Page 19 of Thirst

I grin as I look at Von and Shay again, and both of them are still gawking. Amari isn't the only one fixated on me. Both of us take our shot of Hennessy, and I use it as fuel to get up.

Feeling the rhythm of “Freak’in Me” by Jamie Foxx and Marsha Ambrosius, I stand in front of Amari and begin to dance. My body warms from the liquor, but Amari’s eyes on me are kindling to a growing fire in my belly as I inch my way closer to him. He keeps his gaze on my face, and I never knew that eye contact could be so seducing. When I climb on top of him, we’re still looking at each other. I feel entranced by him as I begin grinding in his lap, my hips working in a slow circle before I lean forward and shake my ass. Then I recenter myself in his lap and dig deeper, like I'm trying to bury myself between his legs. As I start to grind again, I feel his growing erection stiffening his pants. I'm not new to this, nor am I naive about what happens when a man is turned on. But the thickness I feel makes my jaw tighten.

“Oh,” I whisper to myself as I dig a little deeper so I can make sure I'm not crazy, and sure enough, my suspicions are confirmed. Huge. It’s like a pipe resting against his leg, and once I feel it, I want to keep feeling it.

As the music puts me in a trance, I don't stop grinding on him. I bite my lip as working my hips to the music quickly turns into grinding myself on him for real. He looks at me, licking his bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth and biting it, and the seductive look on his face fades the world to black. I lose control of myself as his eyes find mine, and even though his hands are at his sides, I feel him grinding with me. He matches my rhythm and we fall in sync, full-on dry humping in the booth.

“Yeah?” he says in a husky voice. “That’s what you want?”

“That’s what I want,” I answer, completely lost.

“Then keep going,” he demands, and I feel obligated to do as I'm told. Oh god, what am I doing?

I ride him to the music, closing my eyes and giving into it. My body tingles with a newfound excitement and intoxication—an eagerness and high I've never felt in my life. I'm floating through clouds of pleasure, my skin ablaze with unfiltered lust, my mind surfing the stratosphere as an intense sensation begins to build. A spark ignites the embers, and a fire quickly rushes to consume me. I keep going—my personal rules broken, the rules of the club shattered into pieces on the floor. My mouth drops open as I suck in air, and the sound of my own voice croons out.

I let out a moan so loud that it catches me off guard. Suddenly, the world reappears. The music comes roaring back, men’s voices reemerge, and my awareness of my surroundings returns. Amari watches me, but when I look around, I see that he isn't the only one. A few men have gathered around the booth to witness the most unhinged lap dance in the club’s history, and the duo of Shay and Von are glaring with the heat of a star in their eyes.

“Shit,” I whisper as I force myself to get off of Amari’s lap, but the wetness between my legs is as obvious. “Oh my god. Umm, I can't … I don't know … umm.”

“Aaliyah,” Amari says. “It’s fine.”

“It’s not. I went too far. I wasn't even thinking.”

“Don't stress about it.”

“I could get fired for doing that.”

“He won't fire you,” he says, adjusting himself before reaching into his pocket. “He cares about money more than he cares about you doing too much. When he starts talking, give him this.”

Amari leans forward and shoves two hundred dollars in my hand, then he sticks more cash under his leg. From here, I can see it’s a folded stack of one hundred dollar bills.

“When the song ends,” he says, “lean down and grab this as you adjust the strap on your heel. Keep the five hundred for yourself. Give him the two. He’ll get over however he's feeling the second the money hits his hand. Trust me.”

My eyes widen. “Five hundred? For a lap dance?”

“It’s nothing,” he says. “You're worth more than the money. No matter how hard any of these fools in here try, don't let anyone make you forget that. Now take it and make sure you hide it.”

At his command, I lift my foot and place it right next to his leg. As I adjust the strap with one hand, I use the other to grab the money and stash it in my heel, tucking it inside. When I stand up straight, Amari does the same. I watch him struggle to adjust himself again, trying my best not to stare at the size of his bulge. He manages to get himself situated, then the two of us stand there awkwardly. He smiles at me like he's reading my mind, then steps toward the booth’s exit.

“I'm gonna see you again soon,” he says. “Is that okay?”

I smile. “I was hoping that was obvious.”

His smile is full, and it lights up the dark room before he turns on his heel and walks away, his eyes on the exit and nothing else. I have to adjust my panties before I can leave the booth, but when I do, I still feel as high as a kite.

“What was all that?” Von asks the second I return to the locker room. “You’re out there dry humpin’ in the booths? What the hell is wrong with you?”

I try to play it off. “What? I didn't think it was anything out of the norm?”

“Are you insane? What is with you lately? You had a crowd gatherin’, people pushin’ their way to the front just to watch you. You can't be doin’ that shit Aaliyah. Everybody out there is gonna be thinkin’ every lap dance is like that. You tryin’ to ruin my business?”

“Seems to me that I'm helping your business,” I say as I give him the two hundred dollars just like Amari told me to. Von takes it, and I watch the aggression leak out, quickly deflating him.

“Damn,” he says, his voice much calmer now. With his eyes wide, he shakes his head and pockets the money. “Well alright. I guess you did good. Is that your boyfriend or somethin’?”

I shake my head. “Nah. He’s … uhh … I don't know. Just somebody who pays well.”

“I can see that. His rich ass must be in love with you. Probably a virgin. Well, whatever the two of you got going’ on, you need to keep it under control. Lap dances can't be that hot and heavy. Y’all were out there about to come on each other. If you're tryin’ to have sex in here, you need to get off your high horse and become a Viper Girl so you can take him upstairs. Then we can really get paid. Otherwise, keep the lap dances to the norm. You hear me?”