by Angel Devlin
Finally, I made my way along the platform toward the circular stage, finishing the act by wrapping myself around the pole and revealing my glory; and just as I did—just as my manhood dangled around like the sweep of a pendulum, I stared straight into the eyes of Riley.
Oh shit.
Her mouth was open in an ‘O’ shape and then I saw her narrow her eyes as she looked at her friend and she clearly mouthed, ‘You knew, didn’t you?’
I quickly put my thong back on and began to push my way through the crowds, no longer interested in collecting dollar bills, but just wanting to get to Riley. But it was taking a while because I couldn’t be rude to the customers who were wanting to see me, and I kept having to pose for photos. Eventually, after what felt like hours but was possibly about ten minutes, I reached the woman I’d fallen for on vacation.
“Riley!” I hugged her. “What are you doing here?”
“Oh my god, Dante, you’ve covered me in oil.” She complained, but the smile on her face told me she didn’t mean it. I would like to cover her in oil and then slide our bodies together.
“It’s great to see you. What are you doing here?”
“Another bachelorette for Sherry, only this time with family and other friends. I can’t believe you never told me you were a stripper. I nearly fell off my stool when I saw you.”
“Well, to be honest we never really talked, did we?” I winked.
Her smile slipped. “No, we didn’t.”
“So, maybe we should? I lost your number, and well, I was too nervous to call you. I figured if you were interested you would have called me.”
“And I thought if you were interested, you’d have called by now, so I guess we’re both idiots.”
“So, how about it then? Would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?”
She nodded her head. “I’d love to, but this time we really do need to talk.” She laughed, though again there was something in her gaze I couldn’t quite put my finger on.
“Give me your cell?” I asked and this time I made sure that my number was in it and I sent myself a text. “I’ll text you when I get home. I’d better get back to work.”
“I really thought we’d been set up when I saw you come out on stage.” Riley shouts. “But it’s just a coincidence.”
“I know. If it weren’t for Sherry, we might never have met again. Thank goodness she decided on a second bachelorette, although we’ll have to console Ty again now.”
“Why?”
“He has a huge crush on her. We’re just hoping he doesn’t crash the wedding! Anyway, I have to go. I’ll text you later. Unless you’re staying around? Me and the guys are cutting loose, having some drinks after I finish. Should be about another hour?”
She shook her head. “I’m heading home now, I’m wiped. Sherry and Tasha will probably stay, but I need my bed.”
For a moment I consider walking out of the club, into a cab, and into Riley’s bed myself, but like she said, we should actually talk, get to know each other.
So, instead I leaned over, kissed her on the cheek and then went off back into the crowd.
Riley
Tasha, Seth, and Shane made sure I was safely in a cab and then they went back to party. I was exhausted and it was late morning the next day before I woke. It used to be I’d wake with a hangover, and feel nauseous; now I got the sickness without the fun before it.
Once I’d finished in the bathroom, I managed to eat a slice of toast and sip on some water again. When I was feeling better, I went and switched on my cell. It buzzed with incoming messages. There was one from ‘Your Big Boy’.
Honestly!
Your Big Boy: Milano’s? I’ll pick you up at 8pm. Tasha gave me your address. Please text back to confirm you got this.
Your Big Boy: I’m panicking now because you’ve not answered. Hope you’ve not changed your mind!
I typed a text back.
Riley: Eight pm is fine. I fancied a lazy morning. I’ve only just got out of bed. Looking forward to seeing you later; and what is that name you put yourself under?!!
My phone pinged again within a minute.
Your Big Boy: You know it’s true ;)
* * *
After that I called Tasha who’d sent a message saying that Sherry’s sister had text her to say Sherry was alive but barely and declaring she would never drink again, and had I arranged my date yet.
“Hey, Tasha.”
“Hey, Baby Mama. How are you this morning?”
“I was sick, but I’m feeling fine now, and I’m off on a date tonight.”
Tasha whooped. “Thank God for that. So, how are you going to tell him?”
I paused.
“Riley…”
“I’m not going to tell him tonight. I’ve decided I want to have a few dates with him and see how he is as a person first. I didn’t really get to know him that well while we were on vacay. If this man is going to be in my baby’s life, then I need to know he’s a good man. So… I’ve decided I’ll tell him in a couple of weeks, give it until the end of the month.”
Tasha sighed down the phone. “I get it, Riley, I do. But please don’t take any longer, it’s killing me keeping my mouth shut.”
I laughed. “Just a couple of weeks, I promise.”
* * *
Dante picked me up promptly at eight. “You look stunning.” He said as I met him at the door. I was dressed in a simple green tea dress and heels. He had on gray slacks, a white shirt and a gray tie. I wanted to eat him up; or, him eat me. Sigh. Why had I said I wanted to get to know him again? Oh that’s right, because there was a baby inside my belly that he’d put there.
My tongue swept out across my bottom lip as my mouth had gone dry and I saw Dante watch it with a look of hunger in his gaze.
