When We Meet Again

*****

Bain not only told her all about his stripper, he actually introduced them…at the club where Daniel worked. Meaghan tried to protest that going to a strip club on a weekday was a colossal mistake that they would pay for, for the rest of their lives. Bain was not on board with that plan, stating that it was discrimination to refuse to meet his boyfriend just because she disapproved of his workplace. Of course Meaghan had to protest vigorously about discriminating against Daniel’s work place and so she found herself at 1am, sitting back on a couch nursing a pink drink as they waited for the floor show to begin. Bain was fidgeting in his seat, really anxious for his baby to do well and make a good impression. Meaghan was touched by how much he cared. Bain changed boyfriends so much that Meaghan had began to view it as a game he played. She tended to forget how much he put into every relationship he had. It wasn’t his fault that his romances tended not to work out. Of course it could be something to do with Bain’s bad boy obsession stemming from his need to save people from themselves. Meaghan wasn’t complaining. It was that same tendency that had made Bain approach her on the second day of school, and ask her if she wanted to sit with him at lunch time. His heart was huge and Meaghan really hoped that Daniel deserved it. If not she would have to kick his ass on Bain’s behalf.

The room was evenly divided between hormonal females who were probably either just recently broken up or about to be married or who knows, maybe just horny and single. Then there were the gay men who constituted the other half of the audience. It was a rowdy group and they were getting impatient as the floor show failed to start on time; there was some chanting going on that was increasing in volume by the second. Suddenly the stage went dark and then a light came on with drama and sound. A man was standing in the circle of light dressed in fur and leather. His junk was lovingly showcased in a pink g-string looking contraption that had Meaghan staring into her glass rather than look at him. Her face was hot already.

“Welcome…” he said in a deep sexy voice that had both male and female spectators screaming, “To the Floor Show.”

Bain was shouting just as loud as anyone else, louder probably and Meaghan grinned at him, suddenly glad she’d come. She’d never been to a strip joint before; it was definitely an experience. The music started and she bobbed her head in appreciation. They were playing classic rock which she guessed was rather apropos. A group of men exploded on stage undulating sexily as they stared at the crowd with come hither expressions. The cacophony of sound that happened in response to that had to be seen to be believed. Meaghan leaned in trying to get Bain’s attention so she could ask him which one of those Magic Mike wannabes on stage was Daniel. He was too involved in screaming and cat calling to answer so she decided to just enjoy the show and ask questions later. After the routine dance, everyone seemed to have an individual set where all their clothes seemed to come off. It was an avalanche of naked bodies and Meaghan reflected how quickly she’d gone from zero to a hundred in the whole immersion in sexual activity thing. She thought that before this she’d seen maybe one pe*is on active sexual duty and now she was surrounded by them. It would be funny if she wasn’t so dizzy. Bain grabbed her hand and she jumped.

“There he is,” he shouted in her ear pointing to the tall guy on stage with long blonde hair down to his armpits and a chest so ripped it was literally like staring at a group of boulders artfully arranged in two rows of three. He was dressed in nothing but a g-string and a set of six guns that he was using in his act. His eyes were piercing gray and his lips were thin and wide and curved at the ends as if he was about to smile at any moment.

His smoldering stare was fixed on Bain as he ground his hips in a circular motion that had all the brides to be in the front row screaming themselves hoarse and throwing money at him. Bain was holding his gaze and he’d gone completely still, hands folded, his concentration one hundred per cent on the man on stage. He had a slight smile on his face that Meaghan had never seen before and she stared hard at Daniel hoping that the feeling was mutual and that Daniel wasn’t just out for what he could get.

“Meaghan,” a familiar voice said with surprise from behind her. Considering all the noise around them, it was a wonder she heard him. She turned around to confirm with her eyes what her ears were telling her and stared up into Dean’s face in absolute shock.

“Dean. What are you doing here?” she asked.

“I could ask the same of you. What? Am I not man enough for you?” he might be teasing, he might be serious; Meaghan couldn’t really tell.

“At least I’m in the right strip club, unless there’s something you’re not telling me I think you might have taken a wrong turn somewhere,” she said.

Dean turned to look at Bain who’d glanced back when Meaghan did but was now back to staring at his boyfriend.

“Hallo Bainbury. Nice to see you again,” he said.

Bain twiddled his fingers at Dean but didn’t say anything. They had never been really friendly even in school regardless of the fact that they ran in the same social circles. Dean turned back to Meaghan.

“You remember my friend Smith Winchester? His sister’s getting married and she’s auditioning strippers for her bachelorette party,” he said.

“Oh. And you just had to come with her because…?” Meaghan asked smiling knowing that she was being a nosy Nellie but too curious not to ask.

“Her fiancé wasn’t comfortable with her coming to these sorts of places without some sort of male escort and she didn’t want him to come with her so her brother was elected. And he elected me as best friend to the best man to come with him,” Dean explained.

“Great. So are you having a good time?” Meaghan asked as she sipped her drink and peered up at him. She was having a hard time reconciling him and this strip joint. It just didn’t seem like anywhere he’d want to go.

“Well I wasn’t but I am now,” he said smiling at her. Meaghan smiled back because she couldn’t not but she still felt a bit awkward. Dean turned to Bain.

“Hey Bain, mind if we join you?” he asked.

Bain shrugged his agreement and Dean came round the settee to stand next to Meaghan.

“Where are…?” Meaghan began to ask.

“Smith and his sister? They’re over by the stage, sampling the merchandise,” Dean said grinning at her.

Daniel had finished his set and was taking his bows. The crowd was screaming and Bain was yelling. Meaghan clapped enthusiastically in support and then Daniel was gone and someone else took his place. Meaghan and Bain sat back down and Dean followed. He put a hand around the seat back not quite touching Meaghan’s neck. He kept darting glances at her and then away. It was making Meaghan’s skin tingle. He leaned into her, nuzzling her ear and Meaghan shivered.

“Can I talk to you in private for a minute?” he whispered in her ear. Meaghan turned to look at him and he looked right back at her.

“Sure,” she said.