“There must be something I can do to help.” Jim Mayer leaned over Kenzie's shoulder and swiped a piece of broccoli from the salad she was mixing and popped it into his mouth. “Hmm, tasty.”
Kenzie slapped his hand. “You want to help? Keep your grubby fingers out of the food!”
There wasn't any rage or animosity in Kenzie's voice, only good-natured ribbing. After all, it was too gorgeous of an evening for any negativity. Following an earlier rainstorm, the sun shone through the kitchen window of the brothel in Flagstone. Outside, steaks, burgers, chicken breasts, and other delights cooked on Colt's wood pellet grill. Business had been nonexistent so far today, so Jim and all the ladies banded together and decided to treat themselves to a great feast. Francisco was told to relax and let the others do the cooking for a change.
With Colt and Pamela in Maryland, wasn't it okay to take a few liberties with the house's daily food budget? Jim didn't think spending a little extra for a cookout would hurt anything. It wasn’t like he did this often.
Not too often, at least.
Nicolette flipped turkey and beef patties on the grill she’d commandeered from Riley and gave pointers to Lindsay while also tending to the other culinary goodies. Nicolette was a good person and Lindsay was starting to like her since they’d been hanging out in recent days.
Sahara and Elisabeth were helping in the kitchen. Sahara was topping chocolate cupcakes with thick buttercream frosting and had an apron on which made her look like an expert chef. Elisabeth was putting the finishing touches on a batch of scallion baked beans. Kenzie had just finished dicing up apples and was blending them into a salad bowl.
“I'm done.” Sahara triumphantly stepped away from the counter and admired her handiwork. “I did a bang-up job, too, if I must say so myself.”
Kenzie peered at the cupcakes and their swirled icing arranged on an expensive platter. “Looks scrumptious, Sahara. I'll definitely have to try one of them.”
“I'm finished too,” Elisabeth announced. “Once the meat is done on the grill, we should be ready to eat. I hope Nicolette doesn’t burn my vegetable stir-fry to a charred crisp like last time. That was awful.”
“Oh, I’m sure it will be fine.” Riley strolled into the kitchen and placed a possessive hand on her fiancée's back. She peeked over at the salad and a sly grin overtook her features.
“Mallory Fitzsimmons!” Kenzie wagged a finger at Riley – using her real name for emphasis – as she tried to pilfer a piece of broccoli as well. “Hands out! You're just as bad as Jim!”
“Who's just as bad as Jim?” Mariko asked in her sexy, Japanese accent, as her curious gaze sought him out the instant she entered the kitchen.
“No one,” Jim answered back with a chuckle. “I'm the ultimate bad boy.”
“Yeah, right.” A hand on her hip, Elisabeth’s head was tilted. “You've always been the bad boy after dark type, Jim. A true rebel. A troublemaker.”
Mariko sighed and decided to play along. “What did you do this time?”
“Stole one itty-bitty piece of broccoli from Kenzie's salad. Nothing major.”
“And one of Sahara's chocolate cupcakes when she wasn't looking too,” Elisabeth chimed in.
“Jim, fuck! How could you?” Sahara put both hands on her hips. “I knew one of them was missing!”
He grinned at Elisabeth and shook his head. “Hey, hey, hold up. You weren't supposed to tell her that. Now, Kenzie is going to keep a close eye on me.”
Riley retrieved a bag of pretzels from the kitchen pantry, inserted three twists into a cupcake from Sahara's platter, and brought it to her lips. Elisabeth raised an eyebrow.
“What?” She took a bite of the pretzel-infused cupcake and closed her eyes in absolute bliss. With her mouth still full, she added, “Sweet and salty. The best of both worlds.”
Elisabeth folded both arms and regarded Riley for a split second, then glanced over at Sahara and chuckled. “Your future wifey looks like a chipmunk hoarding acorns for her winter nest.”
“Hey!” Riley giggled in response and a chunk of cupcake spewed from her mouth. “Whoa.”
“Happy birthday, Miss Colorado.”
