“I can’t help you if you don’t tell me.” The soft sound of her footsteps coming closer stopped him from disappearing through the door. Her hand pressed lightly on his shoulder, and he turned around. She wasn’t that much taller than he was, so he gazed into her eyes. They searched his. As he took a step away from her, she raised her hand. The move reminded him of someone trying to approach a wounded animal. “You’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders. I can help you with that. All you have to do is let me.”

“What do you mean?”

The smile she gave him hit him like a physical punch to the pit of his stomach. “Maybe it’s time you put that well-worn control into someone else’s hands. Come to my office after your set. I mean if you’re interested.” This time when she stepped toward him, he stayed rooted to the spot. He still found it difficult to look in her eyes. Damn, the tour had really worn him down along with everything else he’d had to deal with. “Look at me, Joseph.” As if her words were magic ones granting him permission, they were all he needed to shift his eyes to hers. He stayed still as she ran a nail along the line of his jaw. Dropping his gaze slightly, he studied the curve of her lips. The simple move made him rock hard as he glanced back into her eyes, and she gave him a look that could only be described as searching. “Come to me tonight after your set.”

“Who are you?” He wanted to touch her, his fingers practically burned with the urge—the need.

A moment of indecision flashed in her eyes before she suddenly seemed taller as she stood on her tip toes with the pose of a dancer. Joseph immediately wished that he had his notepad with him. She stopped a fraction from his lips, never looking away. “My name is Madame Tease.” The barest touch of her lips danced across his. “Have a good show tonight.”