by Boone Brux
Dani stuck her fingers against her tongue and whistled. Okay, so it wasn’t the ballet, but maybe classical dance would be more exciting if the men wore leather chaps and bandanna G-strings instead of flesh-toned tights.
The first act featured a cowboy. Supposedly the chair was his horse, because the guy was all over that thing. No horse Dani ever knew would have taken that kind of abuse. She rolled her eyes at her thoughts. Yeah, this was textbook bachelorette party stuff, but God help her, she was loving it.
These guys were ripped and tan, but they were too pretty. She smiled. Jamie was ripped and tanned too, but in a construction worker kind of way. Sometimes he had stubble on his chin, which she loved, and she couldn’t resist letting her gaze linger on his honed abs that dipped to an equally impressive vee when he wore nothing but shorts or jeans.
Pain shot through her right arm. “Ouch.” She glared at Joya. “Why’d you punch me?”
“You stopped cheering and had a dopey look on your face. That can only mean one thing.” Her friend stuck her penis straw in her mouth and took a healthy drink. The pink light glowed and then dimmed. “You’re thinking about Jamie.”
“I am not thinking about Jamie.” She mirrored Joya, drinking from her straw, but instead of pink, a purple light illuminated the plastic member. “I was watching the show.”
Kinni turned from the railing. “What’s wrong?”
“Dani is mooning over Jamie.”
“I am not.” She swirled the crushed ice in her margarita. “Hey look, a fireman.”
Her attempt to divert their attention worked.
“Do you think he waxes his chest?” Kinni’s finger ran up and down the stem of her glass. “I mean, that’s not natural, right?”
“Not unless he’s twelve,” Roxy yelled. She held her arms over her head and rotated her hips to the beat of the music. Her movement caught the fireman’s eye.
He danced toward her, pulling a long fire hose with him.
“Holy crap, he’s coming over here,” she yelled. “Him and his big hose.”
“That’s right, bring that big thing over here.” Roxy dug in her purse and pulled out a wad of singles. She waved the bundle in the air and the stripper smiled. “Come on girls, this boy needs some spending money.”
They each tugged out a couple of bills, but Roxy dominated the dollar-stuffing. She tucked the first one in the string at his hip. The second went into the back waistband, compliments of a spread-eagle toe-touch, and the third one earned her a tongue lick up her neck.
“Well.” Joya’s eyes rounded. “That was—”
“Yeah,” Dani nodded, the memory of Jamie’s tongue flicking against her skin instantly heating her body. “Very.”
They grabbed hold of the bride-to-be and dragged her away from the railing before she did anything they all might regret. Roxy fanned herself with the remaining money, and then whooped at the top of her lungs. “That’s how it’s done, girls.”
“Maybe you should slow down on the drinking,” Kinni said.
“What? This is my bachelorette party. My last girls’ night out as a single lady.”
“Right, bachelorette party, as in you have a fiancé.” Despite Joya’s reprimand, she filled all three of the margarita glasses.
“What do you think Kyle is doing right now? Shooting pool and talking sports?” She wiggled a manicured finger at them. “Oh no, no, no. He’s probably getting his face crammed into some big-boobed stripper while she’s giving him a lap dance.”
The icy lime drink caught in Dani’s throat. She slapped her hand over her mouth before she covered everybody with margarita. After coughing a couple of times and clearing her throat, she said, “He’s not doing that?”
“Oh no?” Roxy’s eyes rounded, her false eyelashes fluttering like spastic butterflies. “Let’s find out.” She picked up her phone and typed in a message. “Hey, what are you guys doing? I just felt some fireman’s big hose.” She smiled. “Send.” She set her phone down. “I give him thirty seconds.” Before her words were out, the text notification dinged. She snatched up her phone and read. “Was it bigger than mine?” She wrinkled her nose and giggled. “He wishes. Send.” Their dirty talk continued for a few minutes until she placed her phone on the table again. “They were at the Peach Tree but are headed to the Bush Company later. He’s had two lap dances that the boys bought him and a lot of beer.”
“You two are perfect for each other,” Kinni said.
