Eight

O h. My. God.

It wasn't that Axel had never seen the cowboy in his skivvies before now—and much less—but there was something mega- hot at the sight of him strolling across the stripper stage in his white skimpy speedo, matching cowboy hat, and a sexy stripper version of white cowboy boots.

Holy fuck…

Axel resisted the urge to fan himself like a slut in heat. His jockeys stretched with an instant erection that he didn't bother trying to hide. Practically naked, there was no concealing his joy.

"Shit…" Kane whispered with a bit of a shake in his voice. Staring wide-eyed at the Egyptian, his nervousness took a backseat to the same lust that consumed Axel. Cochise didn't wear any form of "costume", only his somewhat-skimpy briefs, but that was enough to set Kane ablaze. Axel suspected that the atmosphere amped up the heat for Kane as it did for Axel.

Never in a thousand lifetimes had either of them expected to see their men like this, in such a scenario. Axel had a tough time believing his eyes. Maybe he was dreaming as the sight before him defied all reality.

"All right." Ricky grinned. "Let's get this party started."

Clint avoided direct eye contact with Axel as he paused near the stripper pole. The cowboy felt ridiculous, that much was obvious. Would he feel that way if he knew hot and horny he was making Axel?

"We'll show you some basic moves," Ricky said as Levi joined Kane and Cochise. "Then coach you guys while you dance together." He smirked. "Though I suspect you won't need much help from us once you get going." He gestured to Clint. "Come here, cowboy."

Clint stepped forward with little enthusiasm.

"The trick…" Ricky rested his hands on Clint's hips. "… is to let the music flow through you and let your body go with it." Ricky gyrated his hips sensually in rhythm with the music, his entire slender frame falling in sync. He smiled at Clint. "Simple," he murmured. "Now try it with me."

The cowboy stared at him, body rigid. Resistant.

Maybe this wasn't a good idea, Axel thought with a sting of regret. What he'd thought would be a fun, sexy activity may be causing his cowboy legitimate stress.

"Get out of your head," Ricky whispered and sidled closer to Clint, hips swaying against the cowboy. "Stop thinking you look silly… you don't. You have a smoking hot body that would slay our customers. Take a good look at your man over there—he's in meltdown."

Clint shot a quick look at Axel—and his full jock strap. Heat burned in his eyes… shadowed by something else. Axel had always been an open book to Clint, and he was reading him loud and clear now; the young man was seconds from calling this whole thing off— for Clint.

He sees how nervous and uncomfortable you are.

"That guy thinks you hung the moon and stars," Ricky murmured sensually. "There's nothing you could do that would make him think less of you. He wants this. But he will stop it if he thinks he's somehow hurting you." Ricky trailed his fingertips along Clint's thick biceps and leaned closer. "Do you want to stop?"

Clint swallowed as he stared at Axel. "No," he whispered with a rasp. "No… I don't."

Levi mimicked Ricky's moves and gently gripped Cochise's hips. The Egyptian stared down at the boy, towering over the stripper by at least a full foot. Again, he wondered how the fuck he got into this predicament. The answer came to him the instant he glanced at his fiancé. Kane looked almost as nervous as Cochise, yet radiated a depth of hunger for the Egyptian that he hadn't witnessed before.

"I know you got seriously sexy moves in the bedroom," Levi murmured, gazing up at him. His small, svelte body swayed against him in a rather stimulating rhythm. "Exotic dancing is much like having sex… it's all in the hips." He demonstrated by rolling his slender hips in a graceful, erotic motion. "Once you get your hips into it… everything else just kind of follows along."

Cochise kept his focus on Kane, battling the notion to flee. Kane would let him go without argument, without becoming upset with him.

The man has been there for you all the way—even knowing the things you've done. He gave you his heart and created a family for you. And all he's ever asked in return… is your love. You can't do this one thing for him?

Breathing deeply, Cochise looked down at Levi. " Teach me."