by Daya Daniels
Midnight checked her phone again and then sat looking at the apple pie for a long while. She seemed deep in thought. No apple pie on earth could keep someone’s attention for that long. Then she took a bite and lifted her eyes while she chewed.
“Is it good?” I asked from across the room.
Midnight smiled and gave me a nod. I gave her a grin, finishing the last piece of my steak. I came to this diner every night before heading back to my apartment. I had my pick of fancy restaurants but I came here because I enjoyed the peace and quiet and I knew I wouldn’t bump into my father’s crowd here. At this time of night, it was usually only Linda and me here. We sat and talked about our day. I walked her to the subway sometimes before jumping into a cab, after the place closed if I stayed late enough.
Linda slipped the bill next to Midnight’s plate and I felt my heart skip a beat. If this woman left and I never saw her again, I would kick my own ass. Linda came back to my table, sliding a plate with a piece of apple pie on it. I took the plate and shot up from my seat heading over to Midnight. Her eyes went wide when she looked up from her phone.
“May I?” I asked, gesturing to the opposite side of her booth, hoping to take a seat across from her.
Madison
I think my heart just fucking stopped. I sat open-mouthed, looking into the cutest, boyish, brown eyes I think I’d ever seen. This man was gorgeous, humpable, marriage and stripper material all rolled into one.
“May I?” he asked again while looking down at me. “Ty,” he said extending his hand.
I took it nervously and shivered when I felt my hand become wrapped in his larger, warmer one. Then he took a seat across from me like he’d known me all his life. I shifted in my seat while he pushed the apple pie in between us slowly. I gave him a forced smile, feeling my pulse speed up but I still didn’t speak.
“What’s your name?” he asked raising his brows.
“I’m sorry. It’s Madison.”
“Madison,” he repeated while looking me over. “That’s pretty.”
He chuckled and I felt myself blush. He was handsome and forward and clearly wealthy, judging by the uber-expensive platinum watch on his wrist.
I lifted my gaze and met his eyes. Ty cocked his head to the side and watched me while I fiddled with my phone, nervously shoving it into the pocket of my hoodie.
“I watched you dancing earlier,” he said flatly.
I stuck my fork in the slice of pie and narrowed my gaze at him. “Stalker?” I asked, lifting a brow in his direction and taking a bite.
Ty leaned forward across the table while a huge grin spread across his face. “No. A fan actually.”
“Oh,” I said inhaling loudly. “I carry pepper spray wherever I go.”
“I better watch out then.”
“Yeah, you better,” I muttered.
He laughed. “A fighter.”
“You have no idea.”
He laughed and pushed his sleeves up, revealing strong forearms that were covered in thick veins. “I like to tussle.” He dug his fork into the warm filling.
I stifled a snort and stared into the plate. This man was hot. I couldn’t deny that.
“Tussle?”
“Yes,” he said. “I love to tussle.”
I giggled and looked across the room, trying to bide myself some time to cool off. I knew my cheeks were red. He placed his hand over mine, calming my trembling one.
“I only play fair,” he whispered.
I pursed my lips and shook my head. “That’s interesting, considering you just cornered me.”
Ty jerked his head back. “That isn’t true.”
“Yes, it is,” I said softly.
“Maybe I couldn’t resist. I’m intrigued. I loved your performance earlier and you just sitting here. You’re cute,” he complimented, flexing his chest muscles and tossing an arm over the back of the booth.
I blinked slowly, looking at him. “I have no makeup on and I look a mess. The woman you saw performing tonight and the woman sitting right here, are two different people.”
“You look a mess?”
“Yes.”
“You look no different than you would when I’m finished with you.”
I exhaled loudly, hoping that I wasn’t blushing too much but I knew I was. When I looked into Ty’s brown eyes, he was still staring at me. I gave him another once-over. He was at least six foot three and two hundred plus pounds. Compared to my five-foot-six frame, I doubted I could take him.
“So, what is it then? You want every man’s dream of fucking a stripper?”
“Nope, I’m not into fantasy. I just want to get to know you.”
I laughed. This man had no clue who I was. Where I was from or even my last name, but his directness turned me on.
“To know me?”
“Yes,” he said dragging his fork along the plate. “Go out on a date with me.”
I belted out a laugh and shook my head. Across the room, I spotted Linda staring at us. She gave me a smile and turned away.
“Is that your matchmaker over there?”
He turned his gaze to Linda. “No, Linda’s a nice lady. A good friend. I don’t pick up women here if that’s what you’re asking.”
I bobbed my head to his words and then narrowed my eyes, leaning forward just a bit. He did the same, meeting me in the middle, stealing my breath away. He was confident and cool. I knew this man would probably fuck my brains out and leave me begging for more. I took in the scent of his cologne and the natural smell of his skin. He was handsome but he looked tired like he’d had a long day.
“What do you want from me?” I asked him.
His fingers crawled over my hand, caressing it. “I told you,” he said. “I want to tussle with you.”
I laughed.
“And I loved that thing you did with your ass earlier...the bouncing.”
I giggled, looking away from his eyes. “It takes skill,” I said slowly.
“Hmmm,” he hummed.