“We are, aren’t we?” Roxy gave a devious smile. “Still, it might be best to keep all evidence of tonight, such as pictures, hidden from Kyle.”
“I thought you said he wouldn’t care,” Dani said.
“No, I said he was doing the same thing. Not that he wouldn’t care.” She plopped down in the chair. “Hey, we should go to the Bush Company and surprise them.”
“Isn’t that some kind of bachelor party taboo?” Kinni asked.
“Yeah. I hope I catch him in a compromising situation.” She took another drink. “And I know Dani wants to see Jamie.”
“Do not,” she lied. Seeing hot men and the couple of margaritas she’d consumed had given her a nice horny glow. Still, she wasn’t tipsy enough to fling herself at him when she saw him. Though things weren’t hush-hush anymore, she didn’t want Jamie to know their secret was out. “No, we should stay and party. This is girls’ night, not kind-of-girls’-night and then go find the guys.”
“Hey, the fireman is back with his ladder.” Joya shoved the straw in her mouth and drained her margarita. With a smack of her lips, she gave a satisfied sigh and set the glass on the table. “This is the last act. I say after this we hit the Bush Company.”
“I agree,” Roxy said.
She joined the girls at the rail and cheered on the fireman as he did things with a ladder she’d never dreamed of. After this they were headed to see the guys. A thrill raced through her. She’d play it cool. Pretend that it was Roxy’s idea to find Kyle. It was, after all. If Jamie looked irritated by their arrival, she’d leave. If he didn’t…well, the night would end all that better. He certainly hadn’t balked at spending time with her. Maybe…no. She pushed the betraying, hopeful thought aside. It was exactly the concern Roxy had voiced in the car, and she wouldn’t go there. If Jamie cared about her, he’d have to be the one to say it. She wasn’t going first again. She wouldn’t risk her heart and dignity. Yes, he’d ended things with that Sonja chick. But that didn’t mean he wanted to start up a relationship with her again. Just because he mentioned how much he’d missed it, they were still just words.
Chapter Twelve
The music in the strip club thumped against Jamie, giving him a second heartbeat. A dim glow from table lamps lit the interior. The only bright light was the spotlight streaming across the stage, drawing most of the patrons’ attention.
A woman wrapped herself around the silver pole anchored in the middle of the rise. Dressed in a short plaid schoolgirl skirt and white blouse tied just under her breasts, the stripper grasped the bar and flipped upside down. Her white-kneesock-clad legs gripped the pole while she shook her long brown ponytail left and right. No doubt the woman had some mean skills.
He had been to a dozen such bars over the last few years. They used to be fun, a way to blow off steam and have a drink with the boys. Now they didn’t hold any appeal for him. He’d rather spend time working on his motorcycles or reading. Not having to pay for a woman’s attention. When that had happened, he didn’t know, but being around Dani made him realize he could have fun without all the bachelor hype.
“I reserved the VIP area here.” He pointed to the back of the club. “I thought Kyle could get more one-on-one attention than he had at the last club.”
Price slapped the groom on the back. “Drink it in, my friend. In a few days you won’t be able to do this.”
“Yeah, but I’m not married yet,” he said.
Jamie smiled and led the way across the club. His friend talked a mean game, but Kyle was as good as
married—had been since college. It surprised Jamie that it had taken Kyle this long to propose to Roxy. The two were inseparable, and as much as he hadn’t wanted to admit it, were good together.
Each guy claimed a spot on one of the overstuffed chairs and settled in. They’d barely sat when the waitress arrived.
“Evening, boys. My name’s Trudy.” Dressed in tight black shorts and a halter that left little to the imagination, she gave them her best big tips, please smile. “What can I get you?”
“Johnnie Walker on the rocks,” Lincoln said.
Price turned to the waitress. “I’ll have a vodka martini, Trudy. Keep them coming every twenty minutes until I pass out, and then every half hour after that.”
“You got it.”
Jamie grimaced. “You’re going to be hurting tomorrow.”
“But I’ll have fun tonight.”
