Free Sultry Groove (Reckless Beat #4) by Eden Summers

seductress. The one who made men melt into a puddle of longing. Not the other way around. Not only had her scars ruined her career and her lifestyle, they’d ruined her upper hand, too.
    “Like I said,” she muttered, “I don’t feel comfortable in a fancy restaurant in my ghetto clothes.”
    He snorted, loudly, and she winced at the additional attention they drew from staff.
    “I doubt you own anything ghetto. But if you’d like help getting out of those clothes and into something more appropriate for our time together, just let me know.”
    He released her hand, and she fought against every hyper-sensitive nerve in her body not to dive into the chair the maître d’ pulled out for her. Instead, she raised her chin, pretending to be in control while her skin turned to flames.
    The two men stood side by side, chatting quietly about food, or life, or her, she had no clue. Her attention was entirely set on pulling herself together. Not even the unobstructed view of the James River could steal her focus. She’d never been this lust drunk before. And that was saying a lot.
    From the corner of her eye, she watched Sean sink into the chair opposite her and hold up a hand to stay the maître d’ from placing the napkin over his lap. Taking her to a fancy-shmancy place, then brushing off all attempts to fit into the surroundings, was comical. Adorable, too. Damn it. Yet again, she was helpless against his charm.
    “Mr. Taiden.” The maître d’ spoke in a soft murmur. “I know it’s unconventional, but you’re already familiar with the affection our bar staff has for you. Would you mind signing something for them before you leave tonight?”
    Melody rubbed her forehead, hiding the slight twinge of envy pulling her brows together. She’d loved the attention dance fanatics once gave her. There weren’t many autograph requests; however, the hype and admiration had always been there. Only now it was a distant memory. She practically had to beg to get people to join her dance studio.
    “Sure.” He pushed back in his seat and stood. “You don’t mind if I quickly speak to them now, do you Red?”
    “Not at all.” She shook her head and gave him what she hoped was a convincing smile. As he strode away, she dragged her attention from the stretched material across his shoulders and fiddled with the cutlery in front of her. The decision to have dinner with him was turning into a bigger mistake than anticipated. No doubt coffee would’ve had the same outcome.
    To add to the lascivious thoughts coursing through her mind, she now had a firm reminder of what she’d lost and what she would never have. There would be no more screams of praise from the crowd, no more first place competitions, or men fighting to be the one partnered with her at the front of a stage. All the attention was gone, and after eleven months dealing with the tragedy, it still hurt to think about.
    Stop. Breathe. Find yourself.
    She needed to focus on moving forward. To concentrate on the business relationship she needed to forge with Sean and remember that this was a steppingstone to a different kind of dream. One less shiny and fulfilling, but a dream all the same.
    “Sorry about that.” He slid into his seat, practically buzzing, when all she wanted to do was crawl under a rock.
    “Not a problem.” She met his gaze and immediately regretted it. Holy smokes , he was handsome.
    “Can I get you a drink? Wine? Spirits?”
    “Water, please.”
    He frowned. “You aren’t concerned about me taking advantage, are you?”
    She suppressed a snort at how far from the truth he was. If only he knew what type of girl she’d once been. She’d never believed in a wrong time or place when it came to pleasure. It didn’t matter if it was a disabled bathroom or a dimly lit alley. She loved sex. And it was turning out to be a hard habit to break.
    “I’ve spent all day working up a sweat. I need to rehydrate.”
    Humor glistened in his eyes, yet his lips