Page 1 of Triplet Tease

CHAPTER ONE

SIENA

“Thereis no way I’m going to strip in front of an audience. No way.” Myhands balled into fists as I rested them on my hips.I’mserious about this.

“Really?” Gill dropped eye-contact andstared down at my near-naked body for a few long and quiet seconds.

At least, the pause in our conversation wouldhave been silent if it wasn’t for the pop music in the background —a childlike, high-pitched female voice singing catchy lyrics.

“Yes.Really.”Me,a stripper? Ain’t going to happen.I huffed and resisted the urge to wrap my arms in front of me.Toolate to cover up now.I pointed at my exposed stomach. “This is different. I’m gettingdressed. I’m in my bedroom. And I’m listening to music.”

“It’s only different because you’redancing in your underwear and not getting paid for it.”

“You’re my roommate, Gill; you’re not asweaty, leering stranger. I don’t mind you seeing me in myunderwear. Otherwise, I would’ve closed the door. It’s not as ifthis is indecent.” I wore my everyday bra and panties that didn’tmatch, but were clean and comfortable and covered everything thatneeded covering. “Being in my bedroom talking to my best friend isa lot different from gyrating in front of strangers at a strip club.”

Fortunately, the Lime Light club provided mycurrent work uniform of a figure-hugging black tee bearing thevenue’s logo and overly short shorts, because not just my underwearbut my entire wardrobe needed a makeover. Still, I didn’t have thefunds for that luxury.

“You know women get well paid for strippingat the club. You’d start off wearing a sexy little dress and thenrevealing some pretty lingerie or a bikini.” Gill wiggled hershoulders how she might have done a few years ago when she shook herassets in front of an audience. “You’d have to get some niceclothes to wear. I’m sure the manager at the club can give you anadvance for costumes.” She gave a conspiratorial wink.

As well as being my friend and roommate, Gillwas also my boss.

She managed the Lime Light bar, where we worked— me as bar staff, her as manager — both of us fully clothed.

A few weeks earlier, she’d called up andoffered me the best paying bar job in the entire state when shereceived a promotion to the position of club manager, which, bycoincidence, was the day after I’d told her about my real tightjam.

Aware of my predicament, Gill offered me a joband a room in her house. For once, something went right in my life.

The job offer couldn’t have come at a bettertime for me.

Atthe Lime Light,Gillhad started as a stripper and worked her way up to the top by takingher clothes off, arguably in more ways than one.

I loved her to bits — she was my BFF, and Ididn’t have a problem with her career choices. Her boyfriendchoices were more questionable. She deserved much better than afriends-with-benefits relationship with Lee, the slimeball-owner ofthe Lime Light.

“Dressing up in something pretty sounds nice;that’s not what bothers me, but you missed the part about therebeing very little of it. Thanks for the job offer, but the answer hasto be no. Anyway, no one wants to see all this uncovered.” Iunclenched my fists to place my hands on the soft flesh of my tummy.“I’m too fat and too old.”

Gill’s mouth gaped open in mock surprise atmy statement, and she shook her head. “You’re curvaceous andbeautiful. The men want to see a real, curvy woman just like you. Andyou aren’t too old, either; that’s ridiculous. I’ve seendancers ten years older than you.”

I pursed my lips. I needed all the money Icould get after my ex ran up horrendous bills and took out loans inmy name. He then disappeared, leaving me to face the music. I’dsold our home, and that still wasn’t enough to clear the debt.

While lodging in Gill’s spare room, I couldcomfortably pay all my bills and a little bit off the debt eachmonth, so I didn’t face bankruptcy. However, I couldn’t envisionbeing in the black for years, and I couldn’t figure out how I wouldever move on. I didn’t want to be Gill’s lodger forever.

“You’re attractive. You’re sexy. You’rea superb dancer.” Gill piled on the compliments. She saw meconsidering the proposition. “You’ve got the personality. Youshould be stripping to earn big money rather than serving drinks.Just consider it — same old workplace, twenty times as much in yourpocket at the end of the night.”

“Twenty times as much money! Do they reallymake that much?” If it was true, I could clean up, taking home morethan I did as a waitress. The money tempted me; how I would spendthat? Pay off those debts faster. Get my own place. Make a real freshstart.

“Not all of them make life-changing sums,Siena. They all make good money — better than waiting tables, forsure. But only the very best, the girls with that extra sparkle, getthe really big bucks.” She pointed a long, slender finger at me.“You’ve got this.”

I shook my head. I really did not, not at all.

I wanted the money. I needed the money, butcould I do what they did? I couldn’t comprehend what the girls didto make that kind of money.

“And what about if I get booked for a privatedance?” I found it hard to ask the question. A sudden strange lumpformed in the back of my throat.

“A private dance is when you get to wear justthe prettiest smile.” Gillian tossed her dark hair to one side.“When you’re earning over one hundred dollars per hour just todance, you can’t help but grin like a crazy woman no matter howmuch skin is on display. Trust me. I know what I’m talking about.”

She did.

“And I admire anyone who can do it, but I’mnot someone who can.” I waved a hand in front of my most privateparts and grinned to hide my embarrassment. “I’d be beacon-redwith embarrassment if my la-la was on show for a stranger to see. Infact, they wouldn’t be able to see my naughty bits because of thedazzling bright redness of my face.”

---