“We’d better leave if we’re to make our eight thirty reservation.” He said with a note of reluctance to his voice, an underlying question of whether to cancel in its cadence.
“Lead the way.” I told him and I locked the door behind us.
* * *
The restaurant was a beautiful little Italian on a quiet street. There were quite a few people in there eating already and the smells made my mouth water. Thank goodness that my nausea was keeping itself at bay.
The first hurdle came when we’d taken our seats and the waiter came to take a drinks order.
“Just a water for me.” I’d said.
“Don’t be crazy. We’re celebrating. What was it you drank all the time on vacation? A Mojito, that was it. The lady will have a Mojito as well as her water, thank you.”
When he’d left, Dante looked at me and he sighed. “Fuck, I already messed up. Sorry for ordering you that drink when you clearly said you wanted water. I’m just so nervous.”
I smiled. “It’s fine. It’s true, I do love a Mojito.” It was probably responsible for my accidental pregnancy. Too drunk to remember my contraception. When I’d decided to run with my new confident persona in Texas, shouting to anyone who would listen that ‘What happened in Texas, would stay in Texas’, I’d not realized that actually not all of it would stay in Texas, and I’d be bringing home a souvenir. I brushed my hand against my stomach and sighed.
“Do you have a tummy ache? Is that why you just wanted water?”
“What?” I saw my hand was on my stomach. “Oh, no. It’s just a habit to stroke my stomach. A comfort thing when I’m nervous.” I lied.
“Oh. Okay. That’s a new one.” He said. “If you want me to stroke you anywhere to make you relax, well...” He winked.
I felt my core clench and my cheeks warm.
“Oh, Christ. Riley, the more I try to not be an ass, the more of an ass I am, so I’m just going to be myself, like on vacation but with more words. Therefore expect lots of conversation about how I want to take you home from here and do dirty, despicable things to you, but…” He tilted his head at me. “…I’m not going to, until we get to know each other better. Shall we set a date on it?
Let’s say two weeks?”
“Two weeks of dating and no sex?” I double-checked.
“Yep, even if you’re begging for it.” He waggled his eyebrows. “In two weeks it’s my last dance at Bird of Paradise. Do you think you could talk the girls into coming along again and then us get some drinks after? Then me and you, well… I’ll give you a private dance.”
“I’ll say yes for everyone, right now.”
Our drinks arrived. I pretended to take a pull on my Mojito and say how good it was. Then just like in sitcoms, every time Dante turned around (and most times when he did it was because I pointed something out that really was of no real significance), I emptied more of it into the plant pot behind me. Unfortunately, the plant pot soon filled up. I couldn’t drink the thing so what was I going to do? Ah hell, people spill drinks, don’t they? I ‘accidentally’ knocked it off the table.
“Oh shoot, my drink.” I yelled. The waitress came running over with a cloth. “I’ll get you another, honey.” She said.
“No, no, it’s fine. I’m okay.” I insisted.
“No way, darlin’, am I letting you only enjoy half of one of our amazing cocktails, so sit back and let me fix you a new one. It’s on the house.”
“Erm, well, could I maybe have a vodka instead?”
“You don’t want the amazing cocktail?”
“It was lovely, but I’m really fancying something different now.” The waitress left shaking her head.
“Free drink. Bonus!” Dante smiled.
I smiled back, but it hid a well of frustration.
* * *
Throughout the meal the conversation flowed, and I learned that Dante had grown up in Miami and that’s where his family still lived. He was one of six children and family was everything. He said even though his siblings lived in different places, they all met up regularly, usually at his parents’ house for get-togethers.
“I’m the only one not married with children, so obviously I get called the black sheep of the family.” He laughed.
I’d told him about how I was close to my parents who lived in Brooklyn, but that I was an only child.
“I can’t imagine growing up on my own. There was never a minute’s peace in my house. I’d have killed for some time to myself.”
“Huh, I was always bored.”
“I bet you want plenty of kids then.” He said, and I startled.
“Fuck, sorry, that was far too much of a personal question. Question retracted. I wasn’t offering by the way. Not that I wouldn’t, but, oh Lord, I’ll shut up now.”
How on earth had we got onto this topic of conversation? It was excruciating.
Luckily, the waitress offered us dessert menus, so I hid behind mine pretending to deeply peruse the choices, when in reality I always had chocolate fudge cake.
The waitress had forgotten to bring the vodka, which I’d secretly celebrated, until she took the dessert order and remembered.
“I’ll make it a double, honey.” She said.
I began to feel extremely emotional. I didn’t want an alcoholic drink. I was getting tired, and I just wanted to eat my cake and go home.
When I got the vodka, I didn’t know what to do. The plant pot was full of Mojito. I couldn’t knock another drink over, and if I did I’d probably end up with four of them as they seemed to be like Gremlins, and I refused to drink it when it could harm my baby.
Apologizing profusely in my head to the restaurant I was slowly damaging bit by bit, and using my distraction techniques to get Dante looking around again, I poured it straight on the floor below my chair.
“Jesus, where did that go?”
