Alpha Billionaire, Part I (Alpha Billionaire #1)(3)
Author: Helen Cooper

“Hey, do you guys have any bronzer?” I asked quickly thinking about a magazine article that I’d read that said you could add some definition to your body using makeup.

“Yeah, here.” Crystal handed it to me. “You’re looking a bit pale.”

“It’s for my stomach, not my face.” I responded, my face burning.

“Oh, oops.” She made a face at Starr and they both laughed.

“It’s fine.” I sighed. “I haven’t been able to tan much recently.”

“It’s fine, many guys like the pale look.” Crystal made a face, her dark olive skin glowing as she looked me up and down. “Peaches and cream they call it. You can call yourself Peaches tonight.”

“Sorry what?” I frowned.

“Your. Name. Tonight. Will. Be. Peaches.” Crystal said slowly. “If any of the guys ask you.”

“Oh okay.” I shrugged and applied the bronzer to my stomach, hoping to give it definition.

“Unless you’d rather be called something else?”

“Like what?”

“What about tight pus—“ She began and Starr giggled and touched her shoulder.

“Be nice, Crystal. We still need Peaches to jump out of the cake. That was a requirement for the night.”

“Fine.” Crystal rolled her eyes. “You ready?”

“I guess so.” I took my glasses off and put them in my handbag. “What do I do?”

“Wait here. We’ll get the cake. Just sit in it and jump out when you hear a loud bang.”

“Okay,” I nodded. “That sounds simple enough.”

***

I sat in the cake listening to the music booming and the sounds of a lot of men talking. I was starting to feel hot and I could feel the sweat running down my body. I tried to shift, but there was no where to move. And then I heard a loud bang. “Is this the signal?” I muttered to myself as I sat there. I heard another bang and then popped up out of the cake. “TA DA.” I screamed as I jumped up, the cake flying everywhere. My eyes were fuzzy as I looked into the room, but I could tell that everyone was staring at me.

“You were supposed to wait for the loud bangs.” Crystal screamed at me as I stepped out of the cake awkwardly.

“I heard the bangs.” I said feebly as I listened to the bass of a rap song playing in the background. Was that the bangs I’d been hearing? I made a face and then tripped forward as I clambered out of the cake. I felt two hands grabbing hold of my arms as I tripped and I looked up and saw a masculine face looking down at me. “Sorry.” I mumbled and looked away. I couldn’t really make out what he looked like.

“No worries.” His voice was deep as he stood there in front of me, his hands still on my arms. His fingers pressed into my skin and I shivered slightly at the feel of his cool hands on my warm skin. “Do you need a hand?”

“No, I’m fine. Thanks.” I pulled away from him and then looked for Crystal and Starr to see what I should do now. However, they were both busy giving two guys lap dances. Hmm.

“Do you need help?”

“I’m fine.” I shook my head and bit my lip. I could see my five grand going down the drain if I just stood there. “I’m trying to figure out what to do.”

“Maybe you should give a lap dance?” He suggested with a hint of humor in his voice.

“I don’t think so.” I shook my head as I looked around the room at all the men in their business suits.

“Dance then?”

“I guess so.” I sighed. “This sucks.” I muttered

“Sorry what?” He leaned towards me and I stared into a pair of bright blue eyes that were mere inches from my face.

“Nothing.” I swallowed as I focused in on his face. He was hot.

“Your friend is looking at you. I suggest you get to work.” He whispered into my ear and I turned and saw Crystal giving me a death stare. I sighed and started moving back and forth to the rap song.

“Hey sexy.” An overweight balding guy whistled at me from a few yards away. “I’ll have a lap dance for a stack.”

“A stack?” I repeated back at him and took a step back.

“A stack of hundreds.” He grinned and held up a wad of cash. “What’s your name?”

“Peaches.” I said hesitantly. I really didn’t want to give him a lap dance.

“Come on over Peaches. I like my peaches with cream. You can be the peaches and I’ll provide the cream.” He joked and I froze.

“She’s with me.” The guy in front of me pulled me into his arms. “Right Peaches?”

“Uh, yeah.” I nodded slowly. “Sorry, he asked me for a dance first.”

“Whatever.” The bald guy turned away.

“Thanks.” I whispered to the guy in front of me and tried to step back. “That was a close one.”

“Where are you going?” His voice dropped and his expression looked serious. “I want my dance.”

“Oh, you were serious?”

“I’m always serious.” He smiled at me for a few seconds and then spoke again. “What’s your name?”

“Evie.” I said as we walked back to his chair. “I mean Peaches.”

“Evie Peaches.” He grinned as he sat down on a couch in the back of the room.

“Peaches.” I made a face. “That’s my dancer name.”

“Okay.” He patted the seat next to him. “Sit down Peaches.”

“I thought you wanted a dance?”

“We can get to that later.” He patted his chair again. “Let’s talk first.”

“Uh okay.” I sat down next to him, feeling awkward in my bikini. I sat back and tried to hold my breath in to make my stomach look flat.

“You okay?” He frowned as he looked at me.

“Yeah, of course.” I said stiffly, my body burning in shame as he stared at me. Not only was I feeling self-conscious, I was also feeling embarrassed and like I wanted to cry.

“Are you new to the dancing business?”

“You could say that.” I nodded.

“Don’t worry.” He grabbed my hand. “You can relax.”

“You don’t want a dance?” I asked hopefully as I looked back at him. Maybe he’d just let me sit here and talk to him the whole night. Maybe he’d feel bad for me because I was new and obviously not in the same class of girls, like Crystal and Starr. Maybe he’d be one of those nice guys that thought stripping was degrading to women.