by Alexis Ayres
Stuffing a trash bag full of all of my new goodies, I proceeded towards the van pick-up area. Unfortunately, Katrina was waiting nearby.
Crap!
"Hey, Ella!" she squeaked. "I heard about all this extra egg dyeing work they have you doing...are you okay with that?!"
"Oh...uh...yeah. It's not so bad," I replied.
"And that bag!" she said, gesturing towards my trash bag o'panties. "Is that part of the project you're working on?"
"Yep," I sighed. Then I realized, with horror, that the trash bag was see-through. It was time to improvise. "Rich people," I grunted. "They're insisting that I use these bras and panties to 'silk dye' the eggs. That's what they're calling it."
"Oh God," Katrina said. "Well thanks so much for doing all of this. I'll make sure that you get reimbursed for mileage."
"Yes, definitely do that," I said, trying my best to look annoyed as the lovely white van approached, not unlike a man on a white stallion coming to rescue me.
CHAPTER FIVE
COFFEE TALK
"So let me get this straight...you're working for the devil incarnate, racking up free panties and bras, and getting paid cash?!" Daniela was practically shouting at me.
We were at King's Road Cafe, where the coffee is like crack. But in a good way.
"YES!" I laughed. "It's like the best Katrina's Katerer's gig of all freakin' time!"
"I'll say!" she laughed, taking another sip of her piping hot coffee. "That's ridiculous. So what does this jerk look like, anyway? Also, I don't know if I mentioned this yet, but the fact that we were just talking about him the other day and now you're working for him..."
"...is very Law of Attraction!" I finished her sentence. "Yeah, this is where it gets weird. He was ridiculously hot, super nice, insisted that I get paid for hours I didn't even work...and I swear, I know this sounds nuts, but he was checking out my rack!"
"Whoa...this definitely adds another element." Daniela looked genuinely shocked. "What would you do if he hit on you? I mean, he's like a traitor to our cause."
"I know, but I highly doubt he's going to hit on me!" I laughed. "I dunno, maybe I'm just making things up in my head. Anyway, his assistant swore that his comments about plus-sized women were 'taken completely out of context' so who knows..."
"Well, you may be seducing billionaires, but I'm still convinced that I'm going to win the lap dance contest in Stripper Class. So you better get your game together," Daniela announced confidently.
"Heck, no!" I laughed. "I've totally got this one locked down."
"Have you even started to work on your routine yet?"
I looked down in shame. "No! I've been working. Have you?"
"Of course I have." Daniela was so good like that. Always prepared.
"Well I guess I better get on it, then."
"What time do you have to be there today?"
"Gotta go home and change now," I said, looking down at my cell phone. "Good talk!"
"Yeah, let me know if anything exciting happens..." she mused.
After heading back to my apartment, changing into my penguin-esque catering outfit and bidding adieu to Ruby, I was on my way to Dash De Maio's compound once again. And I was curious about what the day would bring. Would they have me try on other companies' apparel again? Or would I get a chance to see De Maio Designs' magic firsthand?
I got there in record time, hurtling through traffic. Katrina put on a faux sympathetic face as I showed my face at the check-in desk.
"Was everything okay yesterday, with the egg dye errand? Hope traffic wasn't too bad."
"Meh, you know L.A.," I said somewhat dramatically. "It wasn't too brutal, though. Just...grateful for the work."
This seemed to put a grin on her face. "Thank you for saying that, Ella! So few people recognize that we keep them employed while they chase their dreams."
It took everything inside of me not to openly roll my eyes. But I managed. Travis was my seat buddy on the way up the hill again.
"So how was yesterday?" he asked.
"Oh, it was fine," I replied. "Not too bad. How was everything out on the patio?"
Travis lowered his voice to a stage whisper. "Awesome. This rich guy came over and asked if I had any weed on me. Sold him my stash for two hundred bucks!"
I wanted to burst out laughing. It would seem that we all had our "side hustles," as it were. But I didn't want to let on that mine was even more lucrative than Travis's weed sale.