“Thank you, babe,” Elisabeth responded as Nicolette sashayed in from the heat and winked.
“Cheers, miss gorgeous. Cheers.”
“Love you.”
“Yay. Love you too.”
Sahara’s eyebrows squished together. “I didn't think your birthday was until tomorrow.”
“It's not,” Elisabeth said. “Nicolette wants to get the party rolling early is all. I’m not thirty until tomorrow.”
“Elisabeth was one hundred percent correct earlier in what she said about Jim.” Kenzie swiveled toward him. “You’ve always been the bad one.”
The kitchen erupted in laughter. Customers may have been scarce on this Wednesday, but the ladies were in jovial moods as they worked in tandem preparing dinner. As the lone man amongst seven intoxicating, drop-dead gorgeous women – all in various stages of undress – Jim was like the proverbial kid in a candy store. Guilty pleasures abounded and he could sample most anything he wanted, except, of course, the one precious treat he desired most:
Kenzie.
“Hey.” Mariko's tone was sympathetic as she regarded him with soft eyes. “Don't let what everyone says bother you, Jimbo. You're not a bad boy to me.”
Jim went through pure hell the other evening as he listened to the party Kenzie and Lindsay had with the married couple from Rhode Island, Nick, and Becky. I'm in love with Cierra but can't break out of the damn friend zone. He was relieved when Colt showed up mid-party and ordered him to go home for the night. I was jealous of Nick, of Becky, and shit, of Kayleigh too. He couldn’t stand the playful banter and cries of passion from Kenzie’s lips as the other three ravished her.
If I had one wish, it would be to marry Cierra and spend the rest of my life with her. Jim realized he wasn’t a perfect man, not by any stretch of the imagination, and had a laundry list of faults. But I'd do whatever was necessary for Cierra to be happy and make all her dreams come true.
Was there anything he could do to score a brownie point and get Kenzie to notice him? I don’t want to fuck her. I’d be happy taking Cierra out to a nice restaurant and treating her to a show in Vegas. It would be a solid starting point. I simply want to be with her. She is such a genuine, good girl, and deserves the world.
Kenzie was aware of Jim’s feelings. She thought of him as a friend and cared about him immensely but claimed the thirty-year age gap was the issue she had in entering into an actual relationship. But the truth was out there. Because of her ex-husband, Cierra is afraid to put her trust in another man and have it backfire again.
That evil sonofabitch scarred her for life.
<> <> <> <> <>
“Do your parents know what you do for a living?”
“They do. Not gonna lie, they’re a bit weird about it. It’s been a process, but they’ve come a long way.” Buxom and shapely five-foot-two brunette Nicolette was enjoying dinner across from Lindsay at a small, circular picnic table in the backyard. Of mixed German and Italian descent, Nicolette was a battle-tested veteran of the LPIN scene with ten years of experience, the last eight of which were spent at Happy Ending Ranch. Away from work, she would grease up stripper poles in the most exclusive clubs Vegas had to offer and use her killer body to satisfy trusted johns on the side.
“What about the rest of your family?” Lindsay asked.
“Most of them are okay with it, but certainly not everyone. I can understand why they might not want me to be in this industry.” Nicolette sipped her beverage, a delicious smoky watermelon lemon margarita, and set its glass back on the table. “But at the end of the day, I’m not the little girl anymore that they, you know, grew up with. I’m thirty years old. I’m an adult and I’m allowed to make my own decisions. I guess if they want me in their life, they’re just gonna have to be okay with it because I refuse to change anything about myself to suit others, even family members.”
When Nicolette noticed Lindsay eyeing her alcoholic cocktail, she smirked. “Go ahead and try it. Take a sip.”
“What? Me? No. No, I can’t.” Lindsay’s cheeks dusted pink and she backed away in her chair. “I’m not old enough to drink yet and besides, Colt said he’d fire me if he ever caught me drinking at my age or doing anything illegal.”
