Catch Me, Darling.

Meeting Mr. Jones

The whole club is depending on you, Arthur.

Francis' words rang through Arthur's head as he stepped backstage. The excited chatter of the crowd buzzed through the thick velvet curtains that separated him from the stage. He gulped.

This could be a great opportunity for all of us, mon ami. 

   Just imagine ze possibilities! The voice spoke again. Damn that enthusiastic Frenchman! Arthur's heartbeat accelerated at the thought of letting his friend down. He could just imagine the downcast look on Francis' face when the executive walked out the door with a frown.No. That wouldn't happen. Arthur could do this. He had rehearsed for weeks and just because he was feeling a bit ...off... he wouldn't let that get in the way of the future of the club. It will be alright, Arthur thought to himself, It's just like a regular performance. Try as he might, the dancer was still nervous. Not only was the fate of his co-workers riding on him, his outfit was something he had never quite worn and he was still a little shook up from the attack earlier.

Arthur inhaled deeply, exhaling and repeating the process until he felt his muscles relax.
His thoughts immediately traveled to the executive. Francis had not revealed much information about the mysterious man, and this caused Arthur distress. Was he stuck up? A stripper snob? Or would he be easily impressed? Maybe he was just a full blown pervert. Like most of the men at the club, he was probably a creepy old man married and cheating on his spouse, looking for a one night stand. Arthur shuddered. Men like that were the whole reason he was in this damn slump!

Disgusting. Arthur Kirkland may impact be a stripper, but even he does have morals. And an affair is something Arthur wanted no part in.

The increasing quiet of the crowd warned Arthur his show was about to start and the music was about to go on. His heart felt like it was about to explode. Just like a regular performance, he thought, I can do this. I've thoroughly prepared. Just keep calm... On cue, the music started with a downbeat of drums and the curtain slowly started to open. Arthur waited till the red cloth was halfway parted and walked out on the stage with a exhale. Those cherry red stilettos clicked on the black glossy floor as he stepped out in the open. The crowd roared.

"Gentlemen, give a warm welcome to our last dancer of the hour, Artemis Kinkland." Francis exclaimed from his microphone. His eyes gleamed with faith as he watched his friend from the front row.

Arthur scanned the crowd to look for the executive but couldn't make out anyone he deemed "executive-looking". He set to work beginning his routine, mentally setting his problems aside to get into a more sinful mentality. The applause was thundering.

"Show us what you got, Artemis." Francis encouraged with a wink. Arthur smirked. Sexual frustration be damned, he would prove to the company that Francis' club deserved recognition. It's the least he could do.

The music was in full swing as Arthur walked up the walkway down the stage, strutting those long pale legs so gorgeously encased in black fishnets. He stopped close to the end and ran his hands down his torso and over his legs, staring seductively into the crowd.
His hips moved to the beat as he began to turn around, giving the crowd a pretty good view of his fitting lace panties. Cat calls spurred Arthur on further.

Alright, it's going good so far, he thought.

Though he was still lacking real inspiration. The spark wasn't there. I'll have to try to fake it through. With a playful look over his shoulder, Arthur bit his lip and grabbed the pole in front of him. He started off slowly twirling in a small circle around it until he was facing the audience. With his hands grasping the metal behind his back, Arthur leaned against the pole, spreading his legs and sliding down towards the floor. He sprung back up to wriggle his hips, licking his lips with a shameless look. The men went wild. Arthur could see a faint blush on Francis' face and chuckled. He must be doing a better job than he thought.