"That's awesome, Travis!" I whispered back. "Here's hoping you make even more money today!"
The van rolled to a stop, and we all disembarked, going off to our respective posts. I was surprised to find the little cottage bustling with people and products when I opened the door.
"Ella!" Debra smiled, like we were old best friends. "We've got so much good stuff for you to try on today! Our designers were really inspired by your notes, so we created some sets on the fly, too."
She wasn't kidding. They had been busy. Before I knew it, I was enveloped in a whirlwind of lingerie and athletic wear of every kind. People poked and prodded me as they explored the fit of various pieces. But they hung onto my every word.
I wasn't used to having so much power. Normally, I showed up at auditions and catered to the whims of casting directors. Then, if I booked the gig, I would go to set and do whatever the directors and producers told me to do.
But this was different. And I have to admit that it was...fantastic. I was critiquing a pink taffeta panty set when Debra let me in on their plan.
"Now, we're having a little designer contest here, Ella," Debra said, as we stared at the one rack of items I'd already tried. "The designer of your favorite item today will win one of Dash's own personal watches. So choose carefully."
The entire group of designers looked at me expectantly. I realized that this must have been quite an incentive. Dash De Maio probably had some crazy expensive watches.
"Whoa, that's a lot of pressure!" I was saying, when I saw the door to the cottage open.
Dash De Maio. A million tiny butterflies took flight in my stomach. He was dressed casually, in dark jeans, a white button-down shirt, and loafers. First he took some time to chat with a few designers, then he approached me and Debra.
"Ella!" he smiled, calmly appraising the pink panty set I was wearing.
"Hey, there," I replied, trying to sound somewhat normal.
Something about this guy set off my body in a way that was highly inappropriate.
"What do you think of those panties?" he asked, coming closer and looking at them in a completely professional manner, the way a mechanic would stare at an engine.
"Uh..." What was I saying before he walked in? Racking my brain, I finally came up with it. "Oh! They're nice, but the fabric in the back is a tiny bit itchy."
"Huh, that's what I was thinking," he said, casually sticking a few fingers down the back of the underwear, so that his warm, strong hand was touching my bare ass.
I almost lost it, wondering what would happen if I toppled over at that moment. Pleading with myself to maintain some composure, I stood there quietly as Dash continued to stare at my ass.
"Cool," I uttered nervously.
"Alright, so let's try these with the other fabric, Debra. Yeah?" he said.
"Yes, you got it!" Debra replied quickly.
Dash finally removed his fingers from my panties, giving me an affectionate swat on the ass.
"You're doing a great job, kiddo! Thanks so much, again."
The feeling of his hand on my bare ass had been promising. But I have to admit that I felt a bit deflated at the mention of "kiddo" -- maybe I really was manufacturing this attraction in my head. After all, the guy had publicly stated that he wasn't a fan of plus-sized women...yet here he was, creating a fashion line completely customized for us. I was exhausted from confusion...and trying on clothes. Luckily, it was time for Dash, Debra, and the rest of the designers to head up to dinner.
"Okay, so I'm gonna be bac
k in an hour or so, to get your results for the winner of the fashion contest," Dash told me. "Choose carefully! I know one of these designers here must want my watch."
A hullabaloo ensued, as many of the designers shouted out their reasons for needing the watch.
"I'll try my best," I smiled, looking towards the rack.
I did have one piece in mind, but I wasn't going to say it just yet. The whole crew left, as the sun began to go down and I was left to my own devices in the small cottage. I decided to try on my favorite selection again. It was a vertically striped, rainbow-colored monokini lingerie piece that flattered and hugged every inch of me. The top supported my breasts, while the sides left little to the imagination, showcasing my curves. The showstopper part of it was the thong bottom, however, which was perfectly cut to accentuate my ass.
"You are the winner!" I announced to the mirror, putting on some heels that were lying on the ground and twirling around.
