As the guys moved closer and took the seats open by the pole at the left-hand side of the stage, I realized with shock that I knew one of them. The guy in the center, hiding his face with a baseball cap, was none other than Dimitri Morrison. I was sure of it! Holy shit! What was he doing here? Had he seen where I worked on my résumé and come here to mock me? Did he bring all his buddies to join in on the fun of teasing the girl who was too big to be a real actress?
Distracted, I stumbled in my boots and barely caught myself from falling off the stage. I had to pull myself together or this routine was ruined and so were my tips for the night! I concentrated on the music, found the beat, and undulated my body in perfect sync with the rhythm. My hands caressed my flesh, running over my ample cleavage seductively, down my flat stomach, and then over my thighs. All the while, I was whipping my hair around and giving the guys my best I want to fuck smile. When my hands reached my knees, I used them to pull open my thighs as wide as they’d go and the crowd yelled with excitement. I saw Dimitri lean forward for a closer look while his buddies slapped each other on the back and pounded shots of whiskey. I decided to give them a show worth remembering.
I turned in a slow circle, showing off my round ass cheeks that were bulging from the confines of the tight denim skirt. Bending forward at the waist, I shimmied my ass seductively, and I could hear the shouts of the crowd as it whipped them into a frenzy. The only one I cared about, however, was Dimitri, and I made sure he got the best view of all. Crouching right in front of him, I lowered my skirt at the waist and pulled it back up again in a game of peek-a-boo that was sure to drive him crazy. Showing a flash of flesh always got the audience revved up and begging for more, and I saw Dimitri was no exception. I could hardly believe what was happening; Dimitri Morrison thought I was hot! He wasn’t here to make fun of me, he was here to get off!
With a mischievous smile, I gave him what he wanted, ripping off the tear-away denim skirt and tossing it onto the stage to reveal my bare ass dressed in nothing but a thong. The crowd went crazy and fistfuls of dollar bills started flying into the air, most notably Dimitri’s. I danced up to him and his friends, undulating low against the stage so they could reach, and blew them playful kisses as they stuffed the bills into my G-string. Writhing on the floor of the stage with some of my steamiest dance moves, I closed my eyes and threw back my head, making what I called my orgasm face. The crowd loved it and more bills were stuffed into my thong while strange hands pawed at me.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw Dimitri gazing at me and our eyes locked. I recognized from the way his pupils were dilated that he was wildly aroused and I felt my body tingle with excitement. Fans lusted after me every night, but this was the first time I had felt the zing of sexual excitement in return and it startled me. I needed to put some distance between me and him to regain my professionalism.
I brought myself back up to a standing position and moved sensuously toward the pole mounted at the left of the stage. I noticed my nipples had gotten hard and my pussy was tingling with arousal. Dancing and stripping off my clothes had long since lost any sexual excitement for me. It had become a job and not something fun, but seeing the effect I was having on Dimitri and knowing that he wanted me had made my body come alive. It invigorated the sexual side of me and made me dance even harder with my gaze locked on his.
As the music pulsed and the crowd roared, I played with my tits, rubbing them, bouncing them, and making them jiggle erotically. Then, in a sudden move that always got a big reaction, I ripped off the tear-away cowgirl top and revealed my bare tits to the crowd. More fistfuls of money came onto the stage as I held them in my hands, fondling and caressing them as my hips grinded to the music. Dimitri was noticeably aroused and I noticed he had to adjust his crotch. He wanted me, and I wanted him just as much. Only he was a customer, and a movie star, and way out of my league. I decided if I couldn’t have him in real life, at least I could have him in this moment, and I danced my way to the pole mounted on the stage. For tonight, the long metal pole would be my own personal Dimitri.
With practiced skill, I wrapped my body around the pole, encircling the cold hard metal with my hands, arms, thighs, and legs. My well-toned muscles were accustomed to suspending my weight on the pole and my body, though big-boned, was surprisingly limber. I could stretch, twist, bend, and writhe in a hundred different ways with grace and ease, sliding up and down the pole seductively. With glittering eyes, Dimitri held up a handful of bills and beckoned for me to go to him.
