Dance For Me (11 page)

       Dominic didn’t want to compete with Shane; he was kind of his friend and colleague, after all. But he felt the jealousy setting in, though Hope wasn’t his girlfriend. He didn’t like the way Shane was looking at her. Justin elbowed Dominic. Dominic was still wearing his mask, pretending not to care, pretending to have no interest in Hope whatsoever. 

     “I’ll be right back,” Shane said, suavely walking to the left of the platform to approach Hope.

     “There he goes,” Justin said, leaning into the bar. “This guy’s relentless.”

     Dominic did glance over at them. Shane was touching her wig, spitting his “game”. Hope smiled, told him it was nice to see him and then looked over at Dominic who quickly looked away. He pushed away from the bar and went across the room and sat in a dark, swanky corner with Roberto and his girlfriend. Hope got back on stage and grabbed hold of the pole while Dominic sat under the dark blue light that darkened his presence. Everything in the room was dark blue or dark red, depending on what half of the room you were in, except for the stage that was all lit up with the golden girls on chrome poles.

        He didn’t look at anyone else. His eyes were fixed on her, her body, the way she moved... Shane hopped on a bar stool right below the stage with a twenty dollar bill in hand. Hope stopped moving her body and looked down at him, holding the folded bill between two fingers.

        “Come here,” he said.

         Hope had a look on her face cold as death. She turned away from him and hopped off the stage, bumping into Shamayla. She almost didn’t recognize Shamayla with her wig and darker than usual makeup. Her false lashes were so thick they hung over her eyes like heavy drapes.

          “Where you going?”

          “To pee,” she lied, moving past Shamayla and heading toward the back of the club. She closed herself in the restroom of maroon and stainless steel and looked at herself in the mirror. Shane had totally made her feel like shit, like he didn’t even see her as a person. He made her feel like she was a stripper which was the little sister of hooking in her eyes. Sometimes she wondered what kept her from crossing the fine line. She washed her hands with a huge glob of pearly pink liquid soap, rinsed them thoroughly and left the restroom without drying them. She walked down the desolate red-carpeted hall and walked into Dominic, whom she didn’t recognize at first.

     She placed her hand on her chest.

      “You scared me.”

       He said nothing.

       She looked away from his eyes and sort of lowered her head. 

      “I’ll get out of your way.”

     But then he made grab for her hand. 

     She looked down the hall to make sure no one, particularly her boss, was in sight.

     “What?”

     “I haven’t seen you in forever.”  He looked at her wig that barely touched her shoulders and her heavy makeup that made her look amazing but not quite herself. She looked good but he preferred regular Hope over this.

      “I’ve been busy.”

     Dominic lowered his head to try to get her to look in his eyes. It was hard to see them because they were dark and blended in with the heavy eyeliner and fans for eyelashes. She looked up to catch him staring in her eyes.

    “Why you looking away,” he said softly when she did.

      “I have to get back up there.”

       He knew he was crossing lines but lately felt himself not giving a shit more and more. He backed her into the wall sensing she was tense but didn’t back off. “Loosen up,” he said, all serious, his voice deeper than usual. He closed his eyes and brought his face really close to hers. She saw that his eyes weren’t really closed, they were just drowsy looking and when he looked down at her lips his lids looked shut.

      “I could get fired,” she mouthed against his lips, thinking, “fuck, this is it…he’s gonna kiss me.”

         He put his mouth to hers. She glanced down the hall again, still no one in sight. Dominic parted her lips with the tip of his tongue. Through the sheer fabric of her dress she could feel him getting as turned on as she was. They were full on making out a few feet away from the restrooms.

       “I really have to get back out there,” she said breathlessly.

       He backed away letting her out from between him and the wall. “Hey,” he called out when she started to walk off. He wiped saliva off his bottom lip and smiled all sexy. “Are you wearing anything under that?”

        Hope smiled, turned around and kept walking.

 20… This is your night

        “We’re gonna get a room here tonight.”

