While I'm not normally one to write present-day stories, Joanna seemed like too cool of a character to pass up...as well as the world of Magic Mike...

She was laughing it up with her fiancée. God, it was wonderful to associate him with that word…he grinned cheekily as he sipped his beer. Yes, he sipped it. But she didn't mind, because she respected him, knew he could handle himself; come to think of it he could handle just about everything. The restaurant's milieu only added to his natural charm and she gazed at the metal band on that oh-so-special finger. No, not the middle one…although that had its uses as well.

"Hey babe, so how about we tackle that trail by the waterside tomorrow? I've got half the day off thanks to Joel."

"Who's he again? The buff cute guy, or the buff hot guy?"

"Duh, it's the one you're having an affair with." He winked at her just then, thinking he was joking. Her guilt began the slow ascent in her stomach. There was no awkward silence, not like the first time he'd made a similar joke. Luckily she'd been quick enough to laugh it off that first time, and now it was just second nature to pass over those comments, to hope he had no idea. A hand running through her hair, a laugh offered up, the usual suppression techniques. They worked just fine…as usual.

It wasn't like she didn't care about his feelings. He meant a lot to her, but sometimes there were some….needs that required fulfillment. She drank some wine. The liquid sloshed smoothly down the back of her throat before kicking its way back up when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, what're you doing here?"

Oh. My. God. No, please don't be-

Yes it was. He stood there, all goofy smile and unknowing eyes. He caught sight of her fiancée. God, she hated associating him with that word…now it was a confused grin plastered across that charming face.

She introduced Mike and then her fiancée introduced himself. No, please don't let your face fall like that….please keep smiling….please, Mike….

Her fiancée left.

And now it was just the two of them. The sex-buddies. The call-you-up-for-you-know-what-ers. The closeted-when-it-mattered bisexual and the male stripper. The….acquaintances? Friends? Lovers? No, lover was saved for her and her fiancée. Mike did not cross that boundary.

They talked briefly. Actually, they didn't talk. She disappointed as he tried to hide under that grimace of macho-ality. It wasn't supposed to be like this. Glasses clinked, the warm ambiance of the place intensified the heat of couples at neighboring tables, neo-jazz-funk infiltrated the pores of every listener. And here she was "breaking up" with a guy who had no right to make her feel guilty, no right to play with her emotions like this. He knew it too.

When did this become so complicated?

Oh yeah.


Sheila slept at her side, Latina curves and all. Ha! She remembered her name this time…probably because she was cuter than usual…Mike did a good job picking her. He was really getting in tune with her wants, and she with his. Red-lighted numbers flashed in her periphery, and lazy eyes found the time: 5:28 a.m.

Hm. She could either lie in bed with a complete stranger for the next hour and a half or snoop around his place. The latter was definitely more interesting. She rolled out of bed, threw on a loosely buttoned dress-shirt and panties, slipped into the corridors of his domain.

No family pictures on a table in the foyer or hanging on walls or anywhere, really. But there was a lot of junk. Not the kind strewn about carelessly, but the kind where everything had its rightful place for use in the future. She found an apple on the counter. Took a bite, sat on a barstool, took in the room. It was beachy, but with a modernist perspective. Funny, Mike didn't seem like the kind of guy to really pay attention to that stuff….

"Hey, what's up?"

She pretended her heart didn't just leap into her throat from surprise. Turned casually. "Oh, just checking out what I can fit into my car…I think I'll take this stool for starters, then make off with the Xbox."

"You're funny." Deadpan followed by a slight curl in the lips. Classic Mike.

"I try. Sometimes."

"Yeah well, you should try more often." Oh boy. Were they actually establishing a viable conversation that could be recalled at later dates as a fun-filled hour of bonding? She couldn't let it happen. She had commitments.

"Uh, I think I'll actually head out now. Can I take this apple?" She stood. He walked over.

"What, no round two with…...Goddamn…"

"Sheila."

