Lucifer sat at the bar, leisurely sipping his scotch at the bar, while he watched another young, innocent woman twirl awkwardly around the chrome pole. She stumbled over the six-inch acrylic platform heels she wore, almost spraining her ankle. Lucifer gave her a bored look. "Darling, Maze has your number, we'll give you a call if we need a substitute."

Looking dejected, the young lady gave a single nod before carefully making her way of the dance stage.

He finished his drink, steepled his fingers with eyes closed, letting his thoughts drift toward a certain Detective that he wished were lilting around the pole, dancing on ribbons of wind rather than these awkward oafs who walked like elephants on stilts rather than beautiful women in heels.

As if Dad from on high had heard Lucifer's naughtiest thoughts, the familiar footfalls of a specific Detective made a smile tug at his lips and his mood change from boredom to secret joy. Lucifer pushed away the thoughts of Chloe Decker from his mind because every time she visited, he found it difficult to always hide the evidence of arousal. Detective Decker astounded him with her innate ability to make him horny simply by thinking about her.

He camouflaged it with suggestive innuendo and outrageous flirting, but the erections and lust she inspired encouraged Lucifer's inner fallen angel to the forefront. Lucifer remembered Chloe's scent: fresh soap and lilacs. Every time, he was around her, he wanted to fall to his knees and surrender to her in chemical, emotional and physical devotion.

Chloe headed to the restroom before she joined him and Lucifer felt his shoulders slump with relief.

"Trousers getting too tight, Lucifer?" Maze smirked

"What did you say?" he nearly growled in a low voice.

"She walks in and your scent changes to that a man controlled by pheromones."

Maze chucked as she wiped dry a beer class.

"Maze, I am three dancers short for Lux tonight because of the influenza spreading through here like the plague."

"Looks more like fantasizing about Chloe," Maze scoffed, glancing down at his erection turning his fly into a miniature pup tent.

"Maze, not another word..." Lucifer felt the crimson gleam flicker for a second in his eyes as he stared at the Lillim who dared mock foolishly mock him.

She shrugged, flipped her hair and started pouring Chloe's customary after-shift shot of tequila that was always on the house when she dropped by Lux. Once Maze turned away from him, he quickly adjusted himself for comfort.

'The Devil never gets nervous,' Lucifer thought as he shifted his body posture on the bar stool, making himself look as confident and casual as possible. He quickly straightened the color of the dark plum shirt he wore, knowing it was one of Chloe's favorites. Whenever he wore it, that fresh scent of lilacs carried a hint of tangerine as an undertone. That scent was unique only to Chloe.

He'd learned in the beginning that for her, when that scent was prevalent, her arousal inspired by whatever man caught her attention. She didn't know it, but Lucifer did. He did the top button on his black tailored waistcoat, leaning against the bar.

He took another swig of his scotch, hearing Dr. Linda's voice echo in his mind, "You've never shown Chloe your true face because you're of how she'll react. You came to Los Angeles because you were looking for something and you found it: Home; not in the city, but in Chloe and that frightens you."

"Bloody Hell," he downed the rest of his scotch.

The seam of his trousers was too tight, cutting into his erection. He shifted his weight on the bar stool, the movement bringing relief and the pressure against his balls giving him a sweet wave of pleasure that he wanted to turn into an explosion.

"Maze, pour me another glass."

"Pour your own damned glass, I don't work here anymore."

"Then, why are you cleaning the glasses?" he countered.

"I'm doing you a solid, Lucifer. Chloe told me how half of Lux's help is out with the flu. Consider it my charitable donation for the year." Over the past several weeks, Maze had gained inside knowledge that neither Lucifer nor Chloe knew about the other. It was obvious to all but those two that they adored one another, protective of each other and had fallen in love without either one knowing. Maze considered Lucifer slightly less dense than her roommate because, at least, he realized what evolved between him and Chloe without their noticing.

Maze sat down the next glass of scotch in front of him with a knowing smile, "She's just Chloe, the same one you've always known. Take a breath."

Lucifer's shifted his gaze down to his glass before he looked at her, flashing her a confident smile to hide his embarrassment and vulnerability.

"Maze, I—" be began, not quite sure how to finish.

"You've got this. Just remember who you are. I have the bar for however long you need me to watch it. Just be yourself."