        “You and Justin?” Hope took her wig off her head and let the cool air hit her scalp. It was so refreshing to get that hot thing off. 

          “We get fifty-percent off the rooms.” Shamayla took off her wig, her nylon du rag, and unpinned her black-licorice locks. She shook her head and let her hair drape her shoulders and upper arms.

         Hope let her hair loose and undressed. She was fucking up right now, fumbling and dropping things. Dominic left her fully charged tonight and adrenaline was surging through her veins, bombarding her with jolts of anxiety and excitement.

          “Yeah, so we’re gonna get a luxury suite.” Shamayla unstrapped her golden platforms and got out of her skimpy two-piece.

            “Is this your guys’ first time?”

           Shamayla smiled and her brows shot up twice.  “I’ve been making him wait for the full version. But anyway, what’s up with you and Dominic, or should I say you and Shane?”

          Hope paused. “I’m not into him.”

         Shamayla squeezed herself into her black jeans.

         “Into who?”

        “Either.”

         Shamayla’s head fell to one side.

           “What?”

            “You’d better get out there and talk to him before he leaves.”

           “What do you mean?”

           “Dominic, girl. I’m talking about him. You know exactly what I mean.”

            Shamayla went to the vanity mirror, wiped away her eye makeup with moistened wipes. Her skin was naturally dewy and flawless but there were times when she would break out on her cheekbones. Recently she got a nose piercing that somehow made her look prettier. It was like that little sparkle on her face matched the sparkles in her eyes.

            Hope got into her faded jeans and sweater that came off her shoulders, pulled her hair back into a pony tail. She couldn’t get Dominic off her mind. She couldn’t get that kiss from tonight off her mind, or the feel of him while they were kissing, leaving her wondering what it would be like.

          Hope fumbled with her lipstick and it hit the vanity top, leaving a track of pasty chunks of red.

            “He kissed me,” Hope admitted, looking star struck.

           “He did? What, you mean tonight?”

           “Yeah, as I was coming out of the restroom.”

         Shamayla laughed and got overly excited and giddy.

          “So what does this mean?”

        Hope wasn’t sure. She knew Dominic was irresistible and left her wanting more.

         “I don’t know. We’ll just have to see what happens.”

        The girls grabbed their purses and headed downstairs. Justin and Shane were standing outside of Lounge 101. Hope expected to see Dominic but was disappointed when she didn’t see him anywhere. She was more disappointed to see Shane there instead. He was becoming annoying, a sort of pest Hope wanted to stomp and crush out.

         “I’ll walk you to your car?” Shane enthusiastically offered Hope.

         “Oh that’s all right. I’m waiting for someone.”

        Shane looked insulted. He tried to hide it but he couldn’t help his expression. 

       “Okay. Well I’ll see you guys later then. Bye Hope.”

        Hope tugged at her necklace and held her hand up in a still wave goodbye.

       “I’ll see you two later,” she said as she walked passed Shamayla and Justin. She made sure Shane was out the doors before she walked out of the casino. She reached for the door and stepped out, saw Dominic outside talking to Roberto and his girlfriend. Roberto and his girlfriend left and Dominic saw Hope standing near the doors staring back at him. Like an anchor her stomach hit the sea floor. She wanted to see him but now that he was right there and it was obvious he had been waiting for her, she could feel the apprehension filling her like a glass. She felt sick now, wishing he’d just gone home.

         “Hi,” he said, coming up.

        “Hi,” she said back, her eyes rolling up to his face. He was tall and big and it still managed to surprise her every time she stood in front of him. She was feeling flushed with fever.

         “On your way home?”

         She nodded yes. “Are you waiting for someone?” She adjusted her purse strap on her shoulder.

         “Yeah,” he replied. “You.”

        She felt high enough just talking to him and this high was sweeter than any cannabis high… 

        “Me? You’re out here waiting for me?”

        “Let me take you home.”

        Hope scanned countless excuses and lies in her brain in nano seconds, anything to get her out of this.

         “I have my car.”

