Teagan agreed. “Yeah.”
Gwenn added, “It can be scary when you know deep down that being with that person would change your life forever.”
Teagan wondered whom Gwenn was referring to. Before she could ask her, Gwenn said, “These guys need a kick under their ass to get them in gear, I swear. My half brother is a sweetheart. I’ve never had a brother, but I always whished I had and now I have this seven-foot teddy bear who looks the part of a scary biker.”
Teagan smiled, as she could see the truth in Gwenn’s description.
“After coming home from Afghanistan, I felt like a fish out of the water. Hanging around the guys in the MC… I don’t know… They just get me. They make me feel like I’m a part of something. Even though I have a vagina and would never fully be a part of their club.”
Gwenn rolled her eyes and slung her ponytail over her shoulder. “Anyway. I came here on a mission.”
“A mission?”
Gwenn’s eyes twinkled as she nodded. “Hmm-mm. Zeus called to offer you the job as an in-house dance instructor for the girls. We’ve all seen how much they need it.”
“Gwenn. I can’t work in a strip club. Hello… have you met my parents?” Teagan said.
“My mom would have a heart attack and cry for days. And I don’t even want to find out what my dad or Ryan would do.”
She knew she couldn’t hold it against Gwenn, that she didn’t know about her darkest secret.
“Still, I can see in your eyes that you’d want to do it,” Gwenn said.
Teagan stared at Stormchaser running after Amalia, another Anglo-Arab.
“I can’t believe you’d even ask me. I considered it last night, yeah. For a second. But I was drunk.”
Gwenn bumped hips and said, “I asked because I saw you dancing on stage last night. And I’m not saying this in any perverted way, but you’re exceptionally talented.”
Teagan pushed a blonde curl behind her ear before she glanced down at her boots. “Thanks.”
“But most importantly, I saw how letting go of everything and, for once, doing what you wanted to do fueled your soul. It was beautiful.”
Teagan shook her head, but without any genuine conviction in her denial.
“I discovered last night that we are much the same, T. You’d be surprised how freeing it is to step out of your comfort zone. To just go for what you want. It’s not like they’re asking you to work the pole. You’ll only work behind the scenes on the dance routines with the girls. Totally PG.”
“I already teach pole dance classes at Errin’s dance studio.”
Gwenn took a deep breath through her nose. “That’s not exactly the same now, is it?”
Teagan rolled her eyes. “No. I’ve never had students coming in with pearl thongs up their butt. That’s for sure.”
“If you’re going to be narrow-minded and offensive, then I think I’ve misjudged you poorly.”
Teagan hung her head in shame that out of everyone, she had made such a remark. “I… yeah. You’re right. It came out bitchy and judgmental.”
Gwenn said, “I’ve gotten to know some of these girls, T. They are just like any other girl. Some had a rough start in life, and some have made poor decisions later in life and now really depend on the cash to feed their kids. And then there are the college girls earning their college intuition.”
The mention of making poor decisions and paying for them for the rest of your life made Teagan nauseous.
A huge smile formed on Gwenn’s face as she added, “And last but not least, there are freaks like you and me who just like to be watched on stage.”
Teagan giggled, thankful for Gwenn's joking. “You liked to be watched?”
This time it was Gwenn who was blushing, as she waved her hand in the air. “Never mind. I’m just saying that you should check it out before you turn them down beforehand. Think about the girls working at the Pink Flower. If they could up their game, they could earn more money. You could really make a difference in their lives, T.”
“How am I supposed to say no to a meeting now?”
Gwenn smiled mischievously. “I’ve got you there, eh? Damn. Should have started with that.”
“One meeting. And you’ll come with me and stay with me during this entire meeting. I don’t want to meet those bikers from last night in some seedy back room on my own.”
Gwenn pulled Teagan in, slinging her arm over her shoulders. “Didn’t Devlin tell you he’s the manager? You’ll have your interview with him.”
A light-headed feeling took over Teagan with that reminder. “Oh, shit.”
“It’s all going to work out, T. I promise.”
Somehow, Teagan wasn’t so sure.