His eyes consumed hers, they scanned up and down her body, drinking in the beauty of it before resting on her emerald green eyes. He reached for his drink and as he took a gulp her hands moved up her thighs and across her flat stomach. He needed her, he needed her so bad that his body ached for her.
The electric beat that she danced to, echoed through his body, her body moving to the beat drew him in, locked his eyes to her and seemed to take him prisoner. She stared at him as she leaned against the pole and reached behind her top, playing with the strings, and as his eyes pleaded with hers, she pulled the straps and released the jewels that he had been studying since she had taken the stage. She bent down and leaning her face in close to his she licked his ear and as he moaned and closed her eyes he could only imagine what her tongue could do to the rest of him.
The music ended and when his eyes opened she was gone, gone like the smoke that had surronded the stage while she performed.
"Come on D, we should get going."
He glanced around the dimly lit room and tried to find the woman in the crowd but his scan came up empty and he reluctantly followed his bandmates out of the club.
"Goodnight Mary, nite Sammie" Brighid gathered her long, heavy red curls and tied them in a knot on top of her head. She searched for her keys and walked towards Pete. "Hey goodlooking, ready to protect me from the evil perverts?" she teased.
"Your protector awaits sweet cheeks" Pete had been employed as a bouncer for Gary's Gentleman's Club for over 10 years and had seen many dancers drift in and out of the club but none caught his fancy quite like Brighid, Briggie as he called her. She was 24 and had recently moved to Orlando, trying to make a career as a dancer. She had studied dance at the world renowned New York School of Dance but had yet to catch her falling star, the job that would let her combine her love of dance with her passion for travel. Short on money she had auditioned for a job opening at the club and had been saving every penny since she had started there 2 years ago. She was the most popular dancer and had a group of regulars who came nightly to see her perform. It was not what she had envisoned herself doing when she left New York 2 years ago but the money was great and it left her mornings free to participate in her other love, children. She taught underpriveledged youth,dancing at the Community Center.
Brighid walked out into the cool Orlando night air and hugged Petey "What am I going to do when you decide to leave?"
"Hopefully by the time I leave you will have caught your big break and you can hire me to be your bodyguard. Go home and get some sleep Briggie" Petey watched her drive off in her beat up jeep and smiled, only walking away when he knew she was out of the parking lot and on her way home safetly. She was someone who needed to be protected, watched out for. She was naive, believing that everyone deserved a chance, not believing in evil. Many a night a patron had waited outside for her hoping to touch her, to take her home, it was his job not to allow that to happen.
~~**~~
"Goodnight Bone, see you tomorrow at the studio" Howie waved to his friend and unlocked his door. He threw his keys on the table and walked into the kitchen to grab a bottle of juice. He walked out onto the patio and looked out at the golf course, now empty and dark. His attention flew quickly back to the beautiful woman on stage, the woman who seemed to be able to get inside of him and cause him to lose himself in her eyes. They had stumbled upon the club by accident. They had been heading to Pleasure Island when Nick had a sudden urge for a chocolate bar, so they pulled into the 7 Eleven and AJ had spotted the club, after much protesting and pleading they decided to check it out. Howie had been less then thrilled to go but after watching several over made up bleached blondes prounce around the stage a stunning red head with eyes the colour of emeralds walked out on stage. She started to move to Mark Anthony and her seductive moves drew him in. He hungered for her immediatly and he knew he had to find her.He had never been so drawn to a woman before and he knew that the next night he would find his way back to the club and lose himself in her eyes once again.
"Plie, Plie, Plie" Brighid stood in front of the full length mirrors and demonstrated the move to her students. She watched as they bended at the knees, their brows furied in concentration. She loved her job, seeing the joy that the kids got when they learnt a new move, their faces filld with pleasure and pride as they ran into their mother's arms at the end of the class, talking a mile a minute about how well they did. It made her night time job easier to bear.
~~**~~
"The new track is coming along great, Max is a genius" Kevin and the guys were eating lunch at Loops, a dowtown deli, although in the rougher part of Orlando, it was one of the places that they would eat at when they were first starting out.
Howie took a bite of his sandwich when Mark Anthony came over the radio and he was once again drawn to the image of the emerald eyes searching his, begging him to help them escape.
"D, earth to D" AJ ran his hand in front of his friend's face, trying to bring him back to the conversation at hand.
