JENNIE
A few days after my sister's impromptu marriage, the tour was in Washington, D.C. Lisa and I had spent a good chunk of the morning exploring the city with everyone and were resting up a bit before the show tonight. I could not believe how much heritage was crammed into our nation's capital. Everywhere we'd turned there had been some amazing historical artifact or monument that I'd just had to see. It was like a School House Rock video come to life. Lisa and I were definitely coming back here when we had more time to explore.
While Lisa scribbled down some song lyrics in one of her journals, I typed The End on my story, saved the file, then reached across the table and wrapped my fingers around Lisa's. A sense of relief and completion filled me as I leaned back in the chair. It felt really good to get all of that out of my head, to finally be done telling my story. Lisa lifted her head as she noticed my expression. "You're finished? Do I finally get to read it?"
I hesitated, then turned the laptop so that it faced her. There were parts of this she was not going to like. A lot of parts, actually. But she wanted to know them, and I'd given her my word that I would let her read them. Her eyes remained locked on mine as she set aside her pen and paper and slowly sat up straight. She knew the amount of trust I was showing her by letting her read my deepest thoughts.
When her eyes went down to the computer screen, a horrible feeling filled my stomach; it was a bad case of nerves mixed with a hefty dose of fear. I suddenly wanted to be anywhere other than the bus. I'd rather be in a press conference admitting to the world that I was Lisa's girlfriend than be sitting across from Lisa while she read my torturous book.
As Lisa worked her way to the beginning of the story, I stood up. Her eyes flashed to mine, and I shook out my trembling fingers. "I can't just peacefully sit here while you read it." I looked around the empty bus, not knowing where to go. Everyone was still gone. Some were at the hotel, some were still exploring the city. My sister had gone shopping with Jackson. She was starting to turn the back of the bus into a nursery, which made me wonder if she really was going to stay on the tour until she delivered.
Lisa started to close the laptop. "If it bothers you, I won't read it."
I shook my head, running my fingers through my hair. "No, I want you to. I just . . . can't watch you do it."
As Lisa reopened the computer, I headed toward the cubbies. I could grab her Discman and listen to some classic tunes for a while. There were a few fans hanging around the perimeter of the parking lot. From the corner of my eye, I saw them start to freak out. Cell phone cameras were recording, people were yelling. They reminded me of a pack of jumping, chattering hyenas. I had no idea why they were suddenly riled; things had been pretty quiet here for a while.
The bus door was lightly rapped on, and Lisa and I both twisted to look. Who the heck was knocking? Security? Someone from the crew? I was pretty sure all of the guys in the band were still gone. Besides, none of them would've knocked; they would just enter if they were back. Well, except Jackson; he was still making an effort to knock whenever Lisa and I were alone together. I couldn't tell if he was trying to be respectful or trying to be an asshole. Either way was fine with me, so long as he didn't walk in on us again.
While I stayed near the center of the bus, Lisa headed over to the door. I peered out the window to get a better look and rolled my eyes. Niki. Of course it was Niki. Who else could get the Lis-Nik fans in a tizzy? I stepped forward as Lisa opened the door. "Niki? What are you doing here?" She didn't usually bug us on our bus.
Niki gave Lisa an adoring smile. "Can I come in?"
Lisa stepped back, swishing her arm to indicate that she could. When Niki walked by her in the doorway, she paused. "Thank you," she murmured, batting her eyelashes.
Lisa kept her face neutral as she closed the door on the crowd of prying eyes. The fans shouted out comments and questions the entire time until the door seal drowned them out. How long have you been together? Are you getting married? We love you guys! Lis-Nik forever! Hearing that, I couldn't contain my eye rolling. How one imaginary relationship had become such a focal point for some people was beyond me.
As Niki entered the lounge area of the bus, she smiled brightly at me, like none of that had just happened. "Jennie! Lovely to see you."
"You too," I muttered, not really meaning it.
Coming up behind her, Lisa asked, "What is it?" she said it slowly, like she was sure she had a hidden motive for being here. I was sure too, but with all those pictures that had just been snapped, I think she'd already accomplished it.
Niki twisted to her, a coy smile on her face. "Can't a girl drop in on her friends? I'm used to having people around me, but this tour it's just been my security and me on the bus. Gets a little lonely." Thinking of something, her face lit up. "Would you two like to ride the next leg of the tour with me?"
