by Lenox Hills
I showed him my bag; he dug around and pulled out a simple pair of black satin and lace panties, with a matching black satin push-up bra.
“Put these on and use this lotion on your legs.”
He handed me some silky bronzing type with glitter in it. The outfit looked kind of plain to me, but I did as I was told. Then I put on the black patent pumps that I had practiced in earlier. “All you need is these.” and Samson me a beautiful pair of long crystal chandelier earrings. A quick tousle of my hair and I was ready. I finished my double Ketel One, Samson dabbed some fresh gloss on my lips and slapped me on my ass and said “Go get that money tiger!”
Before I hit the door I turned, “What about my stuff?”
“Girl, nobody wants what you brought” shouts out from the stall.
“I’ve got extra locks, I’ll put it all in here for you, and watch it.” Samson said, “Come see me for a touch up when you get off stage.”
“Ok, and thanks Samson” and winked.
“Oooohhh that wink girl, use that on stage.”
“HEY!” came a shout from the stall. I had almost forgotten about her, almost, “You want the DJ on your side!! Remember that always.” Samson nodded in agreement. The hair, the face, the vodka, I was confident and I strutted down the steps out the door and into the club.
I sauntered over to the manager and as I strutted by the bar, my head held high and looking straight ahead I felt all eyes on me. Whether it was because I was a new girl or just fucking hot I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. As I approached, the manager looked up from his paper and smiled. I knew he was pleased with how I turned out.
“Well Lenox are you ready? Wanna a drink first to smooth the jitters?” he asked.
“No thanks, I had one already.”
“Ok lets get the DJ over here.”
He picked up a phone, said two words and the DJ left the booth and came over.
“Hey hot stuff what’s your handle?” He said looking at my tits.
He was about 45 and looked like a DJ straight from a bad 70’s disco movie, cheap clothes and comb-over to match.
“This is Lenox” the manager said, “It’s her first time on stage.”
“Hey Hey Hey a virgin! I like those!” Ugh, cheesy creep.
“What do you want me to spin for your entrance?”
“Entrance?”
“Yes,” the manager points to the stage and I notice that it faces the long bar in a W shape. “You enter here on the left and work you way from pole to pole point to point until you have worked up and down the W passed all the men sitting at the bar top there and then you exit. You are up for 2 songs, first song left side, second song right side. We play whatever song you want for your entrance, then the girl behind you has an entrance song and that is your second song…got it?”
I nodded. This is about to get real.
“Ok so what’s your poison?” and I looked back to the DJ. The last words I heard in the locker room still in my head.
“You look like a smart guy,” I said to the DJ, “why don’t you pick for me? You know much more than these things that I do.” I touched his arm and I smiled: he ate it up and said “yes, yes I do” and walked away.
“End of this song your up.” He shouted without turning around.
“Smart girl” the manager said, “You can stand over there at the end of the bar until you’re called.”
I waited and suddenly realized I was nervous. Holy fuck what now…too late...crap...ok...I can do this...I can do this…I CAN DO THIS! Then I heard a deep booming voice…”Gentleman do I have a treat for yooouuuu, fresh off the mean streets of New York CIT-AY a new girl, a lost lamb, she needs to feel loved and welcomed, put your hands together, if they are free that is, for our new china doll…LENOX!!!!” and with that David Bowies China Girl began to play…damn this guy is GOOD!
I moved over to the steps feeling sexy and confident. I grabbed the banister and climbed up the three little steps to the stage, the lights flooded me with warmth immediately and it took me a minute to get my bearings. Shit, I realized I never looked for a cute guy to dance for.“l could escape this feeling, with my little china girl.” I heard whistles and catcalls and felt my chest lift up and I walked out onto the stage and grabbed the pole. “ I hear her heart beating, loud as thunder” All the nerves fell away and I began to dance, sway back and forth, after a minute I found my groove and began to look down at all the men lining the stage at the attached bar top. This is easy, I am not nervous at all. They were waving and holding up money. I didn’t know how to take it, did I need a garter? Shit.
“Come here honey,” an older man called out, I walked over and bent down.
“What do I do?” I whispered.
“Take the money honey, that’s why you’re here right?” I nodded and grabbed the bill.
I worked my way down the men, grabbing, shimmying, and shaking. Some had requests, some wanted me to crawl, bend over, and grab it from behind. I didn’t know if I was allowed to do any of it, so I just smiled and took the money from those that didn’t ask for anything in return. When my song was ending and I was half way through the W, they started saying;
Take off your bra!
Let us see your tits!
Show us the money honey!
Then for some reason, all of the sudden I got nervous. Up until now I think it felt like I was just dancing at a club or something, but now it got real, real fast. I finally froze and did not know what to do. The guys in the front started to chant “take it off! take it off!!” and this made me more nervous as I stood there. I looked up and around for help but could barely see anything with the bright lights. I looked over to where the manager was sitting and he kind of half smiled and shrugged watching to decide if I would do it. I looked to left and I saw all the girls not dancing huddled up and watching me. They huddled together whispering, almost as if they were taking bets on me. I looked down at my feet and while this entire delay felt like it was an hour in front of everyone starting at me, it was probably only 10 seconds.