“I’ll also have a vodka martini, but…” Jamie shook his head. “Don’t keep them coming. Somebody’s going to have to pack this guy home.”
“Smart.” She smiled at Kyle. “And for the groom?”
“How did you know I was getting married?”
Trudy cocked a delicate brow. “Honey, I’ve worked here long enough to recognize a groom-to-be.”
“It must be the smell of desperation,” Lincoln said.
The waitress nodded and smiled. “Something like that.”
“I’m not desperate.” When nobody replied, Kyle’s brow furrowed and his mouth curved into a frown. “I’ll have a draft, whatever you’ve got on tap—and I’m not desperate.”
“Beer?” Price said. “Desperate and wimpy.”
“I’ll be right back with your drinks.” The woman gave Price a wink and then sauntered away.
“Boys, I think this is going to be a very good evening.” His eyes followed her. “A very good evening indeed.”
“Yeah, well, try not to get arrested tonight,” Kyle said.
Price held up his hands. “I can neither confirm nor deny that that might happen.”
Jamie smirked and looked back to the stage. The stripper sprawled spread-eagle and leaned forward. With slow tugs, she crawled across the floor toward a fat businessman. The smile on his face wavered between uncertain and hopeful. As Jamie watched the man, he couldn’t help but wonder if his future would be like that. Traveling for work with nobody to go home to? His smile pulled into a tight line. Basically that’s what his father did. Only instead of strippers he hooked up with bimbos with daddy complexes. Gold diggers. People who didn’t care about him beyond what he could give them.
“Gotta hit the bathroom.” He stood, needing to get a little distance from the dark thoughts the club bombarded him with. “Don’t drink my martini before I get back.”
“Can’t make any promises, man.” Kyle reclined deeper into the red velour seat. “After all, it’s my night.”
“How often are you going to use that tonight?”
His friend stretched his arms across the back of the chair and puffed out his chest. “As often as I can, my friend.”
Not replying, Jamie made his way through the private lap-dance lounge to the VIP bathrooms. The back room was empty. Probably because it was still early and a Wednesday night. For a strip club, the bathrooms were nice, and thankfully, clean. He stopped at the sink. Mainly he wanted a minute alone to try to lighten his mood.
This was Kyle’s night, not his. If Jamie had his way he would be curled up on the couch with Dani, watching some lame horror movie. He stared at himself in the mirror. She’d gotten under his skin. The funny thing was—this time it didn’t scare him so much. Maybe it was the realization that he didn’t want to turn out like his father. Maybe it was being here in some random strip club with his best friend’s wedding quickly approaching. Maybe it was time to grow up—man up.
After washing and drying his hands, he exited the bathroom. He’d barely gone ten feet when one of the last people he expected to see stepped in front of him and blocked his path.
“Sonja, what are you doing here?”
She reached for his collar and slid her fingers along its fold. “What kind of greeting is that?” Her caress moved, stroking his chest. “Aren’t you happy to see me?”
“I’m here with the guys.” He covered her hand with his and pushed it away. “Kyle’s bachelor party. How did you know where we’d be?”
Not to be deterred, she snagged the opening of his shirt near a button and gave a little tug. “Does it matter?” She stepped backward, dragging him with her. “What’s important is that I’m here now.” She stopped when she reached a red tufted chair a few feet away. “I thought we could have a little fun.”
“My father told you, didn’t he?” It was the only answer. Nobody else knew what they’d planned for the evening.
“Kyle’s dad told him about the bachelor party, and he happened to mention it to me.” The tip of her red fingernail scraped the skin just inside his shirt. “Is it so wrong he wants us to be together?”
“Listen—” Again he removed her finger from his shirt, but the woman was like an octopus. She clutched his hands and nestled them between the exposed swells of her breasts. “I’m sorry, but this isn’t going to happen.”
It was as if she hadn’t heard him—or didn’t believe him. She smiled and stepped to the side, turning Jamie to face the opposite direction. Then she pushed him. He stumbled and landed on the red chair. Before he could stand again, she lifted her black boot–clad foot and straddled his lap, bracing her hands against the top edge of the seat back. The short black skirt she wore inched dangerously high on her tan thighs.
