened.

  Chapter Three

  Lauren

  I walked into the bar and looked around for my sexy officer, but didn’t see any sign of him. I hadn't stopped thinking about that man all damn day. Maybe he wasn’t going to show after all, I thought when I arrived five minutes late, then hated the disappointment I felt for letting a man get my hopes up. I should know better by now. I didn’t need to get in deep with him, literally or figuratively. He had heartbreaker written all over him, and I sure as hell didn't want to get screwed over again by a man, or worse, end up like my mom. I knew men were all the same - after they get in your panties they'd move along to someone else.

  I headed for the bar, disgusted with myself but resigned to wait a few minutes longer. I’d changed into some jeans and a tank top since I knew dresses were no-nos when bending over playing pool. It looked like all the other women in here didn't get that memo. I may show my ass to earn a living, but I tried to keep it covered while out in public.

  I climbed up and settled on the stool in front of the mostly empty bar. It looked like everyone that'd ever stepped foot in this place had carved their initials into the wood. I'd barely crossed my legs when I felt someone standing so close to me his body pressed against the outside of my thigh. I turned to tell him to back the hell up, but the words froze in my throat.

  “You look lonely, sitting here all by yourself. Would you like some company?” the deep voice of the ridiculously buff man towering over me asked softly. He had simmering sky blue eyes, and was giving me a thong-incinerating grin as he leaned a hip against the bar. The woody citrus smell coming from him made me want to lick his
tan muscled skin to see if he would taste as yummy as he smelled. His hair, a sexy little two inch faux hawk that came to a point in the front, was jet black, which only accentuated his light blue eyes even more. He hadn't shaved in a few days, or his facial hair grew really fast. Either way, I wouldn't mind feeling his dark scruff rubbing against the soft skin of my inner thighs.

  “I wouldn't mind having some company while I wait for my friend that may or may not show,” I told him, too turned on to blow him off, even though I was waiting for someone else. I knew he was just spewing lines, but he was one of very few guys that could actually make it work for him. On probably any woman in the whole freaking world.

  “Your ‘friend’?” he asked, raising a dark eyebrow and smirking.

  “Yeah, just a friend,” I told him.

  I couldn't stop my eyes from continuing to stare at the mouthwatering man before me, especially his tight, black wife-beater. God, it looked like it had been custom made for his broad muscular chest, flat stomach, and thick chiseled arms. Strong arms that I bet would feel incredible holding me down while he … Whoa, I desperately needed to get laid. It’d been, what, three months since Chad and I broke up? Or since I caught him screwing the woman I thought was my best friend Shelly, the whore. Between my hormones this morning with Officer Please Frisk Me With Your Baton, and now with Mr. Hold Me Down and Fuck Me Hard, I had a feeling I'd be doing all sorts of things I shouldn't by the end of the night.

  “What can I get you to drink while you wait for this 'friend' of yours?" he asked.

  “Um, just a water would be great.”

  “Water? Are you kidding? Come on now, that’s no fun,” he teased.

  “Well, since I’m only twenty that’s all the fun I get to have.”

  “Oh sweetheart, I’ve got you covered. How about I surprise you?”

  It’s not like I’d never had a drink before, and after the day I'd had I could use a drink or two.

  “It's been a pretty shitty day, so what the hell, sure.”

  “Then sit tight beautiful, and let me try and make your day all sorts of better,” he said, giving me that wickedly perfect smile again, before sauntering off to find the bartender.

  I glanced around again, disappointed I still didn’t see the sexy LEO, but my new friend was an absolutely gorgeous replacement. His battered jean covered backside was just as nice as the front, I noticed.

  “Here you go," the stranger said when he returned with two glasses. "If you don't like it, just say so and I'll grab you something else.” He handed me the one with a short red straw, and I took a sip while I watched him over the top. Damn if it wasn't as delicious as the man in front me.

  “Wow, this is really good. Thank you. What is it?”

  “Whisky sour.”

  “Do you buy all the ladies you hit on the same drink?” I joked.

  Those piercing blue eyes surrounded by thick black lashes told me I wouldn't be the first to fall for his pickup lines, and definitely not the last.

  "Only the absolutely gorgeous ones," he responded coolly, making me melt a little more. "So what’s your name sweetheart?”

  “Lauren.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Lauren. I'm Caleb.”

  “Well Caleb, thank you for the drink.” I raised it up, toasting him before draining it.

  “So how about a refill and a game?” he asked, nodding his head toward the pool tables near the back. "My friends and I are a player short."

  “Um, I’m not very good at pool, so you probably don't want me to be your partner.”

  “I would love to make you my partner. Come on, I'll teach you everything you need to know so we can kick my buddies' asses,” he drawled, holding out his hand for mine.

  …

  Caleb Thomas

  The night was definitely looking up. When I walked up to the beautiful blonde sitting alone at the bar I figured she'd tell me to get lost. Now I was pretty sure she was checking me out, and damn if I couldn't wait to see those perfect curves of hers bending over a pool table. It was only the first place of many I'd like to bend her over.

  I led her to our usual table in the back corner and introduced her.