I looked over to the far left of the stage and I saw him. I could tell he was beautiful even with the lights shining in my eyes. His short dark silky hair was a little messed up on top, with a strong face, and lips that quirked up into a little smile. He was looking at me with such intensity that I ceased to hear the music, then he tipped his head and raised his left eyebrow at me as if to say, “well, what are you going to do?” He was just what Samson told me to look for, a cute boy to focus on. However he wasn’t a boy, he was most definitely a man. A fine strong capable looking man. His encouraging look gave me the boost I needed and I decided to just go for it and reached the tiny front snap clasp of my bra and undid it with one hand. My tits popped out free and the men whooped and clapped and threw money at my feet. I laughed aloud and felt great. I was sexy and in control. I love this! I just held the money in my hand and threw my bra to the back of the stage. I totally forgot there was another girl with me up there, and I didn’t care. In fact, I was strangely jealous and suddenly felt protective of the men’s attention and money. Towards the end of the second song the DJ popped back on the mic.
“What do you say guys? Is she a keeper? Should we give her a home?” There was loud applause and hollers. I felt great and proceeded to leave the stage. What do I wear off stage? Hold my bra in front of me? I decided to make a run for it, and as I began to head towards the locker room, the strong capable man grabbed my wrist and said, “Buy you a drink?” He has deep oceanic eyes you can sink into.
“Yes,” I said. “Give me a minute?”
“I’ll wait longer… much, much longer for you.” he replied and I melted a little bit inside. I stood there, with him holding my wrist, and him holding my gaze for a few long beats of my pounding heart.
“Ok.” And he released my wrist with a grin and I ran to the locker room to freshen up.
Samson was waiting with a towel and a brush and began to pamper me like J. Lo. fresh off a two hour concert. �
�You were great! A natural! So beautiful!” He told me.
I just smiled and took it all in. I felt so good, both proud of myself for doing it and apparently doing it well.
“I have to go meet…” Samson cut me off.
“Saw him, totally gorge! Just what I told you to look for. Let’s get you back out there.”
“What do I wear?”
“No worries babe, I keep the quality left-overs.” I must have made an awkward face because he continued, “Girls that never come back, after a week we pop the locks and it’s free game for what’s inside. Mostly junk, but sometimes good stuff and I keep it for the new girls like you that don’t have anything. That’s where your earrings are from. Don’t worry, I wash, clean, and sanitize everything.” He began to dig around in a locker and pulled out silk scarf and a black sequined tank top. I didn’t even notice that we were alone again in the locker room.
“Here put these on.” And handed them to me.
I wrapped the short faux-Chanel scarf like a mini sarong around my hips and put the tank top on. It was cute and I was ready for my “date”. Samson freshened my make-up and I was ready to go back out there.
“Remember you are LENOX!!” Samson yelled after me, and as he did, he spritzed some fragrance into my vanishing frame.
When I walked out of the locker room I looked up and saw the manager staring across the room at me, still sitting on his barstool. I caught his eye and smiled, he tipped his head and smiled back. I felt empowered. I walked over to the handsome man awaiting me and sat down.
“Hi I’m Jonathan.” as he pulled out a chair at his table.
“Hi, I’m Lenox.” Phew I did it, and we were off and talking.
“Like the fine china. Was Mikasa taken?” He looks bemused.
Is he making fun of me? I am hurt and a bit embarrassed already. I must have made a pouty or shocked face because he puts his hand over mine that is resting on the small table.
“Hey” he says softly “I’m sorry. I know you girls make up names and I never meant to make you feel badly. I was going for a bad joke. Forgive me?”
As I look up at him he is staring intently and deeply into my eyes searching for understanding. He really looks like he cares that this hurts me. It makes me feel warm inside and I lighten up and smile, “Forgiven.”
“Great” and he takes his fingers that are laid across my hand and bends them around the outside my palm and gives me a squeeze. This move radiates up from my hand, through my arm and makes me feel flush.
“So… what do you do?” I ask him trying to start small talk and to keep me from drowning in those dark cerulean eyes that pierced me down to my toes.
“I work with computers.” He said, never even glancing at the new girls coming to the stage. He keeps a steady gaze on my face the entire time. It made me feel like we were sitting alone in the park on a bench with nobody else around. I liked the way his gaze made me feel. It was attentive but yet commanding.
“Like sell them? Do you work at Best Buy?”
“No,” he smirked but in a good way. His smirk was one of amusement and the right side of his mouth turned up a little, “more computer language and coding.”
“So are you one of those guys that had an idea and sold it for like a billion dollars?” I asked cheekily.
“Yes.” he stated very matter of fact and turns to the waitress that is suddenly at our little table. “I’ll have three fingers of the best single malt you have and she’ll have…?” and they both look at me. I was not ready for questions. I don’t think I could even name anyone that I ever read about or saw on TV that had a billion dollars, let alone sit with one and have a casual drink. They are both still staring at me, but he is looking at me and sincerely waiting for my answer, as if he has all the time in the world. There is no anxious look in his eyes, just a pleasant patience.
