3. Sloane
Sloane
“So, take me through it one more time.”
Jessie leans back on the sofa with a slight frown on her face as I set the scene.
“We clear the whole bar area, lay down a tarp, and then all the guests get naked,” I say, picturing it. She nods, the frown still in place. “Then we – well, Lotus – will pour warm olive oil all over the guests and let them just sort of… slide around in it.”
I am doing a terrible job of explaining this.
“Right. So everyone is very slippery and?—”
“Oh, and they’re all blindfolded. So, you’ve got about twenty to thirty naked, blindfolded people, who are now very slippery and oily, and everyone just sort of swims around, touching each other.”
She raises a single brow, a look of consternation on her face. Shit, Lotus really does a better job of selling the concept of Slick Love.
“Ok, but how does anyone get any sort of, er, purchase on each other if everyone’s all slippery?”
“Well, the goal is not sex, it’s sensual touch ,” I say, remembering the most important part. “You don’t need purchase . You’re meant to glide! Like a slip’n’slide but erotic. And no sex. That’s a golden rule.”
“No sex?” Jessie blinks. “You know this is a sex club, right, Sloane? People come here expecting to have sex.”
“I know! I’m just saying that Slick Love offers them something completely unique that’s sensual and sexy but… without any penetration.”
“I dunno, babe, our guests really like… penetration.” Jessie cringes as she says it and we both burst into a fit of laughter.
“Don’t we all,” I grin. “Look, I’m explaining this horribly, but this is such a magical experience, and I really think it could be a great opportunity for Salt to try something a bit different. Lotus is amazing at what she does. That woman could make a salad seem sexy. Will you please consider it?”
“I’ll consider it,” Jessie promises. I smile back.
I’m confident I can win her around. Jessie’s the manager at Salt, my favourite little sex club that’s basically a home away from home now that my roommate’s fallen in love with its owner.
Luke’s a sweetheart, but Jessie runs a tight ship.
She’d never do anything she didn’t think was in Salt’s best interests, but she’s always keen to be a bit experimental.
Hooking up a Slick Love night at Salt would be such a coup if I can just find the right way to sell it. I just know it would be a hit.
“Do you want to come downstairs for a drink?” Jessie asks, closing her laptop as she rises from the sofa. Perks of managing a sex club I guess – you’re never more than twenty metres away from a screaming orgasm.
“Only if Giancarlo’s on the bar tonight, I could do with one of his spicy margaritas.”
“You’re in luck,” she replies, as I follow her down the stairs and we approach the bar.
Gloria’s up on the aerial silks tonight, and she’s got the rapt attention of the whole room.
Thursday nights are busy at Salt, with people blowing off steam after work, and regulars tucked away in the alcoves.
Strictly speaking, sex is only meant to happen next door in the playrooms, but you can usually spot some boundary pushing on the outskirts.
Jessie and I are chatting about the club’s upcoming Roman orgy night when a dark-haired man appears in my peripheral vision.
“Excuse me, ladies,” he says smoothly as he flags down Giancarlo and signals for another round.
“You’re excused,” I reply, barely giving him a glance. I’m still feeling a bit salty after my failed date with Marisa and Marcus. I’m not in the mood for flirting.
“An American in London, eh?” he says, turning to face me.
“You caught me,” I deadpan back, without looking at him.
“What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?” he says, and I finally turn to him, giving him my most withering stare.
“When’s a dumb line like that ever worked for a pretty boy like you?” I retort, giving him an appraisal with a single arched brow.
He grins and laughs freely, and my disdain is instantly defused as I take him in.
He’s well-built, with broad shoulders, not too tall, unruly brown hair.
His blue eyes instantly light up as he smiles, and two rogue dimples appear in his cheeks.
He’s completely unperturbed by my froideur, and damn if that doesn’t thaw my icy resolve just a lick.
“You think I’m pretty?” He grins, leaning over to tap his card on the reader without taking his eyes off me. I arch a brow at him again.
“Sure, if you like that sort of thing,” I say with a shrug, while he simply smirks next to me. He pauses for a second, thanks Giancarlo for the drinks, then reaches out a hand to shake mine.
“Freddie Lane,” he says, as I give him a firm handshake in reply.
“Hello, Freddie Lane,” I reply, turning back to the stage. He introduces himself to Jessie, who can’t hide her smirk, before turning back to me.
“Not going to give me your name, then?” He cocks his head, his lips tilting up as I glance back at him.
“You haven’t earned my name,” I reply tartly, as Jessie snorts next to me.
“Oh darling,” he says, smiling broadly. “Challenge accepted.” He winks before grabbing his drinks and striding over to a table near the back. He leans into the man next to him and says something, both of them turning to look at me. I ignore them both, turning back to Jessie.
“Well, that was adorable,” she replies, giving me a wicked smile.
“Who is that anyway?”
“New member – used to work with Luke, I believe.” She picks up her phone, scanning something on the screen. “His guest tonight is Cole Avery, a graphic designer. Not a member, currently.” She pockets her phone and side-eyes me.
I glance over at them again but they’re deep in conversation.
“Will you chat to him again?” she asks, tilting her head slightly. “He’s definitely got eyes for you.”
“Nah,” I declare. “He’s not my type.” But as I say it, I hear Freddie’s laugh from across the bar, and I feel a tiny chink in my resolve. Jessie nods, but the smile on her face tells me she’s not buying my bullshit.
He is pretty. And there was something about the light in his eyes that made my stomach do a micro-flip. Probably just a fluke. I mentally shake myself. He’s nothing but a flirt in a bar.
But damn, he’s got a nice smile.