Free STRIPPED 2 (A Ferro Family Novel) by H.M. Ward Page B

away, but that doesn’t seem to bother her. As she sips her coffee, her eyes cut to the side, and she blinks at me. Sheepishly, she lowers the cup and points at the picture. “TV is pretty good this morning.”
    “Yes, it is. I love this show.”
    “You would.” She giggles. The sound fills me, and I’m greedy for more.
    “Why is that?”
    She gestures toward the picture. “It’s The Sweater Slut in Paris—sexy news at sexy times.” She says the last part in a deep, manly voice.
    “I didn’t realize the sweater slut was a hermaphrodite.”
    She laughs and nearly spews her drink. She slaps my arm with the back of her hand. “You know you like her.”
    I’m quiet for a moment, watching the smile fade from her face. I want to ask her, but I can't hear the answer be no. I have no idea what she thinks of me, even after offering me a blowjob. How fucked up is that?
    I decide against it. I don’t want to know.
    “Hey, Cass, come out with me today. Skip work.”
    “I can’t. I need to pay rent.”
    “You already cleared it. Come on. You haven’t had a day off in forever, besides, being your boss has got to have some perks.”
    She smiles suspiciously. “You don’t have to hang out with me, Jon. I know you have other things to do.”
    “Nope. I really don’t. You’re the only thing I want to do today.” I grin brightly at her and stand, offering her my hand.
    “I’m a thing?” She sounds offended.
    “The prettiest thing in pink pajamas.” She swats at me again. I take her hand, intertwine our fingers and hold her for a second. “Come on. Say yes.”
    No stripping. No strutting. No naked Cassie with plastic smiles and dead eyes. I want to make her laugh. I want to see the girl I once knew come to the surface again. I’m not an idiot, I know I can’t hold her there, but I have to try.
    She looks at my hand holding hers and flexes her fingers, tapping the back of my hand one finger at a time. I wish I knew what she was thinking about. Cassie glances up at me with those dark eyes and nods. “I’d like that. Are you sure someone can cover for me?”
    “It’s already done. There’s a line of girls waiting to take your spot.” Over the past few weeks, I’ve turned away more strippers than I could shake a really big stick at—my reputation is spreading. Club Ferro is a safe place to work with no bullshit and good pay. It made me wonder what else I could manage.
    She frowns lightly. “Are you going to give my job away?”
    I kiss the top of her knuckles. She doesn’t flinch, but she doesn’t act like she felt it either. “No. I promised it’s yours as long as you want it.” I watch her, wishing to God she’d say she doesn't want to do it anymore. For no reason I can fathom, she stays. She keeps working, and won’t leave. Beth doesn’t know why either.
    Cassie bobs her head up and down. “You think I’m weird, right? Not wanting sex, but working a job like mine?”
    She asked me this once before, then changed the topic, killing the conversation before it started. “Yeah, I think you’re weird. I’ve always thought that. You were the proudest virgin I’d ever met. Life got in the way, but you kicked ass. Now you do what you want.”
    She watches me from beneath those dark lashes, perched on the couch next to me, clasping the coffee between her hands. “What about you?”
    “What about me?”
    “Do you know what you want?” her eyes drop to her coffee. “I know you, Jon. You weren’t meant to be alone so often. You weren’t meant to be the kind of guy who sleeps on the floor. I feel really bad about it, but you won’t leave, and I can’t throw you out.”
    “Why not?”
    “Beth would kill me. Glitter tape and milk? She’d marry you today if you asked her.”
    I laugh lightly, smiling. “I’ve got my eye on someone else.”
    “Who?” She watches me too long, too intensely. Her lashes flutter, and I think she’s watching my mouth between glances at her cup.
    Every fucking