Lisa opened her mouth, but I beat her to it. "No, it's all right, we're fine here." The tabloids would proclaim Niki to be pregnant by the next venue if she and Lisa shared a bus.
Niki pouted like she was crestfallen. "Well, the offer stands if you change your mind." Her dark eyes flicked around our home-away-from-home. "My bus really is much nicer than this one."
Walking past her, Lisa scooped my laptop off of the table, then twisted to Niki. "I was actually going to rest a little bit before the show. Hope you don't mind." Niki shrugged as she shook her head. Lisa turned to me. "You okay?" she discreetly indicated Niki, and I knew what she meant—Are you okay being alone with her?
I nodded. Feeling those butterflies return, I touched the laptop with my finger. "I'm more worried about you reading this."
Lisa kissed my cheek, then breathed in my ear, "It won't change how I feel about you." Her breath on my skin raised the hairs on my neck.
As Lisa started walking toward the back, I turned to face Niki. She was watching her leave with a small smile on her lips. "Kind of weird, wasn't it?" I asked her.
She tore her gaze away from Lisa's backside to look at me. "What, love?"
I smiled at her as genuinely as I could, but it felt fake to me. "All those photographers waiting at the club when we arrived?"
Niki's perfectly painted lips curved into a smirk. "Not really. My location seems to be leaked on a daily basis. I can barely use the bathroom without a witness." She indicated the empty bus with her hand. "It makes me a little jealous to watch how easily the group of you can come and go. I mean, your sister is shopping at a mall right now, isn't she?" I nodded, and Niki sighed. "I can't even step inside a mall without being mobbed."
As I considered what her life was like, what Lisa's life was quickly becoming, I told her, "You could give it all up, move somewhere remote?"
Niki laughed as she twirled a dark lock around her finger. "Give up the stage? Sure, I could, but what's the point of life if you're not doing what makes you the happiest? And even though it has its setbacks, the perks far outweigh them. I'm on top of the world right now, and I wouldn't change that for anything. I like where I am."
Her eyes drifted back to where Lisa was hiding away and I thought there was one thing Niki would change if she could—Lisa would be right beside her on her throne as she ruled the world.
Niki stayed and visited with me for about an hour. She glanced back at the cubbies a handful of times, but Lisa never reemerged. Perhaps bored, perhaps disappointed, Niki frowned and said, "See you at the show," loud enough for Lisa to hear. If she did, she didn't respond. Slapping on a flawless smile, Niki proudly left the bus.
After Niki left, curiosity got the better of me and I went to go check on Lisa. She had closed the curtain to the sleeping area behind her when she'd gone in there. I tentatively pulled it aside and stuck my head in. The light was on in our cubby, and the privacy curtain was open. Lisa was on her side, staring at the laptop. Her expression was intense, absorbed.
Quietly walking toward her, I murmured, "Niki left."
She started and peeked up at me. "I didn't hear you come in. You scared the piss out of me."
I smiled at her comment and sat on the edge of our bed. Chewing my lip, I pointed at the computer. "Do you hate me?" I whispered.
Lisa stared at me a long, silent moment. Her face was still blank. Aside from that brief moment of surprise, I had no idea what she thought. Had she read about my feelings for Taehyung? God, had she read our sex scenes? I shouldn't have let her read the full manuscript. I should have edited. How did she feel about it? Not knowing anything that was going on in her head was killing me, but I waited for her to be ready to speak. When she sighed and closed the computer screen, I braced myself for the worst.
Climbing out of the hole we slept in, she moved to sit beside me on the edge of the mattress. Our heads rested against the bunk above us. Face softening into sadness, she finally whispered, "I'm so sorry . . . for all the pain I put you through."
My eyes watered. "For all the pain you put me through? I'm the one that cut out your heart, then handed it back to you in pieces."
Lisa smirked. "I haven't gotten that far in the story yet. I'm still at the part where I'm an asshole."
Smiling, I bumped her shoulder with mine. "I kind of like it when you're an asshole."
Lisa smiled at the ground. "I'll keep that in mind." She looked up at me again. "But I mean it. I really am sorry. I should have just been honest with you. I wanted to tell you how I felt . . . I just . . . couldn't. It was too hard."