Lucifer said nothing, but his gaze softened toward his oldest friend. Impulsively, he leaned over the bar and planted a quick peck on her check. Maze looked at him, contempt flashing in her eyes. Wiping off her check, she glared with disgust before giving him a skeptical snort. "Pitiful."

Chloe exited the rest room, sitting comfortably on the bar stool next to Lucifer while he held his glass up to her in greeting. "Good evening, Detective. Have another murder for us to solve or is it a trafficker who deserves to be punished?"

"Neither," she said, reaching for the shot on the bar. "I have to go undercover and I have no clue how I'm going to pull this off."

"What are you having to do now?" Lucifer drolled, feigning disinterest. "Play a nun? Do you need to be a naughty nurse, Detective?"

"None of the above," Chloe drank her shot in one quick gulp, enjoying the burn of the tequila against the back of her throat. "I'm going undercover as a stripper."

Lucifer gave her a tight smile, "Do tell, Detective."

Lucifer wills the crimson inner fires of jealousy not to show in his eyes as he cocks his head and lightly shrugs.

"I have to do this because of the suspects in the Branson case frequents a club and I know you know the owner. I was hoping you'd do a couple of a favors for me?"

"And what deal do you want to strike with the Devil?"

"I need an employer reference," Chloe began and stopped.

"An employer reference, Love? You've never worked here a day in your life and you know well that I don't lie."

"I know, but if I say I worked at Lux and they call you to check my employment history, it could help break this case wide open."

"What's the second favor?"

"I need dancing lessons and I thought you could, uh, you know, give me pointers?" Chloe's question slowing dropped to little more than an uncertain whisper.

Lucifer promptly spat out his scotch all over the bar's granite surface. "Bloody Hell! Why don't you ask Maze?"

"She says you visit the skankier strip joints and have more experience with it than she does," Chloe's bland reply hid the ghost of a smile.

Lucifer glowered at Maze who said nothing, but turned her back to drain the bar sink behind her. "Very well, Detective, I will give you some pointers, even lessons if you like, but with conditions."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "What?"

"Strip for me privately and give me a lap dance," Lucifer's eyes twinkled with mirth. He new exactly how modest and by-the-book his Detective was. "I'll tip you and then I can honestly say that you've worked for me and that I've seen you dance."

Chloe slowly shook her head in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?"

"The Devil never kids on a deal," Lucifer grinned. "I make the best deals in L.A. Dance for me and you'll be hanging upside down from the pole by the end of the hour."

"You are so full of bullshit."

"You know I never lie."

"Right now, you're just bragging."

"It's not bragging if you can do it in an hour," he said smoothly. "First of all, do you have any costumes, anything slinky or sexy?"

"I didn't know I was going undercover until my Lieutenant cornered me earlier this afternoon. Maze let me raid her closet," Chloe dug into a large gym bag setting on the bar stool beside her, pulling out a leather miniskirt and halter top. "I thought this would work."

"No, no, no, Detective, you want to be an exotic dancer, not a dominatrix," Lucifer gently chided, ticking his tongue in disapproval. "You have to know your inner exotic dancer, Detective. Your not hard and jaded like Maze."

"Really?" Chloe eyed him in disbelief.

He reached for her ponytail, grasping the ponytail holder and sliding it out of her hair. Lucifer took his time gently combing his fingers through Chloe's hair. She gave her head a good shake, letting it fall around her face, framing it. "No, you need a name and a look. Do you have a good idea?"

"No clue," Chloe shrugged. "What do you suggest?"

He let his fingers fall to the nap of her neck, gently massaging the tense muscles he found there. "Relax, Detective, if you can't let loose down here, you sure as hell can't loose up there," he eyed the stage left of the bar. Let's see, you're pure and good, sweet and strong, feminine. No harsh names for you, Luv."

"How about Candy Morningstar?" Chloe fluttered her eyelashes playfully as her neck muscles started unknotting.

"That is simply too trashy for someone like you," he shook his head, using both hands to expertly work out the balls of tension in her shoulders. "Your name is Claire de Lux."

"Oh, how clever," Chloe replied. "Since you think Maze's clothes are too hardcore, what am I supposed to wear?"

"I have just the very thing," Lucifer cheerfully leaped from the bar stool, returning shortly with a sky blue velvet dress and a pair of clear acrylic pumps. On one finger was a silver thong. "You're soft and innocent, so you should dress the part."

