Leaning around me, Anna told him, “It’s been a while since I’ve been one, but make mine a virgin, ’kay?” She rubbed her expanded belly and Gabe pulled his eyes from me to glance at her.
He nodded, his eyes instantly returning to mine. “Will do.” He stood back up and pointed his pen at us again. “You ladies don’t go anywhere. I’ll be right back.”
After he walked away, all of the girls looked at me simultaneously. “He was so checking you out!” Jenny exclaimed.
I sank into my chair and fingered my bright hair. “No, he wasn’t.” I giggled at the end of my sentence. Yeah, he was. Well, unfortunately for Gabe, I wasn’t single. No, I was about to formally marry my rock-star sweetheart, whose searing good looks were insignificant in comparison to the beauty inside his soul. He was as close to perfect as one human being could be, and he was mine. I was beyond blessed.
Gabe returned a few minutes later with huge, crazy-shaped glasses full of something fruity and strong; I cringed a little after taking my first sip. Gabe winked at me again. “That should properly prep you for your evening.”
I thanked him, then ordered some chicken strips. I was going to need a good base in my stomach if this drink was any indication of how the night was going to turn out. Gabe flirted with me throughout the remainder of our meal. Needless to say, I received the most attentive service that I’d ever received at a restaurant. The girls teased me about it relentlessly. Gabe was cute, so I was flattered, but Kellan had my heart and I wasn’t interested. When Gabe handed me the receipt when we were finished, his number was on it. My eyes were wide as I looked up at him. He shrugged. “Just in case it doesn’t work out.”
I was so surprised that he’d done that, my only response was, “Thanks.” Collecting myself, I added, “I think it’s going to work out, though.”
Gabe looked disheartened as I stood to leave him. I was so used to seeing that expression of disappointment on female faces as Kellan walked away that it was bizarre to see it directed at me. A thought struck me as I showed the receipt to my sister outside. If we’d been playing the game Kellan and the boys played when they went out, I would have won tonight. Just the thought made me giggle while the rest of the girls let out loud hoots and hollers.
Wondering what he would say, I snapped a picture of the receipt and texted it to Kellan with the message I won! I hoped he would find that funny, and not worry about what I was doing. But if I was willing to trust him with strippers, than he’d have to trust me too. And he did.
He didn’t text me back, but I didn’t expect him to. He was in the middle of a show, probably just about done with his set. It was strange not to be there, listening to him play, but I was enjoying my girl time. I wasn’t sure where we were headed next, but I was slightly buzzed from Gabe’s drink, so I didn’t much care. Anna gave our limo driver a swift kiss on the cheek, making the older man blush. Feeling benevolent, I kissed him on the opposite cheek.
Where we ended up going was a strip club. I frowned as the car pulled up to the bright pink neon flashing a pair of female legs so that it looked like they were kicking. I cringed at the name of the club—Pole Palace. Glancing over to Anna, I firmly told her, “I have no interest in watching a bunch of half-naked women flirt with married men.”
Anna let out an exasperated sigh. “Where’s your sense of adventure, Kiki?” With a sly smile she added, “You will like this, trust me.”
Not sure if I should trust my up-for-anything sister, I hesitantly stepped out of the limo. At the last minute, I told the driver, “If you see me running from the building in terror, please take me home right away.”
The driver smiled at me as he held the door open. “Absolutely . . . Kiki.”
Once again dressed in our penis gear, the group of us gathered under the front awning. Jenny and Kate seemed fine with going somewhere else or going inside; Rachel seemed just as dubious about this place as I was. Cheyenne was smiling. When I glanced at the front door of Pole Palace, I noticed the huge sign propped on an easel beside it and shook my head. Ladies Night! Come on in to see the hottest men in town! I should have known.
For some reason, it did make me feel a little better to know that we were going to be watching half-naked men flirt with married women. It seemed more innocent. I still felt horribly embarrassed about the whole thing, though, especially since I was dressed like a Bratz doll. “Anna, are you serious?”
With an ear-to-ear grin, she turned toward the bouncer. “Yep.”