Circus Excite Read Online Free

plaster. Julia’s steps echoed as she entered. Obviously, this was not a particularly successful company. There were no posters on the wall, no sign of any schedules or activity. Nothing, in fact, but flat grey stone. Light crept in from cracks in the shutters, which had been pulled shut over the high windows. Julia stood uncertainly in the room, feeling a shiver dance down her spine. Now she was the other side of the armoured door she was having second thoughts about whether she wanted to be locked in here. The woman was walking round a corner into a darkened passageway, leaving Julia alone in the silent room.
    â€˜The ringmaster will be with you shortly.’ She tossed the remark over her shoulder as she disappeared. Julia recognised the voice – deep, scratchy and tinged with an accent. It was the same voice that had purred
‘If you’re looking for adventure . . .’
on the answer phone message. It added a hint of exoticism to the words, the woman’s accent rolling the
r
of ringmaster, putting the emphasis on the word ‘master’ as though he was some kind of sadistic Svengali, whipping the circus into shape with a mixture of cruelty and indulgence.
    Julia was looking forward to meeting him.
    When she first saw Robert, she was taken aback. The first thing that struck her was how young he was. She’d expected a kind of father figure, fifty or sixty, imposing, silver-haired. Possibly wearing a top hat. Robert was mid-thirties, tall, laconic and handsome in an intense unsettling way. Dressed in a crumpled white shirt and jeans, he could have passed for a slightly jaded rock star. He introduced himself with a handshake, smiling lazily and meeting Julia’s gaze with intensely dark eyes. His hair was tousled and he was unshaven – in general he had the air of someone who’d recently risen from bed. He moved with an easy confidence, walking slowly to the chair and pulling it round backwards to straddle it. He sat with his arms crossed loosely over the back and scratched his stubble.
    â€˜So let me see what you can do,’ he said lazily, fixing Julia with a curious heavy-lidded stare. Nonplussed by his languorous attitude, but determined not to show it, Julia dropped her bag on the floor and took off her jacket.
    â€˜It’s great so far. I like you undressing.’ Robert’s voice was calm, with a teasing lilt in it. ‘Keep going.’
    Julia was thrown off balance. Was this a joke? She wasn’t shy about her body, but she hadn’t anticipated her interviewer asking her to strip. She wasn’t quite that desperate for money.
    Nevertheless, something in Robert’s voice had challenged her, and Julia loved a challenge. Standing straight-backed and proud, she met his gaze and answered steadily: ‘Are you looking for a professional dancer, or a stripper?’
    Robert laughed, a low sexy laugh that Julia felt tickle her inside. He shrugged.
    â€˜It’s up to you, babe. If you want to join us, you’d better not have any false modesty. We work as a very close team.’
    â€˜You mean you want me to forget about the professional dance angle?’
    â€˜Not at all, not at all. Circus Excite is unconventional, sure. But we’re totally professional. Our show is designed very precisely, even though it looks kind of unpredictable to the audience.’ Julia raised an eyebrow. She was intrigued by the sound of this, although something made her wary. Robert continued, standing up and approaching Julia as he talked. ‘We try to open the minds of the audience, more than merely “entertain” them.’ His voice had turned as smooth as honey, and he leant close to her as though he were telling Julia an intimate secret. She had to steady herself not to back away from him. He reached out a hand to her hair, as though to brush a strand from her eyes. ‘Sometimes the most effective way to entrance people is . . .’ He pulled a