Deeks sighed to himself, working a bit more hair product through his hair and combing it into place. He could hear the opening beats of the routine before his solo dance, which meant he had approximately four minutes to finish getting ready. He checked his reflection one more time, adjusting his suspenders, satisfied with the overall effect. Not that it would matter all that much since he'd lose the shirt within the first minute of his routine.
When his LAPD supervisor first suggested Deeks go undercover as a stripper—exotic dancer—Deeks has sincerely thought it was a joke. It turned out Lieutenant Bates was completely serious, and soon Deeks had been established at "Love and Lust" as Jason Wyler, a man who wasn't afraid to shake his hips and wear tear-away pants for the right price. In between said dances, Deeks was supposed to uncover a suspected smuggling ring.
He'd thought playing a homeless man for the better part of a month sucked. Now he was beginning to yearn for his smelly coat and requisite shopping cart. Artie never got mauled by horny people on a nightly basis.
Ok, maybe it wasn't quite that bad; most people stayed within the guidelines of the club. He got along well with the other dancers and waitstaff as well. The parading around half-naked in front of hordes of people he could have without. His fellow officers would joke, and had when they found out about this cover, he'd found his calling.
As much as he disliked it, Deeks had successfully curated a persona to go along with his dance moves and now had enough of a following that he wasn't in danger of getting fired.
The last couple notes of music filtered in from the main room along with the usual clapping and shouting, so Deeks got up, maneuvering around other dancers hanging out or getting changed.
"Good luck out there, Jack," a tall guy in tight pleather pants said. Deeks winked at him, putting on a little extra swagger.
"Thanks. I'll try to save you a couple ones."
He waited to be announced before taking his spot in the middle of the dark stage. It didn't take much to fall into the rhythm of the music. Cheesy as it was, the audience loved the nod to Titanic, and he played into it, holding a woman's gaze for an extra second, returning a smile.
As he worked the room, his eyes landed on a stunning brunette sitting almost in the center of the audience staring at him. She didn't seem to notice his attention; her mouth open in a vaguely stunned expression. Deeks concealed a smile, moving to the other side of the stage. Every time he looked her way, her eyes were glued to him. When he finished with a particularly enthusiastic hip thrust at the end of the stage, he sought out the mystery woman, and winked.
She stiffened in surprise, and he was 99% certain that if he'd been closer, she'd be blushing. Tucking that away for later, he held his post for a few more seconds before standing and working his way around the stage, giving his enthusiastic fans a chance to throw money his way. With a final smile, he dashed backstage.
Grabbing a spare shirt, Deeks threw it on, taking a back route to the bar. He had a ten-minute break before he needed to get out on the floor—his least favorite aspect of this job.
"Can I have a water, Marie?" he asked the bartender, a petite woman with blonde curls piled in a messy bun. She rolled her eyes and passed him a glass along with a basket of fries.
"You looked like you used a lot of energy out there," she drawled.
"Oh, you take such good care of me."
"Little good it does me." She shook her head, stealing one of the fries before he had a chance to dig. "Eat up before they turn into Styrofoam."
Deeks blew her a kiss, knowing she flirted without any intent. Turning on his barstool toward the stage, he surveyed the crowd around him. Six dancers were gyrating to a Lady Gaga song, a man and woman sang along in an off-key pitch, and a bachelorette was in the middle of receiving a lap dance to the loud encouragement of her friends.
Automatically, he searched for the brunette from earlier. He found her in the same spot as earlier; from this angle, he had a good side view. She sat straight, shoulders back, chin held high. More importantly, she hadn't looked towards the dancers a single time. Her gaze scanned across the room, stopping occasionally, and he froze because he recognized that movement.
She was casing the place.
Forcing himself to relax again, Deeks kept an eye on her as he sipped at his water. The longer he watched her, the more he was certain she hadn't come for the entertainment. When she reached the bar side of the room, he didn't look away, waiting until she spotted him, her eyes widening in surprise momentarily. He raised his glass invitingly, and after a second of hesitation, she left her table, winding her through the tables towards him.
A/N: So are you liking another round of Stripper Deeks?