King's Passion

Sighing, Eamon picked up his pace. He had enough of everyone’s cackling.

It being just a little past noon, there were just a few people scattered about cleaning and stocking up the club. At the main stage in the center of the club were approximately fifty new girls, ready to audition. At first glance, the women were all very beautiful and their dancing outfits ranged from everything like the naughty nurse to the dominatrix police officer.

Pretty much the typical stuff.

Drawing in a deep breath, he pulled out a chair and plopped down. “Good afternoon, ladies.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. King,” they chimed back as though they had been practicing all afternoon.

Eamon smiled and opened the folder Hayley had handed him and immediately started delving into the women’s head shots and applications. “Okay. First up, Regina Bailey?”

“That’s me.” Regina stepped forward, showcasing a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

Eamon looked her over. “Like the smile. Like the legs…” His eyes parked on her flat chest and then hesitated. “So how long have you been dancing?” he asked while he read her information as she answered him.

“Since I was six,” Regina said, remaining chipper.

“Professionally?” he asked, even though he’d already made up his mind that she wasn’t right for the club.

“No. Actually, I just moved out here from Madison, Wisconsin. It’s always been my dream to become a showgirl.”

Eamon arched a brow and eased back into his chair. “A showgirl? You know The Dollhouse is a gentlemen’s club. This isn’t casino work.”

Regina fidgeted a bit, but her smile never faltered. “Yeah. I know, but…I haven’t been able to land anything yet. And—” she snuck a quick glance at the other women behind her “—well…I sort of really need a job.”

Eamon stared at the young girl for a long moment before he then glanced back down to see that she was just twenty-one. An innocent. “Have you ever done any waitressing?”

“Yeah. Actually, my daddy owns a restaurant back home. I grew up helping wait tables. Problem is that it’s just as hard trying to find a waitressing job out here as it is trying to land a dancing gig.” Her smile finally started to falter.

“Well, today is your lucky day. I just happen to have an opening. It’s yours if you’re interested.”

Eamon watched as if he’d just lifted the world off her shoulders.

“Really?”

He nodded. “I’m sure as long as you keep flashing that pretty smile of yours. You’ll rake in a lot of money in tips.”

“Oh, thank you so much.” She blew him a kiss and started bouncing up and down. “You just don’t know how much that means to me. I thought I was going to have to go back home with my tail tucked between my legs. Thank you. Thank you.”

“All right. All right. You’re more than welcome.” He turned toward Hayley and handed her Regina’s picture and profile. “Will you take Regina here and make sure that she fills out all the necessary paperwork?”

Her eyes danced with amusement as she whispered, “I didn’t know we had a position available. I would’ve had my cousin Gwen apply.”

“When Gwen learns to walk and chew gum at the same time, you do that.”

Hayley laughed and then escorted Regina to the back office.

For the next two hours, Eamon watched the rest of the girls audition. There were a few potentials, maybe one or two break-out stars, but the majority of them were rhythm and balance challenged. Just when he and the DJ were getting down to the last dozen women, the front door swung open.

Eamon glanced at his watch. “I’m sorry, but auditions are closed right now.” He shook his head. Tardiness was a trait that he couldn’t stand. But when he heard a pair of heels stab the hardwood floors, he turned his attention to his right. “I said…”

Nothing, absolutely nothing could’ve prepared Eamon for the tall, fiery divinity that was storming his way. Six feet tall, with long flowing brown hair and blond highlights, this woman commanded attention like no one he’d ever seen before. Though her eyes were hidden behind a pair of fashionable bumblebee sunglasses, Eamon took time to note her high cheekbones and her thick kissable lips. And her body was sick. Sleek shoulders, high D-cup breasts, slim waist and butt that had just the right amount of jiggle when she walked.

“Now, this is more like it,” he said and then shifted in his seat to relieve some of the pain of his erection that was creeping down his right leg and threatening to escape his boxers.

“I’m looking for the owner,” the woman announced with a thinly concealed attitude.

Eamon didn’t answer. He was too busy taking in her tight, white-lace dress that hugged her body like a second layer of skin and just barely kissed the middle of her incredibly toned thighs.

Clearly impatient, his dream woman snatched off her glasses and proceeded to stare him down with her blazing green eyes. He froze, looking at her face and remembering.

“HELLO!” She snapped her fingers in front of his face. “Do you speak in English? ¿Habla inglés?”

Eamon finally broke out of his trance. “I’m sorry, what?”

She huffed out a breath and she settled a hand on her hips. “I said that I was looking for the owners.”

“Well, you’re in luck. You just found one of them. What are you going to perform for me today, honey?” He couldn’t stop the smile that was creeping across his face. The image of her slicked down with baby oil and swinging that incredible body around a golden pole had him feeling like a preteen schoolboy. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt like this—if ever.

“Perform?” She whipped her head around and finally took notice of the other scantily clad women behind her. When she turned back around, she was bubbling with laughter. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She rocked her neck. “Do I look like someone who works a pole for a living?”

Eamon took the question as invitation to take another look at the incredible brick house in front of him. Apparently he was taking too long because she started clearing her throat.

“Are you done?”

Eamon’s gaze sprang back to her heated stare. “I guess I am now.” He leaned forward and planted his elbows on the table and then braided his hands together. “All right. I’ll bite. If you didn’t come here to audition today, then why are you here?”

Her lips spread into a tight smile as she reached inside her large purse and withdrew some folded paper. “I came to serve you this.” She thrust the papers toward him.

He froze at the word serve and refused to take the papers from her. “What is it?”

His discomfort and mistrust seemed to amuse her further because if her smile grew any wider, she was going to look like the Joker after a while. “I’m suing you.” She dropped the papers on the table in front of him. “Honey.”

“What for?” He snatched up the papers and rolled his gaze over the pages. So entrenched in his reading, he didn’t hear when Quentin entered the club, let alone him walking up to the table.

“Hey, cuz. What’s up?”

“FIFTY MILLION DOLLARS!” Eamon roared.

“Congratulations. You can read,” she said smugly. “Now, if you can write and add, I’ll be expecting that check when we go to court.”

Quentin placed one hand on the table and leaned over so that he could catch the fire-breathing Amazon’s attention. “Aren’t you a feisty one?” He flashed his woman-magnet dimples at her. “Please don’t break my heart and tell me that you’re dating my knucklehead cousin here.”

She leaned away from Quentin, suspicious of his over-the-top charm and his seemingly X-ray eyes.

“Fat chance,” Eamon barked. “She’s suing us.”

“Oh? Are you one of the owners of this—” she glanced around and drew a deep breath “—establishment?”