Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107262 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 536(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Truth is, it’s a strip club. A very fancy, polished up one with better lighting, but ultimately, it’s a strip club, right down to the pole in the middle of the central stage, the champagne that is going to be downed like water, and the already bumping, bass-heavy music that I can feel in my chest.
“Wooo!” Ami cheers, holding her arms up. She’s already in rare form tonight. A few other women look our way, all of them smiling and some giving answering wooos of their own.
Oh, God, it’s a wooo girl kinda night.
“This is going to be interesting,” Maggie says as we’re shown to our seats. “Medieval Times meets Magic Mike.”
“I’m sure it’s going to be a very thoughtful and insightful stage show,” I deadpan back and then grin. “How many Tony Awards is it up for again?”
“Depends how many Tonys are in the cast,” Ami replies, grinning. “Thanks for this, you two. I know it’s a little different, but I didn’t want to do the usual dinner and drinks or dancing. This sounded fun and different.”
She’s right. We aren’t party animals by any stretch, but we’ve done our sampling of the dance clubs, karaoke bars, restaurants, and bars around the city. This is something we wouldn’t normally do, and that’s what makes it a perfect birthday month outing. Time to check off boxes and bucket lists.
“I’m sure it’ll be awesome,” I tell her honestly.
“I’m just glad we get you tonight,” Maggie says. “I swear, we’re gonna have to arrange a visitation schedule with your new man.”
My eyes jump to her, but she’s smiling, not mad at all. “I guess I have been a bit busy,” I hedge.
Maggie and Ami gawk at me for a split second and then burst out in laughter. “Babe, you come home from work later and later every day, and last weekend, when you were home, I don’t think you picked your head up from the computer for more than ten minutes total. I was throwing cheese cubes at you to make sure you ate something.”
She’s right. Last weekend, I don’t think I slept more than a couple of hours each night. I poured myself into that report, which was totally worth it to hear Dylan say that it was good work. And I have been staying with Dylan longer in the evenings. Our Monday after-work meeting ran way late, and then Tuesday, we ended up at his penthouse. Last night, we went to dinner at a French restaurant with private tables where no one would see or care who I am and who he is.
“Sorry?” I offer, not really sorry but feeling like I should say it, anyway.
Maggie scoffs. “I’m not giving you a hard time. Get your shit rocked and get that bag. I’m just happy you’re here.”
That’s a far cry from where we started when she was all ‘just once’ and ‘be careful’ about this deal with Dylan, and I look at her in surprise, not sure what’s changed. Well, I mean I know what’s changed for me… a whole hell of a lot. But for her?
She tilts her head, reading my mind. “You’re happy. That’s all I care about. Besides, I relinquished all responsibility, so you are not my circus and not my monkey. Especially tonight when I think I’m gonna have to play ringmaster on this one and whip her into shape, Fifty Shades style.” Maggie grins, pointing at Ami, who has lost track of our conversation and is dancing in her seat to the music while her eyes scan the stage in obvious anticipation for the show to start.
“Thanks,” I tell Maggie, and then we both switch off the gushy stuff, focusing on the fun we’re gonna have tonight in honor of Ami’s birthday, which is still officially more than a week away.
The lights dim and the show starts with a bang, literally, as pyrotechnics pop and flash on stage. The entire crowd becomes instant wooo girls, including me and Maggie, with hoots and hollers sounding out from every corner of the room.
The first number is a choreographed dance introduction to each performer as they come out to the center of the stage one-by-one. They’re handsome, I’ll give them that. And the Starlight Revue definitely knows how to cater to almost every taste. Thirty men in all, each unique in their own way even though they’re currently wearing similar costumes of gray athletic pants and muscle tees that make them look like the world’s sexiest sport team.
I find myself thinking about Dylan… and wondering what he would think of this. I certainly didn’t tell him the girls were dragging me out to a show and don’t-tell night.
After the introduction song, the guys take turns with various themed routines, from cowboys who do some interesting things with their lassos, to a firefighter who gyrates and strips down to a jock strap that barely conceals his cock, and even a military themed performance where several guys do all sorts of acrobatics on an oversized pull-up bar jungle gym.