“Okay.”
“Good,” she said, scrolling through the playlist one final time and picking out four songs she wanted to play in a specific order. “Let’s get started.”
=====
Tony was never as nervous in his entire life than he was in this moment right here, right now. His heart was racing. His palms were sweating so badly he had to wipe them on his seat. If Cassie looked at him right now, it would be impossible to see an adult man staring back at her. He looked like a nervous virgin getting ready to kiss a girl for the first time.
“Can we wait a second?” Tony said.
“Why?”
“I just need a second to breathe,” he replied, taking a deep breath.
“Let me know when you’re ready,” she said.
Tony closed his eyes and took short, rapid, deep breaths. It took about 20 seconds before he was in the head space for what was about to happen and, even then, he didn’t quite believe it.
“Hang on,” Cassie said.
She walked through the hotel room quickly, making sure the blinds were all shut and no one could see in. It’s bad enough she’s about to do this. She didn’t want an audience. An audience of more than one anyway.
On her walk, Cassie made sure to shut all the lights in the kitchen and bathroom. She couldn’t control the way this room looked and couldn’t shut off all the lights to make it “feel” like a strip club but this was close enough for a couple of songs.
“You good?” she asked Tony one last time.
“Yeah.” he said. From where Tony was sitting, he could see his cousin with her back to him. She looked nervous. He couldn’t blame her. He was nervous, too.
“Alright,” Cassie said, turning away from Tony and facing the bedroom. She took a breath, said ‘fuck it’ in her head and pressed play on the first of the four songs. “Here we go.”
The moment the music began, he could feel the tone in the room change completely.
Right from the initial drum beats, Tony knew what song was going to kick this off: Britney Spears’ “I’m a Slave 4 U.” An odd choice, to be sure, but one that certainly fit the strip club atmosphere he hoped they’d be able to create.
The song started with Britney talking in a sultry voice and for those first few moments, the beat was steady but clearly building.
As Britney spoke softly for those first 16 seconds, Cassie did nothing. She stood perfectly still but nodded her head song along with the rhythm. Tony could tell she was working up the courage to start.
Then the lyrics kicked in. As soon they began, Cassie started to move. Her movement was simple at first. Just a slight adjustment of her hips and a sway from side to side. She still hadn’t turned around. She didn’t feel ready to. Internally, this was the easiest part. She could pretend she was alone and dancing for fun. Cassie loved this song and was psyching herself up a second at a time.
The tempo picked up a little and, so too, did her swaying.
Now came the second verse and, with it, Cassie felt comfortable enough to let her feet move with the lyrics. She bucked her hips back and forward, in a rocking motion, picturing herself riding on top of her last boyfriend. It was a bit more suggestive than she thought she’d be this early.