“No, what do you mean? Do you have any beer?”
I needed to text Will again, and that would be impossible with the guy breathing down my neck. When Austin finally moved away to get something to drink, I breathed a sigh of relief.
June:Well, Will?
William:Stall. We might’ve found something
I forced myself to take a few sips of beer. It was bitter, and a colossally stupid decision because my head was spinning after two sips.
“What kind of beer is that?” I asked, staring at the unknown bottle.
“It’s a little stronger than the usual.” He smiled. For a second I thought about kicking him between his legs and bolting away like lightning, but since the other two were turning the place upside down, I’d wait.
“What is it?” I asked meekly, as he stared at me while stroking his beard.
“I’m looking at you. I like what I see.”
Damn it, it looks like it’s time to use the few karate moves I learned from TV.
I put the bottle on the platform when I felt a touch on my cheek. Austin slowly moved my hair out of my face, and I felt the urgent need to cut and run. He barely touched me, and neither Will nor James could make me stay there for a minute longer.
“Do you want another beer?” He pointed at the half-empty bottle, and I froze.
“Oh, no, no. It’s better if I—”
“It’s better if you come with me.”
I choked on my own saliva when he grabbed my arm and dragged me inside. Soon I found myself in a room I didn’t recognize, at least not right away.
“What—”
“Forget Tropical. You don’t seem like you can be a server,” he announced, pointing at the dress I was holding.
“What do you mean?”
“You could work here. Come here, I want to show you something. Maybe you’ll change your mind.” I thought about William’s text again and gritted my teeth a bit more.
Austin moved a big tarp separating the dance floor from a smaller, more intimate room.
The first thing that struck me was the glint of metal poles hanging like stalactites from the ceiling. I shivered, but a familiar sound suggested that Ethan Austin and I weren’t alone. A black curtain rustled. They were there. I had to distract him.
“So how about we—”
“Do you want to try it or not?” he cut me off, crossing his arms expectantly.
“Um.”
“Pole dancing requires certain training,” I heard him challenge me.
My reluctant expression made him suspicious.
“I see you’re an expert. Do you do it often?”
Behind Austin, the curtain barely moved, and I saw James cover his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Luckily the guy didn’t hear him, but he definitely heard me.
“Sorry, what’d you say?”