“Colt’s not even here, silly, and Jim isn’t gonna rat you out if you have a drink or two. The rules are way more relaxed when Colt’s away and Jim is in charge.” Nicolette laughed softly, enjoying Lindsay’s sweet, wholesome nature, her naïve innocence. Such a breath of fresh air around this place. “Go ahead, try it. There’s no harm and you’ll find that alcohol will help you deal with the rigors, the stress, of this job. I don’t know what I’d do without it. I drink a full bottle before and after every party.”
Lindsay considered taking Nicolette up on the offer but decided against it in the end. “No, thank you. I’m good.” I don’t want to run the risk and lose my job.
“Suit yourself, no pressure.” Nicolette shrugged. “But with me, as I said, I make my own decisions, and being a sex worker is the best choice for me at this point in my life. I’m divorced and have a son I’ve devoted everything to. He’s not in the best of health, unfortunately, and medical expenses are outrageous, so outside of work, I lead a mundane, minimalistic life. Everything goes to his care.”
Lindsay’s nose wrinkled. “How much longer do you think you’ll do this?”
Nicolette placed two fingers on her chin. “For me, I can’t really put an end date on it. The more I think about the life I’ve created for myself and the fact I can afford quality medical care for my son, and the more I understand how much further we must go for sex worker rights. I think I’ve made a conscious decision that I don’t intend to leave until my son is in a better place, health-wise, and until some of the sex worker rights improve. I don’t know how long either is gonna take. They might never happen.” She flexed her arm. “Maybe I’m gonna be a sex worker until I’m ninety! And there’s nothing wrong with that, but I don’t envision myself leaving anytime soon.
“My hope for the sex industry is that it becomes decriminalized globally, which is a really big goal. Obviously, I’d like to start with the United States first.” Nicolette’s full cherry red lips pursed and she released a long-winded sigh. “If we could get decriminalization in every city, every state, that would be huge.
“The reason why people are so against the idea of prostitution is the stigma that comes along with it. Stigma sucks and it’s rooted in ignorance. And if we want to fight for our rights as sex workers, to make things better, then we need to have decriminalization.
“If I see a john outside of work on my own time and something goes wrong, I should be able to go to the police without fear of getting into trouble myself. And that’s just one of the many reasons why decriminalization is the only answer for sex workers and our safety.”
Nicolette hesitated briefly. “You’re considering telling your folks that you’ve taken up whoring in a brothel?”
“Maybe.” Lindsay bit her lip and glanced away momentarily. “My mom is doing a lot of snooping and I’m afraid she’s gonna find out sooner rather than later.” Lindsay’s face pinched. “I think it’d be best if she found out from me, not on her own.”
“And how do you think she would react?”
“Not good. Not good at all.”
“Don’t tell her, then. Take your chances and hope she doesn’t find out. For me, I didn’t have a choice – I had to tell my parents. During my third-ever party in the industry back in 2008 when I was at Chastity’s, I was with this guy, and he thrust so hard I ended up with a tear inside me. It was bleeding pretty bad and put me out of work for a little while and I had to ask my parents for help with the medical expenses. I was broke, only being twenty at the time, but that’s how my mom and dad found out I’d become a sex worker. Chastity’s certainly wasn’t going to pay my medical bills.” Nicolette’s throat closed and she struggled to add, “Unfortunately, the reality of this business is that some clients treat you like you’re nothing, like an object, and you get absolutely pummeled.”
“Pamela and Kenzie have instilled in me to always use lube. Lots of it.” Lindsay shrugged the idea of getting injured off. Being young, she was invincible, right? “My last few parties, it’s really helped a lot.” Lindsay smiled, but then frowned because of the possibility of her parents, particularly her mother, uncovering the truth about her secret new life. Mom would go haywire and may even disown me. She gripped the edge of the picnic table as her mind went into a fog. “If I were to tell, say, my mom the truth, how do you suggest I go about it?”
