by Laura Lee
Marcus grins widely. “That’s exactly what I’m saying, Katherine.”
I’m trying to school my features but I’m pretty sure he can see my excitement. Stripping is pretty much the last thing I’d want to do for a living, but my God. Can you imagine the possibilities? Not only could I easily afford to pay the bills, I’d also have money to set aside for a newer car and emergency expenses. I’d hate to admit it, but this job sounds more appealing the further I think about it.
“I’ll leave you to get dressed…you provide your own shoes and panties but we provide the rest. You’ll find everything you need in this room.” I must’ve made a face because he adds, “Don’t worry, each costume is professionally laundered after use. Most clubs don’t provide wardrobe; it’s one of the many perks of working here. Our house mother can show you some standard moves later; this performance is simply to get a feel for your stage presence. Remember, we’re an all-nude club, Katherine, so take it all off. I’ll have you work the pole first, and then we’ll move to lap dances. To make it a little less awkward considering our association, I’ll have you dance for Brandon.”
“The same Brandon that was using my couch for nefarious purposes?”
Marcus laughs. “Yes, the one and only. He’s our assistant manager. You’ll get to know Brandon well. I’ll be out front waiting. I’ll turn on the stage lighting with some music. Any requests?”
“Surprise me.”
I’m sure I’ll look back ten years from now and this will be a defining moment in my life. Whether it’s a good moment or a bad moment, has yet to be determined.
THE MAIN ROOM HAS BEEN COMPLETELY TRANSFORMED. It’s much darker now, illuminated by purple and red disco lights dancing around like fireflies. A sexy R&B song flows through the speakers, amping up the vibe. This place screams sensuality in its purest form. I’m definitely getting a lesson in humility, as I can certainly see the appeal.
I’m still standing against the dressing room door, mentally preparing myself. I’m wearing a red lace midriff tank, a matching skirted garter belt, fishnet thigh highs, and my ass is just hanging in the breeze since I’m wearing a thong. I take a deep breath and remind myself that I don’t have any other options. Especially if what Marcus said about the money is true.
I make my way over to the platform and step up to a pole. I look up and see Marcus and his associate staring at me with wide grins plastered across their faces.
“You look incredible, Katherine,” Marcus says. “Better than I imagined.”
I choose to ignore the nausea that sets in with his slimy comment. If I’m going to do this for a living, I’d better get used to it.
I hold my finger up. “We’re not using my real name.”
“So what shall we call you, my dear?”
I think about it for a second. “Red.” Yes, I know it’s twisted that I’m using the nickname Gavin gave me, but I feel it’s appropriate. Red is confident. Sexy. She knows how to make a man bend to her will. I’m trying to convince myself that using an alter ego will help me get through this.
Brandon chuckles. “Fitting. I like it.”
Okay, so you’re probably thinking at this point I have no clue what to do, but that’s not the case. You see, that’s the beauty of the internet. I’m a quick study and there are a surprising number of striptease tutorials on YouTube. I’m not stupid; I won’t be trying anything fancy without practice, but I think I have the basics down. I try pretending the men in front of me aren’t there as I raise my arm and grab onto the pole. Putting one foot in front of the other, I slowly surround it until I’ve made a complete circle. I’m sure this would look much sexier in heels, but I’m working with what I have at the moment.
With an unnatural grace I didn’t know I possessed, I grab the pole with both hands and arch my back until my hair is touching the floor. I lower myself to the ground and flip onto my stomach. My chest pressed to the floor, I raise my round ass in the air. I do this a few times as I crawl forward with my forearms.
“Very well, Katherine,” Marcus coos. “You seem to be a natural.”
“It’s Red, remember?”
“Right. You seem to be quite the natural, Red. Shall we move on to clothing removal?”
“Sure,” I say as I saunter back over to the pole.
With my back turned to my audience, I open my legs wide and squat down against the pole. On the upward move, I turn around and begin working the laces that run down the center of my top. After the final tie has been undone, I let it fall away. I slide the strap off one shoulder, then the other, now fully exposed from the top up. I don’t mean to, but I catch Marcus’s heated gaze and start feeling sick again. He’s looking at me with unguarded lust. This man, who is going to be my stepfather in a matter of months, wants me. There’s no doubt he’s having highly inappropriate thoughts at the moment.
I freeze for a moment before turning away and working the pole like a boss. Just pretend he’s not there, I repeat to myself over and over. For the most part it works as I take off one article of clothing after another until I’m standing completely naked. Mind you, I’ve stripped willingly in front of other men plenty of times, but I’ve never been on display like this before. Trust me when I tell you that it’s a very different animal. Every self-conscious thought I’ve ever had is needling away at me. Every insult that has been thrown my way is piling up. I don’t know how any girl does this without feeling insecure. I certainly have much more respect for the profession now.
“Red, are you okay?” Brandon asks.
I didn’t realize I had stopped moving until he spoke.
“Uh…yeah, sure. Sorry, I got distracted for a moment. Should we move onto the lap dance portion of the evening?”
Marcus stands and offers me a short silken robe with the club’s logo on the breast. “That won’t be necessary, Katherine. We’ve seen everything we need to see.”