Howie's eyes blinked and he stared at his friends "Sorry"
~~**~~
Brighid sat in front of the mirror applying her thick brown eyeliner. During the day and her days off her face was devoid of the makeup that she caked on her face while performing. She listened to Amy and Katie fighting about the man at table 14 and threw down her pencil. She hated the way she felt right before she went on stage, she always felt embarassed and cheap but once she got up on stage the music led her through the routine and she came alive, forgetting for one brief second that she was dancing at a sqeezy club and instead pretended she was dancing in front of thousands of people. It was only after she felt a strange man's hand work it's way to her thigh or slip a dollar bill in her costume that she was brought back to face the reality that was her life. "Come on Brighid, you are up soon" Becca, the manager screamed at her.
~~**~~
"D for someone who hated this last night, I can't figure out why you are so anxious to get in there" AJ teased. He was surprised when Howie had cornered him at rehearsals and asked him to go back to the club with him.
"I just want to get a seat, get in before anyone sees us" Howie lied. His heart was racing at the thought of seeing her again, feeling her eyes on his as she touched herself.
~~**~~
Brighid twisted the red curl around her finger as she waited for her entrance music to begin. The beat started and she walked slowly out on stage. She settled herself and was soon moving and grinding to the beat of salsa music, unaware that on the other side of the stage a man was waiting to devour her with his eyes.
~~**~~
Howie saw the flash of red curls and he knew that she was on stage, he waited with baited breath for her to walk over towards him. The eyes found his and once again they were locked with his, the soft smile formed on her lips and the tiny hands ran over her taut body. He stood up and place a rolled up bill in his mouth, shocked with his own forwardness but not paying attention or caring for all he wanted was to feel the lips touch his. He watched her as she stood in front of him and ran her hands down his chest, and then as she slithered down to meet his mouth he closed his eyes and waited for the feel of her lips on his, her tongue gently worked the bill out of his mouth and as quick as it started it was over, the only reminder of their brief encounter was a quick kiss on the cheek. He sat down, spent with anticipation and looked at an amused AJ who punched his arm.
"I don't know who was hotter, you and her or me watching her with you" he teased. "Come on buddy I think you need a drink."
~~**~~
"Brighid someone wants a dance" Petey walked over to where she was getting dressed "He wants you in the champagne room for his friend."
"What does he look like Petey, is he a regular?" she asked softly, the champage room was her hell. For $20 she was expected to lap dance and put on a show for a customer, all the while trying to fend off his wandering hands and lewd suggestions.
"He's a young one, saw him here last night" Petey touched her shoulder "You know I would go in there if I could, but baby sister all you have to do is scream and I will come running" Petey held out his hand and she placed her tiny hand in his huge one and he squeezed it. "Don't put up with no crap, you hear me?"
"I hear you Petey, I hear you" Brighid straightned her g-string and bikini top and walked out to meet the customer.
She saw a small, dark man standing in front of her, loaded with tattoos and wearing glasses. He was very handsome but he was a customer and therefore she despised him. "You are looking for me?" she asked.
"Yes sweetheart I am, I want you to dance for my friend" AJ handed her a $100 bill and pointed to where Howie was sitting. "Keep the change" he smiled at her and walked off.
~~**~~
Howie watched the bleached blonde twins rub up and down each other and looked down at the table. He wanted to see the woman perform again, perform all night for him, only for him.
"Excuse me" a soft voice interrupted his thoughts. Howie looked up and silently gasped. The emerald eyes met his and held out her hand to him "I think you and I have a date" Howie said nothing but took her hand and followed her, watching the way her body moved as she walked.
The room she led him into was dark. "You sit here" she pushed him onto an overstuffed couch and left him to turn on the music. Howie ached to feel her against him, the brief walk was merely a tease, torture to his craving body. He heard the reggae music and was instantly excited when he felt her warm breath on his cheek, in his ear "No touching, if you touch me this is over and your rich, spoiled friend is out his hundred dollars." Brighid stood before him and undid her top, rubbing her chest against his, she eased herself into his lap and Howie cursed himself for getting so aroused, embarrased that she could feel how excited she got him. She leaned back on his chest and ground slowly onto his lap, hearing his soft moans and rapid breathing. She turned on his lap to face him and she was instantly lost in his big brown eyes, she found pleasure in the fact that his eyes deceived him and showed her the pleasure that he was feeling. She traced his face and got up out of his lap and danced close to him, postioning herself between her legs she rubbed quickly along his thigh and as she started to move closer to him the music ended. "Sorry but the dance is over" she gathered her clothes and ran out of the room, leaving a very out of breath Howie sitting in the dark.
