Loving you

he time I've lived here, I have never been inside this club. I never thought I would even visit, l

lder lady asks. She's standing be

ke," I say, taking ano

he says, walking me down a lon

the mouse from him, and click on the e-mail icon. He chuckles, "Hey, darlin'. How are you?" He asks in the fatherly tone that I've come to love. Mike and my dad had been best friends until my dad passed away ten y

feeling the tears start

standing from the desk, p

I need

what to think. "What's going on with the store?"

d away. We used to be close; then he moved away to school and everything changed. When I graduated from high school, I worked at a local factory for eightyears, before it closed down due to the economy. Every week, when I got paid, I wou

s all of the store's money...and mine. I can't tell my mom what happened; she's getting married ina few weeks and doesn't need the added stress from this situation. I have a private investigator looking into finding Tim and the twenty-three thousand dollars he stole, but who knows how long that could take. I

her apartment anymore, so you can stay there; and I can give you the money."I

right hand on my cheek. I feel bad pulling out the big guns,

ng out my cell phone, looking like I'm going

I don't know what the fuck I'm thinking about doing this shit." When his eyes come back to m

fact those feelings are not mutual. For a while, I thought of him as one of my best friends, until the day July was born. We ended up at his house, celebrating over a bottle of vodka. Things ended up getting hot and heavy. He had his hand down my pants, and I was so caught up in the moment that when he asked mehow long it had been, I told him "never". I didn't mean I've never had sex; I meant that I

don't even talk anymore," I say, h

nd through his hair. "You can start tomorr

y quietly, looking a

ank me ye

I know that this

g a set of keys out of his pocket. "These are for the apartment. You can get in through the basement door that's around the back of the house. Just let yourself in. Tomorrow, I'll help you get your stuff from storage, and get you m

y, leaving the office. I find Shannon back behind the bar; she gives me what is sup

a little intimidated. She's about five-nine, all legs, long brown hair, perfectly sun-kissed skin, and gol

ct that she would make a lot of money up there. But she said she was way too clumsy, and that the name Bambi wasn't given to her when she started working h

?" I ask, putting on

saidthat you could help me with them. The tips should be good," she says, walking to the lo

p of the black corset. It cinches in my waist, causing my hips to flare at the bottom; the fishnet stockings and black silk panties make me look like I should be going to the P

d having a bed to sleep in at night rocks. The only downfall is that I have been tired a lot. Wo

d been in Alabama, but he's moved on since then, and Bill has yet to track him down again. I was starting

ow, keep in mind that bachelor parties do tend to get a little

times while I've been working when a guy would get a little handsy; but

percent lesbian, and thought all men were stupid. At first, knowing that she was attracted to women made it a little uncomfortable; then I realized,

" I say, wondering how many peopl

ev

ooking at the clock and seein

e to Teasers," Cash say

m not getting out of bed to sit

Mike and asked him what the fuck was going on? He told me that she needed the money, wouldn

you're talking about, bro?" I ask, crossing my arms

his arms. "What other woma

ough clenched teeth, thinking of her in there. On stage.

ult, T!" Cash shouts, as

e, how's th

said that you don't get a say in what she does." Well that shit burned. She was right. Technical

in there. Ed's on the door tonight and said

ting better and better," I mumbl

Ed. You go in there and pull

i

included in the bachelor party "no touching". I swear, the next time one of them grabs my ass, I'm going to kick them. "Can I get two more bottles, Rex?" I sigh, looking around the bar. I see Ed, the new bouncer,

t climbs up my throat. I look over my shoulder to

k towards the private room. I think I'm about to get away, but my luck crum

e, I roll to my stomach and start crawling on my hands and knees towards the private room doors, hoping tha

of my face, becoming frustrated by the person in front of me. Can't they see I'm trying to get away? The person squats down, and I see d

etly, and I can see by the loo

and his going to my waist, steadying me. "Thanks," I mumble. Not the first time wishing I knew magic, so I could cast a spell to stop whatever power it is that he has over me. I hate

towards the private room, where I know kick-ass Bambi, the man-hater is. "I'm not goi

en I see the door getting closer. I don't want to talk to him, and when I had wanted to talk to him, he didn't want to listen. I squirm and almost make it free of him, when he gets Mike's office door open, shoves me i

ok of hunger in his eyes. I start walking backwards, caught offdar

and-a-half; even in the six-inch hee

ake it there before him if I kick off my shoes. "Try it and I'll spank you." Okay, really? I'm ignoring that comment. I slide my foot out of one heel, but don't put my foot down. I don't want him to notic

iness," I say, crossin

of my busine

my hands on my hips, trying to balance in m

ants. I know what you sound li

don't." I look towa

t?" He ask

ame he's playing."We can take care of that right now," h

ering where the heck someone-anyone-is. Don't they rea

't do it. You're too sweet. That's

need this job, a

ng virgin, and you want to wor

in. Second of all, there was not one single question on myapplication

since we were together?" he ask

e," I say, waving my

ing never, to now?" He asks, lookin

I tried to explain it to you. Which, by the way, was pretty damn embarrassing." I say, crossing my arms over my chest, feel

ing out; I left her with a bachelor party," I say,

e says, taking a s

. "No, I'm working. We

ed; it's time fo

't you?" I say, slipping back into my shoes. There

ing your free time," he says, and"Hey! Ed said you were talkin

ink gym bag out, and shoving everything that's min

, and I can feel her as sh

k to Mike on my way out so he can send someone else to help you," I say, pulling my hood

" she says, hugging me."Ready?" Trevor asks, sticking his head in the r

want me to give you a vagina, you need to leave." She walks over, slamming the door in a stunned Trevor's face. I giggle; no

l me something," I say,

and it makes me want to cry. She has made worki

, opening the door, walking rig

ike asks, putting his

ll see you tomorrow for breakfast

we can talk," he says, s

king lot to my Charger. I open my door and

vor says, turning me around

, we don't

into him. I take a step back, get in my car, and slam the door, engaging the locks before he can

cking least, a friend would never threaten another friend." With my partingwords, I rev my engine and let the gravel fly behind me. My car fishtails right before I get to the stop sign. I turn up Nickelback's "Animals" on my car stereo, stick my hand out my window, and flip Trevor off. As soon as I roll up my window, tears st

ev

ndering what the fuck just happened. "Yo! T, are you coming, or what?" He shouts from across the parking lot, snapping me out of my stupor. I lean my head back,