Always Enough (10 page)

Kyler and I had a quiet morning. He didn’t seem up to talking very much and was clearly still thinking about my phone call from Michael. I wanted to reassure him, but decided not to. He needed to trust me. We weren’t officially together, and I didn’t feel that I owed him an explanation. Call me a bitch, but he could stew on it for a while.

Around noon we decided to go for a walk in Central Park. It was a sunny, fall day, and the air was crisp and cool. I’d needed a light jacket, but Ky also tucked me into his side, keeping me warm. The park was beautiful—the movies and pictures didn’t do it justice. There were so many different spots to see and explore. We fed the ducks that floated on a small pond, watched performers sing, and another person spray-paint canvases while dancing. I’d never seen anything like it before. New York City was a world in itself. When we’d walked through a bit of the park, Ky suggested that we go to Times Square to do the tourist thing and buy as much expensive knick-knack shit as we could get our hands on. I laughed at the idea, but went along with it. Times Square was almost overwhelming. People crowded the streets, bumping into each other on every side. Lights were on the sides of the buildings, advertising new movies, underwear ads, and anti-gay campaigns. I didn’t even know where to look, or if I’d ever be able to see everything.

Ky tugged my arm and pulled me through the crowd. We went into so many stores, buying things like plastic snow globes with the city skyline, magnets, t-shirts that said “I {MISSING SYMBOL} NYC”, and a really stupid Statue of Liberty thing that when you pressed the bottom of it, it crumpled down and when you released the button, it stood back up.

We walked and walked, until we couldn’t walk anymore. We took a cab back to the hotel and ordered room service for dinner. Ky had to leave in a few hours to go to Levi’s birthday party and I was feeling a little … uneasy about it. He’d be at a strip club, and I seriously didn’t care for the idea of some other chick’s tits being smashed in his face.

“Harper, I’ll stay in the back by the bar and they won’t even notice me,” he said, trying to make me feel better.

It was a sweet gesture but hadn’t I scolded him yesterday for doing the same thing to me and Michael? It wouldn’t be fair for me to ask him to not have fun with his band mates just because I was acting jealous. No, I’d ignore my crazy-ass feelings and tell him that it was fine.

“I’d never ask that of you and besides, I want you to have fun.”

“What are you going to do while I’m gone?”

“I think I’ll ask one of the hotel pedicurists to come up to the room and paint my toes, then maybe catch a movie. It’ll be relaxing.” I didn’t know if I’d sounded convincing, but he watched me intently, before nodding his head.

“Well, please don’t think you have to stay up for me. I’ll try not to stay late, but the guys will do everything to keep me there.”

“Ky, go, have fun. I’ll be here when you get back.”

As he got ready, my nerves were getting the better of me. Right before he left, I decided that I couldn’t just sit in the room and think about him looking at a bunch of naked women. What if he liked what he saw? What if the women liked what they saw? Holy fuck, what was I talking about? Ky was the most gorgeous guy I’d ever seen … of course they would like what they saw! I couldn’t have that—I’d go out of my mind wondering what was going on at that club.

Ky had come out of his room looking sexier than normal. He was wearing dark wash jeans and a black button down shirt. His aftershave wafted through the living space, and my mouth started to water. Oh fuck no. My man was going out looking and smelling like sex candy, and the women were going to flock to him in herds. I need to take some deep cleansing breaths to calm my already shot nerves.

Ky sauntered over to me and leaned down to kiss me on my forehead.

“Checking again just in case, are you
sure
you’re okay with me going?”

“Mmmhmmm,” was all I was able to squeak out. I would not be the possessive type.

He looked at me wearily, then went to the side table where his room key and wallet were, and walked out of the door with a smile and a goodbye.

After Ky left, I came up with a brilliant plan. I raced into my room and grabbed a few items of lingerie that I’d packed. Throwing them into my purse, I took the elevator downstairs and hailed a cab.