Swallowing, I nodded. "I know. But you don't have to apologize. What I did to you was so much worse. Sorry isn't a big enough word to cover it." Lisa didn't argue with me. She just gave me a sad smile and wiped a tear off of my cheek with her fingers. Needing to say it now, while we were knee-deep in regrets, I added, "I'm so sorry about the scenes with Taehyung. I shouldn't have let you read those."
Knowing which scenes I was referring to, Lisa put her finger over my lips. "Don't. I understand. I knew going into this that a story about us was also going to be a story about the two of you. And it should be. He was a big part of your life, and I'm okay with your history. It made you who you are. And I happen to be in love with who you are." I gaped at her, amazed at the depth of her empathy. She laughed a little. "I couldn't read about it, though. I, uh, skimmed a few parts. I hope you don't mind."
Shaking my head, I threw my arms around her. No, of course I didn't mind. Clutching her shirt in my hands, I buried my head in her neck. God, she was amazing. Holding her tight, I released a few final tears of guilt and remorse. Once the feeling was gone, I kissed her neck. "I love you, you know?"
Holding me tight to her, rubbing my back, Lisa murmured, "I know you love my hair." I pulled back to look at her amused face; she could barely contain her smile. "I mean you really love my hair . . . almost obsessively so. I had no idea." Her grin turned bright and boyish. "And my abs." She cocked an eyebrow at me. "Would you like to try etching them with a marker? I'll let you. Although, edible paint is a lot more fun."
Pushing her chest away from me, I stood up. Jackass. Laughing, Lisa grabbed my hips and pulled me onto her lap. I giggled as I crashed into her arms. Tangling my fingers into her remarkable hair, I husked out, "I'll etch you if you etch me."
Lisa twisted me around so I was straddling her. Her eyes were bright with excitement as she brought her lips toward mine. "Deal," she mumbled before our mouths touched. Then her fingers darted under my shirt, like she was going to start the art project right now.
Her fingers danced along my skin, tickling me as much as caressing me. I was laughing in between our playful kisses and wishing that we could somehow sneak off of this bus and escape into a private hotel room.
"Well, this is familiar," said a voice from behind me.
I broke apart from Lisa's lips to glance at the now-open bus curtain. Being walked in on didn't startle me as much as it used to, but it still wasn't something I enjoyed. When I saw who was here, shock washed through me. "Somi?"
My blond best friend giggled as she bounced on her toes. "Surprise!"
I squealed in Lisa's ear and shot up off of her lap. I collided with Somi and held her tight as new tears stung my eyes. It had only been a couple of months, but it felt like forever since I'd last seen her. After our exuberant greeting, I noticed who was behind her. "Kate? Rachel? Irene?"
Seeing all of my favorite people from Seattle here in D.C. was beyond odd. They seemed stranger to me than all the hoopla surrounding Lisa and another woman. Somi laughed at the look on my face as I twisted between my girlfriends and Lisa; a small, knowing smile was plastered on Lisa's face, so I figured she knew what was up. "What's going on?"
Jackson and Jisoo were back from their shopping excursion. Jisoo was standing behind Irene, her expression joyful. Jackson was loaded down with shopping bags and dramatically collapsed into a chair; a sea of colorful bags fell around him, and a couple of blue onesies fell to the floor.
Looping her arm around Rachel, Jisoo handed me the only thing that she was carrying—a completely black plastic bag. A little nervous, I gingerly removed it from her hand and peeked inside. There were a plethora of things in the bag, but a giant penis staring me in the face was the thing that really got my attention. Cinching the bag closed, my eyes snapped to Lisa's. "Okay, seriously, what the hell is going on?"
Lisa laughed as she stood and put an arm around me. "We're officially getting married next month, and Jisoo and Jackson just tied the knot, so we"—she pointed at Jisoo and herself—"decided a little celebration was in order."
Jisoo held her belly while she bounced on her toes. "Dual bachelorette party, Jennie!"
I looked over all of my friends, shocked. They had all flown across the country with hardly any notice to help Jisoo and I celebrate our weddings? And, I suppose, in Somi and Rachel's case, to visit with their boyfriends.
