The man flails and stumbles, his pants aflame as security rushes over to pat him down. He screams in panic as they attempt to put the fire out with one of their jackets.

"What the frickin' frack was that?" Jen says, returning with her girlfriend in tow. "Was that guy on fire?"

Kieran and I look at each other and immediately bust up laughing. He gives me a knowing shrug.

"I think so," I say, holding back a laugh.

"I bet he had a vape in his pocket. Most of them have lithium batteries; they get too hot and—poof—you're up in flames."

Jen gives her a horrified grimace.

"Yikes," she says, shaking her head. "In case I needed another reason not to smoke."

The man starts yelling at the security staff, and they quickly escort him out.

"I guess he won't be getting that dance after all," Kieran says with a smirk.

"Oh! Speaking of which," Jen says, opening her purse and pulling out a wad of cash. "I don't know how this works, but how much is a dance?"

Deb furrows her brow and gives her a confused look.

"It's $20 per song," I say.

"Um... Jen... I thought we said..." Deb says.

"Oh, no! Not for me!" Jen says, wrapping an arm around Deb. "I'm taken. But I owe Kieran a birthday present! And what's the deal with those rooms back there?"

She points to a couple of the open private rooms, the curtains open because they're currently vacant.

"Oh, those are private rooms. They're $100 for 30 minutes."

Kieran's eyes go wide and his lips part.

"Awesome! Let's do that. Can we do that?" She pulls out a hundred-dollar bill and gives me an enthusiastic smile.

"Sure." She hands me the money and I slip it into my waistband.

"Jen," Kieran says with a stunned look, grabbing her shoulders. "I'm officially upgrading you to best friend."

"Aww, Zane's gonna be so jealous," she says with a slightly tipsy giggle.

"Okay, well see you gals in a bit then?" I ask.

"See you then! I'm already getting a kick out of watching our boy here drool over you." She steps forward and leans in to whisper in my ear. "Here's an extra hundred for you to really make him sweat."

She slips another bill into my hand. I shoot her a wink as she pulls away.

I take Kieran's hand and guide him to one of the private rooms, then draw the curtain behind us. He sits down on the black leather couch and swallows hard as he looks at me. Beyoncé's "Naughty Girl" is playing as I walk over. I stand in front of him and start rolling my hips to the music, tracing my hands over my curves as I do.

I guess I won the lap dance bet.

I giggle at the thought.

"What are you giggling at, Doll?" Kieran asks, tilting his head. His eyes meet mine for a moment before traveling south.

"The girls in the locker room were betting on who could get you to buy a lap dance. The woman in the pink dress who approached you earlier... she bet she could get you. I guess she lost."

A proud smirk stretches across his face.

"Jealous, baby?"

"No..." It comes out as more of a question than a statement.

"You can be, you know. I like being yours."

"What did you say to her, anyway? She didn't look happy."

"I told her I was saving my money for my favorite girl." He chuckles, his eyes glued to my hips. "She tried to tell me that she could be my new favorite, so I told her that wasn't going to happen."

There's a twinkle in his eye that tells me he's not telling me the whole story.

"Those were the words you used?"

"I may have told her desperation isn't attractive."

I laugh, putting my hands on either side of his shoulders and grabbing the back of the couch while my breasts are inches from his face. He reaches forward to grab my hips, but I back away and shake a scolding finger at him.

"Nuh-uh-uh... No touching the dancers, remember?"

"Not really. Most of my brain was wiped from seeing you in this outfit."

I look over my shoulder and point to a camera in the corner.

"We have to play by the rules here," I say, kneeling and dragging my hands down his thighs. "I can touch you."

When I reach his knees I pull them apart. Kieran sucks in a harsh breath and I push my hands back up his thighs until they reach his hips.

"Uh huh," he hums shakily, his eyes wide and rapidly darkening.

I turn around and swivel my hips against his lap. While I do enjoy dancing and getting a reaction from my customers, I don't usually find it arousing. But feeling his iron-hard erection rubbing against me has my nerves on edge.

"And you can put your hands where I guide them." I grab his hands in mine and place them on my hips, then drag them further back so that he's cupping my ass cheeks. I leave them there as I make small circles with my hips, generating friction between us. A strangled moan leaves his lips.