~~**~~
"Dammit!" Brighid ran into the dressing room and threw her clothes against the wall and ran into the bathroom, where she collapsed on the floor and cried. She had made a pact with herself never to allow her job to get personal or become emotionally involved with her job. The dance back in the champagne room had broken all of her own promises. It had happened before and each time she had re made the promise. The first time it was with a superstar football player who was in town, various basketball players and more recently a member of a popular music group. This one was different though. His brown eyes looked into her soul, there was an instant connection the minute their eyes met, the way his lips touched hers on stage, the way he watched her and the soft moans that escaped his mouth when she danced for him, it was all so different and intense then any of the other ones.
~~**~~
Howie walked out of the room, as if in a daze and ran into a laughing AJ "I take it from the look on your face that you enjoyed it? Did she give you extra for the huge tip I left her?"
Howie ignored his friend once again searched the club for the emerald eyes and red curls. "I have to find her Bone, I have to find her"
~~**~~
"Baby sister are you okay?" Petey knocked on the door.
Brighid cupped the cool water in her hands and splashed it on her face "I am fine Petey" she looked in the mirror and pinched her cheeks, trying to get colour in her now pale face. "I am not feeling well" she said as she opened the door "I am going home, let everyone know okay?"
"Do you need me to take you to your car?"
"I am fine, everyone will think I am still here, so no need to worry about sickos waiting at my car, see you on Wed" Brighid stood on tiptoes to hug the mammoth man.
"Day off tomorrow huh? Well get some sleep and enjoy it"
Brighid walked out into the dark alley and walked quickly, her stride long and her hands clutching a key, ready to fend off an attacker. She checked her backseat and seeing noone she climbed in and drove off.
~~**~~
"I am looking for the red headed dancer, you know the one who dances to the latin music" Howie asked the huge black man.
"She is gone for the night" he answered abruptly and walked away. Howie turned to AJ with an upset look "She is gone Bone, dammit I missed her"
"D no worries, we will come back tomorrow night, we will come back every night until we find her." AJ grinned at the notion of seeing the incredibly sexy and well stacked blonde who he had been eyeing all night.
~~**~~
Brighid lay in bed tossing and turning, unable to get the brown eyes out of her head. Why had his eyes settled on hers, why had she picked his out of the crowd twice? What made those eyes so different from the hundreds she had seen before? She turned on the light and walked over to the window seat and she curled up with her pillow and looked out at the darkness. His eyes couldn't lie to hers, his held passion, desire and want. His eyes needed hers and she needed his, but why?
"Smarties, you bad cat" Brighid scolded her very fat cat, who was lying in her open drawer. "You know you are not supposed to be in there, now my clothes are full of cat hair" Brighid reached in her closet and pulled out her black capri pants, her black mules and her dark purple tank top. She finger combed through her curls and applied her sunscreen as she walked out the door. She was very fair skinned and burnt in less then 5 minutes in the hot Orlando sun. She walked down the street to the bakery, stopping to talk to the elderly couple who owned it, she paid for the bunch of wildflowers at the vendor down the street and was smiling brightly as she walked towards the outdoor market. She was wandering down the aisles, looking at the silver jewellry, the embroidered bags and the various handiwork that the vendors were selling when she banged into someone, sending her flowers and groceries sailing in the air and coming to rest on the cement.
"I am so sorry" The raspy voiced man offered the woman his hand "I always seem to become immersed in all this stuff, I never pay attention to where I am walking" AJ stared at the stunning woman, trying to place the familiar face. "I hope these weren't from someone you really cared about." AJ held up the damaged flowers.
"No they are from me, I love fresh flowers so I always keep my apartment full of them" Brighid smiled "Well thank you for helping me up" she turned to walk away when AJ stopped her.
"At least let me buy you replacement flowers to make up for these ones"
"No it's alright, really, I am late for an appointment and I have to run" Brighid walked quickly down the street.
It was as AJ watched her red curls toss across her back and dance in the wind that he realised where he had seen her before "It's Howie's mystery lady. Dammit!"
~~**~~
Howie was in the office of his real estate company when he glanced up and saw red curls go sailing by his office window. He ran out the door and tried to keep up with the woman, hoping upon hope that it was his mystery lady. He got stuck at a traffic light and kicked the sidewalk, upset that he had lost her in the crowd.
~~**~~
"Do you know where I could find the beautiful red haired woman who buys bread from you?" AJ had remebered seeing the bakery name printed on the bag of bread that the red head had been carrying.
