Nights In Paradise

Chapter Two: Aspen

∞∞∞

My eyes widen and I whip around to face the other way when I go through the doorway to the communal dressing room for the dancers.

One of them chuckles.  “Sweetheart, if you can’t handle this then what the hell are you doing here?  It gets a lot worse than this.”

I wince and turn around.  “Sorry.  I was just surprised is all.  My dressing room was always private.”

One of the other girls screws up her face.  “Well, la-di-dah, princess.  Slumming it are you?”

My eyes jerk up and I glare at her as hard as I can.  She’s trying to push my buttons.  I doubt if there’s a particular reason…she’s just a bitch.  I’ve seen it happen time and time again.  Some women just automatically feel threatened by other women and try to make them miserable.

“I can handle myself.  I’m no princess.”

Another big man walks in the room.  “You,” he growls.  “Follow me.  Bring your stuff.”  I turn around cautiously and follow him, uncertain what’s going on.

He pushes open a door to an empty office.  “This is your dressing room.   Stay away from the other dancers.  Mr. Antonello’s orders.”

“Too bad.”  I whip around and head back to the dressing room.  “I don’t want or need anything from Mr. Antonello.”

He grabs my arm and yanks me around.  His pugnacious face shoves into mine.  His cold gray eyes rake up and down my body and he grunts.  “I don’t know what the problem is but I’ll tell you this once and only once.  Mr. Antonello runs this place his way.  If you want to work here…you damn well do what he says.  That means this is your dressing room”

I yank myself out of his arms.  My hand automatically rubs my arm where he held me.  I can see the bruise already forming.  “Does he treat all his dancers so well?”

The man’s thin lips curl up but it’s not a humorous one.  A shiver slides down my spine and I back away from him.  I don’t like this man.  Not one damn bit.  He scares me.  I don’t trust him.

“Not like this.”  Those cold eyes rake my body yet again and I feel myself curl inward.  “I’m not sure how fast you put out but it seems like you’re the boss’s new favorite.  Enjoy it.  It won’t last long.”

He stalks off down the hall and I deflate, leaning into the doorjamb.  I rest my head on the cool wood and sigh.  This night just keeps getting better and better.

But I push my shoulders back and step into the room, closing the door tightly and locking it behind me.  If I’m going to be someplace by myself, I’m making sure I’m not interrupted.  Although I have a feeling Mr. Antonello has a key to every room in this place so how safe am I really?

I drop my bag with my costume on the chair and walk to stand in front of a full-length mirror on one wall.  Seems kind of odd for an office but who am I to complain.

I study myself in the mirror and groan.  My tits are too big and my ass is gigantic compared to those other dancers.  They’re all beautiful.  And I’m definitely not.

I sigh and push my hands through my long curls, disheveling them.  Time to get ready.  I’m not sure when he’s going to send someone to get me.  And I need this money badly.

I pull off my clothes and then pull out the black silk bra that I added my own embellishment too.  I didn’t have the money to buy a costume so I just added some gold and glittering emerald stones to the bra.  It should work for at least a few nights until I can buy something nicer to dance in.

I then slide a black silk thong up my legs and shimmy it into position, blushing when I turn and see my bare ass hanging out.

“Shit!  This is not good.”  I look like my ass is eating the damn underwear.  It’s too small but it’s all I’ve got.

I added stones to the hips on it too.  They match the ones on the bra so it looks like a set.  I pull on a pair of black stiletto heels and attempt to walk in them.  My ankle rolls and I stumble into the wall.

“Dammit,” I mumble.  I straighten up, push my shoulders back and strut like I saw the girls on stage do it.  It takes all my concentration to keep from landing on my ass.  But after a couple of passes, I manage a credible strut.  I stand in front of the mirror and put in a pair of long crystal and emerald fake earrings that glitter in the dim light.  Then I whip my head down and back, fluffing my hair out, hoping it looks sexy instead of like a rat’s nest.

Just a bit more makeup, including a fire-engine red matte lipstick that I blot carefully.  My hazel eyes widen and I tilt my head one way and then another.

“Well, I don’t know if it’s good.  But I certainly don’t look like me.”

There’s a knock at the door and I jerk it open.  The big guy who was talking to the boss stands outside.  He eyes me up like he’s staring at a python then quickly drops his eyes.

“Yes?”

“I’m supposed to take you to your client.  Follow me.”

I shut the door and pull on a robe.  His eyebrow raise.  “You won’t need that you know.”

I tighten the belt and grin.  “I don’t give away the goods for free, buddy.”

He laughs but then his expression sobers.  “I hope you know what you’re doing.”

I shrug and he leads me over to the last door on the left side.  It’s painted so dark that in the dim light I almost miss it.

He waves me through and stands out in the hall.  “I’ll be out here when you’re done to take you back.

I smile.  “Thank you.  That’s very sweet.”

I hear him mutter as the door closes and I’m shut into the dark.  “I hope that this doesn’t go as bad as I think it’s going to.”

I turn and trip over my own feet in the dark room.   A spotlight hits me and I’m blinded by it.  A harsh voice sounds from the dark.  “Let’s go, sugar.  I’m paying you.  Let’s see what for,” the deep voice rasps and I feel it settle in my bones.   I shiver and goosebumps rise on my arms.  That voice whispers along my nerves and makes me want to see him.  Fall into his arms and let him touch me.

That voice could almost make me come just saying my name.

Shit.  This is not good.  My first customer and I’m already feeling things that I can’t.  This is just a job.  He’s not my date.  None of them are.

“Let’s go, princess.  I haven’t got all night.”  I hear him say something and then music thumps low and sexy through the speakers.

“Can we turn the lights up?” I ask softly.

“No.  Let’s go.  Do you want to do this or not?” he rasps in that husky voice that runs like liquid honey along my body, heating up my insides.

I clear my throat.  “Alright.”  I start to slide the robe off.