There was no work left to do. It was time to check my phone.
"Oooh, text from Daniela!"
My competitive nature began to emerge as I saw what she'd texted me.
*I've been practicing my lap dance routine all day. TOTALLY going to win this Stripper Class contest!
I wrote back immediately.
*Starting to put together my dance right now! May the best woman win!
It was time to start rehearsing. After firing up the music app on my phone, I then grabbed a chair from the side of the room and put it near the mirror. Daniela was a worthy competitor, but I would give her a run for her money. Song selection would be key.
Giggling, I found the perfect tune on the app. Lil' Kim's classic song, "Not Tonight," in which she detailed her explicit need for her man to perform oral sex on her. It was guaranteed to make Daniela crack up, as I was always complaining about how Carlo wouldn't go down on me.
Bit by bit, I started putting together my lap dance routine, using the empty chair to simulate the man, just like we did in class. Full of shimmying and shaking, my little piece was confident, bold, and fun. And it made me work up a sweat. In fact, I was so invested in the whole thing that I didn't hear the cottage door open.
"Ella?"
My back was arched perfectly, with my exposed, bare ass pointed towards the door. Turning my head towards the voice, I was able to confirm my worst fears.
SHIT, SHIT, SHIT.
It was Dash De Maio, and he'd caught me in the midst of my lap dance routine. Lil' Kim's explicit lyrics continued to echo throughout the cottage.
"Oh...gosh...I..." Springing to my feet, I tried to create the illusion everything was normal. My plan failed miserably.
"What were you doing?" As Dash walked closer, I realized he'd changed into a tuxedo for their fancy dinner.
It figured. Of course he would have to be dressed perfectly during this, the most embarrassing moment of my entire life. I had no choice but to come clean. It felt like an eternity before my mouth would even start to form words. As he came closer, I could see his perfect hair, those incredible green eyes...
"Ummm, my friend and I do this Stripper Class, and there's this lap dance contest thingy where you can win a free year of classes, so I'm practicing and..." I started to babble before he cut me off.
"Ah, that sounds fun!" he smiled.
Whew. I was beginning to become slightly less mortified. Just slightly.
"Yeah, it is fun." I noticed that he was holding a big white food box. Lil' Kim's raunchy lyrics continued to blare throughout the room.
"I actually brought you some dinner. Forgot you were left to your own devices back here."
"Oh, thank you! That's so...thoughtful," Grabbing the box, I set it on the small table next to the couch.
Dash looked me up and down. "So is that your choice for the winning design? The monokini?"
"Oh, uh, yes!"
My heart was racing. As embarrassed and self conscious as I felt, I couldn't help but notice Dash's perfectly tawny skin. It was so beautiful it looked airbrushed.
"It does look really hot," he nodded, circling around me while taking peeks of my form in the mirror. "And you could wear it under a button-down shirt or whatever. Super sexy." Then he burst into laughter as he came closer to me, examining the straps more closely. "What the hell is this song?!"
"Oh, uh, it's Lil' Kim," I said, trying not to come apart from his slight touch. Would the mortification ever stop? "Uh, it's for the lap dance contest I was just practicing for. Thought it was, um, an appropriate song."
"Ah, yes, I could see how it would be good for that sort of thing," Dash said, walking over to the couch and sitting down as he continued to look at me in the monokini.
A pervasive silence filled the air as I tried to figure out what to do next. All of my finely sharpened conversational skills seemed to have abandoned me. Why was he sitting on the couch? I'd already given him my selection. But Dash kept staring.
"So...are you gonna give the monokini designer the watch?" I asked, attempting to fill the void with anything other than the Lil' Kim song.
The music app switched to some Coltrane just then, the sultry jazz tones taking over the cottage. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Yeah," Dash nodded, putting his hands behind his head and leaning back. "I'll go present the watch in a bit. Some people from the marketing team are giving boring speeches. It's much nicer back here with you."
And then he grinned again, as my knees began to weaken.
"Oh, really?"