What? Did he not like my performance? He certainly seemed into it.
I wrap the robe around my body. “So I guess that’s it then? When will I hear back from you?”
“The job is yours, Katherine. Come in tomorrow at five and I’ll have you meet with Shawn, our house mother, for the specifics. I’m quite impressed; I’ve never seen someone more natural at this.”
Great. Just what every girl wants to hear.
DYLAN LEANS AGAINST MY LOCKER. “Hey, babe. How was first period?”
“Ugh,” I complain. “Brutal. We had a quiz and I’m pretty sure I got a B at best.”
He gasps in mock horror. “Oh, no, your perfect record is at risk!”
“Oh, shut up, you know how important my grades are. I’ll be applying for scholarships soon; I can’t fuck up.”
He puts his arm around my shoulders as we walk to class. “I’m sure it will be okay, baby. You’re the smartest person I know.”
“Thanks, Dyl.”
“What are you doing after school? I was hoping we could hang.”
Translation: I was hoping we could fuck. This isn’t the first time he’s asked over the past few weeks. Even though I decided that I wasn’t going to sleep with him again, I haven’t had the nerve to officially cut him off yet. He’s one of my best friends; I don’t want to risk losing that by hurting his feelings. I’m sure we’ll have to talk about it one day soon but I’m pushing it off as long as I can.
“Can’t,” I say, “I start my new job tonight.”
He pulls me to the side so we’re not hit by the other people rushing to class. “You got a job? That’s awesome, babe!” He pulls me into a rib-crushing hug.
I pull back and mutter, “Yeah, thanks.”
He looks confused. “What’s wrong? I thought this was a good thing.”
“It is,” I nod. “I mean, the money’s good. Really good.”
“Then why do you have that shitty look on your face?”
Okay, I might as well get this over with. It’s not like I’m going to announce my place of employment to the world but there’s no sense in hid
ing it from him.
“Because I took Marcus up on his offer.”
He mimes unplugging his ears. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think I heard you correctly. Would you mind repeating that?”
The warning bell rings. The buzz in the hall gets louder as the students really start to hustle.
“You heard me. I’m going to be a dancer. The hours are short and the money is more than enough.”
“Over my dead fucking body!” he shouts. Despite the volume surrounding us, he’s loud enough that we garner more than a few curious glances.
What the hell? Why is he reacting like this? If anyone would approve of a naked lady profession, it’d be him.
“What’s your problem, Dylan?”
He grips my bicep. Hard. “Are you fucking kidding me, Kat? Why would you think I’d be okay with you taking your clothes of in front of a bunch of drunk men?”
“Let. Go. Of. My. Arm,” I say, seething.
“I’m sorry.” He releases me and rubs a hand over his face. “You can’t do this, Kat. I won’t allow it.”
“You won’t allow it?” I repeat. “Who the hell do you think you are? You and Bree understand my situation more than anyone. I don’t have a choice; the benefits far outweigh my pride. You know how much I need the money. Even if I didn’t, it’s not your decision. It’s my body, Dylan.”
“The fuck it is!” he yells. “I’m not going to share you with a bunch of nasty, lonely men looking to get their rocks off.”
“I’m not yours to share!” I scream back.
“Hey!” a loud voice booms. “What’s going on out here?”
I look up and realize that the bell must have rung. Dylan and I are the only ones left in the hall. And the very angry teacher yelling at us. I didn’t notice until now that we’d stopped right outside of our next class.
Gavin crosses his arms over his chest. “Well? I’m waiting for an explanation.”
Dylan mimics his stance. “Don’t hold your breath, Teach.”
“Watch it, Mr. Taylor,” Gavin warns.
“Fuck off,” Dylan mutters under his breath.
“That just earned detention after school,” Gavin says curtly.
I roll my eyes. “Un-fucking-believable.”
Gavin points his finger at me. “You too, Miss Kennedy.”
What? Is he serious?
“You can’t give me detention!” I protest. “I start my new job today.”
“Fine. Then you can serve yours during lunch.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Afraid not,” he replies. “Now both of you get inside and take your seats. This conversation is over.”
Dylan stomps into class as I glare at Gavin in a silent standoff.
He raises an eyebrow and smirks. “Something you’d like to add, Miss Kennedy?”
“So many things,” I mumble.
He leans into my ear, causing my blood to boil for an entirely different reason. God, what is it about this man’s scent that drives me insane? I feel like I’m melting into a puddle of horny girl goo.
“Have I ever told you that I find you especially sexy when you’re pissed off?”
I blink a few times as he turns to walk away. Did I imagine that? He’s acting as if he didn’t just say something incredibly improper. And oh, so hot.
He stops at the threshold and looks over his shoulder. “Get inside, Kat. Now.”
I have to bite my lip to prevent myself from echoing his statement. Only I wouldn’t be talking about a classroom.
I ARRIVE TO DETENTION like the good little student I am. You know, besides the whole detention aspect of it. Gavin looks up from his desk as I enter the room and smiles. I stop mid-stride, caught off-guard by the gesture. Over the past month, he’s barely spoken to me and certainly hasn’t looked happy to see me. Right now, he’s looking at me like I’m the biggest box under the Christmas tree with his name written all over it. His mask slips, revealing blatant desire on top of it. I flush all over and bite my lip to stifle a moan at the memory his expression invokes.