After hugging each friend in turn, I looked back at Lisa. "You arranged all of this?"
She smiled and shrugged. "Our lives are crazy. When moments to remember happen, you have to pause a second to appreciate them. Otherwise none of this"—she indicted the bus—"is worth it. And getting married to you is definitely a moment to remember."
I heard a dreamy sigh escape Kate's lips as my eyes misted. Jackson intruded on my romantic moment by doing what he did best. He opened his mouth. "And while you guys are drooling over dudes, we'll be swimming in a sea of half-naked babes."
Jisoo elbowed him in the stomach, but she laughed. I looked back at Lisa. she shook her head. "We're just going to a bar after the show tonight."
Jackson pouted. "I said I wanted a strip club."
Lisa gave him a flat look. "And I said I wanted a bar. If you want to do separate bachelor parties, then by all means, go to a strip club tonight. But I don't feel like celebrating my marriage with overpriced alcohol and glitter."
Jackson rolled his eyes and made a sound like a whip being cracked. Lisa only smiled at him. I faced my sister. "And what exactly are we doing tonight?"
Jisoo gave me a wide smile. "Oh, don't you worry about the details. I've got everything under control."
Hours later, I was staring at myself in the mirror contemplating whether I should kiss my sister or deck her. Her master plan to celebrate our nuptials was to dress all of us girls in matching outfits that were half Robert Palmer video chick and half Muppet. We were all wearing skintight, short, long-sleeved dresses. Somi and Jisoo had done everyone's makeup—bright red lipstick and smoky eyes—and Irene and Kate had pulled everyone's hair back into long, sleek ponytails. I thought we were going to leave the dressing up at resembling "Addicted to Love" fill-ins, but I should have known that wasn't flashy enough for my sister. Once we were all uniformly dressed, she'd pulled out the coup de grace—an assortment of neon colored wigs.
As I fingered the bright pink hair in my reflection, Jisoo joined me. Giggling at her own mass of electric blue hair, she exclaimed, "We look fucking hot!"
Turning around, I examined my sister's outfit. Even with a belly large enough to house two small children, she looked good. I had no doubts she would be hit on at some point. "I feel ridiculous, Jisoo."
Making a dismissive noise, Jisoo smoothed my short, pink bob. "Well, you look amazing."
"Do I really have to wear this?" I pointed down the bus, to where Lisa and the guys were waiting to see us before heading out for their show. "Lisa got a say in her night. Don't I get a say in mine?"
Smiling, Jisoo shook her head, a neon strand of blue hair stuck to her lip. "No." When I grimaced, Jisoo turned me back around to face the bathroom mirror. "Tonight, you are not Jennie." She leaned in so that our faces were side-by-side, and for the first time, I noticed something I really never had before—my sister and I looked a lot alike. "Tonight, you are Nini, sex goddess!"
I groaned, but then immediately laughed. Sure, why not. I needed a short break from my life anyway. "Okay, Jisoo, you win."
She smacked my butt as she walked away. "Don't I always, Jennie?" She smirked at me over her shoulder. "I mean Nini."
Feeling like we were about to film a live-action version of Fraggle Rock, the girls and I stepped into the main portion of the bus. Jackson let out an earsplitting catcall. Lucas's face flushed with color, while Evan's broke into a wide grin. And Lisa, well, let's just say I was getting thoroughly examined, and she appeared to like what she saw.
A lime-green-haired Somi collapsed into Evan's arms, marking his cheek with a bright red lipstick outline. Rachel, wearing a canary-yellow wig, put her hands over her face and giggled uncontrollably as Lucas held her; at least one of the girls was as embarrassed as I was. Kate smoothed her deep purple wig with a bright smile on her face. And Irene, her hair a flaming red color that reminded me of Meadow's, clapped me on the shoulder as Lisa stood to greet me.
Lip curved in a seductive half-smile, she growled, "I am not going to be able to concentrate on stage tonight with this image of you in my mind." her smile widening, she added, "You are unbelievably hot."
Resisting the urge to deny her compliment, I instead told her, "Thank you."
Lisa's face was full of pride at my growing level of confidence. As my girlfriends said their goodbyes and grabbed their stuff, Lisa leaned in close. In my ear, she murmured, "You're keeping the wig, right?"
