Music Notes (18 page)

Note to self: Not all surprises are good surprises!

“I thought you were supposed to have practice tonight,” Corie says as she gathers up her workout bag.

“I thought so too. I don’t know what happened. We had our individual practice earlier today and Beau never mentioned anything about a cancellation. In fact, he told me he’d see me tonight. Maybe he’s sick?” I say as I walk with Corie towards the door. We’re supposed to have our last group practice for our team performance tonight for this week’s performance. We’re supposed to practice at the studio one more time before we do the run through on the stage Wednesday morning.

“Maybe. I don’t know, but I do know this: you now have the night off. So come with me!”

“And where would you be going? Last time I trusted you and went along with your shenanigans, my ass hurt for a week,” I remind my pint-sized friend.

“That’s because you’re out of shape. All the more reason for you to join me in tonight’s class,” Corie says as we leave her hotel room and head down to mine.

“What kind of class is it?” I ask as I insert the plastic keycard.

“One that every woman should do at least once.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” I mumble as I step inside and grab my workout clothes.

“No t-shirt. You need to wear tight stuff. Just grab your sports bra and a pair of stretchy shorts. Oh, grab those tiny purple ones,” she says with a saucy grin.

I don’t like the feel of this. Not one bit.

“Corie -” I start before she cuts me off.

“Don’t question. Just grab the clothes, change, and let’s go! Class starts in thirty minutes,” she says with twinkling eyes.

I gather my belongings and step inside my bathroom. Something tells me I’m going to regret the day I met Corie Brooks.

We decide to walk to the studio since it’ll be a great warm-up, or so Corie says. Me? I just want to stretch out on the bed and take a nap. There are so many more things I’d rather be doing other than working out on my night off. Namely sleeping. I haven’t slept well since my phone conversation with Tiffany last week. I analyze everything from the length of time Beau glances at me to the way he brushes my fingers casually when he’s pointing to the music sheets we’re discussing.

Corie tells me all about the drama surrounding her team. Apparently the older woman and younger man contestants have been flaunting their tryst on and off the camera. After a few blocks of discussing who’s sleeping with who, she tries to pick my brain about Beau, but I’ve become a pro at the art of deflection. Even Corie isn’t going to get more out of me right now. Besides, I can’t exactly talk openly about what–if anything–is happening with Beau when you’re being trailed by a camera crew everywhere you go. Plus, there’s the fact that I, myself, don’t even really understand what is happening with the man. I do know this: there is chemistry and enough sexual tension to slice it with a dull knife. But that’s the end of it. Beau has never made an advance or a proposition for anything more than subtle flirting. It’s almost like I’m imagining the whole thing. But then I’ll catch him watching me from beneath the brim of his cowboy hat, and the fire is evident in his eyes. I know there’s more there. I feel it.

We walk into the front of the studio and head back towards the gym. I follow along as Corie leads me down a long hallway towards the back room. The sign outside of the door catches my eye instantly sending little shivers of dread, and maybe a little bit of excitement, coursing through my body.

Introduction to Pole Dancing.

I stop dead in my tracks as Corie opens the big wooden door. “Please tell me you’re kidding, Corie,” I mumble, searching her eyes as I wait for the moment she yells ‘Gotcha!’

“Why would I joke about something like this? I’ve heard these are the best workouts out there! They’re supposed to do amazing things to your Abdominals and Gluteus Maximus,” she says with a little bit of a smirk.

“My abs and glutes are just fine,” I tell her.

“Fine. They’re great, but this is going to be fun! You never know when the things you learn here will come in handy. Come on,” she says as she pulls me into the classroom.

Inside, a dozen poles are bolted from the ceiling to the floor, strategically placed around the room so that each girl has enough room to maneuver. I drudge along behind my little spitfire friend until we find an empty spot along the back wall for our bags. Now I see why she told me not to wear loose clothing.

“Come on, let’s grab a spot,” she says as she pulls me towards two open poles in the back of the room. They might be right by the entrance, but at least they’re as far away from those floor-to-ceiling mirrors that line the walls around the room.

“Good evening, good evening,” an older petite woman says as she steps out from a hidden door at the front of the room. “I am Eleanor and I will be your instructor for Introduction to Pole Dancing,” she adds dramatically as she does a little curtsy.