I flipped my body upside down and slid from the top of the pole all the way down to the floor, then crawled seductively to the edge of the stage, right where Dimitri stood. I spread my legs wide into the splits, humping the stage just inches from his face while he stuffed the bills into my thong. I thanked him by blowing him a sensuous kiss and rubbing my tits in his face. Then the music sounded its last beats of the cymbals and I strode off stage feeling more exhilarated from stripping than I had in a long time. It was only after I got to my dressing room that I realized the bills tucked into my G-string were hundreds.
“Shawnee! Look at this!” I cried out to her in a low whisper and showed her the hundred-dollar bills. “Do you think it was mistake? Should I give them back?”
“No, he obviously meant for you to have them. Put them in your locker and don’t show them to anybody, especially Jay!”
I did as Shawnee said, trembling with excitement all the while. I could hardly believe it. I’d just earned enough money to pay a month’s rent and I’d done it in just one performance. I watched carefully the rest of the night, and none of the other girls walked off stage with hundreds. Dimitri must have wanted the money to be just for me.
The next time I went on stage I looked for him, but a new crowd of men had taken over the front row by the pole. I scanned the crowd, but Dimitri and his entourage were nowhere to be seen. Had I been crazy for thinking he liked me? The wad of cash I had secured in my locker told me that I wasn’t.
“See ya at home!” I called back to Shawnee when the end of my shift had finally come. I knew she still had another two hours to go and I couldn’t keep from rubbing it in that I would be back at our apartment first. It served her right, since she’d be teasing me that after tonight she was going on vacation for a week to see her family and I was going to be stuck here working.
“Maybe you’ll get the callback from your agent and you won’t have to keep coming back to this shithole!” Shawnee called back to me with a smile. It was a familiar routine we bantered every time I had an audition. We both knew nothing would come of it and I’d be working the pole again, probably for the rest of my life. Although deep down in my gut I had a feeling this time things might actually be different. It was all because of the reactions of one man.
“Dimitri!” I cried out as I smacked right into his chest.
To my surprise he was leaning in the doorway behind the BBW Club, blocking the exit with a sexy grin on his face.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, stammering like an idiot.
Dimitri looked me up and down appreciatively and said, “The last audition of the day didn’t show up at the studio. A bunch of the employees said they were going out to unwind with a few drinks and I decided to join in, but only if they could help me find a sexy woman. So, here I am looking at you.”
I laughed, certain he was joking. “Yeah, right! You could have any girl you wanted brought right to your front door.”
“Yeah, I could, but I’m not interested in girls; skinny, bony, with no personality and no fire. I like women; full, round, beautiful women, with hips and breasts like a woman should have.”
He stepped forward so we were inches apart and put his hands on my waist. I had dressed to go home in a T-shirt and my favorite pair of jeans. They may have been full of holes, but they hugged my body like a second skin and I loved them too much to toss them out and get a new pair. My good black dress was draped over one arm, and my handbag was over the other. Feeling s
trangely trapped, but not scared, I took a step back and ran against the wall of the hallway right behind me. I was pinned between this incredibly rich, sexy, powerful man and the unforgiving wall. My pulse quickened and I could hear my breathing growing heavy.
“Is there something you need?” I asked, awkwardly. Maybe he was just trying to squeeze in through the hallway on his way back from a smoke break and I was blocking him like an idiot. Maybe I only thought he wanted me when really he was just being polite. His next words, however, cleared away all my feelings of self-doubt.
“All I need is you, Avery,” Dimitri whispered and then he kissed me. His lips were insistent and forced mine apart. His tongue probed mine urgently, and I felt myself give in to the passion of his embrace. God, he tasted even better than I had imagined he would. When we finally broke apart, gasping for air, all I could do was stare at him in surprise. Caressing my cheek, he said softly, “Come back to my place with me, Avery. I’ve never wanted a woman like I want you.”
