Page 12 of Allured (Love and Burlesque #1)

CHAPTER TWELVE

ALEK

Unleash.

I n the near decade that I’ve been performing, I’ve never wanted to end a show early. Not even that time when I overdid it at the buffet during a pre—show group dinner. I couldn’t back down though, Benny would have bragging rights for life. In the end, I ate my weight in food, managed to put on a good show, and I got fifty bucks from that fucker.

Right now, though, I’m surprised I’ve made it to the end of the show with all my limbs still intact. I’m distracted and antsy as hell.

Ezekiel is in the front row and currently watching as we perform our closing set. I haven’t decided exactly how I’m going to approach him after the show but I know there is no goddamn way that he’s slipping through my fingers again. Especially not after that moment we shared at the beginning of the show.

Finally, the last note of our ending song plays, the stage goes black, and the crowd erupts in loud cheers.

All the performers start heading downstairs to wrap up for the night. Many of them will stay around and have a drink or get a quick bite to eat since the club turns into more of a casual bar vibe once the show is over. The crowd is invited to stick around and mingle too.

I can’t get down these stairs fast enough. In seconds, I’m in the dressing room and changing into something a little less festive. As I’m finishing up and pushing my way out of the room, I hear a couple of laughs or questions as to why I’m in such a rush, but I ignore them to quickly make my way back upstairs.

Shit . I pause at the top of the steps.

What should I say to him? What if he didn’t stay after the show?

He’s already forgotten about me once. I didn’t hear a damn peep from him since last weekend. What if he’s actually not interested?

No, no.

The look in his eyes as I climbed into his lap earlier and the shaking of his hands when they were on my body tell me the opposite. I don’t know exactly what’s going on in that beautiful head of his but I have enough experience to know that he is interested, and so am I. So fucking interested.

Ezekiel’s got the whole ‘nerdy and proper looking gentleman, but secretly a freak in bed’ aura going on. And the dude is unintentionally funny as fuck, how am I not supposed to be interested? Ez is a walking wet dream.

My thoughts trail as I begin to walk out the side of the stage and into a hallway that leads to the common area of the club.

I’m not even five steps into the hallway when I spot Ezekiel holding a purse and leaning against the wall outside the bathroom.

His body is turned so I’m only seeing part of his profile. Those damn glasses of his are so slid down his nose that I physically have to restrain myself from the temptation of pushing them back in place.

I know I’ve got to play it cool. By how he’s reacted in our last few meetings, he either doesn’t have much experience with dating or he’s straight—up shy. I’m still going to tease him, of course, but I might dial it back a bit.

“Hey, Ez,” I say softly, a couple of steps behind him now.

I swear I’m watching him turn in slow motion. The dude is a knock—out and nothing is better than seeing those bright azul eyes looking at me behind those thick glasses of his.

A few more steps and I’m standing in front of him, both of us tucked against the wall in this little section of the hallway. I meet his gaze, my head lowered slightly to find his eyeline.

“Alek.” One word, one shining smile from those lips, and I’m in heaven.

“You stayed.”

“I did, but I didn’t know If I was going to see you after the show. I wouldn’t have expected your interest in speaking to me, not after I’ve done the terribly discourteous act of ignoring you for a week,” Ezekiel replies with slight hitches in his words and a frown takes over his gorgeous face.

Just then, the bathroom door opens to reveal one of the women in the party he was with during the show.

“Oh hi! You were so good on stage, Alek!” she praises, taking the purse from Ezekiel’s hands and putting it back around her shoulder.

“Alek this is my friend, Tati.” Polite as ever, Ezekiel gives us an introduction.

“Thank you,” I reply to her with my signature smirk and wink.

“Oh, and you guys were awesome too!” Tati hops and waves down the hallway.

With my full attention on Ezekiel, I didn’t notice some of the other dancers coming out from backstage. Benny and Laz are walking side by side and stop to talk to Tati for a moment.

If Ezekiel and I were really going to talk it over, we would need a quiet space without all the interruptions of the club. By looking at him, I could see he was uneasy and needed a little space for this too.

