She stopped, her heart thrashing in her chest. She looked down at his hand and closed her eyes. It was strong, yet gentle. She loved the feel, even if it was only a touch of his hand.
“Sugar, we need to talk.”
“I’m sorry, but customers are not allowed past the velvet curtain. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a show to do.” Her voice was ice cold, her face somber.
He pulled her against him, his lips speaking into her soft, silky hair. “Stop treating me like one of those slobbering men out there. You have to listen to me. I didn’t stay away because I wanted to. I told you I would come back, and I tried. I ran into a lot of things you wouldn’t begin to understand.”
“Why don’t you try me?” she said with a challenge in her eyes.
“All right, try this on for size. I went forty years into the