“We’re going to get a great workout tonight. Let’s begin with a little stretching, shall we?” she asks before pressing a button on the sound system on the floor by her pole. Instantly, Bruno Mars “Uptown Funk” is piped through the ceiling. It’s a catchy tune that I’ve heard several times and instantaneously pulls you into the beat and soul of the music.

“Grab your bar with your right hand and reach down to your foot, stretching and extending for a count of five, four, three, two, and one. And now switch. Stretch and reach. Feel the pull as you reach and hold it. Five, four, three, two, and one.”

After Eleanor takes us through a series of stretches and warm ups, all involving our metal pole, she begins to teach us the basics of the routine we are apparently learning this evening.

“Ok, ladies, we’re going to start with three basic maneuvers for pole dancing. The first is the Fireman. You’re going to stand on the tips of your toes like so and use your dominant arm to grip the pole as high as possible without feeling uncomfortable.”

The eleven other ladies all follow the instructions, watching Eleanor as she extends gracefully up on the balls of her feet and grabs the pole.

“Grip the pole tightly in what is called a baseball hold, similar to how you would grip a baseball bat. Keeping your shoulders back, you’re going to take three steps around your pole, like so,” she says as she demonstrates the move. “Give yourself a little push off of your outside leg and use that momentum to swing around the pole and spin. Make sure you keep your inside arm in a firm position so that you don’t kiss the pole,” she adds with a smile.

It takes me several attempts to feel comfortable enough to actually try this move on the pole, but once I let go and actually do it, I find it easier than I thought. Fun, actually. Freeing.

“Excellent, ladies, excellent. Our next move we’re going to learn is the Pinwheel. This maneuver has the same technique as the Fireman, but instead of both legs wrapping around the pole like this,” she says as she demonstrates a perfect Fireman twirl, “you’re going to extend a leg out, low and back, like this,” she continues as she shows us the move.

It doesn’t take us long to catch on to the slight variation of the move we’ve already learned, so Eleanor moves us along to our third maneuver, the V Spin.

“This one is going to showcase your strength, ladies. You are going to extend your dominant hand up to the top, but instead of your other hand being chest level, you’re going to extend it downward like this,” she says, showing us the arm positioning.

“Keep your pelvis forward and your grip wide as your extend your legs,” she says, showing us a damn good V Spin. My arms are already throbbing and just the thought of having to use them in this twirl scares me a little.

“Very slowly slide down the pole as you twirl, keeping your arms extended and your legs straight.”

After we practice our three basic moves, Eleanor teaches us some seductive dancing moves. I should probably die of embarrassment at this point, but to be honest, it’s actually kind of fun. I’m probably going to be feeling it tomorrow in my arms and legs, but to be able to let loose and dance somewhat provocatively is freeing. It makes me feel like a woman. Sexy. Alluring.

“Excellent work. We’re going to take a quick water break and then start to piece it all together into the small routine,” Eleanor says as we all venture over to our water bottles.

“Well?” Corie asks as she takes a big pull from her pink bottle.

“It’s actually kinda fun,” I confess before taking another drink of my own water.

“You have moves, girl,” she says with a big smile and a wink.

“Well, I don’t know about that, but it’s fun to try.” I take the hand towel and wipe off as much sweat as I can from my face and arms. This is definitely a workout.

“Okay, let’s get back to our poles. The last half of class is going to be putting the routine together and executing. I’m going to teach you the dance piece by piece. If you have any questions at any point, just holler,” Eleanor instructs as we all take our places at our poles.

After another thirty minutes of learning the routine, we’re finally running through it with music. “Lady Marmalade” by Christina Aguilera, P!nk, Lil’ Kim, and Mya pipes through the speakers, loud and proud. It’s the perfect song for seduction. It’s tantalizing and provocative, and makes me want to put a little extra shake in my hips.

“We’ve only got five minutes left, ladies. Let’s take it from the top one last time. Give it your all. Put your hips and your ass into the dance. Feel the music and let it move you,” Eleanor tutors from the front of the room.

