Strip Teaser (Naked Night's) (11 page)

Alex

The journey to Newcastle is long and boring.  I hate being stuck on this minibus. I need to be out in the fresh air.

I keep looking over at Sally.  For the first part of the journey her face showed a range of emotions.  It must have been something she was reading on her iPad. I’d swear it went from disgust to smiling but there was one point I was convinced she looked scared.  I must have got it wrong.  Whatever it was that caused it I saw her log out and open her Kindle.

I could watch Sally read for hours.  When she’s got that thing in her hands you can see the tension leave her shoulders.  She relaxes.  That thought reminds me of the massage I gave her the other day though. That’s not good.  I don’t need to spend the next few hours sporting a hard on.  I try and think of something else.  It’s impossible.  My thoughts never stray far from Sally, and when I think of Sally
, I think of the things I’d like to do to her.

I want to slowly undress her. Take my time kissing every part of her body. I’d start at her earlobe; gently biting her collarbone, trail kisses down towards her breasts. Fuck. I need to stop this train of thought before I come in my boxers. 

I look out of the window, uninspired by the passing view. It will be a while before we see anything but motorways. All I can see are lines of traffic heading in opposite directions. I try and remember the game I used to play in the car as a child.  I’d pick a car and make up a story about the people in it. Who they are. Where they are going. Why they’re going there. It helps a little until I glance back over at Sally.

She’s biting her lip.  I’m screwed. There’s a light flush to her face so I can imagine the sort of book she’s reading right now.

I need to do something to distract me. Tiny’s timing is perfect. He calls from the back of the bus for me to go join the rest of them in a game of cards. I get up and move to join them. I can see the surprise on their faces. In all the time I’ve toured with them this is the first time I’ve accepted their invitation to play cards. 

I don’t have a choice though. I either play cards or I sit there watching Sally, and suffering the hard on from hell.

After just a few minutes I wish I hadn’t.  They’re talking about Sally.  Guido seems to think he has a shot with her. I feel sick at the thought of this lothario going anywhere near her.  I recognize the emotion as jealousy.  How can I be jealous when she doesn’t belong to me?  Before I can say anything Tiny interrupts him.

“Don’t even fucking think about it Guido.  Sally’s got class and you’re not going anywhere near her, do you understand me?” Tiny’s voice is firm.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you’d claimed first dibs.” Guido sniggers.  From the look on Tiny’s face I don’t think that was a good idea.  Tiny stands. His large frame fills the space on the minibus. He’s easily the biggest one amongst us.

“No one has claimed dibs. No one will be claiming it. You stick to putting your dick in those harlots you love to play around with from the audience.  And that goes for the rest of you.” He looks around the table at all of us.  He’s furious. I can see the vein pulsing in his neck.  Guido is about to say something else, but he takes in Tiny’s stance and wisely thinks twice about it, shutting his mouth quickly.

There’s a bunch of mumbled “okay” from around the table.

That settles it then. Tiny’s my friend.  If he says no one is to go after Sally, then that includes me. I know he’s just trying to protect her.  He thinks a lot of her.  But right now, I really wish he hadn’t said that.

Sally

The guys all seem rather quiet around me when we get off the bus at the hotel in Newcastle.  They’re normally a lot more jovial, cracking crude jokes and taking the piss. Not today.  They must have had a heavy night drinking.

We check in as normal, agreeing to meet in the bar in half an hour.  I open the hotel room door and sigh.  It’s only been a week but already I’m tiring of the plain décor, the minimal furniture. I miss my comfortable sofa.  Right now I just want to crash out on my sofa, piled high with cushions, and lose myself in music TV, and my Kindle.  But no.  We’re going out for dinner.

I think I’ve been out more in this past week than I have in the last year put together.  It’s a good job Alex and Tiny insist on dragging me along to the gym because all this eating out would play havoc with my waistline otherwise.