“Come sit down, Kat.”
“What happened to Miss Kennedy?”
He stands up and pulls out the chair in front of his desk. “There’s no one else here, so there’s no need to be so formal.”
I shake my head as he gestures for me to sit. “Um, I think I’ll sit at my normal spot in the back, Mr. Cooper.” He assigned seats after our discussion about boundaries and placed me as far away from him as possible.
He grins. “No, I think I’ll have you sit right here where I can keep a better eye on you.”
What is he doing? He’s the one who suggested we keep our distance and now he wants me to sit with him? At the sex desk?
“I really don’t think that’s a good idea.”
“Why not?”
I place my hand on my hip and give him an ‘are you kidding me’ gesture.
“Why not, Kat?” he presses.
“I thought that was a rhetorical question. The reason should be pretty clear, Mr. Cooper.”
“A teacher can sit next to his student. It’s perfectly innocent.”
“Right,” I scoff. “Not this teacher and student. Not at that desk.”
He rubs the surface of the desk with a lover’s caress. “Ah, yes, I have become quite fond of this thing.”
I’m catapulted back to the first day of school. The whole thing flashes through my mind in a matter of seconds. Gavin ripping my panties down, splaying me over the flat surface, taking me from behind with more hunger than ever before. His hands and lips are everywhere, like he can’t get enough of me, despite the fact that he’s filling me so completely. It’s unequivocally raw and desperate and passionate. I’ve never experienced anything like it before. I’m guessing he’s having similar thoughts because his expression has taken a turn toward carnal.
“Gavin, what are you doing?” My voice is so low it’s barely a whisper.
He looks at the door pointedly. “I just want to be near you. I miss talking to you. The door is open; nothing’s going to happen.” He pats the chair. “Now sit.”
I take the offered chair and open my backpack to retrieve the latest novel I’m reading. I flip to the bookmarked page and try focusing on the words while Gavin rounds his desk and sits down.
“The Shining?” he laughs. “In the mood for some light reading, are you?”
“I wanted something creepy,” I say with a shrug.
“You know, I once stayed in the hotel that inspired the story. It was a really cool experience.”
“Really?” I ask. “That would be amazing. I haven’t even been to the lodge where the movie was filmed and that’s right here in Oregon.”
“Not much of a skier? I hear Timberline is a great place to go.”
“Not by choice,” I answer. “I’d love to take up snowboarding one day if I could ever afford it. Honestly, I’ve rarely been away from the coast. Not many opportunities for someone like me.”
“What does that mean? Someone like you?”
He’s seen where I live; what I drive. He’s met my mother. You’d think it’d be pretty self-explanatory. I give him an incredulous look.
“What does that mean, Kat?” he repeats.
I sigh. “Do I really need to spell it out for you?”
“I think you do.”
Okay, now I’m getting angry. Why is he making me verbalize this?
“Hmm, let’s see.” I use my fingers to tick off the reasons. “For one, I’ve been bounced around the system most of my life. The majority of that time has been spent in a group home. Two, it should be pretty obvious by my current living conditions that money is tight. Cybil doesn’t have a very…conventional job. The only reason we can afford our shitty apartment is because she receives assistance from the state. Any money she does have left is spent feeding her addictions.” He winces at that last admission. “Three, now that she’s moving out, I won’t even have that to rely on. Four,—”
“What do you mean
she’s moving out?” he interrupts.
“She’s moving in with her fiancé at the end of the month.”
“And she’s going without you?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Which part isn’t clear? She’s moving out. I’m not; therefore, I have to figure out how to pay the bills.”
“She can’t do that,” he argues. “You’re still in school.”
“I’m also a legal adult in case you forgot.”
“Oh trust me, I haven’t forgotten that,” he mutters. “I just meant that she can’t just leave you to fend for yourself while you’re still in school. How are you supposed to pay for anything?”
Oh, shit, I didn’t see the conversation leading here.
“I found a gig that pays really well. I’ll be working less than twenty hours a week but I’ll easily be able to make rent.”
He narrows his eyes at me. “What kind of job?”
“It’s nothing illegal if that’s what you’re insinuating.”
“You mentioned you’re starting today.”
“I did,” I confirm.
“So, I’ll ask again. What kind of job? And where?”
I cross my arms in defiance. “I don’t think that’s information a teacher needs to know. Do you?”
“It is if I’m concerned about your well-being. As a teacher, I’m responsible for students when they’re away from their parents.”
“Not if the student is eighteen.”
“I disagree. I still have the right to be concerned if I think they’re putting themselves at risk.”
“Thanks for your concern but I’ll be fine, Mr. Cooper.”
“What are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding anything,” I lie. “I just don’t think it’s any of your business.”
He chews on that for a moment. “Why aren’t you eating?”
“I usually get lunch from the cafeteria. Since I’m in here, I can’t do that.”
“I didn’t say you couldn’t eat.”