Touch&Geaux by Unknown Read Free Book Online

had ever seen. He wasn’t
    watching the sensuous curves of the woman in her corset,
    though, but rather the solid lines of the man’s shoulders as
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    he moved. When he offered his rendition of “House of the
    Rising Sun,” it raised the hairs on Zane’s arms. He couldn’t
    look away.
    For the last act of the show, the woman sang a rousing
    patriotic burlesque number as the man weaved his way
    through the crowd with his bowler hat, collecting tips from
    the tables. He would clap along with the music as he moved
    from table to table, egging people on and getting the crowd
    involved. Zane’s eyes followed his movements. Over the last
    hour of watching him, Zane had decided that he was definitely
    attracted to the man. It didn’t strike him as odd, but it was
    distracting enough that he had to sit and dwell on it.
    When the performer approached their table, Zane’s heart
    rate sped up. The man grinned at them, showing perfect teeth
    to go with his handsome face. He held his hat out, and Zane
    dug out a hundred dol ar bill and tossed it in, trying to get a
    look at the guy’s eyes. He decided they were green.
    The guy watched the bill flutter into his hat, then twirled
    the hat around his hand and displayed the empty inside of
    it to them, his expression scandalized as he discovered the
    seemingly disappearing bill. Becky laughed and Zane grinned,
    impressed with the man’s nimble fingers. The bill was nowhere
    to be found.
    He bowed, then plopped the hat on his head and gave
    Zane a wink as he turned away.
    Zane’s heart gave a skip and he cleared his throat, growing
    more flustered and confused by his reaction.
    Becky leaned closer, biting her lip on a smile. “I just want
    you to know that if you ever wanted to hit that, I’d totally be
    behind it if I could watch.”
    “Oh my God,” Zane muttered, but he couldn’t help but
    laugh.
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    “You’re blushing!”
    Zane laughed harder. “Let’s just go.”
    “I told you it’d be fun,” she said as she grabbed for her
    coat.They were standing from their table when the woman
    who’d been performing came up behind them and put her
    hands on each of their shoulders to keep them in their seats.
    “Did you enjoy the show?” she purred.
    Becky beamed up at her. “Oh, it was so much fun.”
    The woman gave her a gracious nod. “Would the two of
    you be interested in joining us for an after-party?”
    “Oh,” Becky murmured, and Zane could see the blush
    creeping up her face now. She looked at Zane, her eyes wide.
    Zane smiled at her, but underneath the amusement,
    he realized he was curious. Not necessarily tempted, but
    certainly curious. He shook his head though, chalking it up
    to too many hurricanes and too much debauched revelry for
    the night.
    “Thank you, but . . . we’ll have to pass,” he said to the
    woman.
    “Shame. Y’all come back any time.”
    Becky held her breath until the woman was gone, and
    then she gasped and hit Zane in the chest. “I can’t believe that
    just happened!”
    Zane laughed and took her elbow, helping her to her feet.
    “Let’s get you back to the hotel so I can take advantage of you.”
    They were still laughing as they pushed through the heavy
    wooden door into the alley. Zane glanced to his right to see
    a dark figure leaning against the wall further down, a halo of
    blue smoke rising from his lips. His back was against the wal ,
    his hips jutting out, one foot propped up against the brick.
    He made an enticing, sensual silhouette.
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    Zane nodded at him, recognizing the outline of the
    bowler hat. The man reached up to the bill of his hat, tipping
    it to them. Zane stared for another moment before he tore
    his eyes away and followed his wife out of the alley.
    “You’ve never told me that story,” Ty said with a frown.
    Zane shrugged. He’d never had occasion to tell it, he
    supposed. They were huddled around a tiny bar table in one
    of the quieter establishments, far away from Bourbon Street.
    The memories