It was nearly two in the morning and I was sitting in a diner with a complete stranger, who in not so many words was telling me he wanted to fuck me. In some sick way, I was loving every minute of it.
“Why are you in this diner?” I asked, looking at my watch. “At this hour in the morning.”
Ty laughed. “I come here for the special. It’s always good and I’m especially glad I came tonight.”
I rolled my eyes and watched him slowly savor a forkful of apple pie. He was sexy, so sexy. I felt the wetness slip out of me when his tongue wrapped around the fork. I wanted that tongue. I didn’t even care where he put it. I just wanted it on me.
“If I give you my number, will you call me?”
I laughed. “No.”
“You will,” he whisper-yelled.
I scanned the room, noticing Linda watching us. She was packing up and shutting off a few of the lights.
“Can I walk you to your car?”
“Pepper spray,” I warned.
He laughed and made a face. “I’m not going to hurt you.”
I reached for the bill. Ty placed his hand over mine. “I’ve got it.”
“No, please,” I said.
“Madison,” he said slowly. “I’ve got it. It’s my treat.”
I dropped my hands, watching the small white piece of paper disappear from my view. He threw some bills down on the table and stood. I stared up at the gorgeous man in front of me. His ass was firm, hugged by navy-blue dress pants. Ty’s black shoes were shiny and I knew powerful arms were underneath the fitted dress shirt he had on. He worked in an office somewhere, likely behind a desk dressed like that.
“I’ll walk you to your car,” he said firmly, extending a large hand to me, placing it on my shoulder.
Madison
Ty, I thought. It had to be short for Tyler but I didn’t ask him to clarify. He walked me to my car and we stood out in the cold, just looking at each other for almost fifteen minutes. It was weird and cute at the sam
e time.
I sighed and rolled over, only to find my nose buried in Kacey’s curly hair.
It had been so long since I’d been with a man and this Ty was blatantly flirting with me. He had no shame and it was sexy. I debated telling him when I would be performing again but decided not to. Instead of harassing me for my number like I thought he would, he just gave me his business card. I looked it over again underneath the moonlight. His home address was scribbled on the back, which I noticed wasn’t far from where he worked. The card read, “Ty Westwood – Chief Operations Officer, Westwood Industries.”
“Westwood,” I whispered to myself. The name sounded so proper and perfect.
I had all of Ty’s numbers including his personal cell and email but I knew I wouldn’t call him. What would I do with Ty Westwood? I figured I could just fuck him. I knew I needed it after all the endless, lonely nights I’d had, after Dominic deserted me. No man wanted to date a woman with five children, even if she was hot. The second Ty found out about the rest of my life, he would be gone. I wouldn’t set myself up for anything less. I rolled away from Kacey, who was snuggled underneath the covers.
I pressed the business card to my chest, imagining Ty’s face again. The way he smiled, the deep timbre of his voice. I almost came just watching him. He probably didn’t need to touch me at all.
His office building was on South 16th Street, which was right in the city.
“Mom,” Dylan whispered, peeking his head in the door.
I shot up in bed and slipped out of it, walking towards him. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing, really. I just came to check on you.”
I smiled and shook my head.
“How was tonight?”
“It was okay.” I turned away from him.
Dylan was much older than he should have been. I felt shame creep up my spine, accepting that he knew that I was now dancing for money.
“Mom, it’s okay.” He placed a hand on my shoulder.
I shrugged feeling my eyes well up with tears.
“I think I’ll have the money for that school trip now.” I forced a smile.
“Yeah, thanks.”
Dylan and I sat on the edge of the bed. I brushed his hair away from his face, looking him over.
“You know when Dad left I was angry.”
I nodded. “I know.”
“I’m still pissed but I don’t miss him and I hope you don’t, Mom.”
“Dylan,” I warned.
“You’re always protecting him,” he hissed holding a hand up.
“I’m not protecting him. I am protecting you. All of you.”
He scoffed. “If he comes back here, Mom, I’ll kick his ass.”
Kacey shifted in bed, under the faint light that crept into the bedroom from the hallway.
“Dylan, come on. It’s three in the morning. You have to go to school tomorrow. Let’s get to bed.”
He stood and I couldn’t help but notice how tall he was and how much bigger he was getting.
“You’re getting so big,” I said placing a kiss on his cheek.
CHAPTER TWO
Ty
A week passed and still no call from Midnight Madison. That’s what I started calling her. I was losing my mind and now I think I actually was stalking her. It was almost ten on a Friday night and I was sitting in the audience in a dark corner in The Red Room...waiting.
Slow music with a catchy beat began to fill the large place. Madison stepped onto the stage, wearing a top hat, a black fishnet body suit and twirling a cane. She dipped low, swinging her gorgeous ass from side to side against the stage that was backlit pink. She dipped and dropped in time with the beat. Everyone in the room, hushed. Their gazes were only fixed on Madison and each move she made across the stage. I took in her curves and the roundness of her ass. I felt myself growing hard in my seat while she danced. Her chest was bare underneath the bodysuit, allowing me to view her full breasts. I imagined what they would feel like in my hands—what her hard nipples would feel like between my fingers. I thought about how her body would feel under the weight of mine while I pummeled into her. I wanted this woman bad and so did my cock. Why was she avoiding me?