I lean back to rest my neck over his shoulder, but I feel an intense heat when my back touches his chest. I yelp and flinch away, then stand up and turn to him.

"What was that?" I ask with raised brows. I see his necklace dangling in about the right spot.

"What?" He looks down to follow my gaze.

"Your necklace," I say, reaching out to touch it. My hand recoils when I feel the heat from the amulet. "Whoa! Why is it so hot?"

It's not hot enough to burn my skin, but definitely hot enough to make me jump at the temperature. He grabs the necklace and rolls it in his hand for a moment, then smirks.

"Sorry, Red. I think it's just working overtime right now."

He twists it around so that it's backwards and the amulet hangs behind his back. I nod and resume dancing, this time straddling his hips so that we're face-to-face. Or technically boobs-to-face.

"How exactly does it work?"

"It uh... it's supposed to um... make my powers more controllable. Prevent me from using them unintentionally."

"Oh, so we don't have to worry about any earthquakes?" I ask with a laugh.

"Ouch," he says, shaking his head. "First of all, the earthquakes have happened while I'm wearing it, so I don't think it works on those. Second, you're saying you think I'll come from a lap dance? What kind of amateur do you think I am?"

I raise a brow and smirk.

Well that sounds like a challenge to me.

"Shiiitt," he says, his muscles tensing beneath me as I grind down on him. "I do not trust that mischievous look on your face right now."

I step back so that I'm standing in between his spread legs, then rest my hands on his thighs. Letting my feet slip back as my legs stay extended, I press my body to his and slowly drag it down. When my face is just inches above his lap, I push upward and flip around, straddling him backwards as I grind my ass against him again.

"Mmnnnh..." he moans, his jaw clenched. I lean all the way down so that my palms rest on the carpet. I bounce my ass against him, giving him a view in the process. Grinding is usually only a part of the dance, but I'm enjoying it too much myself right now. "Is this a challenge, then? 'Cause I'm not th- that easy baby."

He stutters as I roll against him.

"You sure about that?" I tease, extending my legs and shaking my ass in his face. I hear another song begin and I push myself back up to my feet. "I've got three songs left."

I sit back down on his lap, grinding against him as I take his hands and draw them to my breasts.

"Mmmphh," he groans, his hips rocking upward to meet mine. His hands squeeze my breasts like he's clawing at the last scraps of his self-restraint. "Three songs? That's what, te- ten minutes?"

"Fifteen."

He lets out a frustrated groan.

"Mmhmm. Yeah. No problem." His voice is constricted and rough.

After another song, I flip around so that we're facing each other. I rock against him, seeking friction both for his benefit and mine. I bring his hands to my hips and rest them there. I raise myself on my knees, lifting my breasts until his face is nestled in between them, then drop back down. My hands lock around his neck; I pull his face between my breasts and toss my head back.

This lap dance is a lot more close-up than my usuals, not that I mind. He's following the rules and letting me lead the way. I roll my hips at a slightly faster pace and let a moan slip.

We're about 25 minutes into our dance and he's not the only one getting desperate

"Ahh fuck that's not fair," he cries, his voice almost pleading. "You can't make sounds like that."

"Why not?" I tease. "I thought you said you weren't an amateur?"

"Red fuck... you know..." He stops every few words, panting out heavy breaths. "You know damn right y- you... aren't playing at an amateur le- level here."

His nails dig into my hips and he clenches his jaw hard. The sting heightens the sensation and I bite my lower lip. Kieran pinches his eyes shut and hisses through his teeth.

"That's als-s-so cheating," he says. "Biting your lip... like that."

I lean in and whisper into his ear, my center still rolling against his.

"I'm pretty sure closing your eyes is cheating too."

I lace my fingers through his hair and tug his head back.

"Ohfuckohfuckohfuckohfuck!" Kieran curses, his hips bucking. His body shakes uncontrollably and I feel the ground quake beneath me. I smirk as he lets loose a wicked growling groan. His hands grip tightly onto my hips and pull me away just enough to separate our bodies. His head falls back onto the back edge of the couch and he releases a shaky breath.

"Fucking dangerous," he huffs.

"What?"

"That's what you are, you know that? Fucking dangerous little minx."

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