“We’ll see about that.” She lowered herself until she’d settled on his lap, her body moving to the heavy beat thumping through the club. With a slow gyration, she ground against him. He gripped her arms, trying to push her off him. Her smile widened. “What’s the matter, you getting excited?”
“Hardly.” His grip shifted to her hips, stopping their motion. “Please, get off.”
He was trying to be civil as not to stir up a shitstorm with his dad, but she wasn’t taking the hint. Sonja leaned forward and pressed her breasts against his face. “Oh, I plan on getting off.” She jiggled her breasts and rubbed them against his face. “And so will you.”
This was not good. If any of the guys saw him with her he’d never hear the end of it. Plus, Kyle would tell Roxy, and there was no way she’d keep it from Dani. He tilted his head back, trying to extract himself from her ample cleavage, and released Sonja’s hips. When he reached for her upper arms, Sonja grabbed his hands and slapped them over her breasts, holding him there. Again she lowered onto his lap.
“Don’t fight it, Jamie. Our fathers want us together, and I want us together. It’s a match made in heaven.”
“Sonja, please, this isn’t about anything other than business.” He tugged his hands, but her nails dug into him. “We aren’t good together.”
A coy pout turned down her bottom lip. “How can you say that? We were great in bed, weren’t we?”
“Sex was fine.” He pried his hands out from under hers and again grabbed her hips, intent on pushing her off. He and Sonja were pawns of their fathers; the only difference was, sadly, she hadn’t realized it yet. “But don’t pretend you care about me. Never had you said I love you.”
“Oh, Jamie. I do love you.” In a surprise attack, she kissed him. He opened his mouth to protest but her tongue swept inside, nearly choking him.
“Wow, and here I’d almost started to believe you weren’t a complete asshole.”
Panic raced through him at the sound of Dani’s voice. He shoved against Sonja and stood in one fluid motion. The blonde toppled to the ground, grunting when she hit the floor. “This isn’t what it looks like.”
“Really, because it looked like she was giving you a tonsillectomy.”
He took a step toward her at the same time a horde of women, or maybe it was just bridesmaids and Roxy, descended on them. Kyle and the boys followed right behind.<
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“What’s going on?” Roxy asked.
She stabbed a finger at Sonja. “She was giving him a tongue bath from the inside out.”
Sonja struggled to her feet and glared. “Yeah, and I wasn’t finished.”
“Wow, I thought they had higher-quality strippers here,” Joya said.
The tall blonde crossed her arms over her barely concealed chest and jutted a hip to the side. “I’m not a stripper. I’m Jamie’s girlfriend.”
“No—you’re not!” He stepped away, but the distance he tried to create was ineffective. “We used to date. Now we don’t. End of story.” Trapped between the two women, he held up both his hands. “She’s not my girlfriend, and we were definitely finished.”
Dani’s gaze narrowed.
“I mean,” he continued, “I didn’t know she was going to be here. She ambushed me when I came out of the bathroom.”
“Well, you know what, I’m not your girlfriend either,” she said. “You can have as many lap dances with this skank as you want.” She looked at Roxy. “Sorry, but I’m done trying to keep him occupied.”
Her friend’s eyes widened and she grimaced, as if caught in some nefarious act.
Her words registered. “Wait, what do you mean keep me occupied?”
In unison, all eyes turned toward Roxy.
“Interesting story.” A nervous laugh escaped Roxy and her gaze darted from Dani to Jamie. “I thought if you two spent time together you’d see how much you missed her and hook up again.”
“Wait, what?” Dani’s head whipped toward her friend. “You mean you lied about him wanting to break you and Kyle up?”
“Break them up?” Jamie shook his head. “I don’t want to break them up. I think they’re great together.”
“Aww, that’s sweet,” Roxy said.
Dani stomped her foot. “Roxy! What is going on?”
The bride-to-be’s smile evaporated. “You’ve been so miserable. I was only trying to help.”
“By making me spend time with him?” A look of utter betrayal softened her expression. “How could you do that to me?”
