Chapter 5 Soaking up

_Meghan

"I can explain."I had forgotten that I promised Alicia to tag along with me today. We were like two ships passing in the night.

"Imagine my surprise when I woke up and realized you had gone apartment hunting without me even though you promised to wake me up. Then I get to work ready to give you a piece of my mind, only to be told you called in sick. Funny cause I haven't seen you all today. Then you walk in here dressed to the nines, are you back together with Ben?" she looked about ready to faint.

"Not in a million years." I sat down next to her on the couch and turned my back to her. She unzipped my dress at the back.

"I need to be comfortable for this, where do I even begin? In twenty-four hours I met thee Petrov of Petrov Ltd, and he asked me to move in with him and this." I showed her the cheque.

"Oh my gosh Meg, this a lot of money for one night. Start from the beginning, I want the unedited version." She ran to the room and came back with nail polish and nail polish remover.

"I'm bringing out the big guns."

"Funny you should say that because he sells guns."

"Oh yeah, flip." We started giggling like two school girls.

I told her everything while we did our toes and by the time I had finished my tale, Alicia sat with her eyes wide open. Totally in disbelief.

"Babe, what are you going to do?" She asked in a whisper.

I wish I had a simple answer to that question. "Honestly I don't know, the money is good plus I need to get an apartment so Ben can stop harassing me to come and get my stuff, but at the same time, I love my job."

"You mean, you love jingling your behind for strangers?"

"It sounds bad when you put it like that."

"All I'm saying is an opportunity like this doesn't come around every day. Everyone is replaceable at the club. One day younger girls will come and what do you think will happen to us then?"

"I told him I'm taking the job but will not move in with him."

"But at least you have a backup should things not work out with the apartment."

"Yes, I can use it as a backup for now."

"I think this guy is in love with you. Why else would he be offering you all of this, and for what?"

"Maybe, maybe not. Rich guys have a bad reputation when it comes to people like us."

"What do you mean, people like 'us'?"

"Strippers, when they see us dancing on stage and collecting tips, they think we would do anything for money."

"You mean Ben." She sighed. "I know Ben sucked but you can't compare every guy that comes along to that swine."

"You know I'm going to compare no matter what you say. Why is this Petrov so interested in me, because he looked at me and knew, I'm the biggest idiot that ever lived."

"Never. It was never you. He's the idiot. He will be so sorry when he realizes who you going out with, I'm sure Neon makes more money in a day than the Dosters do in a year."

"We're just friends, Ali, besides, I don't think he's that rich." The idea of rubbing Neon in Bens's face was enticing. I would give them an arm just to see the look on his face, but Neon was just my newly found boss.

"Yes. Just friends who buy each other designer gowns." She winked, all sins forgiven.

After Alicia had left for bed. I lay awake on the couch, as was a norm since crossing paths with Neon. I was thinking about what Alicia said. Could Neon be interested in me? And if he was, that was just sad because I knew I was not interested in him, although he seemed like a pretty solid guy. But they all were like that at first. I should know, I almost made the biggest mistake of my life by marrying Ben. As it turns out, he was only interested in bedding me, even though he did take his sweet time with it. I'm sure that was what Neon was also hoping for.

***

The job was harder than I had imagined. As it turned out, keeping clients happy while they discussed business was not a very easy task.

Some got drunk and got very friendly with their compliments. But nothing outrageous happened.

By the end of the week, I would be moving into my place. It had taken me longer than I had thought it would to find just the perfect place.

I had also given up the job at the strip club. My days at the house were getting longer and busier. My work started early enough. Before clients arrived. I had to make sure that the catering was done, the seating arrangements and when Neon arrived briefed him about the client and their interests. When I first started Alicia advised me to do independent research on the clients, and have some fun facts for Neon, and that little extra effort paid off from day one.

Tonight Neon called to say the client had a family emergency, they had to cancel. After all the work we put in. Tonight felt like a day off, and I didn't feel like going back to Alicia's couch. Maybe it was about time I used my employee's benefits.

Before I could do anything I texted Alicia on her cell and told her I wouldn't be coming home tonight. She sent back blushing emojis. I wanted to tell her it was not what she thought it was, Neon would be at his penthouse tonight, at least that's what I thought, there was no need for him to come tonight.

I filled the bath with warm water, ever since I started this job. This has been at the back of my mind that one-day il soak up. I took my time stripping naked and then eased myself inside the water, it felt amazing. The size of this bath. Thank god for a rich man.

I must have fallen asleep while soaking up because I was woken by another presence in the room, when I opened my eyes, Neon stood looking down at my naked body with an unbearable expression on his face. Oh shit no.