“Aaaahhh.” I let out a satisfied sigh. I was satisfied. Satisfied there was no drink left in my glass. “That was beautiful.”
“If I knocked a vodka back like that, I’d have tears pouring out of my eyes. Did it not burn?” Dante’s eyes were wide.
“Yeah, but it’s a nice burn.”
“Well, in that case, I’ll get you another. Waitress.” He called.
Fuck my life.
After dessert, Dante asked for the check and I pushed back on my seat. Being a gentleman, he dashed around to my side to help me put my jacket on and looked straight down at the large patches of wet on the carpet.
“That Mojito made a mess didn’t it? It looks like you’re suffering from a major incontinence issue. Sure you don’t have something to tell me?” He quipped.
Oh, I had something to tell him all right, but it wasn’t about a loose bladder.
Dante
I’d been dating Riley for almost two weeks and it was absolutely killing me not to take her to bed. She was just all about the ‘getting to know one another’ and that was fine but why couldn’t we finish that off with some off the charts hot sex?
What I had come to realize is that Riley of Spring Break was not the real Riley. The real Riley was a lot quieter and more cautious, but I loved her just the same.
Fuck, did I just say I loved her? Thank God that was only in my head.
Tonight, was my final show at Bird of Paradise and everyone was coming down for the finale.
Tonight, I was pulling out all the stops in a never before seen performance.
Tonight, it was all for Riley.
Tonight. Was. The. Night.
* * *
I took to the stage and the crowd went wild. I was dressed as a biker in leather chaps and a black leather thong and on the stage was a real Harley. I had a small microphone attached so I could speak to the audience.
“Ladies, and the odd gent. I don’t know if you’re aware but tonight is my last night on stage here at Bird of Paradise.”
A chorus of boos came up from the crowd.
“Hey, there are plenty more hot guys ready to take my place, so don’t get too sad. But in the meantime, does anyone want to riiidddeeee?” I revved the engine and the crowd started screaming again. The song ‘Wild Thing’ started up and I began my show, performing until I whipped off my chaps, so I was left only in my thong. I could see Riley and everyone up toward the back again and as my act progressed, I made my way along the platform and onto the small circular stage. When I got there, I addressed the audience.
“So, tonight, my baby is in the audience.” I looked directly at Riley watching her eyes widen. But what I was not expecting was for her to burst into tears and run toward the bathroom.
Caught off-guard, I made a joke to the audience about having made my girl’s panties so damp she had to run to the restroom. While my mind was in turmoil, ever the professional, I finished my performance. However, straight after, I thanked the audience, quickly slipped into my thong and requested a robe from one of the staff. Then I dashed off toward where Riley had gone.
Seth, Shane, and Ty were outside the ladies restroom.
“They’re all in there. Fuck knows what’s happening.” Ty told me. “But it’s something big with how they’re going on and fussing. Riley was almost hysterical.”
“I only said she was my baby. Was it really that horrendous a prospect? I thought we’d been getting on well.”
Shane shrugged.
As I stood outside, I wracked my brains thinking about what I could have done wrong. I went right back to our first date to see if there was anything I’d done to upset her at all and make her not want to be with me. Whatever it was, I needed to apologize and rectify it, because I already knew that she was the girl for me.
And then a chill started to rise from the bottom of my spine as I thought about her not drinking at the meal. Since then she’d told me she was on medication, so that she still couldn’t drink. And I’d said my baby was out there just before she ran out of the room…
Was she…?
I burst through the restroom doors, with the sounds of, “What the fuck are you doing, Dante?” and similar coming from behind me.
I received a few looks of surprise from the women in there, but I didn’t care. I headed toward the open stall that Tasha and Sherry were standing
outside of while my girl sat there with her head in her hands.
“You can leave this to me now.” I told them.
“We’re her friends; we’re going nowhere.” Sherry said, hands on her hips.
“Then can I ask you just give us a bit of space so we can talk about the baby?” I figured I may as well run with my suspicions.
Two open mouths, followed by a head coming up to stare at me with puffy, widened eyes, confirmed what I’d already suspected.
“How do you know?” Her voice was husky from crying.
“Can we have that space now?” I asked the others and they nodded and moved further back.
I knelt down on the floor at the side of Riley and took her hand, noting it was damp from her tears. “I was thinking what I could have done to upset you, and then I thought about the fact I’d said baby and then realized there was possibly another reason why you hadn’t been drinking. Why didn’t you tell me, Riley?”
Her breath caught as she answered. “Because w- we b- barely know each other. I w- wanted to get to know if you were r- really a good man and would be a good father.”
“I’ll be the best father you’ve ever known.” I said, leaning down and kissing her cheek.
“Y- you will?”
“Riley, I love you. I don’t care we’ve only known each other a few weeks. I’ll come to every appointment and we have time while that baby is cooking in Mama’s oven to get to know each other more; but whatever happens between us—and I hope it’s that we live happily ever after—I’ll be there for my kid. Always.”
Riley burst into tears again and flung her arms around me.