The elderly woman looked at her husband, unsure as to whether they should tell the man about Brighid. He looked harmless and he seemed to genuinely need to talk to her. "Her name is Brighid O'Calloghan, she lives in that tall building over there" the woman pointed.
"Thank you so much" AJ grinned and walked out of the store and towards the florist. He had a plan and he was about to put it in motion.
"You shouldn't have told that young lad where she loved Olga, you never can be too careful about strange men and a beautful girl like Brighid" her husband scolded.
~~**~~
Brighid walked up the steep flight of stairs and struggled with the heavy door. "Hey Lane" she smiled as the stunning man down the hall held open the door for her" good luck in the play tonight, can't wait to see it" she replied to the struggling actor who had landed a role in an off broadway play.
"Thanks, and hey what's the special occasion, I didn't miss your birthday did I"
"What?" Brighid asked confused.
He laughed "You''ll see"
Brighid walked out of the elevator and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the hallway in front of her apartment covered with vases of flowers. On her door was a taped card.
Beautiful Mystery Woman
I asked around and found out where you lived, guess there are not a lot of stunning red heads walking the streets of Orlando. Here are some replacement flowers, I didn't know which were your favourite, so I bought some of every kind they had. Please accept them as an apology for knocking you down.
AJ
Brighid opened her door and dropped her groceries and parcels on the couch and started to carry in the vases. She was giggling and ecstatic by the time she had arranged all the vases in her small apartment. She sat back on the couch and drank in the fragrent flowers that now engulfed her apartment. She saw the blinking of her answering machine and groaned when she heard Becca telling her that she needed to come into work because three of the dancers got sick. "Only she could ruin such a wonderful day." Brighid walked into the bedroom and started to get ready for work. "My day off and I get called in" she whined.
~~**~~
"Bone I can't get away, I am stuck in a meeting so go ahead and make plans without me" Howie left the message on AJ's machine and turned his attention back to the developers. He really wanted to go back to the club, to talk to the woman who never left his thoughts, whose eyes he saw everywhere.
~~**~~~
AJ took his place in the club and waited for Brighid to come out on stage. He heard the now familiar latin music and he smiled when she came out. He watched her dance, her hips seduced him and her lips were lethel to his sanity. He had to have her, he knew that Howie craved her, wanted her, needed her but so did he, he could not control the savage feelings of lust that were taking over his body. She hypnotized him, put him under a spell and he was going to attack.
Her eyes caught his face as he motioned for her to walk towards his side of the stage, his glasses covering his eyes, his gold chain glistening as the lights hit it, she could see his tatoos peeking out under the sweater, and he licked his lips as she bent down towards him. He ran his hand up her thigh and brushed it against her naked breasts. He worked his hand down to her garter and slipped the hundred dollar bill into her garter and whispered "meet me out back in 10 minutes" he sat back down in his chair and watched her eyes open with anticipation as she finished off her routine and exited the stage to loud cheers.
"Petey I will be back, if Becca asks tell her I had an emergency at home" Brighid kissed his cheek and ran into the alley, stopping when she saw a long grey limousine waiting in front of the door. She crouched to look into the tinted window and started to form a scream when the door opened and someone pulled her in. Her scream was silenced as his mouth pressed down hard on hers and his hands wandered up her skirt. She ground against his hand and pulled his face in closer to hers. She was hungry for him and she was going to have him.
AJ took his lips away from hers " Did you like the flowers mystery lady?" he asked huskily.
Her answer was never given as AJ worked his way down her neck, kissing every inch of her soft skin.
~~**~~
"Dance for me, right here, right now" AJ commanded. He settled into the chair in the hotel room that they had rented and watched as she slowly started to dance, her hands running over her soft but firm breasts, the way her hips moved and her hair swayed to the music. She stared at him, her eyes never leaving his face as she closed his legs and proceeded to grind against them, talking dirty to him and asking if he liked it. His voice grew more and more raspy as she quickened her pace, until finally he could speak no longer and pulled her head down to meet his excitement. He let out a loud scream as her mouth found his pleasure and he pushed her head down, begging her to slow down. His voice exploded in a raspy scream of pleasure and he found her mouth, tasting his own juices on her tongue. He picked her up and as she wrapped her legs around him he gave her what they both wanted, he leaned her up against the wall and pounded into her, alternating between hard pounds and soft teasing strokes. As they came together, AJ knew that he would never lust over another woman, that he had finally met the woman who whet his desire, matched his sexual intensity and a woman who left him wanting more.