        “Fuck your car we’ll come for it tomorrow.”

         She raised her eyebrows. His choice of words had her breaking out in a sweat.

         “I want to take you home.  I mean, like, I want to take you home.”

         She couldn’t believe this was happening. She felt light headed, like she was floating.

         He brushed loose strands of her hair behind her ear. She closed her eyes, drowning out the street commotion around them. 

        “You’re sure?” She asked, opening her eyes.

       “Yeah I’m sure.”

   Charla and her group of loud mouth girlfriends came out of the neighboring casino. She immediately recognized Dominic.

         “Dominic!” she drunkenly stumbled to him, putting her arm around him. “Oh my Go-what are you doin here? Why aren’t you with Tristan?” She looked him up and down. “Don’t you guys ever hang out anymore?”

       Dominic looked befuddled, like he didn’t know what to do or say. Charla totally killed his vibe.

       Charla noticed and looked at his “friend”.

       “Who’s this?” she asked, rudely studying Hope from head to toe.

       “This is Hope,” he said.

      Charla put the phoniest smile on her face and stuck out her hand.

         “I’m Charla, his girlfriend’s best friend.”

        Hope stayed silent, returning the fake smile and pulling her hand out of Charla’s abnormally tight grip.

     “See ya later.” Dominic said to Charla.

       Charla smiled and batted her eyes at him. Deep inside she wanted to stab him in the chest. 

         “Bye, Dominic. I’ll be sure to tell Tristan you said hi.”  She and her gaggle of friends stumbled off down the avenue. 

        “Someone’s in trouble,” Hope said, crossing her arms, thinking this was a deterrent.

         “Screw Charla,” he said dismissively. “What do you say? We try this again?”

        “Try what?”

        “We can go back to your place…take it from there?”

      Hope gazed into his eyes, his pinched nose, his lips…

         “Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you do have a girlfriend and all.”

         “That’s my problem.”

        “Is it a problem?”

        “It doesn’t have to be.”

       He was going to say something but saw the look on her face, her body language, so said something else instead.

           “Do you want to come with me?”

         Hope was quiet a moment and then said “Yes.”

      He held out his hand which she stared at for a few seconds and then held out hers. He took it and led her up the busy avenue. The warmth and firm grip of his hand had her knees watery. She noticed nothing on the way to his truck. The street, the sounds, everything was all drowned out. She could only focus on him and what was about to happen in a short time. When they got home, she unlocked her door and let him inside. It was strange to see him in her surroundings.

 Her living room had been converted into a bedroom, looking like a studio apartment though she had a bedroom. There was a fuchsia lamp with a contorted brass neck hovering over her bed that lit up the room in dark pink. He pulled her in all close, her body against his and started kissing her. Her clothes seemed to melt off as he slid the rubber band from her hair and let it fall down her back. For the first time ever she was able to touch him, to put her hands on his chest, his tiny nipples under her finger nails like braille.

      The last thing he wanted or needed was to fall in love with her but he could see it happening. The only way to stop it now would be to never see her again. As he kissed her, he thought of never speaking to her after this. Fuck her, she was nothing to him. But a moment later she softly released this angel’s breath over his ear that directed another thought to his brain. Seriously, never see her again? No, he would definitely see her again but it didn’t mean he wanted her to be his girl or anything…he told himself.

      Hope was a tease, no doubt. It got to the point where Dominic was practically begging for it. He finally got it and then mid bliss she bit his bottom lip hard. The sting actually made his eyes water. At first he wanted to pull away from her and yell what the hell what was wrong with her? But the look in her eyes…the smile on her face… it excited him. He slurped saliva from the sides of his tongue and teeth, his lip still between her teeth.  He grabbed her wrist and pinned them down with enough force to hurt her. Her face sexily contorted in discomfort for a second or two but she didn’t complain. Maybe she liked it kind of rough…seemed to be the case. But unlike with Tristan he didn’t want to fuck her all wild style. As a matter of fact, he didn’t want to “fuck” her at all.