Page 8 of Autumn's Coming

On stage?

That had to be a mistake.

“I—I’m not a dancer.”

“Yeah, you are. Every girl I hire is a dancer.”

I gasped. “No, I seriously don’t dance! What am I supposed to do?”

“Shake your tits and ass! Do what she’s doing!”

He pointed to the girl on stage. I watched as she dropped to her knees, whipped her long blonde hair in a circle, and started to shimmy like her life depended on it.

Oh, I was fucked.

I swallowed and moved to drop my tray off at the bar, then walked backstage.

Jessie was there, looking nervous. She’d washed off the blacklight paint and changed—now she looked like a chick out of a rock video. She’d be right at home shaking her ass on the hood of a car surrounded by fire.

Next to her, I looked like a mess.

She hurried to me, grabbing my arms. “I told him you’re not a dancer,” she said anxiously. “I’m so sorry!”

“It—this is gonna be bad.”

Jessie shook her head. “No! I’ll go out with you. Just follow my lead, okay?”

Like I could do what she did.

I’d seen her on stage twice already—once on the pole, once on the floor. She was amazing. She was strong and athletic. She did amazing stuff on the floor that looked incredibly sexy.

I was afraid that I would just end up looking like a beached whale.

Still, I had no choice. Max was adamant that I go out there, so I was going.

Jessie turned and scurried off for a second. She came back with two shots of tequila in her hands. “Here. Drink it. It’ll ease your nerves.”

“I don’t know.”

“Trust me, okay?”

She was right. I had to trust her. She was the expert here, not me.

I knocked back the shot.

When I looked back, she was still holding the other. She took the empty glass and put the second shot into my hand.

“Are you serious?” I said.

“Yes! It’s called liquid courage for a reason. Drink it. The song’ll be over before you feel anything.”

I shrugged. I was already going to embarrass myself. What would it matter if I was drunk, too?

I threw back the second shot. Jessie took the glass and put it down.

In a lull between songs, she nudged me to go up on the stage.

I did.

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