Free Stripped Bounty by Dorothy F. Shaw

harder to get up and make my classes. Sometimes I don’t think I ever want to quit dancing now. The money’s too good.” She took another sip of her drink. “I mean seriously, look at my car? Wouldn’t have that if I wasn’t dancing.”
    “Take it from the old lady.” Rosie winked. “You should go back to school.”
    “Old lady? Whatever. But yeah, you’re probably right.” She glanced around the restaurant, a resigned look in her eyes. “I’ll go back someday.”
    “I hope you do.” Rosie pursed her lips. “What did you want to be?”
    “Justice and Law Administration. I wanted to work in Juvenile Probation.” Her friend smiled.
    Rosie nodded. “That sounds really, really cool. Money’s probably not as good, but you’d be doing good in the world, helping kids, and that’s worth a lot more.”
    “Thanks. That means a lot.” Sabby raised her mimosa. “Here’s to our future!”
    With a smile, Rosie picked up her mimosa, which she hadn’t touched yet, and clinked the edge to Sabby’s. “Our future.”
    They each had a sip, or rather, Sabby downed the remainder of hers before digging back into her food. Rosie watched her friend for a moment and finally attended to her own meal. It was strange, listening to her new friend talk about her future. As young as she was, she had so much to look forward to, but she’d have to act soon. The longer a girl waited, the harder it became to leave the stage.
    Rosie had started her dancing career at the age of nineteen. And she’d known many girls just like Sabby, best of intentions that never went anywhere. The lure of the scene was a hard thing to resist, and many never got out. But Rosie had been with Joey, so the “scene” never held appeal for her. The wining and dining from customers was limited to what they gave her in the bar. If a customer wanted her to sit next to him while he steadily tipped her and bought her drinks, she’d do it. If one paid for lap dance after lap dance, she’d do that, too.
    But once the customers were gone and the lights came up, Rosie would go home to her boyfriend—who not long after, became her husband. Joey had no issue with her stripping. Years later, when things weren’t so great between them, she’d realized it spoke volumes that he didn’t have a problem with it. He actually pushed her to keep at it. Joey liked the money. Plain and simple.
    She’d spent fifteen years on the stage, in many different clubs around the state, dancing topless for customers. Every time she thought Joey might have a job good enough for her to hang up her heels, he’d end up getting arrested again, and eventually going back to jail. She’d been trapped. Trapped by him, and by the money.
    “So, what’s going on between you and Badger?”
    Rosie almost choked on a mouthful as Sabby’s question both pulled Rosie from memory lane and shocked the shit out of her. She swallowed and wiped her mouth. Holy crap, where had that come from? “I…um…nothing.” She shrugged. “What makes you think something’s going on?”
    Sabby leaned forward. “Seriously? Girlie, he watches you like a hawk when you’re onstage. Don’t tell me you haven’t noticed. I mean, you’d have to be dead to not notice how that man watches you.”
    Oh, she’d noticed all right. “How do you think he watches me?”
    “There’s really nothing going on? Damn…I thought for sure.” Sabby slid her glass to the edge of the table and the waiter refilled it for her. “For real, he watches you like you’re his woman.”
    “Like I’m—” Rosie frowned. “No way.”
    “Yes way. Let me tell you, it’s totally fucking hot, too. Crystalline said he even growled one night a week or so ago.” Sabby took a sip of her mimosa and continued. “How have you not noticed this?”
    “I’ve noticed. Sure. But I know the man can’t stand me, so I doubt there’s anything other than disgust behind it.”
    “Disgust?” Sabby jerked her head back. “There’s no