Free Black Orchid by Roxanne Carr Page A

second before turning the handle, without
knocking.
    He was standing in front of a mirror, towelling his sweat
streaked face and neck with a thick, white towel. He did not
turn as she slipped through the door and locked eyes with him
in the mirror. Without a word, he slowly towelled his chest
and under his arms. Maggie could smell the heavy musk of
his body. She licked her lips nervously.
    On the stage, under the spotlights, he had looked approachable,
harmless. Here, in this confined space where only the
muffled beat of the music could be heard, he seemed to fill
the room, taking over the space with his nervous energy so
that he seemed like a wild animal, a panther waiting for a
chance to spring.
    While she was seeking him out, the vague notion in Maggie's
mind was that he would be easy, that she would be in charge
of their encounter. Now, though, as he slowly laid the towel
on the table and turned to face her, she knew she had been
mistaken.
    Electric Blue was no sex toy. He was fully in control and
something told her he could be dangerous to know.
    Maggie moved round him towards the couch. His eyes
followed her, unblinking, unsmiling, so that they both circled,
like two wary boxers before a fight, each waiting for the other
to be the first to speak. In the end it was he who broke the
tense, sexually charged tension.
    'How are you paying?'
    Maggie felt her mouth drop open at the unexpected question
and she quickly closed it again.
    'Paying?' she frowned, unable to quite believe her ears.
    Electric Blue flicked a derisive glance over her which somehow
inflamed her desire even more.
    'I don't give private shows for free.'
    His voice was deep, throaty and, for a few seconds, Maggie
enjoyed the sound of it, rather than hearing the words. When
they did sink in, the anger finally began to push its way
through the haze of lust which had enveloped her from the
moment she first saw him.
    'You want me to pay?' she said incredulously. 'You're not
serious?'
    'Deadly. It'll be worth it.'
    She laughed, thinking for a moment that he was joking,
though his face was deadpan. His next words left her in no
doubt that he was indeed deadly serious.
    'I take cash, Visa and American Express. No cheques.'
    'I have a Gold Card – will that be acceptable?' she said, her
voice dripping sarcasm.
    'Very,' he replied and held out his hand.
    Maggie stared back at him, unable to believe her ears.
This . . . person, actually expected her to pay for sex with him?
He was hot, but then, so was she, on a good day. She certainly
wasn't so desperate that she had to resort to paying for it!
    She was about to stalk out of the dressing room when she
remembered the conversation she had had with Janine all
those weeks ago. ' That's what we working girls need now ,' the
other girl had said, ' Gigolos, guaranteed safe, hired with an American Express Card .'
    Electric Blue was still waiting patiently, hand outstretched
for her sought after piece of plastic. It occurred to her that if
she paid for his services, he would do anything she wanted
him to – anything her heart or, more specifically, her body,
desired. And he was very beautiful. If he was as dynamite in
the sack as he was on the stage it might well be worth it. She
smiled slowly.
    'How much?'
    He named a price which made her heart skip a beat. She
narrowed her eyes at him.
    'I'll expect a refund if I don't get value for money,' she
snapped.
    'Any complaints will be dealt with by the management,' he
replied, straight faced.
    Maggie reached into her bag and took out her purse. She
watched as he passed the plastic card through the machine he
produced from a drawer in the table and handed the slip to
her to sign.
    'Would you like a receipt?'
    'A receipt?'
    'Set it against expenses. I could be a hotel room, or a meal
for a client?'
    Maggie shook her head.
    'No one would ever believe I could eat that much guacamole.'
    He shrugged and put the credit card machine away. Then
he strode to the door and locked it.
    Maggie