“Oh, thank you so much for choosing me.” Following her first-ever lineup, Pamela ended the embrace with a potential client and offered her most glittering smile. “I really appreciate it.” She trailed sharp nails down his arm, leaving sensations in their wake. The gentleman, young and attractive, bounced on his toes in anticipation.

“Dakota? Wow. You’re welcome. It’s so nice to meet you.”

“A pleasure to meet you too!”

Behind them, Sherilyn, Roxanne, Laterika, Brindle, Blake, and Jackie exited the lap dance room in a perfumed procession. Their movements were fluid, businesslike – a synchronized dance of feigned indifference masking the sting of rejection. Yet as Sherilyn brushed past, her eyes locked onto Pamela, a flash of spite cutting through her carefully crafted façade. The glare lasted only an instant before Sherilyn’s lips curved into a plastic smile, saving face for the watching client.

Either oblivious or choosing to ignore the tension, Pamela leaned inward. “Maybe you’d like to go over to the bar and chat, baby?” Her lips were close to his ear, voice hushed, breath warm. “Might I interest you in a drink?”

“Yeah, yeah, of course.” Twenty-six-year-old Justin Asher allowed Pamela to guide him by hand back to the parlor. They sashayed over to side-by-side barstools and took a seat. “Wow, honestly … yeah. I’ve never seen you here before. Are you new?”

“What were you saying?” Pamela again flashed her pearly whites, head wagging back and forth, and grasped his inner thigh. “I’m sorry, I was distracted. I can’t get over how handsome you are.”

Justin snickered behind closed lips. “I was … wow.” He tipped his head to the left. “Say, is it hot in here? Or is it just you? I … I’m happy you’re here tonight and we might be able to party.”

“Well, yeah.” Her fingernail toyed with his wrist, creating temporary indentations on the delicate skin. “I’m happy too. All the pieces kind of fell together, didn’t they? Tell me, how long are you in town? You a vacationer?”

“I live here. Lived in Flagstone all my life. I just got off work, a ten-hour shift, and I’m looking for a little fun.”

“Oooh, a hard-working local boy. You deserve to have your fun.” Pamela’s eyes sparkled with curiosity. “What do you do for a living?”

“I’m an industrial medic with The Rattlesnake Ridge Paper Company. The mill on the other side of town.”

“Industrial medic? What exactly does that entail?”

“Basically, I’m the first responder for any accidents or medical emergencies at the mill. Lots of heavy machinery and chemicals there, so things can get dicey. I handle everything from routine safety inspections to minor cuts to more serious injuries until the ambulance arrives. It’s intense sometimes, but I love the challenge.”

“Wow. You sound like a superhero or something.” Pamela’s eyes danced, her hand moving to his bicep. “A medic? You must really be in shape.”

Mindy slid another glass across the bar.

“Thanks, babe.” Justin nodded at Mindy, then turned back to Pamela. He swirled the foam in his cocktail with a straw, a smile tugging at his lips. “So, I think it’s awesome that you happen to be in town on the same night I visit the brothel for the first time in two months.”

“Yeah.” Hips Don’t Lie, a popular tune by singer-songwriter Shakira featuring Wyclef Jean, bellowed through the speakers. First Pamela’s shoulders undulated, then the rest of her body followed suit as she performed a solitary dance on the barstool. “I love this song!” Her hands traced a sensual path up her sides as she twirled, drawing every eye – including Mindy’s – in the smoky old parlor.

“I can’t … I mean, actually … I can’t believe how fucking hot you are.” Justin drained the alcohol in one go, desperate for something to cool the rising heat within.

Pamela pulled back and giggled. “Well, you’ve made a really nice first impression, too, you know.” She ruffled a hand through the hair on the back of Justin’s head, wreaking further havoc on his self-control.

“I’m glad I did. First impressions are important.” He blew out a swoosh of air, his lashes flipped full-open. “I mean, wow, you are incredible. Stunning. Beyond stunning.”

“Stop it! You’re overdoing the compliments.” Amusement careened up Pamela’s throat as she swatted his shoulder. “You’re gonna give me a big head and I’m not gonna be able to fit through the bedroom door with it.”

“Oh, we’ll make it work.” Justin’s laughter ramped up, louder and louder, his hand clutching her bare knee. “Trust me, we’ll figure out a way.”

“Maybe I can help you relax a little bit. Destress … after such a long day at work.”

Justin’s breath hitched. “That sounds amazing.”

“Yeah? Again, you deserve it.”