I couldn’t believe it. How many times had I fantasized about this very thing? When I didn’t answer back right away, Dimitri reached into his pocket and held up a pile of hundred-dollar bills. He said enticingly, “I’ll make it worth your time.”
The magic spell was instantly broken. Why did these pigs at the club think all strippers were prostitutes? My heart was racing, my nipples were hard with desire, and my pussy was growing wet; all from just the passion of his kiss. I desperately wanted to go with him and let him fuck me, but that would be agreeing to his misconception that I was a hooker. So I forced myself to say no. Pushing with all my strength, I shoved my way past him and out into the chilly night air.
“Go to hell! I don’t fuck customers for money! Goodnight, Mr. Morrison!” I said, making it clear that our conversation was over with the hostile tone of my voice. I forged down the sidewalk with quick, angry strides. It pissed me off to think that Dimitri Morrison actually thought I was a prostitute. Of course, that was nothing new; most customers at the club thought that about the strippers who worked there.
As I drew closer to my apartment, my steps slowed and I realized the thing that upset me the most was I had just thrown away my best chance at getting the role of a lifetime. There was no way Dimitri was going to want to work with me after I so blatantly rejected him. So even if the director liked my audition, I was sure to get turned down. Worst of all, I had missed the even rarer opportunity to make love with Dimitri Morrison. His lips had felt so good on mine, it still made me quiver. I could just imagine the powerful orgasms he could have given me, and that’s what I would have to do, because after throwing away my only chance to be with him, imagination and masturbation were the only ways I was ever going to see him again.
Chapter Three
It was a miracle I made it home to my apartment that night. I don’t even remember walking, although clearly I must have. I was in such a daze over everything that had happened that day; the incredible audition, the way Dimitri had told me I’d done a good job, making a thousand bucks in tips in one performance, and then that unbelievable scene at the back exit of the club. Had I really turned down going home with the hottest actor in Hollywood, just because he’d made the common mistake of thinking I was a prostitute?
“What’s wrong? You look like a fucking zombie,” Shawnee called out to me when she walked through the front door of our crappy apartment after her shift had ended.
I was stunned to realize I’d been sitting there for two hours just going over everything again and again in my mind. There was no way I was going to get the role of lead actress working opposite Dimitri Morrison after the way I’d insulted and rejected him.
“I think I’ve ruined my entire life,” I said, holding my head in my hands.
“A bit melodramatic, don’t you think?” Shawnee laughed, but I shook my head and told her everything about Dimitri, the terrific audition, and then that horrible scene at the club.
“You turned him down?” Shawnee squealed and wrapped her hands around my neck playfully, mocking the act of throttling me to death for my stupidity. Laughing, she let me go and sat down beside me. “I can’t believe you did that! Holy fuck!”
“I know. At least I’ve got the rent covered for the month and plenty left over for groceries.”
“Screw shopping. I’m starving. Let’s go out to Marco’s Grill for a farewell, thanks to the esteemed Mr. Morrison.”
Normally I wouldn’t waste money on something as frivolous as eating out, but I had to admit Shawnee’s idea sounded good. The events of the past few hours were too overwhelming and I needed a good friend to help me make sense of all the emotions swirling in my head. Besides, she was leaving in the morning and wouldn’t be back for an entire week. I could think of no better send-off for her than a meal at an actual restaurant, where we didn’t have to try to skip out on the bill. So, we walked down the street to the cute little restaurant around the block where the waiter had a crush on Shawnee and never questioned our fake IDs.
As we sat laughing over margaritas and fajitas, Shawnee interrogated me about Dimitri. “Tell me everything and don’t leave out a single detail! What did he smell like? Was his breath minty? Did he grab your ass when he kissed you?”
After nearly an hour of continuous questions, I couldn’t take it anymore. “Enough, Shawnee! Can we talk about anything other than Dimitri, please?”
“Okay, do you think you still have a shot at getting that movie role?”
