10. Chapter 9 #2
“It’s a throwback to the Playboy clubs. When the club went defunct, it was bought by someone else, but they kept the vibe going.”
When I accepted Penny’s invitation to get drinks, I had no idea it would be this. “You brought me to a strip club?”
“It’s not a strip club,” she insisted. “It’s more of a striptease club. There’s some erotic dancing, but all the naughty parts are covered.”
Maybe I was a prude, but at twenty-seven, I’d never been to a strip club.
You never had a threesome either, but things are changing.
I supposed they were. It was time to break free of the box I’d put myself in.
I wanted to explore the real Vegas and it didn’t get much more real than this.
There was so much going on, I didn’t know where to look.
Penny nabbed two seats at the bar, and I hopped up on the stool next to her.
The bartender came over. “What can I get you?” She was a pretty woman with long, dark-red dreadlocks piled up on top of her head, a piercing through her nose, and big, silver hoop earrings.
Vividly colored tattoos peeked out from her black corset.
Penny leaned forward to be heard over the loud music. “We’re celebrating! Two apple martinis.”
“I don’t know if we should be celebrating yet,” I protested.
“Bullshit! We kicked ass this week. We wrote a killer proposal, and you pitched a great idea at the staff meeting. That deserves a drink.”
The bartender set our drinks on the rail and hurried off to the next customer.
“A proposal that hasn’t been approved yet and an idea I’m not positive I can pull off. I feel like celebrating is a bit premature.”
Penny picked up her glass and slid the other toward me. “It’s still an impressive first week. It took Suzette three weeks to even get a meeting with Trent.”
“Three weeks?”
She nodded as she drank and held up three fingers.
I had an inkling why I’d gotten a face-to-face meeting on day one, but I didn’t plan on sharing that information with my assistant. I held my glass up. “To big plans and hoping they come to fruition.”
Penny clinked her half-empty glass with mine. “They will. I have a good feeling about you.”
“Let’s hope I live up to everyone’s expectations.” I took a sip of my own martini. “So, tell me more about Penny. Boyfriend?”
She sat tall and shimmied her shoulders. “His name is Fred. He’s exceptionally loyal, a complete snuggle bug, has the most gorgeous ginger hair, and likes to lick my ears.”
That was more than I needed to know. My nose scrunched up unconsciously.
Penny slapped me on the shoulder. “He’s a cat, you idiot.”
I threw my head back and laughed. “Oh, thank God! I thought you were into some strange fetish thing. I mean, you did bring me here.”
She waved a hand in the air. “This is tame for Vegas. Better get used to it. So, whose heart did you break by coming here?”
I cocked my head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t be so coy.” Penny wriggled a finger from my head to my toes. “Look at you. You’re gorgeous. Surely you broke a man’s heart by moving across the country.”
My nose scrunched again. “Sadly, no. I dated my childhood sweetheart on and off through high school and college. Getting married was the next logical step for us. Unfortunately, we had different ideas about our future. He would have liked to see me barefoot and pregnant. I wanted more out of life. I wanted a career. He had a hard time being married to someone who was never home. We divorced a year ago.”
She pouted. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have prodded.”
“It’s fine. We’re still good friends.” I sucked down the rest of my martini and motioned for the bartender to bring us another round. “Who knows, maybe I’ll find a man who isn’t turned off by a workaholic, career-driven woman.”
Penny spread her arms wide. “The world is your oyster. There’s no shortage of successful men in this city.”
“What does that even mean, the world is your oyster ? Seriously, who wants their world to be an oyster?”
“Who cares? You know what I mean. You need to get out of your office more. Meet people.”
“Well, you’re my only friend, so I hope you have room on your calendar to squeeze me in.”
She nudged me with her shoulder. “Give yourself a break. You’ve been here a week. You’ll meet people.”
“A busy and stressful week. I came here for adventure, but I can’t help wondering if I made a mistake. Maybe I’m not cut out for Vegas. What if I bit off more than I can chew?”
“Stop that! Self-doubt is not attractive on you. You’re letting Trent get inside here.” She poked me on the temple.
“You’re right. I can’t let him get in my head.
I don’t know why, but I let him make me crazy.
He’s just a man, an arrogant man, but a man, nonetheless.
I can handle him.” With every word I spoke, my confidence built a bit more.
I’d let our tryst cloud my vision, but no more.
He might have had the upper hand in the bedroom, but I’d prove to him we were equals in the boardroom.
Penny’s eyes bulged. “Now’s your chance. Incoming!”
I followed her gaze over my shoulder. The devil himself was heading our direction and he looked dangerously delicious.
Fuck my life!