I’m hoping I can persuade Alex and Tiny to go to the little tapas bar. I’d gone there when my Mum’s friends had invited us before we went to a comedy show at the Arena.

The food was great, the ambience was casual and low key, and the best part is it’s only about five minutes walk from where we’re staying. 

I regret asking them as soon as we walk in. The place is packed.  The waitress shows us to a table against the wall. Tiny takes one look at the space between the wall and the table and tells me that Alex and I will have to sit there. He won’t fit.  He takes the chair opposite us, leaving Alex and I to squeeze onto the sofa style banquette.

The lighting seems a lot lower than the last time I was here as well; it’s giving off far too much of a sensual, romantic vibe.

I tell myself I’ll be fine. And I am, until the food arrives.  The thing with Tapas is that it’s a little bit of everything.  Lots of bite sized pieces of food.  We’re provided with knives and forks but for the most part we just use our fingers.

Alex is the most sensual eater I have ever seen.  His long fingers dip the food into the sauce, and he licks his fingers clean after he’s put it in his mouth.

I’ve definitely read too many erotic books as all I can imagine when he does this is those fingers pleasuring me, and when he licks his fingers again I almost come on the spot. 

I call the waitress over and ask for a glass of iced water. The temperature in here has shot up.  I remove my jacket and undo a button on my blouse in an attempt to cool down.

Alex and Tiny exchange a look of confusion. They’re both still sitting there with their jackets on.

“Think that last piece of chicken was just a bit too hot for me.” I manage to mumble. 

Tiny laughs, I love the warm timbre of his laugh, and the way it lights’ up his face.

“You’re such a wuss. You were fine the other night when we went out for curry.” He reminds me.

“Must have just been that piece of chicken.” I repeat. “Must have had too much spice on it.”

He gives me that fatherly smile he’s so fond of using on me.  He makes me feel like a little girl at times, bless him.  I can just picture him as a father. He’s like a big cuddly bear.  I feel safe with Tiny.

I wish I could say the same when I’m around Alex. Safe isn’t a word I dare use.  When I’m around Alex I don’t want to be safe.  I don’t want to be a good girl.  I want to act out every fantasy I have from the books that I’ve read. And that’s bad. It’s very, very bad.

Sally

The last few weeks have gone by in a blur. It’s been one long cycle of
travel – hotel – show – gym - travel.  Through it all my attraction to Alex has only heightened if anything.

I’ve even managed to bring together the bones of the article about the dating site.  A couple of the guys that I messaged were happy to share their stories when I mentioned that I was a journalist, as long as names were changed.

There’s one guy who’s just too busy building his career and travelling with work to find the time to go out and date.  He’s bright, intelligent, and solvent. He wanted to get to know someone online first, get a feel for her, before he meets up for a chat.  He’s not looking for long-term commitment. Just a little company. Someone he can take to dinner, and hopefully encourage him to have the odd down day at the beach or just out walking.

If it hadn’t been for my unhealthy obsession with Alex I might have been tempted.

Yes, my obsession with Alex is worse than ever.  It doesn’t matter that I can’t have him.  The more I know I can’t have him, the more I want him.  It’s like forbidden fruit.

I’m pulled from the article by the sound of the phone ringing. Damn. I hate being interrupted when I’m mid flow writing.  I look at the screen to see it’s Ashley.  I haven’t spoken to her since before we set off on tour, so I accept the call.

“Hey sweetie. How are you? Long time no speak.” I greet her.  In return I can hear sobbing down the phone line.  “Ashley. Are you ok? What’s wrong? Is the baby okay?” I’m panicking now. This isn’t like Ashley. She’s normally so cheery.

“It’s Gary. He’s left me.” She sobs even harder.

“What happened?” Even as I ask the question a feeling of dread spreads over me.  This has got to be something to do with the dating site and me. I just know it.

