Thankfully, Katie has always been incredibly accepting. It’s one thing I really love about her. She’s got an open mind and she doesn’t judge. Even if something isn’t her cup of tea, she’ll still be supportive and encouraging.
“Are you going to go?” she asks curiously.
I nod. “I think so. Wanna come?”
“To a sex party?!”
“Well, it’s a regular party that may or may not have sex happening too.” I laugh. “It’s not going to be a full-on orgy out in the open. There will be stuff going on behind the scenes, I’m sure, but the main thing is a regular party. It’ll be fun. You could bartend and probably make a ton in tips.”
“I could do that?”
“Yeah. I mean, I’ll ask Sherry, but it shouldn’t be a problem. They’re always looking for more bartenders and cocktail servers.” Sherry is my boss when it comes to my dancing gigs. She owns the service that manages all the hired help for these VIP events, handling parties all up and down the East Coast. “If I ask her, do you want to?”
She watches me while taking a drink before nodding. “Yeah, okay. I’ll do it if she agrees. But no sex stuff!”
Chuckling, I reiterate, “No sex stuff.”
“Okay, then I’m down.”
“So, what’s new with you? Dating anyone? Tell me everything.”
“Hell no,” she mutters. “No dating. I don’t have time for the shitshow that is sure to follow when it comes to dating.”
While our moms are very close, they’re also quite different, especially when it comes to men. Katie and I both come from single moms. Both of us had dads who have never been in the picture—neither of us have ever even met them. While my mom dismissed the idea of dating and men altogether, having only gone on a small number of dates my entire childhood, Katie’s mom, my aunt, overdid it, trying to compensate for what she felt she lost. She chased love down every dead end. Because of that, it’s greatly affected how Katie and I view relationships and love.
Katie doesn’t date at all, desperately not wanting to wind up like her mom. There obviously have been a few exceptions to that, but for the most part, I’ve known Katie to be unattached, and she seems to truly prefer it that way. I, on the other hand, date here and there. Never to the point of being in love, but I do have fun. My sex drive has always been insanely high and I’m a natural flirt, so dating and men have always come pretty easy to me, but I keep them emotionally at an arm’s length.
“Eh, it’s probably better that way.” The words leave my mouth like it’s second nature, and most days, it is. Most days, I’m perfectly content being alone. But maybe dating wouldn’t be such a bad idea for me. Especially now.
Get me out of my head, since all I’ve seemed to be able to do since moving back here is obsess over everything I shouldn’t be thinking about.
Chapter Three
Elias Carnell
“I cannot believe you talked me into this.”
Turning my head to glance at Katie, I laugh. “What are you talking about? I asked if you wanted to come, and you said yes. There was no talking you into anything, you psycho.”
“Okay, but you failed to mention that I would have to wearthis,” she grumbles, waving a hand down her body.
Rolling my eyes, I say, “Quit being a baby, you look hot. You’ll make tons of money tonight.”
She’s in a pair of high-waisted leather shorts, a mesh top with a black lace bra underneath, and a pair of thigh-high black leather boots. It’s the uniform all the bartenders and servers have to wear tonight. The male dancers, like myself, are wearing black leather harnesses and tiny black shorts.
We’re walking down Briar Lane with a few of the other guys working tonight, heading toward the oceanfront mansion the party is taking place at. For how packed I know it’s going to be inside, the outside is quiet as can be. You’d never guess there was anything out of the ordinary going on behind closed doors.
The house comes closer into view. It’s right on the water; sand literally in their backyard. Those of us working the event have been instructed to come in through the back, ground level entrance, while guests come in through the front entrance, which happens to be on the second level. The bouncer working the door recognizes me and a few of the other guys behind me, so he lets us in without question.
As soon as we step through the threshold, music and the scent of sweat and liquor hits us. The room we entered looks like it’s meant to be a living room, but for tonight, they have it sectioned off into little dressing room areas with a couple of couches in the corner. There’re buckets filled with ice and water bottles around the room too.
Sherry is coming down the stairs as we take everything in, and she spots us right away. “Elias! Hi!” Giving me a quick hug, she turns to my right. “You must be Katie! It’s so nice to meet you.”
“That’s me,” Katie quips. “It’s nice to meet you too. Thank you for letting me come along.”
“No, thank you! We could always use more help at things like this. The bar is on the main floor, which is upstairs. I’ll have you there tonight. Raegan, our other bartender, knows you’re coming, and he’s going to help you get situated.” Sherry turns toward me. “And I have you up on the third floor. There’re makeshift cages up there. Lincoln will show you which one you can dance in tonight.”
“You got it, boss.” Offering her a quick salute, Katie and I make our way toward the stairs.
