Against All Odds

Smooth Operator

The High Rise Club was Saturday night busy, the indulgent noise of laughter and social chatter from the tables bouncing around the room, while beautiful waiting staff with their made to order smiles leant over the drink menus, making recommendations for expertly mixed cocktails, or the best fine wine to accompany the Sea bass or the fillet.
The club was on the top floor of an old paper mill turned decadent private establishment, expensively designed and decorated with elaborate chandeliers and velvet papered walls, and the clientele were equally monied. It was where the residents of the Gold Coast or Lincoln Park came for a good night out. And tonight was no exception.

In a plush dressing room on the floor below, Stella Kidd blended in her contouring powder, pouting in the lighted mirror, assessing her perfectly made-up face with a critical eye. Wide brown eyes stared back at her, oblivious to her sultry beauty or the impact of the amazing abundance of black curls that framed her face or fell around her bare shoulders. Hers was an exotic beauty that turned heads, but the most alluring thing was that she was oblivious to it.

Behind her, the door opened, and Gia Bianco sailed into the room in a cloud of perfume and microbladed arched eyebrows.

"Honey! It's soooooo fucking busy up there already!" She fell dramatically onto the lush designer couch, sighing and rolling her eyes at the same time.
Gia was a dancer and host at the High Rise, taking to the podiums after eleven pm, when the resident D.J. took the stage. She was also Stella's best friend and never failed to make her smile.

Stella met Gia's eyes in the mirror and laughed.

"It's Saturday night, Gia...It's always busy!" She pointed out, getting up to shrug out of her silk robe and letting it fall in a pool around her feet.

At five feet nine, Stella was blessed with a height that gave her legs which went on forever and a perfect upper body that came from not only good genes but also a decent amount of hard work in the gym. She was naked except for a black Simone Perele thong.

Gia smirked as Stella picked up a dress from the back of an armchair.

"No bra, babe?"

"Backless." She flipped the dress around showing her the deep V that extended to the base of the spine before stepping into it and pulling it up her legs, over her hips, and slid her arms through the long sleeves.
The black shimmer floor-length dress hugged her figure like a glove, her small but perfect boobs not requiring any supporting bra, the straight high neckline sitting across her shoulders.

Gia whistled as Stella spun around, revealing as much of her back as the front hid.

"How do I look?" Stella asked over her shoulder, her hands sitting on her waist.

"Fucking gorgeous. As always." She let out a loud exaggerated sigh. " Now if only you were gay..... "

Gia was still lying back on the couch, her face wistful, but Stella knew her friend almost as well as she knew herself.

"I thought you preferred blondes?" Stella reminded her with an arch of her brow.

The petite red head turned emerald eyes onto her, shrugging with one bare shoulder. "You know I'd make an exception for you."

Stella laughed, a throaty amused gurgle that was only heard when she was with someone she truly loved. Both women knew that they would always be the bestest of friends, but never more than that because, for one, Stella was straight, and secondly, Gia really did prefer blondes.

"There's a table your boyfriend's father wants us to look after tonight." Gia picked non-existent fluff from her silver mini dress.

"My boyfriend, Sal?" Stella didn't miss Gia's deliberate omission of Sal's name.
Her friend had never made any bones about her dislike for the owner of The High Rise. Sal Moretti.
If she was honest, she understood Gia's reservations about Sal, but they managed to keep it from affecting their friendship too much.
"Anyway.... whose on the table Aldo wants looking after?"