Her fingers slid through a pink lock as she sucked on her bottom lip. Heat, fire, and passion were burning in her eyes, and I suddenly didn't want to go anywhere but to a private hotel room with her. My lips against her ear, I told her, "It's the only thing I'll keep on when I get back."
Lisa made a strangled groaning noise, then slung her arms around my waist. Over her shoulder, she told the guys, "Change of plans, we're canceling the show tonight and staying in."
Lucas glowered for a fraction of a second, then looked over at Rachel grabbing her purse and smiled. Evan shouted his agreement and pulled Somi back into his lap. Jackson exclaimed, "Fuck yeah," and pinched Jisoo's ass.
I smiled back at Lisa. "Nice try, but you know you can't do that."
She gave me a forlorn sigh. "I know, but it was a nice thought."
I gave her a soft peck, then slid away from her and collected my girls. Jisoo started doling out the rest of our outfits, and I contained a groan. It was the penis-paraphernalia that I'd noticed earlier. She gave each girl an obscene necklace, straw, suckers, and feather boas that matched our wig colors. The boas had shiny, tinsel penises woven into them. We were all dressed like sex-starved maniacs. I think my cheeks matched Irene's hair.
As we gathered around the front of the bus, I saw a modestly sized black limo arriving at the edge of the lot. Lisa and the boys brushed past us. "We're going to head in now," she said as she kissed my cheek. Seeing me staring at the fancy car, she added, "I rented you a limo for the evening, so you could relax. Have fun tonight. You deserve it."
She winked at me and I smiled at her thoughtfulness. "Thank you. You guys have fun too." As she walked away from me, I grabbed her arm. "Hey, if you really want to go to a strip club, I would be okay with it. I trust you." I swallowed, not thrilled about the idea, but comfortable enough to know that Lisa wouldn't do anything differently behind my back than she would do if I were right beside her.
Lisa smiled. "I'm glad to hear that. I don't need a club, though." She shrugged. "They never really did anything for me anyway." I gave her a sly grin. That was probably true. Lisa didn't need to pay for beautiful, naked women to hang all over her. If she wanted, she could have that in a heartbeat just by throwing a party at her house.
There was a burst of noise and camera flashes as Lisa left the bus; some of the fans were still waiting around, then. Well, tonight was their lucky night. Not only were they getting an up close view of rock stars, but they were about to get an eyeful of rather bizarrely dressed women. Damn my free-spirited sister.
The girls and I waited a few more minutes, then dashed to our car. I stayed in the middle of the group, head down and neon pink hair blocking my face. The driver held the door open for us as we approached. Jisoo exchanged a few words with him before joining Somi, Rachel, Kate, Irene and I in the spacious vehicle. Remembering the spectacle at the club, Poison, I kept my eyes open for anyone following us. I know I would be curious about a group of women dressed like colorful hookers exiting a rock star's tour bus and hopping into a limousine.
Jisoo elbowed me in the ribs. "Relax, Nini, you're free."
Laughing at my paranoia, I shifted to the front. "Yes, I am. Let's go have some fun."
The girls laughed with me while the driver gave us amused, puzzled glances. Per my sister's instructions, he drove us to a restaurant. Even though I felt like an idiot as the group of us slid out of the car and walked into Red Robin—my sister was having a craving for seasoned fries—I was grateful that we were eating first. I was starving.
Funnily enough, with the chaotic ambiance of the restaurant, we fit right in, like a piece of living art. Every patron in the place turned their heads to stare at us, though. Pushing aside the feeling of everyone's eyes on me, I followed my sister up the stairs to the bar. The six of us scooted into a booth, with Somi, Kate, and Rachel on one side, Irene, Jisoo, and I on the other. The fresh-faced waiter who arrived seconds later was clearly impressed with our outfits. "Hi, I'm Hanbin. I'll be your server this evening." Pointing his pen at our penis-inlaid boas, he smirked, "Bachelorette party?"
Pulling the boa off, I placed it on the seat beside me. Flaunting phallic shapes at a family restaurant probably wasn't the best idea, young eyes and all. On the limo ride over, I'd made my sister put her penis necklace in her purse and promise me that she wouldn't use her straw or sucker here. She'd grudgingly agreed.