We all take our places around the outside of the room as the music starts one final time. The walk towards the pole is key to setting the tempo and the mood for the dance. I crisscross my legs over each other as I walk, putting as much hip action into the act until I reach my pole. I touch it, caressing it, as I take my position for our first spin. I close my eyes and let the music wash over me, absently singing along. I move my hips, running my hand seductively down my side, and roll my neck backwards as I dance the moves I now know by heart. Another twirl and hip thrust later and I’m almost to my favorite part of the routine. The V Spin.

I gather myself and get ready for the spin. I open my eyes, placing my hands in the proper position on the pole when my eyes collide with a set of dark ones full of smoldering embers…and anger. I stumble momentarily at the realization that Beau is standing in the open doorway right behind me. He’s watching me through the mirror, shock written all over his gorgeous features.

I keep my eyes locked on his through the mirror as I start the V Spin. I take my eyes off of him just long enough to spin completely around the pole, dropping down to a squatting position before I roll my body back up from my knees all the way up to my chest, rolling against the cold hard metal. When I hit the final pose, I’m panting from exertion and probably a little from the sparks of desire my own body is suddenly producing.

“Oh my God, that’s Beau,” Corie gasps next to me.

No shit. And he looks pissed.

“I didn’t realize we had a guest,” Eleanor says from the front of the room, drawing the attention from everyone in the room. Loud giggles and gasps of shock bounce off the mirror-covered walls as Beau Tanner’s dark eyes remain locked on mine.

“Ladies, y’all did great. I was hopin’ I could speak to Layne for a moment. In private,” he says through gritted teeth, the intensity in his eyes never wavering from mine.

“Oh, Beau Tanner. You can borrow her for as long as you’d like,” Eleanor purrs like a cat as she fans her suddenly flush face.

“Layne,” Beau says as more of a statement than a question.

My legs are Jell-O as I follow him through the doorway and into the narrow hall; though I’m not one hundred percent sure my shaky legs are from the workout. He walks with purpose straight across the hall and opens a closet marked “Janitor.” Without even looking at me, he holds the door open and waits.

Once inside, Beau doesn’t flip on the light as the heavy door shuts with finality, encompassing us in nothing. It takes my eyes several seconds to adjust to the darkness. The only light is what little bit is filtering through the cracks in the mini blinds on the windows. The only sound is the deep pants coming from Beau. Or coming from me. Take your pick.

Before I can even question what I’m doing in the janitor’s closet, I hear the heavy steps of Beau’s cowboy boots as he takes three large steps towards me. He spins me around and slams his mouth down onto mine so fast and with so much dominance that all thought evaporates from my mind. Poof. Gone into thin air.

Beau sweeps his tongue along the seam of my lips causing my mouth to open instantaneously as I moan my approval. The feel of his hot, wet tongue against mine sends shockwaves of lust spiraling out of control throughout my body. He wraps his strong, muscular arms around my sweaty body, plastering me against unforgiving muscles and hot flesh. I can feel his body heat burning me through his tight black t-shirt, but I don’t mind. Hell no, I don’t mind at all. Beau nips at my lips, sucking my lower lip ever so gently into his mouth. I practically melt into a pile of hormonal mush right then and there.

“God, you drive me crazy,” Beau mumbles through gritted teeth. “Watchin’ you work that pole may have been the sexiest fuckin’ thing I’ve ever witnessed. I will forever picture your body wrapped around that damn piece of metal. The way your hips swayed in rhythm to the music. The way your body moved. It reminded me of sex, Layne. Pure, unadulterated, rough sex that I want to have with you so fuckin’ bad my entire body is throbbin’.” And to prove his point, Beau presses his rock hard groin against the slickness of my spandex shorts. The friction alone practically causes me to orgasm.

“Where were ya tonight?” he whispers harshly as he pulls away from me, causing me to stumble from the sudden vacancy. Tension fills the space where his body once was.

“What?” I ask, trying to shake lose any ounce of dignity and common sense I can muster.

“Tonight. Ya skipped rehearsal to pole dance? Do you even understand what you’ve done and what message you’ve sent to the network by skippin’ our final rehearsal before Wednesday mornin’s run-through? I can’t believe -” he says as I cut him off.