Free Slap Shot by Lily Harlem

just fine. And it’s going to be at my house so you’ll know where to come.”
    I picked up a pencil and scribbled down Saturday—Rick’s . “I think Maddie will be able to handle this very well. She is attending events now on my behalf.”
    He leaned forward and his fisted hand dropped onto the table. My pencil pot shook as did my half-empty coffee cup. “No, absolutely not. It’s you or not at all, Dana.”
    “So what if I said not at all?”
    “I don’t think you would want to piss me off like that.” His eyes flashed dangerously and a muscle jumped in his cheek.
    He was right, I didn’t want to piss him off, and I did like a challenge. Organizing something in three days would be tight. “So, if I took the job on, tell me what you would need.” How does he always make me forget I said no?
    He grinned, as if he knew he’d won. “Pizza, beer and some girls, I dunno, dancers or something.” He shrugged. “What do you think?”
    “Dancers?”
    “Yeah, I was imagining something real sexy, you know, pole dancers, belly dancers, the guys would enjoy that. They can’t go to clubs and enjoy a show without getting photographed and having it splashed all over the gossip magazines.”
    I gulped in a breath. Pole dancers, why the hell had he come up with that? Had he been digging and found something out about my past? No, he couldn’t have. Impossible. I’d left a clean trail, there was no evidence of my past anywhere.
    “Nothing sordid,” he went on. “They can keep a few of their clothes on, but something pretty to look at always appeals to the guys.” He tipped his head and his eyes grew heavy. “Like you in that bikini last night, that was a real pretty sight.”
    My stomach did a flip and my cheeks heated. The way he was devouring me with his gaze brought memories of the intense orgasm he’d given me with just his fingers. I should resist this man, I knew I should, but I couldn’t. “Okay,” I said, nodding curtly and looking away to hide my internal battle. “Tell me what time, how many guests and I’ll take care of it, but it will cost you. A lot.”
    “I don’t care how much it costs,” he said, rising to his feet. “And cater for about twenty. Here’s my cell number, tap it into your phone in case you have any questions.” He turned and stepped toward the door. “I’m out of town for the next two days, got games on the West Coast but don’t hesitate to call.” He narrowed his eyes. “And I’ll see you at my house at seven on Saturday. If you’re not there by ten past I’ll be around to collect you.”
     
    After a grilling from Maddie about Rick “Ramrod” Lewis, I set about ordering enough pizza and beer to feed twenty hungry hockey players on Saturday night. Possibly the easiest catering job I’d ever had to handle.
    I called a rigging company and organized a pole to be delivered and installed into Rick’s home cinema on Friday afternoon. It would fit nicely in front of the enormous screen and would even be slightly elevated like a stage. The guy on the phone didn’t seem fazed when I told him what it was for.
    Needing to sort out the actual dancers, my hand hovered over the phone. Tina sprang to mind. We’d been really good friends. She was a great dancer, taught me a lot and was stunningly pretty. Trouble was, it had been a while since we’d been in touch. I’d sent her a hundred dollars at Christmas for her to treat her young son, Raif, but since then we’d had no contact. That part of my life no longer existed and that was the way I liked it. But Tina did still exist and I cared about her, thought about her, wondered how she was faring in the lifestyle I’d escaped. I also knew she would need the money. Money went through her fingers like water and this could set her up for several weeks’ rent, food and bills.
    I dialed her cell, hoping she hadn’t changed it and praying I wouldn’t regret bringing my old best friend into my new life.
    “Hey, sugar lips, I was