Chloe eyed the clothing with disdain. "Am I going to catch an STD from these? Have they even been washed?"

"I can assure you, Detective, they've never been worn," he assured her. "They were left here by my former wife and the tags are still even on them. Try them on."

Chloe went to the rest room and returned later in the clinging sky-blue dress and silver thong underneath. Lucifer gulped when he saw his Chloe in a scrap of cloth that barely covered her, showing off her lean, toned legs with a hint of the forbidden silver thong peaking out just below the dress's short hem. "Very nice, Claire, you clean up rather well."

"Gee, thanks," she said, giving him an artificial smile. "How the hell do women walk in these things?"

It didn't take her long to get acclimated to walking gracefully in the pumps. Chloe walked to the dancing stage across the bar near the baby grand piano, deftly finding her way on top. "Now, you need some music, Detective."

Lucifer strolled to the jukebox in the corner, looking over the selection. "First of all, Chloe, you want to appear sweet and innocent, but make all the boys and girls what to shag the whatnot out of you. I think Prince will do the trick, Dad rest his soul. Usually, a dancer's set is two or three songs, no more than 15 minutes. So, let's get you going with this one. They're oldies, but goodies."

The music suddenly blasted from the speaker with perfect clarity and Chloe's feet seemed to take on a life of their own as Lucifer pulled a chair up a few feet from the stage. He leaned back, looking up and catching a flash of silver beneath the pale blue velvet dress. He leaned back in the chair, watching Chloe tentatively acclimating herself to the tiny stage area. She put her hand on the pole and made to leisurely rotations around it.

"Slowly, Chloe, you don't have to burn all of your energy in one song," Lucifer took a sip of his scotch. "You want it to be a slow burn. You don't want me bursting out of my trousers before song three."

Chloe remembered some of her gymnastics training from her childhood and positioned herself on the pole, effortlessly twirling around it with her feet off the ground. Landing gently in front of Lucifer, she brought her legs together, lying on her back so that that small meeting place between bum and femininity met, covered only by a thin strap of silver cloth. Rotating her calves in a slow clockwise motion, she positioned herself until she was on her knees in front of him. Chloe playfully teased, slowly raising the hem of the short velvet dress until she gave him another flash of silver.

"How's this, Lucifer?" Chloe murmured in a husky voice. "Still too fast?"

"Better," Lucifer tugged at his already unbuttoned collar because it felt too tight.

As the first song ended, the second song came on; a classic about little red sports cars that went too fast. "Now, Chloe, move in close. You've teased me a bit, now, tempt me."

Chloe came off the stage, turned around so that the globes of her ass were only a foot from Lucifer's face. It took a good portion of Lucifer's self-control to not allow his hands to travel upward and feel Chloe's soft skin or to move the thin strap of silver aside to see the pink delights hiding beneath it. Undulating her hips, she pulled the silver thong strap on the sides of her hips in motion, hinting she might remove them.

Chloe slowly licked her lips as she locked eyes with Lucifer. He wanted teased and tempted? Then, she'd outdo Lucifer and make him squirm. If she could make him bothered, then she could pull of this undercover without a problem. Spreading her thighs, Chloe slowly licked her fingers, letting them travel a path down the velvet dress, beneath its hem before lifting it and letting Lucifer see her run them over the thin strip of silver between her thighs.

She watched him slide down a little further in the chair, his hand going to his belt. It was dark in the club, but Chloe thought that she saw a faint flicker of red in his eyes, probably from the stage lights that Maze was operating from behind the bar. Chloe looked over at her roommate for any helpful hints. Maze gave a grudging nod in Lucifer's direction and a knowing smile. Chloe understood she'd learned well from his tutelage.

The third song started, a slow grind about a woman in a hotel lobby doing more than reading a magazine. Chloe kept her eyes solely on Lucifer as she slithered out the scrap of light blue velvet. Then, she bent straight over from the waist, leisurely sliding the silver wisp of cloth down her legs and stepping out of it.

"I, uh, believe this is where you give me a lap dance, Detective," Lucifer's voice sounded raspy to Chloe, feeling Lucifer's presence beginning to crack her steel-willed self-control. She danced over one of his thighs, brushing her core against the soft fabric providing the only separation between her and his skin. Lucifer barely bit back a groan when she did that without warning. It felt so good, having her straddle his thigh. His hands went from his belt to carefully envelop her waist on each side.