"Yes, really," he said, licking his lips as he stared at my thighs.
Oh my. The vibe in the room had started to change, and I had no way of making it slow down. There was some invisible force pulling me closer and closer to this man, and I was absolutely powerless to stop it.
"Do you want to see what I have so far, for my lap dance routine?" The words came tumbling out of my mouth before I could filter them.
But Dash didn't seem to mind.
"Actually, I was hoping you might practice on me," he said, those electric green eyes focusing in on me as his mouth formed a naughty smile. And then he sat forward. "You know, so I can see the winning design in action. The way it's meant to be."
CHAPTER SIX
LAP DANCE
"Of course," I grinned back. "I'm sure you want to see how the fabric moves and all that."
I was playing the femme fatale on the outside, but on the inside I was melting. My heart was pounding in my ears. This seduction scenario had me completely on edge.
"So, where should I sit?" Dash asked, and for a split second I realized that he may have been a little nervous, too.
The vein in his forehead bulged out as he continued to stare at my scantily clad body.
"In the chair," I said, kicking it lightly with my heel.
Dash arose from the couch and sat on the chair, loosening his bow tie and spreading his legs slightly as he gazed at me.
"So what are the rules?"
"I can touch you, but you can't touch me," I commanded, strutting in front of him.
"Sounds fair enough."
I stood in place for a moment, breathing in the electricity from the air. Dash De Maio was a most guilty pleasure, but I craved him from the deepest part of my being.
"Okay, here we go."
Sashaying over to Dash's chair, I swiveled my body in front of his before he asked the question.
"What happened to Lil' Kim?"
"What?" I was utterly confused.
"If this is your rehearsal," he said, gazing up into my face, "...then it's probably best for you to use the same music that you're gonna use in class.."
"Right you are," I said, walking over to my phone and switching the app back to the Lil' Kim song. "Is this better?"
"I don't know that it's better," he laughed throatily, "But I do believe in authentic rehearsals."
"Me too," I said in a low voice. "I want to make this as authentic as possible."
And then I slowly strolled over to the light switch, di
mming the lights to replicate a sex den as much as I possibly could. As Lil' Kim started spouting off her wonderfully bawdy lyrics, I walked back over to the chair.
"I feel like this is highly unprofessional of me," Dash sighed, staring at my barely concealed breasts as I threw my legs around his thighs.
"You're not doing anything wrong," I murmured. "You're just sitting in a chair. I'm the one who's being naughty."
"I don't even care anymore," he said simply, looking directly into my eyes. "I've been fantasizing about you ever since I saw you."
"Really?"
My world stood still for a split second. This was really happening.
And then I started doing my routine to the music, dipping down and brushing my lower body against his. The fabric of the tiny monokini felt like almost nothing at all, as I rubbed up against him. I could feel his hard cock swelling inside of his tuxedo pants as I started the choreographed bump and grind.
"Oh, wow," he groaned, his green eyes flashing intensely as he watched my breasts bounce. "Yes, really...Ella, you are one of the most gorgeous women I've ever seen."
"Thanks," I grinned, arching my back and flipping my hair.
I'd always been a sucker for a compliment. It was time to take things to the next level. Quickly undoing the top of the monokini, I let Dash watch as my tits escaped the confines of the garment.
"Oh, Ella," he growled, suddenly grabbing my ass and then bucking against me.
"No, no, no," I chided him. "You're not supposed to touch me, remember?"
Taking a sharp breath of air and removing his hands, he nodded contritely.
"Okay, I promise not to paw you again...you just, you know your body is making me crazy. Doesn't feel natural just to sit here."
"Too bad," I smiled, putting my breasts right in his face so he could get an up-close view. "You volunteered," I whispered in his ear as I continued to dry hump him.
Then, just when I was feeling invincible, he started in on the questions that made me completely powerless against his charms.
"Do you like all of the stuff she's talking about in the song, Ella?" he asked, referencing the raunchy Lil' Kim lyrics.