Tossing her arm around me, Jisoo beamed at Hanbin. "Yep, my girl's tying the knot, so we need to get her lit!"
Hanbin turned his eyes to me. "Congratulations."
Surprisingly, his gaze shifted over my face. Wow, was he checking me out? "Thanks," I murmured. "We're celebrating her recent wedding too." I turned to Jisoo. "I still can't believe you married Jackson."
Jisoo rolled her eyes. "Let it go. You're worse than Dad." I had to laugh at that comment. It was highly unlikely that Dad knew about Jisoo's marital status. I doubt he'd even told him that she'd left Seattle yet.
Hanbin's smile widened. "Sisters?" Leaning toward us, he gave everyone a grin, then focused solely on me. "I know just what you guys need. Mind if I pick your drinks?" He winked at me as he straightened, and my mind froze. He really was hitting on me.
"Uh, no, go right ahead." Not knowing what else to do, I gave him a polite smile.
Leaning around me, Jisoo told him, "It's been a while since I've been one, but make mine a virgin, 'kay?" She rubbed her expanded belly and Hanbin pulled his eyes from me to glance at her.
He nodded, his eyes instantly returning to mine. "Will do." He stood back up and pointed his pen at us again. "You ladies don't go anywhere. I'll be right back."
After he walked away, all of the girls looked at me simultaneously. "He was so checking you out!" Somi exclaimed.
I sank into my chair and fingered my bright hair. "No, he wasn't." I giggled at the end of my sentence. Yeah, he was. Well, unfortunately for Hanbin, I wasn't single. No, I was about to formally marry my rock-star sweetheart, whose searing good looks were insignificant in comparison to the beauty inside her soul. She was as close to perfect as one human being could be, and she was mine. I was beyond blessed.
Hanbin returned a few minutes later with huge, crazy-shaped glasses full of something fruity and strong; I cringed a little after taking my first sip. Hanbin winked at me again. "That should properly prep you for your evening."
I thanked him, then ordered some chicken strips. I was going to need a good base in my stomach if this drink was any indication of how the night was going to turn out. Hanbin flirted with me throughout the remainder of our meal. Needless to say, I received the most attentive service that I'd ever received at a restaurant. The girls teased me about it relentlessly. Hanbin was cute, so I was flattered, but Lisa had my heart and I wasn't interested. When Hanbin handed me the receipt when we were finished, his number was on it. My eyes were wide as I looked up at him. He shrugged. "Just in case it doesn't work out."
I was so surprised that he'd done that, my only response was, "Thanks." Collecting myself, I added, "I think it's going to work out, though."
Hanbin looked disheartened as I stood to leave him. I was so used to seeing that expression of disappointment on female faces as Lisa walked away that it was bizarre to see it directed at me. A thought struck me as I showed the receipt to my sister outside. If we'd been playing the game Lisa and the boys played when they went out, I would have won tonight. Just the thought made me giggle while the rest of the girls let out loud hoots and hollers.
Wondering what she would say, I snapped a picture of the receipt and texted it to Lisa with the message I won! I hoped she would find that funny, and not worry about what I was doing. But if I was willing to trust her with strippers, than she'd have to trust me too. And she did.
She didn't text me back, but I didn't expect her to. She was in the middle of a show, probably just about done with her set. It was strange not to be there, listening to her play, but I was enjoying my girl time. I wasn't sure where we were headed next, but I was slightly buzzed from Hanbin's drink, so I didn't much care. Jisoo gave our limo driver a swift kiss on the cheek, making the older man blush. Feeling benevolent, I kissed him on the opposite cheek.
Where we ended up going was a strip club. I frowned as the car pulled up to the bright pink neon flashing a pair of female legs so that it looked like they were kicking. I cringed at the name of the club—Pole Palace. Glancing over to Jisoo, I firmly told her, "I have no interest in watching a bunch of half-naked women flirt with married men."
Jisoo let out an exasperated sigh. "Where's your sense of adventure, Nini?" With a sly smile she added, "You will like this, trust me."
Not sure if I should trust my up-for-anything sister, I hesitantly stepped out of the limo. At the last minute, I told the driver, "If you see me running from the building in terror, please take me home right away."
The driver smiled at me as he held the door open. "Absolutely . . . Nini."