“Spice Gentlemen’s Club, please,” I told the cab driver. He looked at me through the rearview mirror and winked. Gross! He probably thought I was one of the dancers.

The traffic in the city was like nothing I’d ever seen before. I had no idea how far away the club was, and with each passing minute, my stomach churned with images of Kyler with some trashy blonde grinding all over him. I barely noticed when we eventually pulled up to the curb.

“Thirty bucks,” the cabbie called to me, not even bothering to look over his shoulder.

Thirty bucks! That was highway robbery!
I remembered how many cab rides Kyler had paid for over the past few days and shuddered. As I fished the money out of my purse, I looked out of the window to see a tall four-story building encased in black glass. I had to hand it to Levi, from the outside it certainly did look more ‘
gentlemen’s club’
than ‘
strip club
.’ Finding only twenties in my purse, I thrust forty bucks at the cabbie, and said to keep the change. He’d watched me in the mirror the whole ride and it had given me the creeps.

Walking through the dark double-doors, I found myself in a dimly lit room that held a cash register, and a very large man sat on a stool by another set of double-doors. You couldn’t see through them, and I assumed that the stage was on the other side.

The girl at the cash register eyed me, before looking over my shoulder like she was waiting for someone else to come in and join me. She was short with bleached-blonde hair. She pretty, but in a very ‘done up’ way. I’d bet if she removed all of that make-up she was just an average girl-next-door.

“It’s a one hundred dollar cover, and no cell phones allowed,” she said with a strong New York accent.

“Honestly, what is it with this city and its prices?” I dug in my purse for my wallet.

“It’s New York, and this is an exclusive club. How else do you think we pay for people like him?” she replied, nodding to the bouncer on the stool.

“I’m actually here for the party up on the top floor. How do I get up there?”

“That’s an exclusive party. Unless you have an invite, you’re not allowed in.” She was now eyeing me like I was some stalker-obsessed fan.

“Actually, I was invited, but I’ve decided to give the boys a little surprise instead. I’m Kyler Lewis’ girlfriend.” That last part might have been a lie but I had to try anyway. I might be able to take her down and run for it, but with the big guy in the corner, I didn’t stand a chance.

“Riiiiight. Do you know how many girls have already come in here tonight saying the exact same thing? If you’re not here to go into the regular part of the club, I suggest you take a hike.”

Now I was getting pissed. Deciding that honesty was probably the best policy, I figured I should talk to this chick girl to girl. I explained to her who I was, and what I had planned. As I spoke, her hard eyes softened, and by the time I’d told her what I had in store for the guys—more specifically Ky—she was flat-out out laughing.

“Girl, why didn’t you just say that in the beginning? We even have the perfect prop for you upstairs. Back here is the elevator the girls take to go up and down to the dressing rooms. Sasha and Cam are up there right now. They’ll get you set up.”

I breathed a sigh of relief that I wasn’t being kicked out, and moved behind the counter. The elevator door popped open and I stepped inside. Right before the doors closed, New York Girl said, “Good luck.”

When the doors opened on the fourth floor I could hear the soft beating of music coming through the walls. The room was brightly lit by large light bulbs that surrounded full-length mirrors—just like in the movies. Racks with costumes, string bikinis, and lingerie were beside each mirror, each clearly belonging to a different girl. My heart jumped into my throat as I looked around and I started questioning my sanity for even deciding to do such a thing.

It was then that I noticed a tall and very beautiful woman with jet-black hair and piercing blue eyes off to my left. She was applying her make-up, and was dressed in a shimmery, silver bikini top, and a long black skirt. She stopped with her mascara wand in the air and looked at me.

“Hi there, can I help you with something?”

Well, at least she sounded friendly.

“Uhhh … I think so? I was told that I could come up to this floor to get ready. I’m here to perform for the birthday party.” Even my voice sounded shaky.