Lucifer tried to remain casual as the music played on when Chloe turned around, only millimeters from his erection, brushing against him with her warm, pink flesh with almost nothing in between. He fought the urge to palm Chloe's warm wetness. She leaned forward, her hair teasing his skin along her checks, he caught the heavy scent of lilac and citrus. She was so close, that he wanted to plant his lips on the place where her pulse danced beneath her skin on the side of her neck.

Chloe's hands rested on Lucifer's shoulders as she balance herself during the lap dance. He felt the heat of her seep through his trousers as he erection began weeping. Lucifer's hands slid to Chloe's hips, his eyes never leaving hers as she unabashedly brushed against his crotch. Lucifer's hands gently pushed her downward as his hips rose upward to meet her.

He buried his head in Chloe's shoulder, thrusting against her in a slow, grinding rhythm as the song escalated in the background. The pressure of Chloe's small, strong hands on his shoulders and the way her warm breath teased his ear. The music faded out and the bar fell silent. Chloe trembled in his arms for several seconds as he held her firmly against his covered length. Her quiet moans fed him as he moved against her, triggering a second round of quakes racking her body. In the dark and the silence, he held her close while she caught her breath. Chloe removed herself from Lucifer's lap, picked up the silver thong and blue dress.

"How was that?"

"Bloody Hell, woman, you're a fast learner."

"When you're hot enough to learn from the very best," she gave a quick bow. "You're an excellent tutor, Lucifer. Do you think that was be good enough a job reference and a tip?"

Lucifer reached into his wallet, pulling out a one hundred dollar bill.

Finally, a voice cut into his reverie. "Lucifer, are you okay?"

Chloe stood beside him, fully dressed and her hair back in its ponytail.

"I think I'm coming down with the flu, Detective," Lucifer groaned. He felt cold and alone without Chloe being so close to him. He never thought that her lap dance almost was his undoing.

"I was going to joke that now I can pay the light bill," she tucked the bill into her pocket. "Are you sure you're going to be all right?"

"More than fine, Detective, I assure you."

"Hey, I want to see an encore," Maze called. "By the way, I came over for the last of my stuff and now I'm heading home. I need to stop by the store for groceries and I'm broke."

"Here," Chloe pulled the bill out of her pocket, handing it to her roommate. "Could you pick up some laundry detergent? I think we're out."

"Sure, no problem. I'll see you at home."

"Lucifer, are you sure I wasn't too stiff?" Chloe asked, her brows furrowed with worry. "Maybe I should try it one more time. I think my dancing needs to be more fluid."

"If you were anymore fluid, Detective, I think you'd be water."

"Thanks, Lucifer." Then, she stood on her tiptoes to plant a kiss on his cheek. Lucifer closed his eyes, silently praying not to explode in his trousers while Chloe was in Lux. The pressure of her body against his felt bittersweet, causing all the blood to rush to his erection in only a few seconds. Lucifer felt his length harden against her, but she didn't seem to feel it when she turned and her jacket came between them.

"Always glad to help a friend, Detective," he rasped. "Good luck with your audition."

After Chloe left, he sat alone at the bar, remembering how Chloe was an angel in blue before him, giving him his own private dance. Lucifer felt her heat brand him when she pressed against him and how he nearly exploded in his pants when he realized the only thing keeping his cock from sheathing inside her deeply and fully was a millimeter of trouser fabric.

Lucifer knew he was alone in the bar. Going upstairs to the penthouse, he removed his clothes and lay on the bed, thinking of Chloe. He began slowly palming where he was hardest in long, slow strokes, concentrating on her lovely blue eyes, golden hair, wet quim only inches away from being his. He grabbed his erection as the memory of Chloe's lap dance came to life inside his mind.

"Chloe!"

Lucifer's breaths came in jagged rasps when he thought of Chloe's lips brushing his neck. As he fisted his cock harder, he imagined her lips around him, tasting, tonguing and worshipping him with her mouth. Finally, the wave hit, and a fountain of unspoken need erupted in his hand. Her name came from his lips a second time, a strangled and broken prayer as he longed to feel his explosion be inside her instead all over his hand. He bit his lip as his head sank back into the pillows, trying not to scream out her name louder a third time when another orgasm overwhelmed him.

He had taught her to bedevil him to well.