“You can explain you’re sorry you’ve disappointed her but let the conversation end there. That’s what I did, at least at first.” Nicolette’s shoulders loosened. “This is my job, Mom, and I’m sorry you don’t approve, but I enjoy what I do, and the money is great. I’m not sniffing cocaine or breaking any laws. I didn’t tell you initially because I knew you wouldn’t approve, and I hope you’ll respect my decision not to talk about it.” Nicolette’s gaze was soft, full of understanding. “You’re an adult now, Kayleigh, and if you want to tell them, the best thing you can do is ask your mom, your dad, to accept your decisions or keep their opinions to themselves. It’s that simple.”
Lindsay’s lower lip quivered. “That’s the problem. They wouldn’t. Mom would go ballistic.”
“What you’re doing is not wrong. You’re happy here, right? You’re making a good living. You have friends like Pamela, Kenzie, me, who care about you and want to help you succeed. It is not wrong, but there is a stigma, that nasty word again. And in this case, that stigma is prostitutes come from bad situations and terrible parents, they have daddy issues, mommy issues, et cetera, et cetera.
“You should try to see it from your mom and dad’s point of view. Consider their feelings. Although it’s off base, your parents would probably think … what did we do wrong? As a parent, and I’m one myself, you feel responsible for who your children are and who they ultimately become, including occupation. You said your parents are religious, right? Your whole family? I bet it’s ingrained in them that being a prostitute is a terrible thing and it’s hard to overcome that mindset, that stigma.
“If they press you about it, and you give in, your job will be to tell them that, number one, you’re okay, and no one forced you into this. This was your decision. Two, this isn’t long-term. Three, you’re happy and this job is enabling you to branch out, possibly travel, and allow you to do things you never could working elsewhere. Best of all, tell them you’re saving for a college education.” Nicolette leaned back and shook her head. “Kayleigh, you need to realize that this isn’t your problem. It’s your parents’ problem. They need to find a way to get over it and realize you shouldn’t have to live your life entirely by their standards anymore, their thoughts and beliefs.
“Stand firm and proud. Do what makes you happy and refuse to be ashamed of it.”
Nicolette is right. I am happy working here. I get to get naked and have all the attention I want. Life is good.
“I’m sure your mother and father love you. You’ve told me they’re good people and gave you the best upbringing they could. Because they love you and because you’re steadfast about your career, your choices, and how it’s a positive thing, and you love them, too, they’ll eventually get over it. Time heals all wounds. A lot easier said than done, I admit, but everything will be okay in the end.”
<> <> <> <> <>
Elisabeth made some adjustments to the neckline of her blue minidress to achieve maximum cleavage effect, trailed both hands down her torso, past her hips, and finally stopped at the slit that ran up her left leg. She grazed her fingertips across the exposed, toned flesh and performed yet another self-inspection with the aid of the large, floor-to-ceiling mirror in her bedroom.
The young woman inhaled through her nostrils and exhaled via her mouth to quell the nervous anxiety within. Oh, jeeze. Back to the grind again. My first time doing this in six weeks. The reality of the moment and what was about to happen struck her. As a result, there was no holding back the frown that befell her pristine, flawless face.
You should take Nicolette’s advice and divorce that lazy, deadbeat husband. Drop him, maybe move in with her instead and start a new life. Elisabeth’s marriage with Robert was going through a turbulent patch and it was no secret around the house. He didn’t approve of the so-called “side hustle” she had taken up in Nevada. Maybe if Robert got off his ass and got a job, a real job, I wouldn’t be reduced to whoring to make ends meet. The fact that she’d opted to spend her thirtieth birthday working at the house instead of being back in Colorado with Robert raised a few eyebrows too. Riley says Robert doesn’t deserve me, that I should just cut bait and never go home.
Nicolette having a massive crush on Elisabeth was common knowledge too. Nicolette is in love with me and says I’m the only reason she’s still working here and didn’t go back to Chastity’s Ranch. Although Elisabeth had never been in a bona fide relationship with another woman, she was wildly attracted to them. I think I’m pansexual like Pamela; this job has made me so. And Nicolette would treat her better than Robert ever could. Do I have the guts to dump my husband for another woman?
