Free Stirred Up by Isabel Morin Page A

away, not
pausing to talk to anyone else, though men all around her were
calling her over, trying to get her attention. His friends looked
at one another, their dismayed confusion comical. Or it would have
been if his world hadn’t been turned upside down.
    “Is she coming back?” Tom asked no one in
particular.
    Another dancer appeared at the far end of the
floor and they called her over and began it all over again. Cheryl
was forgotten, just one of many girls who could be bought that
night.
    ***
    Cheryl ran for the dressing room without
looking anywhere but straight in front of her, ignoring everyone
who called for her. When she finally made it inside she collapsed,
shaking and hyperventilating, onto a chair.
    “What’s the matter? What happened?” Emily
asked, turning around on her stool, a mascara wand poised in
mid-air.
    “I can’t believe this is happening. Oh my
God. Oh God, what am I going to do?”
    “Cheryl, you’re scaring me,” Emily said,
kneeling in front of her. “Slow down and tell me what
happened.”
    She looked at Emily, her expression concerned
and intent, even with all the stripper makeup and big hair.
Breathing deeply once, then twice, she began to get enough control
that she could speak.
    “Remember Jason, the teacher I’m working
with?”
    “Of course. What about him?”
    “He’s out there with a bachelor party. I was
getting ready to do a lap dance for one of his friends before I saw
him.”
    “Oh.”
    Cheryl laughed bleakly at Emily’s dumbfounded
expression. It really was as bad as she thought.
    “How will I ever look at him again? What if
he tells someone? God, he must think I’m such a skank.”
    It was hitting her in waves now. All the
implications, the worst-case scenarios. Having to face Jason when
he’d seen her like this. A sob was working its way up into her
throat and she clamped down on it even as the pressure in her chest
built.
    “Okay, we need to stay calm here,” Emily
said. “It’s not like you’ve done something illegal. It’s a job, for
God’s sake. You’re putting yourself through school. Besides, he’s a
grown man, not some kid.”
    Cheryl was rocking now, her arms wrapped
around her middle.
    “This is the one thing I was most afraid of,
and I kept telling myself no one would ever find out. What were the
chances of someone I know from that part of my life coming to this
club, out of all the clubs in town?”
    “It’s going to be okay. I know it seems bad
now…”
    Cheryl let out a harsh laugh and Emily
flinched.
    “I’m sorry, Em. I know you’re trying to help.
And maybe you’re right. But even if he doesn’t tell anyone,
whenever I’m with him I’ll know he’s seen me up on that stage,
taking my clothes off for money.”
    “You said before he’s a good guy. There’s no
reason you can’t still work together. And it’s only for a couple
more months.”
    “I’m going to ask to switch classrooms.”
    “Will they let you do that?” Emily asked.
    “I don’t know. I hope so.”
    Emily stayed where she was and stroked her
back, and eventually Cheryl calmed enough that her breath no longer
heaved in and out. There was a knock on the door and Cutter’s voice
called from the other side.
    “Cheryl? You all right?”
    Emily looked up at the sound of her fiancée’s
voice, and Cheryl sighed. Cutter would do anything to protect the
dancers, but this was one mess he couldn’t get her out of.
    “I’ll let him know you’re okay,” Emily said,
heading to the door, where the two of them spoke in low tones for a
minute.
    Emily came back over and looked down at
her.
    “So what now? Do you think you can go back
out there for your next set?”
    A wave of nausea ran through her at the mere
thought of it and she bent over, the way you were supposed to do
when a plane was crashing.
    “I’ll take that as a no,” Emily said, sighing
worriedly. “That’s fine. I can go on for you. I’ll wear a wig and
maybe Steve won’t