“Oh I’ll just have a vodka and soda with two lemons please.”
“She’ll take Ketel One Citroen.” and the waitress walks away. “If you like two lemons in your vodka why not have a great one with a lemon flavor right?” and he is looking at me still with no hurry.
“Um, sure, yeah, of course. I don’t drink that often and when I do it’s just with dinner or something.”
“You don’t go to bars and clubs with your friends and get crazy?” His smirk is more of grin now almost like he is picturing it in his head, and he is imagining me on the top of a bar somewhere dancing and singing in a crazy drunken stupor.
“No, I don’t really know anyone here in the city. I’ve only been here a few months.”
“No friends? I am sorry to hear that. I’d like very much to be your friend.” He places his hand back over mine. This man is so charismatic and so sexy and he wants to be my friend…yes please!
I recover and change the subject, “So what do you do now? I mean now that you sold whatever it was that you did sell.”
“Mainly VC stuff.” I can tell he is searching my face to see if I know what VC means.
“Are you looking for your next billion dollar idea?”
He chuckles with that smirk showing up again, “Well, those aren’t very common, most people if they work hard and are very lucky only have one great idea in a lifetime, and if they are extremely lucky, they might have a second. I had my one, but I am now starting to think I might have had another.”
As he talks, I watch his jaw move and undulate under his skin, which is covered by a closely cropped full growth of dark stubble that matches his hair. But it looks so well planned, not like most guys when they don’t shave. It looks manicured, and polished and soft and I want to touch it and see if it feels like the velvet I imagine it to. He has stopped talking and is looking at me, waiting for a response to what he just told me, shit. Ideas!
“Yes well then what was or is your next great idea?” that covers a lot of ground, I was vague but not too much. Phew.
“Well, I think I am having it right now.” He stops talking and just looks at me, his hand still on mine. I do not think he has taken his eyes of me since I sat down. It’s unnerving and exciting at the same time.
“And what is it?” I ask totally absorbed in his stubble and my sudden desperate need to touch his face. He must have noticed me not looking directly at him for a response because he takes his left thumb and puts the knuckle under my chin and moves my head up and so it’s looking directly at him, I am liquid racing to the boiling point at his touch.
“Coming in here tonight.”
Boiling over.
“Oushka” I say. I am speaking gibberish.
“What?” he laughs a deep laugh that delights and embarrasses me.
Crap.
“Um, I meant oh gee thanks.” I look away completely flustered and humiliated.
“That’s the same thing the company I sold my code to said.” I know he is grinning and still looking at me. With my chin downcast, I look up at him and he catches my glance and pushes my drink forward.
“Here, have a sip and relax.”
The moment has passed. I pick up my cool drink and take a big sip and it instantly calms me and brings me back to life. I am no longer boiling with liquid heat or embarrassment.
Jonathan makes feel comfortable the rest of the time we spent together. He didn’t ask for a table dance, and I was relieved since I didn’t know how to give one yet. We just talked about basic things, never getting too personal or too serious. It was perfect, like a first date. After an hour, a waitress came over to tell me my shift was up. I sat still; I didn’t want to end this moment we were having. However I knew better than to ask him to call me, he is a customer. Then he just stood and said he would see me soon and winked, so I stood up as well. Once he was standing he reached into his jeans pocket and placed three crisp hundred dollars into my hand.
“Goodnight Lenox.” He walked away towards the door. I stood for a moment and watched him walk away, through the black curtain. Goodnight Jonathan, I said to myself.
I went over to the cashier
and to see the manager.
“You did good. There is a job here for you if you want it” he said.
“I do!”
“Good we’ll see you here tomorrow night, Friday, Saturday night and Sunday at noon.”
“Ok”. I walked over to the DJ booth and handed him a twenty. Even though I only was on stage for one song I wanted to stay on his good side. Just as I was about to open the locker room door, I heard my name.
“Lenox.” I knew it was him before I turned around.
“Hi.”
“Just one more thing,” and with that he leaned into my neck and I knew he was smelling me.
“Goodnight again.” and he walked out again. Interesting, nobody has ever done that before. I liked it, it felt…intimate.
I went into the dressing room to change. Samson was there and gave me a hug.
“How do I repay you?” I asked him.
“You PAY him.” Came from the stall.
“Well, I work for tips, like you,” he said.
“Ok how much is the norm? Is it like a waiter, like a percentage?” I asked.
“Yes, but not as high, if I do all your hair and make-up for the night the girls give me a cut. Ten percent is the going rate.”
“You got it” and I reached into my bra and pulled out all my money, a little over four hundred. I handed him two twenties and a kiss on the cheek.
“Thanks love” and he handed me my jeans.
As I walked out of the club, I felt electric. I was sweaty and a bit achy from the dancing in heels. My thighs and ass burned but in a good way. I could not wait to take a shower, but I also could not wait to count my $417 dollars again and again. I was on such a high I decided to walk home. But as I got to the corner a black SUV with tinted windows was idling and the window rolled down.
“Hey can I give you a ride?” A bit scared I shook my head and crossed the street. It followed me, and pulled up ahead of me but this time Jonathan poked his head out and said,