“Oh, I wasn’t aware that management had hired another girl to help out. I’m Sasha.” She got up from her chair and came over to shake hands with me. Up close she was even more beautiful. I was starting to wonder if Levi had a point about the women who worked there. If I’d seen this woman outside of the club, I would have never have guessed she was a dancer.

“Actually, I wasn’t hired. I came here to surprise my boyfriend.”
There was that two-syllable word again.

She cocked her head to the side slightly. “Your boyfriend?”

“Yes, he’s part of the band. Kyler Lewis?”

Sasha nodded her head and then asked, “What kind of surprise?”

Just as I’d done downstairs with New York Girl, I gave her a rundown of my whole plan. By the time I’d finished talking she was clapping her hands and jumping up and down. “Let me call Brad, he’s one of the maintenance guys. He can bring up the prop. Do you know what music you want to use?”

I gave her the name of the song and the artist, and she told me to go ahead and get dressed and she’d put me on next. Sasha went to tell the DJ the next line-up and I took out the lingerie that I had stuffed into my purse earlier. I undressed quickly and put on the black lace bra, the matching thong, and a black garter belt with nylons. I brushed my hair with the small comb I always carried with me, and applied some extra make-up to give me a more ‘dramatic’ look.

I heard some men laughing on the other side of the door closest to me. Wanting to take a peek before I went out, I opened the door slightly until I realized it was masked by a heavy red curtain. I pulled it somewhat to the side and looked out into the small room. It wasn’t as big as I’d expected—several round tables were scattered throughout the space, and there was a small bar in the back of the room. I could see all of the guys sitting in chairs in front of the stage, and they were laughing and watching a girl slowly move to the music. Her top was already off and she was rubbing her breasts to draw attention to them. The stage was not so much a stage, but rather a part of the regular flooring with light bulbs that defined where the woman would be, and where the men couldn’t cross.

I looked around the room, trying to find Ky. It didn’t take very long. He was sitting next to Anders, trying to talk to him, but there was a dancer making a good attempt to get his attention. She looked like she was doing it for more than just earning some money though.

“Oh fuck no,” I said to myself.

I was longer feeling nervous—I was pissed. He told me he’d stay away from the strippers if he could. But here he was with one trying to put her hand in his shirt. I wanted him to have fun, but if this was him having fun, then I’d show him who was more appealing.

I went back into the dressing room where I saw Sasha standing in front of a giant plastic cake. The lid of the cake was pushed back, ready for someone to climb in. That someone was me.

“Oh my God, that’s perfect!” I said.

Sasha smiled. “I’m going to get Cam in here to help me push you out on the floor, and when you hear the music come on you just do your thing, girlfriend.”

I nodded and climbed up into the cake, squatting down so when they closed the lid, I’d fit. I hoped Cam wasn’t the chick that was all over Ky, or I’d say, “fuck the dance,” and rip her hair out. I felt the cake start to move, and I knew they were pushing me out to where I was supposed to be … right in the middle of the floor.

I heard Def Leppard’s “Pour Some Sugar On Me” start to play through the speakers. I took a deep calming breath and pushed open the lid. Before I stood up, I let the music build. The guys started hooting and cat-calling, begging me to come out and give them a show. When the first part of the chorus started, I stood up and a bright spot light shone on me. Even though I desperately wanted to give in to the nerves that threatened to overtake me, I pushed them aside and began to move with the music. The guys in the band were laughing and singing “Happy Birthday” to Levi as I started to climb out of the cake. When my feet hit the floor, I looked over at Ky, and it was then that he recognized me. I smirked at him and continued to move.

Each one of the guys started to recognize me as well. I couldn’t hear their voices but I could see them nudging Kyler.
That’s right, asshat, you came to watch women dance, when you had this at the hotel waiting for you.
Well now they could
all
enjoy it. Ky’s face went from shocked to pissed in a matter of seconds. I’d just turned around to give them all a small view of me in the thong when I heard the guys shouting Ky’s name. I looked over my shoulder, and noticed he wasn’t in his chair anymore—he was coming right for me.