I groaned and slammed down the last of my drink. That was the only other subject I didn’t want to talk about, but I knew Shawnee wouldn’t let it drop. She would just pester me all night long, so I went ahead and shared all my thoughts with her about it.
In the end, she put her arm around me sympathetically, saying, “Maybe you’re wrong. Maybe your agent will call tomorrow and say you got the job.”
“Maybe, but I doubt it. I ruined my chance with the greatest guy and the greatest role I’ll probably ever see in my lifetime, both in one shot,” I said. We left the restaurant and walked back home with our arms wrapped around each other to hold ourselves up. I think I’d had one margarita too many, but I had needed to drink away my sorrows with my best friend and I was glad we’d done it. As Shawnee unlocked the door to our apartment, I couldn’t wait to get inside and go to bed. It had been a long day and I was ready for it to be over.
“Whoa!” Shawnee nearly tripped on something as she stepped through the doorway and I heard the clinking of glass. “What the hell was that? Where are the lights?”
We stumbled for the light switch and Shawnee found it first. As my vision adjusted to the illumination, I couldn’t believe my eyes. Thousands of the most exquisitely beautiful roses I’d ever seen filled our apartment, all set in elegant crystal vases. It was breathtaking and the scent was like being in heaven.
“Where did all these come from?” I gasped, delicately picking a careful path through the labyrinth of bouquets to get to the center of the room.
“I bet I can guess,” Shawnee said, her voice dripping with innuendo.
“Please, I don’t think so!” I said, knowing just who she was thinking about and it was utterly ridiculous. They couldn’t possibly be from Dimitri, but I was dead wrong. A card on the dining room table, written in a scrawling script, said simply, Avery, please give me another chance. Dimitri.
“Holy shit! I can’t believe it!” I gasped. As much as I hated to admit it, my heart was fluttering like some schoolgirl with a crush and I must have been smiling like a fool. Then something occurred to me, and I turned to Shawnee with a worried frown. “How did he know where I live? Do you think he’s one of those psycho stalkers?”
“Who cares? With a body and face like his, he can stalk me any time!” Shawnee didn’t look the least bit concerned and we both laughed. She plucked a rose from a nearby vase and said knowingly, “It looks like you might still have a shot at the movie role after all.”
“Do you really think so?” It was too much to even h
ope for, and yet I was already feeling excited about the possibility.
Shawnee spread her arms wide, indicating the room packed full of roses, and said, “Yeah, I think so. Now let’s get some sleep. You’ve got to be rested for the call from your agent announcing that you’ve become a big star and I’ve got to catch a bus in the morning so my parents can nag me for a week about not being married yet. Don’t forget to water my plant while I’m gone. I don’t want to come back and find it dead.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll water your precious pot plant, but I don’t know why you bother. The thing only has one leaf on it. It’s practically dead.”
“Shut up!” Shawnee glared with mock anger and we both climbed into our beds at opposite ends of the apartment. Then I heard her whisper in the dark, “Good luck with Dimitri.”
I wondered if she meant the movie or the kiss, and I realized in my heart that I wanted both. It was hard to sleep that night; I was so excited about it all. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dimitri and what it had been like to meet him in person. His eyes were so blue, they were like looking into a tropical ocean and I thought I could drown in them. His bronze skin was soft, and yet his muscles were hard, resulting in a delightful mixture of gentle and tough. I’d felt a real connection with him at the audition when he’d held my hand and winked at me; and again on the dance stage when our eyes locked with smoldering heat. He said that I did well at the audition. He said he wanted me in the club, and he had purchased thousands of roses in apology when he thought I was mad at him. This had to mean that I still had a chance, not just at getting the role, but of seeing him again!
Most of all, I couldn’t stop thinking about that kiss. When he’d put his hands on my waist and pulled me close, I felt my skin ignite with sexual desire. There was a definite heat between us that was pure electricity and when he pulled me to him and kissed my lips, it exploded into sexual lust.
Stripped Love (BBW Alpha Male Romance) Page 2
