Free Stripped by Tori St. Claire

It’s time to close up.”
    “Hey!” She jumped up and jerked open the door. Sticking her head out, she found him halfway down the hall. “Boss! I want to ask you something.”
    He’d have to be deaf to not hear her bellow, but he kept walking, head down, fists clenched at his sides. Unbidden, her gaze skimmed over his backside. Broad shoulders tapered into a trim waist set on strong, but narrow, hips. The slight swing in his step added to the confidence that poured off him. She looked lower and sucked in a sharp breath at the firm buttocks that his dress pants accented. Perfect for a pair of feminine hands to grip and squeeze. To curl her nails into as she urged him to push deeper…
    Her blood warmed as she watched him walk away. The man was incredible. Not an ounce of softness anywhere, except on occasion in his mesmerizing eyes. And if she didn’t get her body under control,along with her all-too-suddenly vivid imagination, she’d do more than ensure her swift demise. She’d escort Kate straight to a hotel in Dubai.
    Natalya closed her office door to block out Brandon and discarded her robe in favor of her suit skirt. Brandon Moretti was strictly business.
    When she had her blouse buttoned, she fished her gun from her purse and stuffed it into her waistband. To hide it, she slipped into the lightweight jacket she’d brought along in preparation for the cooler Nevada nights. Tonight she’d walk to Dmitri’s luxury condominium on the north end of the Strip. The chilly air would do her faltering sense some good.
    First though, she needed to track down Aaron and discover the verdict on hiring Sergei. With luck on her side, tomorrow night they’d make some progress.
    She wandered through the girls’ lounge and into the brightly lit club. Unlike the rundown bars in Russia, this place screamed wealth. She hadn’t particularly noticed it before, but now, after spending a full night behind the scenes and witnessing the sheer fortune invested in stage props, the front room’s luxury became unmistakable. What she’d thought were ordinary velour chairs revealed themselves as velvet on closer inspection. She ran a hand down the edge of the stage, noting it wasn’t just painted wood, but a Formica-like substance that had been polished to a mirrored sheen. She’d stake her life on the presumption the overhead chandeliers were lead crystal as well.
    Glancing around, she searched for Brandon. When she couldn’t find him, she relaxed. The last thing she needed was one more encounter before she retired for the night. As it was, her nightly hot bath would do little to keep the wicked fantasies at bay.
    A tall figure on the far side of the room identified Aaron. She quickened her step to catch him before he disappeared into the manager’s office, where she presumed Brandon waited. “Aaron.”
    He turned, treating her again to his warm, welcoming smile. “Hey.”
    “Any word?”
    His mouth pursed, and he let out a quiet grunt.
    “That bad, huh?”
    “Not bad. Not good. I can’t get a straight answer.”
    The door behind Aaron opened, and Brandon exited, head down, attention elsewhere. Looking up at the last minute, he came to an abrupt halt, inches from his partner’s back. His scowl was immediate and fierce, and centered straight on her.
    With a lift of her shoulders, Natalya steeled herself against his silent attack. Did he think she liked this any more than he did? The way her heart stuttered each time those tawny eyes locked with hers annoyed the piss out of her. That she couldn’t control it bothered her more than the reaction itself.
    “Did you need something, Natalya?”
    If Aaron couldn’t pin him down for an answer, maybe she could. “I wanted to ask if—”
    “No.”
    Before she could stutter out anything further, he sidestepped around them and strode toward the main doors. Natalya exchanged a dumbfounded look with Aaron, then started after him, determined. She caught him at the entrance, keys in