“Yeah, I’m sure.”
“Then here.” She hands me a stack ofones.
“What am I supposed to do with these?”
Laura throws her head back, laughing.“That silly.” She points down the stage to where the Elvis stripper is lettingsome old lady put a rolled up bill in his speedo with her teeth. I whip my headback around to Laura wide eyed. “You don’t have to use your teeth, do you?” Iwatch again as more women place bills down his skimpy underwear. In the front,in the back, up the sides. “Over here.” Laura screams, waving a stack of onesat him. He looks down at us, winking. He wiggles his toned ass at another ladyfor a minute and then moves down the line towards us. Laura bumps my arm. “Waveyour ones at him.” And she throws another stack in my lap. I hold up my stacks.I try to smile, but I feel so awkward. I wave them around in front of me andLaura waves hers. The Stripper steps back and, with a leap, he jumps off thestage right in front of us.
“Hey little mamas” He waves with hispelvis. I stare open-mouthed. The woman next to me screams.
“Oh my god, oh my god, I love you, I loveyou.” She reaches a hand out to touch him, but faints.
The stripper wags his eyes at us,laughing. “What can I say?” He straddles Laura, jutting his hips back and forthin her face. She raises her hands, dancing along with him. She fans him with astack of money and he takes it from her. He turns to me with a wicked smile anddoes the same thing. Standing between my legs, his hips gyrate in front of myface. “Oh, holy hell.” My face is burning up with mortification andembarrassment. “Okay, thanks.” I say, shoving my stack at him. He moves off meand down the line. I look up at the stage and it’s full of men, some in cowboy boots,some in police hats; there are so many, all dancing around in their speedos.
The music fades, “How about another roundof applause for these amazing dancers.” The rooms becomes deafening with womenscreaming and whistling. “If you’d like a private performance with one of thesedashing men, see the bartender for pricing and information.” A private dance.Oh good grief, wasn’t this enough?
I turn to Laura. “I need a drink.”
“Me too. It’s so hot in here.” She fansher hand across her face. “And all this screaming is giving me a headache.”
We have to wait a good fifteen minutesfor the room to dissipate enough for us to move about. The woman next to megives me a weak smile as her friend helps her stand. “This was the best showI’ve ever been to.” I have no idea what to say to that, so I smile and give hera thumbs up and she gives me one back.
“Okay,” Laura hooks her arm around mine.“Let’s get that drink.” We still have to push through people, but when we getto the bar, the crowd has thinned and there is room to sit.
“Hey ladies, enjoy the show?” A very wellbuilt man wearing a see- through white t-shirt that looks to be three sizes toosmall, asks.
“It was fantastic.” I wink at him.
“Elvis gave me a lap dance. What was notto enjoy?” Laura beams.
“What can I get you to drink?”
“Do you have a list?” I ask.
“Sure.” The bartender sets a laminatedsheet on the bar. “Let me know when you’re ready.”
“Jeez, because watching half-naked mendance around isn’t enough, let’s give all the drinks naughty names.”
“Ooh…” Laura leans over my shoulder.“Let’s try a slippery nipple.”
I shrug, “Okay.” I wave to the bartender.
“Did you decide on something?”
“Yeah, can we get two…” The words getstuck in my throat. I don’t think I can say nipple to a strange good lookingman, even if it’s a drink. “Uh, two of these.” And I point to the shots wewant.
He laughs. “No problem.”
I give him a sheepish smile. “Thanks.”
“What, couldn’t say the word nipple?”Laura bumps my shoulder.
“Ugh—no, not and look him in the face. Iprobably couldn’t say that to Cole and keep a straight face.” The bartenderplaces our drinks in front of us. “Okay, my turn to start the toast. To thebest friend a girl could ever ask for, and to a night of unforgettable firsts.”We clink our shots and drink.
“Oh man, that was pretty good.”
I wave at the bartender, putting twofingers in the air. “Oh, just say it.” Laura laughs.
“I need two slippery nipples.” My voicecracks on the last word and I laugh.