  "Lauren, these are my boys, Will and Dylan. Guys, this is Lauren."

  Both jackasses were eyeing her up and down. It looked like they were trying to develop x-ray vision to figure out what she looked like naked. I couldn't really blame them - the woman was so fucking hot.

  "I'll rack 'em," I said, since Will and Dylan were still drooling. And they wondered why they couldn't pick up women.

  Getting the balls lined up I lifted the rack, grabbed the cue and chalked, then waited for one of the assholes to snap out of it.

  "Ah, Will? Dylan? One of you want to stop eye-fucking her long enough to break?" I asked, before turning back to her. "Sorry Lauren. They don't see beautiful women very often, and when they do, they forget their manners."

  She laughed, but didn't look offended or bothered by them blatantly staring at her. She shouldn't, because it had to be how every man looked at her.

  "So, tell us about yourself Lauren."

  Her hands were resting in the back pockets of her jeans, which pushed out her perfect breasts. She had to know they were distracting as hell. She looked sort of shy before she answered, then blew that shit right out of the water.

  "Well I'm going to school to be a radiology technician, and I've been an exotic dancer for the last four years."

  Will's mouthful of beer went spewing across the room, Dylan dropped his pool stick, and I'm sure my mouth was hanging open as wide as theirs.

  "You dance naked in a strip club?" Dylan asked.

  "Yeah."

  "Where?" he asked, all too eager.

  "Infinity's."

  "No shit?" he asked, bending down to pick up his long lost stick, before finally heading toward the table to break.

  "No shit," she echoed with a laugh. "I work every weekend, and this is my first one off in months."

  "I think you just picked up three new customers," I told her.

  "Good," she grinned at me.

  "And you know I have to ask, will you show us some of your moves?" I inquired with my own grin.

  "Hell yeah," Will chimed in.

  "I might show you a little something," she said as she stalked toward me before turning around and dropping it like it was hot. Rubbing her backside down the front of my body, she finished up the move with a hip roll that brought her incredible ass up in the air before the rest of her.

  "Fuck, that's hot," I remarked, before my arm snaked around her waist to hold her against me.

  "I guess it's not really the same with all my clothes on," she told me over her shoulder.

  "I've got a great imagination."

  "I can tell," she said with a grin, before rubbing her ass over the increasing bulge in the front of my jeans again. "And I don’t need to use my imagination to know you're Magnum size."

  A groan escaped my throat before she continued right along, getting me even harder.

  "Despite the saying," she said, turning around to face me and running her hand down my chest and stomach, before grabbing the waist of my jeans. "Size is a big fucking deal. That's just something women have to say to men with scrawny dicks. But I'm willing to bet you also know exactly what to do with it too, don't you?"

  And damn if this wasn't the sexiest, most ego-inflating, dirty talk I'd ever heard.

  "Hell yes. And you may very well be the perfect fucking woman," I told her.

  She took a few steps back, moving away from me, and I finally snapped myself out of the pornographic movie playing in my mind. I noticed Dylan and Will had also been hanging onto Lauren's every word, and couldn't look away. The woman seriously belonged in the center of Playboy, not playing pool with the likes of us three.

  "So, are you going to teach me how to play with your stick?" she asked.

  "Oh yeah. Dylan, pick your jaw up off the ground and break."

  Finally we started into
a game, and after the spread, Lauren was up.

  "Alright sweetheart, your turn. First let's see if you know how to hold a stick before I teach you how to play with it," I said with a smile, handing her the cue, and waiting for her to lean over the table.

  "Which ball should I aim for?" she asked.

  "Let's try to sink that red three into the corner pocket," I suggested, finding it harder to concentrate with all my blood flowing south.

  She stretched for the shot, revealing her tight, lickable midriff, and when I walked around behind her, I couldn't help noticing the taunting and tempting top of her blue thong.

  I wanted nothing more than to yank those fucking jeans down her ass to see the rest, but since that'd be highly inappropriate I settled for gliding a finger over the material before leaning over her to adjust her grip.

  "Alright, now just hit the ball on the left side and it should go right in."

  She nailed it.

  "Nice," I told her when she turned around with a smile. "Since we're partners that entitles me to a kiss whenever one of us makes a shot. Just ask Dylan and Will, that's a hard and fast rule."

  She laughed. "I'm sure it is," she said before closing the distance between us and leaning up to give me a quick kiss.

  "Um-mm, I really hope you make the next one too," I told her when she pulled away.

  "I'll try my best," she said, then with a wicked grin and a tilt of her head asked, "So Caleb, what do you get if we win?"

  Chapter Four

  Tyler

  Of all the fucking nights I'd get stuck dealing with a four car pileup during rush hour, it would be tonight. Damn it, I was an hour late. If Lauren had even showed up she’d probably already left. I pulled open the door to Shooter's and desperately started looking for her anyway. I’d taken a quick five minute shower at the station, and luckily had a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt in my locker to change into before heading over.

  I glanced around the bar. It was starting to get crowded since it was a Friday night. Shit, I should have written down her phone number this morning so I could call and let her know I was running late, but I had been too distracted to think straight.