“Hey Ben, Laz?” I interrupt the pleasant conversation between the three.

“You guys mind escorting Tati back to her group while I talk with Ez for a second?” They’re great guys and I know Ezekiel’s party is going to be in good hands with them and with Emma behind the bar tonight.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Got it, boss.”

They begin to walk over a very happy Tati, who immediately took up their offer to loop her arms with theirs.

“They’re in good hands, Ez.” I point down the hallway where we can see a glimpse of his party light up once they see their friend bringing over the two biggest dancers.

“Thank you,” Ezekiel breathes.

I can tell this night has been overwhelming for him for a lot of reasons.

“C’mere,” I say, taking his hand in mine and leading him into my sister’s costume closet down the hallway. It’s a small space, no bigger than a tiny bedroom, but it drowns out the noise and lights from the club.

I flick the lights on, the room illuminates from a few neon signs as we walk in and close the door behind us. Ezekiel looks around the space. I’ve noticed he likes observing and taking in all the information in his surroundings.

“It’s the costume room,” I say and he nods. Ezekiel’s quiet demeanor is more calming than I thought it would be. I usually yap away but I’m in no rush to fill the space with words when I’m with him.

“I want to apologize.” Ezekiel begins to nervously pace around the room, a hand on his chin as his thumb toys with his lip in thought.

“Ez—” I begin trying to tell him that it wasn’t that big of a deal.

“Please, Alek. There truly was no reason for me to not have at least texted you after our encounter last weekend and I am sorry for that. I know it’s impolite to leave people waiting and wondering, and I should not have done that to you.”

The way he is apologizing is so determined and intentional, I can’t help but keep hearing him out.

“I’ve— I’ve never experienced such an immediate connection with anyone, much less with any men, you see, and I—” Ezekiel is looking at me now, paused right in front of me as he takes a deep, centering breath.

Oh. It all clicks. Ezekiel has never been with a man? No wonder the guy was everywhere with his body language earlier tonight. It also explains why he was hesitating to initiate anything. Now I know I’m the one that needs to make the first step.

“I like you too, Ez.” With a shuffle of my feet, I’m standing right in front of him and speaking my own truth.

“You do?” His eyes look up into mine, full of hope and relief.

“Why do you think I gave you my number?”

“I thought you gave it to me because of my catering inquiry.”

“Ez, I thought you were lying about it to get my number.”

We share deadpan looks with each other before we start laughing. Neither one of us stops until there’s tears in our eyes.

“We’re idiots, aren’t we?” I ask playfully as I admire the smile still shining on his face.

“It would seem so.” He nods in agreement. His posture looks less stiff than before.

Another moment passes and I realize how close we have gotten to each other during our little laughing fit. It feels like I’m breathing the same electrically—charged air as him.

I’m still by the entrance of the room, my back a few feet away from the door, and my front only an arm’s length away from Ez. Gone is the crinkle at the edge of his eyes. The previous joyful gleam is replaced with an intense stare that has me squirming in the best way.

“You were phenomenal on stage, Alek.” He says it like a confession, immediately building the tension in the room.

Fuck. I get compliments on my dancing all the time but when did a compliment get my dick hard? Never. Two can play at this game.

“I thought you liked it better when I was in your lap?” I ask, unable to keep myself from flirting and biting down on my bottom lip. “It sure felt like you liked it.”

Our staredown only lasts a second. Suddenly, I’m pressed against the back of the door, one of Ezekiel’s hands wraps protectively around the back of my head, acting as a cushion, while the other lays flat beside me on the door

“You are quite the tease, aren’t you?” he growls . It’s the sound of a man pushed to the brink of his control. Apparently, the constant temptation is all he needs to unleash.

I fucking knew it. Behind that serious composure and all those pretty words, there is a sex god waiting to be unleashed. And damn if I’m not ready to worship.

“Nah, a tease wouldn’t follow through,” I reply in a strained voice. We are standing so close that my breath mixes with his. Not being able to help it, my eyes dart from his eyes down to his lips and back.

“Kiss me, Ez,” I plead into our hold.

And there’s nothing controlled about the way he kisses me.