Can You Feel It?

Friend

Next time I'm at Boadie's Stevie brings me a tall beer and a bowl of peanuts, her dancing outfit slightly rumpled from an earlier performance. She doesn't say much just a half smile but it's something at least "Sit down for a while you've been on your feet in those shoes all night" I pull out a five and slide it over for the beer and a tip "It's on the house" my brow furrows until she points at one of her sleazy managers, skinny guy this time in a silk suit "Tell him thanks, keep it. It's a tip" she looks down at the five then crosses her arms over her chest "I can't keep taking money from you" taking a sip of my beer I pull a cig from my jacket and light up "Okay, well then take a seat and talk to me. I promise I won't try and give you any money" Stevie relents setting her serving tray down and taking the seat in the booth next to me. Though she sits at the very end.

"Let me buy you a coke?" she shoots me a look and I throw my hands up "Okay, okay...sorry." Her face softens a bit and I scoot a few inches closer as casually as I can "Don't you get enough of me in the studio?" she looks nervous, her hands start to fidget with the tassels on her uniform shirt "That's business" the same skeptical look she wore the first time I propositioned her outside of the bar what seems like a lifetime ago returns "And what's this? Pleasure?" I scoot a little closer, pretending to reach for the ash tray "It could be...no commitment. Just fun" it's eerie how I can lie so smoothly.

"I'm with Don"

"Sweetheart no one is with Don. He's a player, and deep down I think you know that" leaning back in her seat she lifts her chin toward me in challenge "You look like a pretty adroit player yourself" I don't try and deny it, just ash my cig again and take a sip of beer "That's why it would just be fun, two things I'm good at are making money and getting pussy wet. Don's in Dallas fucking two blondes barely out of high school who don't know how lousy he is in the sack—" her eyes betray her for the second time since I've known her and I feel my confidence growing "I'm not saying I can sweep you off your feet and be some knight on a white horse, but I can show you a good time. I can make you feel like a woman again"

"You're that sure of yourself?" my hand lands on her upper thigh lightly my lips a whisper from her ear in the pulsing heat and darkness of the lounge "You've seen me play guitar, imagine feeling my fingers between your legs like that" Stevie turns to face me, our eyes meet and I know mine are two shades darker from desire. Being this close to her, smelling the sweetness of her perfume, the soft hint of her soap, I wanna lick every inch of her until she begs me to fuck her.

"And if I say no? you'll stop producing me right?" my breathing halts, and I move back slightly "I told you, that's business. If that was part of the deal I would have been up front about it when you came to me. Believe it or not I know an opportunity when I see one, and that's what I see in you. You can be a star, and I can help you make it. I just happen to find you fucking gorgeous and talented" Stevie looks toward the bar, then down at the table. I feel her hand over mine on her thigh and slowly she pushes it to my lap and over my hard on. Her own hand lingers for a second before she stands up "You don't always have to try and leverage people. Never a good idea to try and get into bed with a woman like it's a business transaction. There's a word for women like that, and I'm not one of them" my jaw twitches a reluctant smile passing my lips.

"I'll see you in the studio then, all business. No pleasure"

Stopping suddenly Stevie turns back to me tilting her head to the side "What's your best friend's name?" it's not often that I'm caught off guard, but that gets me. Confused I shrug "What does that have to do with anything?" she leans on the table "Robin is my best friend, I've known her since I was a kid. We have inside jokes, we spend time together, we enjoy each other's company. There's no ulterior motive, just friendship. Sex and money might be all you're good at, but something tells me you want more" my palm starts to sweat, but I keep my cool. I don't like when people tell me about myself, I don't need a reminder of how I'm broken. Playing casual I lean back in my seat "I don't need friends"