“Sally, he kept muttering that it was all your fault. He thinks you said something to me about the dating site he was on.  I found it on my own but he won’t believe me. I think he’s so angry he’s going to hurt you Sally.”

Shit. That doesn’t sound good.

“Never mind me, are you okay?” There are so many questions running through my head right now. Not least is how Ashley found out about the dating site?

“I’ll be fine. Honest. You know me.  I loved him, but these past few months I’ve realized he’s not the guy I thought he was.” She pauses and I can hear her blowing her nose at the other end of the line.

“He started getting aggressive, the way he’d talk to me, and the things he’d ask me to do. I mean come on, I know I’m a bit of a prude but this was just too much.”  She pauses; I can hear her take in a deep breath before she continues.

“He hit me.” Shit. This isn’t good.  Before I can say anything she continues.

“I knew something wasn’t right so I started checking up on him. Nights he said he was working late I’d ring the office and they’d tell me he’d left earlier.  I started checking the bank statements and I could see he was eating out and going to hotels but it wasn’t with me.  He left his laptop open the other day so I checked it and that’s when I found the dating site.” She breaks down into sobs again.

“He said he was single without kids.” She screams down the phone.  That had shocked me when I read it, so I can only imagine how much it hurt Ashley.

“Look, I’ll be fine. It’s you I’m worried about. I’ve kicked him out, but the way he kept going on about you got me worried. What did he mean?”

Where the hell do I start? It’s going to sound like I was condoning what he did now.

“I’m writing an article about a dating site and I came across his profile.” Ashley starts to interrupt, but I stop her. “Look, stop, before you say anything. I called him out on it, just in case it was some silly mistake.  He said he was only using it for chat.  I’m not sure I believed him, but it’s not the sort of thing you can tell your friend over the phone is it? I think your husband might be cheating on you. I was going to come tell you as soon as I got back from this stupid tour.” I rush the words out before she can interrupt again.

“You should have rung me.” I can hear the disappointment in her voice even over the phone line.  I’m a terrible friend. Maybe she’s right.

“If it had been the other way round would you have told me news like that over the phone? Really?” I ask.  Ashley goes quiet for a moment or two.

“No…” she reluctantly offers. “I’d have waited till we were in the same room, and I could have hugged you after I told you.”   I breathe a huge sigh of relief.  I still feel like I’m in the wrong for not telling her, but she’s right. That’s what I’d planned on doing as soon as I could get to see her.

“Sally. Watch your back, please.” She begs.  “He won’t listen when I tell him it was nothing to do with you. I’ve never seen him so angry.” I can hear the concern for me in her voice.

“I’ll be fine. I’m on tour for another couple of weeks still. He’ll hopefully have calmed down by the time I get back.” I hope that’s the case. Gary isn’t a small guy; he’s taller than me and heavier than me.  I’ve never seen him angry before.  But I can imagine. I’ll worry about it when I get back, and not before.

We spend over an hour on the phone after that, just chatting about how Ashley’s going to manage on her own.  She’s damned resilient that girl.  I offer my baby-sitting services reluctantly. I adore her baby daughter, but I don’t have a maternal bone in my body. She’s a friend in need though; it’s the least I can do. 

By the time our conversation ends Ashley seems a lot calmer. I think most of the tears were her worry for my safety. Now I’ve assured her I’m out of the way and safe it’s helped.

I don’t have to feel guilty over joining the dating site. It wasn’t me that ruined her marriage. It was her husband at the end of the day. As she says, better she finds this out now before her daughter’s old enough to understand what’s going on.

I suddenly feel homesick for my little house, my friends, and my old life.  Being on the road makes everything feel unreal. 

The anonymous hotel rooms rob me of my sense of where I am. I could be anywhere. I find myself having to check my diary to see where we are some mornings.  As we often stay in the same chain of hotel even the rooms are identical.  I’m beginning to feel like a mouse in a wheel, just treading my way around the same path, day after day.

I just need to get through the next two weeks and I can go back to normal.