“Yes. Very much so.” He shook the cobwebs from his brain, trying to focus. “Umm, you must be new here, right? Mindy told me earlier that you’re eighteen. Have you ever … have you ever done this sort of thing with a man before? A paying client? Is this your first time?”

Pamela bit her lower lip, leaning in closer. “Well, it’s my first time with you, isn’t it? That’s all that matters.”

“Yeah, yeah, I like that. Of course.” Justin chuckled, fumbling with his words, before getting a grip. At least for a brief moment. “I just want to make sure that I’m respectful of you and, umm, how to … approach any of this … what kind of –”

Pamela broke out into melodious laughter. “You seem so shy, so sweet.” She seized his shirt collar and reeled him in for a deep, open-mouthed kiss, the soft swipes of her tongue pulsing against his.

Pamela’s lips tasted like pomegranate lipstick and lollipops, and every nerve ending in Justin’s body shot to life like a symphony approaching a crescendo. He’d never felt so much when kissing a woman before, but then again, Pamela wasn’t just any woman.

“Don’t worry, baby. You’re doing wonderful, and I feel very respected. Hmm, you are such a sexy, sexy man.”

Justin’s cheeks burned scarlet. “Well, that’s good.”

“Yeah? Just good, huh?”

“It’s so nice having met you, being here with you tonight. It’s the definition of the girlfriend experience, but I can tell you’re better than any girlfriend I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah, baby,” Pamela said, retreating, “I was gonna ask what kind of fantasies you have, but … is it the girlfriend experience that you like?”

“I do.”

“Yeah, I like that too. Are you looking for something personal?” She again snuggled closer, fingers first grazing his collar, then hovering below it. The regular sweetness and levelheaded tone of Pamela’s voice swapped with musk and honey, and the sound made Justin shiver. “Intimate? Romantic? Is that your thing?”

“Wow. Yeah. That’s … very nice. You are –”

Before he could finish the thought, Pamela kissed him again, flattened hand upon his cheek, devouring the goosebumps erupting beneath her touch. This was primal and fast and unbridled, a clash of lips and tongues, but over way too soon. “I bet I have something really sexy to wear for you.” She traced his bottom lip with an acrylic nail.

“I, uh … I mean,” he motioned toward her minidress, “sexier than th-this? Wow.”

“Oh, this is just the beginning, baby.” Pamela pulled Justin’s hand to her mouth. She kissed every fingertip, every knuckle, then his palm. She rotated his wrist, kissed the inside, and then the outside. Then Pamela took Justin’s index finger and licked it too. Up, down, on the sides, and she grinned, and damn, that smile made Justin’s heart spring into his throat, and he nearly strangled on anticipation and want. “What color do you like?”

“You’re killing it in white, but if I had to choose?” Justin’s voice cracked, his eyes transfixed upon Pamela’s lips as they released his finger. “Blue. Definitely blue.”

“Blue, huh? I think I may have something special for you tucked away in one of my bags. I wanna get all dressed up for you, Justin, and look all hot and sexy before we fuck. How about we go back to my room and discuss the particulars in private? I can’t wait any longer.”

“Holy … I can’t even … damn. You’ve got me. I can’t think straight. Yes, let’s go. Now.” Justin was lost, but still answered Pamela’s tongue when she swooped in for yet another deep, exploratory kiss. In a new twist, the standard arrangement between provider and client seemed to have bubbled into something off the tracks, at least for Justin, and in that moment, three hours with Pamela suddenly seemed essential, rather than the one he’d planned.

“C’mon, baby, follow me. I’ve got plans for you, and trust me, I’m gonna rock your fucking world.”

Mindy retrieved the walkie-talkie from behind the counter and pressed its button. Loud static emitted before she spoke into the mouthpiece, her voice low:

“Desert Fox, this is Oasis. Chesapeake has left the Watering Hole. I repeat, Chesapeake has left the Watering Hole.” Mindy paused, glancing at the corridor where Pamela and Justin had just disappeared into. “Boss, you wouldn’t believe it. Girl’s a natural if I ever saw one. Eighteen years old and had that poor sap wrapped around her finger in thirty seconds flat. Told me that she doesn’t need Roxanne’s help negotiating, either. If she’s as good as I think she’s gonna be, you may want to consider giving her the VIP suite instead of Sherilyn.”

“Copy that, Oasis, but save the praise,” came William’s stern voice through the speaker, a hint of anticipation bleeding through. “I’ll be the judge of her … value. Let’s see if Chesapeake can handle the real test. Send her to my private office when she’s finished with her trick. And Oasis? Make sure she knows Daddy has a very special initiation planned. One she’ll never forget.”

(End of Chapter Three - to be continued)