Once again dressed in our penis gear, the group of us gathered under the front awning. Somi and Kate seemed fine with going somewhere else or going inside; Rachel seemed just as dubious about this place as I was. Irene was smiling. When I glanced at the front door of Pole Palace, I noticed the huge sign propped on an easel beside it and shook my head. Ladies Night! Come on in to see the hottest men in town! I should have known.
For some reason, it did make me feel a little better to know that we were going to be watching half-naked men flirt with married women. It seemed more innocent. I still felt horribly embarrassed about the whole thing, though, especially since I was dressed like a Bratz doll. "Jisoo, are you serious?"
With an ear-to-ear grin, she turned toward the bouncer. "Yep."
Somi, Kate, and Irene giggled and followed after her. Rachel and I looked at each other, shared a moment of mortification, then sucked up our inhibitions and followed after our more gregarious friends. The place was jam-packed with women of all ages. They were hooting, hollering, and shouting at the greased-up studs on the stage. The men dancing were gyrating and hip thrusting in a suggestive way that made me a little uncomfortable.
Wondering if Lisa would be okay with me being here since we hadn't talked about me going to a strip club, I grabbed Jisoo's arm. "Do you think Lisa . . . and the boys . . . will be okay with this?" I indicated some shirtless male servers posing for pictures with some very friendly female patrons.
Jisoo quirked a smile. "I think they'll be fine with it."
I wasn't quite sure, and I felt a little guilty about being here. I didn't plan on doing anything with any of these beefy, well-cut guys, but Lisa didn't know I was here, and it felt dishonest that she didn't know. I pulled out my phone to call her, and Jisoo snatched it away from me. "She won't mind, Jennie, and I told her where we were going. She was cool with it." She indicated the stage. "She's the one that found a place with male dancers tonight."
Surprise washed through me, but only for a moment. Of course she'd arranged this. Lisa wanted me to have a good time with my friends, and by the looks of the tittering women around us, being here was a very good time. Lisa also loved embarrassing me, and when a man wearing pants so tight they left nothing to the imagination asked me if I wanted a drink, I was very embarrassed.
Laughing, I finally accepted that being here was okay and relaxed with my friends. Jisoo sat us at a table near the front of the stage, and a couple of drinks into it I was hollering along with the rest of the girls in the audience. The dances were amusing, and yes, sexy as hell. My favorite part about it was the costumes. We'd had a fireman, policeman, and a construction worker so far. It was beyond ridiculous, and I couldn't stop laughing. Then someone dressed like a cowboy stepped out onto the stage.
The person was wearing a bandanna around mouth like a bandit and a black cowboy hat pulled low over the eyes. One hand was holding the tip of the hat, the other rested by the side. Wearing a vest with nothing on underneath it, and muscles had a light sheen to them, like it was slathered in oil. Like any good cowboy, the person was wearing chaps . . . over a pair of dark spandex briefs. Hot, and a hush went over the crowd. Just the way that person stood there while waited for the music to start was seductive, and I had a feeling they are good at riling up the crowd.
A heavy beat filled the air. I recognized the song as one of Rhianna's provocative hits. When the beat started, the cowboy lifted eyes and stared at the crowd. I sputtered on the drink coming up my penis straw. "Oh my fucking God!" I screeched that, and Somi, Kate, Irene, and Rachel all twisted to stare at me like I was insane. Jisoo was holding her sides, laughing.
I couldn't even answer my friends' questioning looks, because I recognized the pair of seductive brown eyes sweeping the crowd. As her hips started swaying and the crowd started yelling, those familiar bedroom eyes locked right onto me. I couldn't see her mouth, but I knew she was smiling at me. I wanted to crawl into a hole and die, but I couldn't stop watching her. What the hell was Lisa doing here, in a strip club, dancing?
As she really started getting into her act, I stopped caring. Lisa was a natural seducer and was intoxicating to watch as she moved across the stage—a stage she owned just as much as when she was singing. Sliding and shaking, she worked her way back and forth across the front. When she stopped at our table, she slowly and seductively removed her vest. My heart was going a million miles an hour. When she tossed the fabric at me, I almost didn't have the reflexes to catch it. With her perfect chest on display, the crowd went nuts. With her tattoo of my name across her heart on display, my friends turned back to me, wide-eyed; they knew about Lisa's tattoo. Astonished, Somi asked, "Is that . . . ?"