~~**~~
Howie made his way into the now familiar club. He had been told that the red headed dancer, he now knew as her stage name Mystery Lady had already done her routine but would be back on at midnight. He settled in and waited for her to take the stage.
~~**~~
The limo pulled out in front of the club and Brighid broke away from AJ's lips and stepped out of the limo, not saying a word. AJ watched her as she left and his head fell into the seat, that woman had done the unspeakable to him, she had captured his attention and left him wanting more. He had to have her forever. AJ spotted the purple corvette in the parking lot "Howie" he muttered and ordered the driver to take him home.
~~**~~
"Where were you?" Petey took in Brighid's flustered appearance "Baby sister are you alright?"
"I am fine, the cat got stuck in a cabinet and was raising hell, hey what time is it?" Brighid asked as she tried to freshen up.
"Almost midnight, you best hurry up and get ready to go on stage" Petey watched her fix her lisptick and knew that her appearance had nothing to do with her cat.
~~**~~
Howie's heart fluttered and his mouth grew dry as she worked the crowd, she linked her legs around the pole and was soon upside down. Her eyes searched the patrons and they came to settle on the eyes, the eyes she saw in her dreams and the eyes that always met hers. He smiled softly at her as she left the stage. Tonight he was going to talk to her, his eyes would meet hers and never leave them.
~~**~~
Brighid walked into the darkened room and tried not to smile when she saw the man standing against the wall waiting for her. She started to lead him to the chair but he took her hand and led her to the couch.
"Let me go turn on the music" Brighid protested.
"No...please don't, I don't want you to dance for me, I want to talk to you" Howie pleaded.
"You paid a hundred dollars to talk to me?" She asked incredulously.
"I would pay a thousand more if it meant I could hear your voice"
Brighid's heart started to beat wildly as she sat beside the soft and gentle looking man. "I'm Brighid"
Howie took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing it lightly "I am Howie, nice to meet you Brighid"
AJ slumped on his couch, kicking his shoes off onto the floor and putting his stocking feet on the glass and marble table. He reached for his beer bottle and as he took a sip his mind replayed the hotel scene. Her smell drove him insane, a mixture of lust and oranges, her long hair tickled his thighs as it brushed along them and her eyes, oh god her eyes, they seemed to bore into his soul, her eyes ate him alive. He needed her, he wanted her and he was going to have her. He would stop at nothing to get her, Howie or no Howie.
~~**~~
"Tell me something about you, something that noone else knows" Howie and Brighid were walking along the water's edge, having spent the better part of 3 hours talking about their lives and families. They stopped at a grassy section and Howie placed his coat on the grass and helped her to sit down.
Brighid traced his life lines, on the palm of his hand and smiled softly "Something about me that noone knows...I love peanut butter and alfalfa sprout sandwiches, I love the sound that the rain makes as it pelts on my window and I love curling up in men's pajamas and listening to cat purr softly as I rub his belly." Brighid blushed as she looked up at Howie, who was listening intently, with a soft smile beginning to form on his lips "Stop laughing" she protested with a smirk.
"I am not laughing" Howie said softly, he was actually breathless, his heart beating fast, as he listened to this remarkable woman. She was so pure and innocent, her laugh like a little child's. "Spend the night with me" he asked, his eyes searching hers, pleading with her.
"I think we just spent the night together sweetie" Brighid teased, as she looked at the sun that was beginning to peek out behind the mountain ranges in the far distance.
"Well then spend the morning with me, spend the afternoon with me, just stay with me" Howie was shocked at his words, his pleading. He was never this needy, but then agian he had never met a woman who intrigued him as much as Brighid. "I just don't want this to end, I am afraid if I close my eyes you will be gone"
His confession sent shivers down her spine, the need in his voice quite clear. She kissed his fingertips, letting her lips rest briefly on his fingers and looked into his eyes "I am not a dream, I am very much alive, but I cannot stay with you." She saw his face fall, the fear of rejection painted clearly on his face "Listen to me, please, I am not rejecting you, in fact I am accepting you, I want you so bad I can hardly think straight, Howie you have affected me in 4 hours more than any man has in years. I found your eyes in the crowd for a reason, they fell on yours for a reason, and your eyes have stayed with me for a reason."
Howie tucked a long strand of red hair behind her ear and held his hand on her face "Then stay with me" he whispered.
"I am sorry Howie but I can't" and she ran off, leaving Howie clutching his
kissed fingers to his lips.
Links to other sites on the Web
© 1997 crunkgrl62382@yahoo.com
Get your own Free Home Page