JUST FRIENDS

o2

If it was a weekend in Atlanta, the Red Room was almost always packed to capacity. Tonight, especially. The girls were being laced up and down in corsets, trimmed in feathers, wearing stilettos made of glass while carefully going over routines for Burlesque Night.

It was every man's fantasy to be apart of such a celebration so it was important that the Red Room team have people they could trust when oiling down gorgeous, exotic, half-naked women. Blu happened to be one of those people.

Naturally, Maze kept her eye out on each and every girl because their flirting could oftentimes be too forward. Blu wasn't available for them, hell, he was never even checking for them and she wasn't afraid to remind them of that.

She could understand why the opposite sex was completely enamored, he was always so cool, calm, and collected. And obviously really sexy. But he wasn't one to chase after women like so many of the thirsty guys out there. He wasn't lying in saying that he didn't have the time, Blu had dated here and there, it just never went too far because he was so serious about school and his career.

For as long as she could remember, Maze was the only girl in his life outside of his family that he cared deeply about. It had always been that way. With everyone else, he was not only emotionally, but physically unavailable, much like a monk. Maze loved that.

But she wasn't the only one.

Five seven, light brown skin, and marsh green eyes, Brazil was one of those girls that liked to try Blu. She thought she was a temptress and that was understood the minute she bent over and emphasized that she liked every crevice oily, her full black hair hanging down and around like a curtain. Maze fought the urge to roll her eyes at her dramatics as she watched her through the mirror.

Brazil kept her orbs on him when he touched her, making sure he did his job diligently, Maze supposed.

Whatever.

When she was all nice and glazed, the Brazilian beauty stepped down and sauntered over to Maze, sharing her mirror to apply lipliner. "His hands are so big. Is it weird that I enjoy how rough they are against my soft skin?"

Maze gave a stiff smile at her very loud statement.

"I mean surely I'm not the only one who enjoys it. I just get so hot." She lifted her hair up to fan under her neck.

A few girls concurred, Blu shook his head at her behavior knowingly; Brazil was baiting Maze, as per usual. He began working on the next dancer who stepped up on the pedestal but with an ear out to stop anything if it got out of hand.

"Aren't you just bothered when he touches you, Maze?" Brazil asked with her eyes that seemed to be turning greener by the minute.

Maze shrugged. "I guess-"

"Or are you just bothered when he touches anyone else?" A few eyes raised at her bold line of questioning, anticipating what Maze's rebuttal would be. It wouldn't be nice since the girl always insisted on bringing out her bad side.

"Brazil, sweetie, I'm not in the mood for the drama tonight. Every bitch in here knows that Blu is my bestie and that I'm highly protective over him, as any friend for more than a decade would be. Now put your nose back on your face before I slap it off."

"Oh shit," someone instigated.

"If you wanna slap me, then do it."

"Gladly."

"The both of you need to pipe down." Blu called out, and Maze swore she saw swooning from her coworkers in the back. "You know the last thing Lewis wants is two of his top earners fighting. You should be collaborating."