Fearing being overheard, she didn't say her name out loud. She didn't have to either. We all knew who she was referencing. As I weakly nodded that, yes, it was Lisa up there shaking her booty, they all started laughing. Jisoo let out an earsplitting whistle. Yes, my wife was stripping.
Just like when the D-Bags played, Lisa worked the crowd. She let the girls touch her, but backed off when they got too close or too friendly. she ran her hands over her own slick skin, caressing herself in ways that I was sure most of the audience was fantasizing about touching her. Halfway through the song, she ripped off her chaps to thunderous applause. I buried my face in my hands, mortified and turned on. I could not believe she was doing this, and at the same time, I wasn't surprised; it was exactly something Lisa would do.
Toward the end of the long song, Lisa sauntered my way. She was now only dressed in cowboy boots, tight spandex shorts, her face-concealing bandanna mask, and her cowboy hat. Holding my breath, I hoped she got to keep the outfit. Lisa jumped off the stage to land right beside our table. Women leapt at the chance to touch her, but she grabbed me and pulled me to my feet. As nearby patrons cursed in jealousy and hollered in approval, Lisa finished her tantalizing dance by grabbing my leg and hooking it around her hip. I instinctively conformed to her body, and for a moment forgot that we were the center of attention. Lisa dipped me when the song was finally over. When she pulled me up, our faces were inches apart. I could see her fast breath under her mask; it matched mine. Not caring who was watching, I kissed her through the fabric. her eyes fluttered closed as her hands traveled over my ass. The crowd erupted into shrieks.
Remembering that we were being watched, I reluctantly pulled away from her. Laughing, Lisa told me, "You probably shouldn't turn me on in this outfit. I may get arrested."
Laughing, I pushed her slick chest away from me. "I cannot believe you just did that."
Bending over she kissed my hand. "I couldn't resist." She pointed over to Jisoo. "It was her idea."
I glared at my sister, and she flashed her hands up and down her body. "Sex on a Stick," was all she said.
As the MC announcing all of the dancers started in on the next act—a soldier in a crisp, white uniform—Lisa gave me a final hug. "I have to go finish my other performance or Lucas will have my head." Looking down at herself, she added, "And I need to go wipe this oil shit off."
I laughed and kissed her cheek. "You're something else, you know?"
She tilted her head at me. "So are you. It's good to see you having fun. I'll see you back at the hotel."
Raising an eyebrow, I mimicked her seductive tone, "Yes, you certainly will."
Lisa's eyes crinkled at the corners and I knew she was flashing me a grin that would have these women weak in the knees. I wanted to pull off her mask so I could see it, but I didn't want anyone here recognizing her. Lisa dressed as a half-naked cowboy was definitely an image I didn't want to get out to the Lis-Nik fans; this was mine and mine alone—well, mine and a barful of unsuspecting women.
We pulled apart, and Lisa made her way back to the stage so she could change and return to her concert. Along the way she was stroked and pawed by several feminine hands. She waded her way through them, stopping a couple that were drifting to the low side of her body. She looked back at me after she climbed the steps on the edge of the stage and tipped her cowboy hat. I smiled, sighed, and felt myself falling even deeper in love with her.
The rest of the acts paled in comparison to Lisa, and I found myself daydreaming about her more than watching them. Seeing that Jisoo was quickly petering out, I suggested that we call it a night. Everyone agreed, and we made our way back to our awaiting limousine. I thanked the driver as he opened the door for us.
Amusement on his face, he asked, "How was it?"
"Wonderful," I sighed.
He shook his head at me, and I giggled. Jisoo handed me back my phone as she sleepily rested her head on my shoulder. Patting her electric blue hair, I checked my messages. There was only one, and it was from Lisa. In response to my photograph of Hanbin's phone number, she'd texted, No, I get you tonight and every night, so I'm pretty sure I won.
Biting my lip, I asked our driver to hurry to our hotel. I'd probably have to wait for Lisa to get back from her night out with the guys after the concert, but I didn't mind. My pink wig and I would happily wait all night for her . . . and hopefully she'd come back with her cowboy boots and hat to go with the vest safely tucked in my purse.
