The rest of her was nicelyput together as well. A touch over average height, she had a lithefigure blessed with mouthwatering curves. Even though her dressstopped short of being provocative, there wasn’t any denyingher high, full breasts, small waist and round hips that begged for aman’s hands.
It justwasn’t just her looks that had him barging in on their girl’snight out. She possessed a sexual magnetism that made him feel bothprimal andterritorial. The compulsion to be near her was inescapable,overwhelming.
Shane cursed thewrong head he’d been thinking with.
Heshould have paid his respects and walked away. Not pretend he washanging around out of some sense of duty or absolve his conscience.
Only one thing could dothat and hewas too selfish ortoo cowardly toevenconsider it.
During his introspection,they’dceased theirbickering and flagged down a taxi. Obviously the forgive and forgetsort, they talked animatedly as they climbed into the back of thehired cab. About what, Shane didn’t have a clue. He didn’t really care. Theirintimate camaraderie and Celeste’s about facelightened hismood. And like a hound dog sniffing out a bitch in heat, he climbedin behind them.
He’d barely settledagainst the leather seats when the cabbie whipped around. His darkgaze travelled over them one by one then stopped on Shane.
“I carry whites andnegroes, but not both at the same time.And I’mnot moving til either you ladies or the gent here gets out of mycab.”
Hot underthe collar,Shane leaned forward, causing the material of his jacket to strainagainst his arms and chest. “I don’t believewe have aproblem.”
“Yeah, we do,”the driverretorted.“They’re colored and you’re not.”
“Well, that’s mycue.” Celeste reached for the door handle.
“Sit back. I gotthis.” She glared at him for a split second then with a loudhuff fell back into the seat. Shane glanced at Trudy. While hercousin wanted to make tracks, she sat back with a mischievous grin.
“Who says I’mnot colored?” Shane asked, turning his attention back to thedriver.
Thecabbie’seyes narrowed as if he could discern Shane’s family tree bysimply looking at him. “You look prettylegit to me.”
Shane openedand closed his fists. “Myfatherwas Irishand mymother’shalf Muskogee.”
The cabbie’s lipscurled and Shanewondered which of his parents the other man found the leastdesirable.
“Close enough,”the cabbie finally acquiesced. He then turned around and shiftedthe car intogear.
***
“One Sheridan Square.”The driver flipped the meter. “That’ll be a dollar andtwo bits.”
After alighting, bothCeleste and Trudy fished into their purses for the fare, but Shanebeat them to it by handing the guy a five.
While the cabbie madechange, Trudy placed her elbows on the driver side door and leaneddown so their faces were mere inches from each other.
“I’mperforming tonight—Trudy Leroux, a pretty popular act if I sayso myself.” Trudy purred,enunciating each syllable. “Wanna come withus?”
Palminghis money, the driver inched backward.
“Noton your life, sister,” he said then hit the gas. Not hurt inthe least by the man’s rudeness, Trudy’slaughter could be barely heard over the screeching tires.
“Come on.”Celeste grabbed Trudy’s arm, and pulled her across the streetwith Shane close on their heels. “You ought to be ashamed ofyourself for frightening him like that.”
“That buster will befine and just as bigoted tomorrow,” Trudy sniffed as theyclimbedthe curb.
Only half past nine the lineinto Cafe Society already snaked halfway down the block. The firstof its kind, the nightclub wasmodeled afterthe cafes in Paris where anyand everyonerubbed elbows over quality libations, two dollar steaks andintellectualconversation.
“Aren’tyou a sight for sore eyes, Miss Celeste?” Marvin Rudolph, aformer doorman from the Plantation Inn greetedher.
Celeste allowed him toenfold her into a big bear hug. Although he wasn’t aperformer, Marvin was just as much a part of the family from ThePlantation as anyone else. “Has Trudy talked you into joiningon like the rest of the gang? I sure loved the way you danced.”
“She hasn’t madeup her mind where her feet are going to land,” Trudy replied.“So don’t go starting rumors.She needs to find herself a manager first.”
Marvin smiled as Trudystraightened his black bow tie. “You plan on knocking themdead?”
“Don’t I always.Why bother performing if you’re not going to give the crowd onehundred and ten percent. If you get a break you should see my set. Icooked up a new number.”
“Wish I could, butlook at this line and it’s not even ten o’clock,”he lamented,openingone of the club’sdouble doors. “I have a long night on my feet. You all have agood night.”
Shanefollowed them, but Marvin held up agloved hand. “Whoa,wait a minute there, bub. Where do you think you’re going? The line starts back there.”
BeforeTrudycould intercede, Shane wrapped his arm around Celeste’s waistand pulled her close. The point of contact made her catch her breath.“I’m with them,” he said clarifying, theiracquaintance.
Marvindidn’tbat a lash. Considering he helmed the door for New York’sfirst integrated nightclub, he’dprobably seen and heard everything. Andwhether or not he had an opinion regardingthe companythey kept, Marvinkept it to himself and allowed all of them to pass.
Once inside, Celeste brushedhis hand away.
“Ah,silky...silky…sounds like the band is just getting started.”Trudy shouted over the plaintive wail of a cornet. Oblivious toCeleste’s mounting anxiety, her cousin shimmied out of herovercoat.
“A-are you going tohang around a little before you headbackstage?”
Trudy flipped her wrist.“Sure, thing, sugar,” she said glancing at the watch onher wrist. “I have enough time for at least two drinks.”She heldout her hand.“Giveme your coats, and I’ll check them in with Margie.”
Left alone with Shane,Celeste suddenly felt on edge. Even in a crowded nightclub, all shecould focus on was the man standing to her left. And in spite ofwhat he probably thought about her, she still found herselfirrevocably drawn to him.
Needing space, Celestewandered down the hallway. As she drew closer to the nightclub’sdining area.
The soft clang of collidingglasses andsilverware mixedwith the headybuzz ofvoices,laughterand music. People poured in and out. Some looked wilted from too much dancing,others too drunk on booze.
Theuniformedchaos soothed Celeste’s rattled nerves. This was where realityended and fantasy began. In here, she didn’t have to proveanything to anyone. The Depressionwas simplya figment of everyone’s imagination,trials