"Right. Yeah. Sheila."

"I'll pass…..where did you throw my pants?"

"I think Sheila was the one who….no, wait….yeah, it was Sheila who threw them off the loft."

"I'm just gonna fetch those then…"

"Are you sure you don't want anything to drink? I can make smoothies or something…" Shoot, he was actually trying to force her into a conversation of some sort. And breakfast? This guy was acting as if he was really new to the booty-call concept. She declined to accept his smoothie offer, opting to search for her pants instead. They were crumpled beneath a side table, and she slipped them on. She felt him watching her. And then it became that awkward moment when she couldn't put her pants on correctly without hopping around like a toddler.

"You need some help, Jo?"

"Sure, how about you smack my patootie as I walk out, ensuring that everything's on all snug?"

"Ouch, girl, why so sassy? And patootie...wow." He was still smiling. This kid's optimism, while refreshing, was the probable cause of her "sass."

"Well, normally what happens is I call you or you call me, we have sex, and then I leave. But for some reason, your little pebble of a brain wants to take this set-up further, possibly to the point where we're staying up after the sex and chatting like tweens at a sleepover. So now I'm wondering, do you need a refresher of the ground rules?"

"Well, Joel said you were chatty, and I figured it would be nice to actually get to know who I'm banging….you know, find out if you have STD's or if you're a serial killer or something." Humorous. She'd give him that.

"Alright. Fine. I'll let you slide this once-" She found her shoes. "-but next time, if you try to start a conversation I'll just leave."

"A'ight. I got you." He held the door open as she grabbed the remnants of the apple and strode out.

He did a quick salute-wave combo. "See you soon."

She had to laugh at that comment and his waving maneuver. "Ha….Bye." Maybe it wasn't too bad to talk a bit, if only to keep herself entertained the morning after.


Watching him walk out of the restaurant was more than a little sad. In fact, she was a little scared he'd do something stupid…there was just this look he had when he turned away…

Her fiancée returned, all charm.

"What was that about, babe?"

"Just a friend….I guess I forgot to tell him about the engagement…"


He didn't know she knew about his job. It was after their sixth "session" that her friends convinced her to go to this club on 6th avenue where they would all have a "rockin' time."…she really needed new friends. The entrance was cheesy as hell, but she gave her friends the benefit of the doubt and stepped into a room of booming music and sweaty bodies. Everyone was screaming and it didn't take long for her to realize why. A guy was stripping on a low stage, tearing clothes off while simultaneously humping the ground. Just the sight began the quick cycle of horniness. The stripper moved perfectly with the music, swaying his hips, sweat glistening on perfect shoulders, pecs flexing, cash falling from his underwear band.

While Jo put on a mask of disapproval, she had to admit, it did turn her on a bit. She wasn't that high-brow where she couldn't enjoy herself a couple strippers. Heck, she'd hired some for her roommate in college. Of course, they were female strippers back then…this male stripping thing was completely new to her. The announcer called out another name. Jo immediately froze. A hoodied white boy sauntered on stage, nodding his head to the beat…..and then he ripped everything off as his body went crazy. Smooth. Very smooth. Just like at his place….

God he was sexy. She fumbled through her purse, searching for her phone. The routine ended, and immediately she called the number. He picked up, breathless.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Mike….how about my place in thirty?"

"Uh, actually, I'm working….I can do in three hours though." Too long. She was horny now.

"How about I meet you somewhere on your break?" Please say yes. Images of his pelvis and his perfectly rotund backside flashed before her eyes.

"You know what, I'll just meet you at your place now. I can get someone to cover for me."

That night she enjoyed him all to herself, not even bothering to call…..whats-her-face….Damn she forgot the name...

The next morning, she didn't mind staying a little longer, trying to figure out more about this easygoing guy who commanded the stage.


Yep. We'll see if I feel like continuing. Reviews/criticism are always welcome (especially criticism, please) :]