Midnight spun around and dropped down low, bouncing her perky ass a few times. I imagined smacking it all night long—maybe even getting a piece of tight hole in between those cheeks.
I took a long sip of the beer in my hands. I froze when I swore Madison’s eyes met mine under the darkness. She looked away from me and then dropped to her knees crawling along the stage. Then she slid back towards the pole, inching her way up the hard metal, gripping it only using her legs. Then she tore the body suit, revealing her naked flesh. The crowd went crazy. I sat straighter in my chair. Midnight’s long hair draped down to the floor while she swung upside down, only supported by her ankles. I’d never seen anything like this before. She was a performer—a dancer...a real one.
I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, adjusting my cock that was painfully hard, watching this show. Countless dollar bills littered the stage. A woman collected all the money in a hat.
Madison swung her hips and dipped low, bringing attention to the five-inch clear heels she wore. Then she slid down into the splits slowly. Fuck, she was sexy. I thought I would explode in my pants, if I continued to watch this.
The crowd went crazy when Madison bounced her ass again. I gritted my teeth and shook my head. When she exited the stage, I left.
Madison
“It’s good to see you again,” Linda said placing a glass of water in front of me.
“Hello, Linda,” I said softly.
“The special?” she asked, looking me over.
“Yes, please.”
I was tired. My back was screaming and my feet hurt. I’d made nearly twelve hundred dollars tonight. I couldn’t complain. It was two performances that were easy, once I got past the gazes of the men in the crowd. It was beginning to feel empowering to know that maybe somewhere in their lives, I filled a void.
“You haven’t call me,” Ty said, suddenly appearing next to me.
I laughed, giving him a sideways glance. “Remember—pepper spray.”
The corners of his mouth crooked up into a smile. Then he took it upon himself to sit across from me. I tilted my head forward giving him a look.
“The special, Ty?” Linda asked placing an apple juice in front of him.
“Yes, please,” he muttered.
“Apple juice? What are you, five?”
He laughed, removing the paper from the end of the straw. Then he took a slow sip, looking me over.
“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you.”
I laughed softly, looking away from him. He had at least two days’ worth of stubble along his jawline that made him look even sexier. His dress shirt was undone and his hair was a bit messy.
“What exactly am I making difficult?”
“I want to take you out. Wherever you want to go and you’re being rude to me.”
I scanned the room. “We are out,” I said waving a hand around, letting out a soft chuckle. “I might be a stripper, Ty, but I’m not easy.”
“I’m not implying that, Madison,” he said in a hushed tone. “I’m definitely not implying that.
“It’s one date,” he said reaching forward, placing his hands over mine.
“What do you want?” I snapped.
Ty shifted in his seat and then gave me the most gorgeous smile, showing every single one of his pearly white teeth. “I want to tussle. I told you.”
I scoffed as Linda slid a steaming hot plate of food down in front of me. It was lasagna with a small piece of garlic bread on the side, which smelled mouthwatering.
“Thank you,” I told her.
I was usually a pretty good judge of character. I knew Ty would be a good fuck. He was probably a freak in bed. The clean-cut ones always were.
“I can fight, remember.”
He groaned, narrowing his eyes at me
. “Yep, I hope you can. I’m looking forward to a little bit of a challenge.”
I ate my food, savoring the taste of the tomato sauce and cheese.
“Your name is Tyler?”
He gave me a nod, with a stare that was making me uncomfortable.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Linda placed the special down in front of him but he didn’t seem to notice the plate of food.
“I like you, Madison, and I want to tussle with you. I told you...”
“Well, we can’t all get what we want, can we?” I shot back.
“I do,” he muttered.
I dropped my fork and knife in my plate. “What kind of fucking name is Tyler Westwood?” I asked, twisting my face. “It’s proper. You’re some rich kid, aren’t you?”
He laughed and shrugged, giving me no explanation. He picked up his fork and knife and started to eat, watching me with those big brown eyes.
“What’s your story?”
I laughed a little, certain he didn’t want to hear it. “Nothing to tell.”
He let out a long sigh. “I’m thirty. I work for my father—no sisters and brothers, born and raised right here in Philly. Went to Yale.”
I lifted my brows. “Yale?”
“Yes, Yale.”
“Fancy,” I muttered.
“I’m twenty-six. I’ve lived in Philly all my life.”
Ty nodded, finishing his food. “I watched you again tonight,” he said giving me a smile.
A long silence settled between us while I kept my head down.
“I really am going to have to pepper spray you, aren’t I?”
Tyler laughed, pushing his sleeves up to his elbows. I noticed he did that often when he was annoyed it seemed.
We talked for a few more minutes. He stood and tossed a few bills on the table.
“I would offer to walk you to your car.”
“It’s not necessary.” I held a hand up.
“I’ll see you tomorrow then,” Ty said.
I kept my head down, flipping through the messages in my phone for a little while. After a few minutes, I stood to leave, snuggling deeper into my hoodie. I grabbed my car keys from the surface of the table, noticing how sleepy I really was.