The Stripper Equation

Cop A Feel

“Probably because he has higher standards.”  Daphne responded giving me a sympathetic look.  I was trying to keep calm and keep my eyeliner straight.

“Standards are for girlfriends not one night stands.”  Rita scoffed. 

Daphne jumped in.  “You know he doesn’t seem like the type to mix business with pleasure.”  I know she was trying to make me feel better but considering that Mark and I were breaking the rules she wasn’t making very good points.

“That girl always gets what she wants.”  Rita fluffed her hair.  “Besides he’s a guy.  All they want is pleasure and you know her, when she gets something in her head she means business.”

I couldn’t stomach their conversation anymore.  I threw my eyeliner down and stood up.  “I’ll go get her.”  I could feel the girls staring at my back.  I could just imagine their confused expressions.  I walked out front and saw them both standing where I left them.  Kiera had a drink in her hand.  We aren’t allowed to drink when we are on the clock.  I really wasn’t as pissed about Kiera having a drink as much as I was about Mark not doing anything about it.

I approached the couple.  I refused to take my eyes off Mark and I could see it making him uncomfortable.  I couldn’t tell if it was from guilt that I caught him or confusion that his plan to make me jealous didn’t work.  “Kiera, Dominique needs you in the back.”  I said icily.  Although I couldn’t take my eyes off Mark, I dared Kiera to argue with me.  Luckily for her she didn’t. 

She finished her drink and stroked Mark’s arm.  “We’ll continue this later.”  She huskily assured him.  After she turned and walked away I narrowed my eyes on Mark and went to follow her. 

“Wait.”  Mark broke the silence between us.  He reached out and grabbed around my waist.

I twisted out of his grasp, facing him.  With my finger planted firmly inches from his face I warned him.  “Don’t.”  I backed away so it wouldn’t give him the opportunity to grab me again and made it backstage.

The club was packed for a weeknight.  Every inch in front of the stage was full of mostly men bellying up to it.  All the girls that went before me were coming off stage with bills stuffed in every possible inch.  When it was my turn I could feel their eyes on me and I got a rush.  There was a part of me that knew out there somewhere was Mark but I just put that in the back of my mind.  Right now I wasn’t sure if I even cared.

I was doing what I do best and trying to make eye contact with the guys closest to the stage.  As I was hanging upside down on the pole I noticed a pair of familiar blue eyes.  By the time I danced my way over there I couldn’t see anyone I knew through the crowd. 

After my turn on stage was over I pulled out all the bills and put them in my lock box.  I walked back out front to the crowd trying to find a face that fit the eyes.  I wasn’t sure who I was looking for because I couldn’t quite place them but I knew I had seen them before.

Eventually in the busyness of dealing with all the demands of the clients and trying to avoid Mark I forget about the whole thing.  Eventually my shift ended and I was waiting for Daphne to finish up with her customer.  I went to the bar to see if I could give Gavin a hand.  I was standing behind the bar joking around washing glasses when Mark came up to the counter.  “Hey Ginger, I need to go over next week’s schedule with you.  It’ll only take a minute.”