Note: This story was dynamically reformatted for online reading convenience.
 
 ï>¿Clementine -(TM)s Bloomers by Trionyx

   Her act is a big surprise at the Kitty Klub.

   "Well, it seems I've been invited to a strip club," answered Phil when
his wife asked how his day had been.

   "What?  You're kidding!"

   "Nope.  And to cap it off, I got the idea I have to go."

   "Why?  They can't force you to go, can they?"

   "No, but they could make life difficult for me, you know, being newly
hired and all."

   "Is this something they do a lot?"

   "I don't know but it's Bill's bachelor party and even though I don't
know him or the whole team very well, I got the idea I should go and
celebrate with them."

   "Let me get this straight.  Someone you barely know at a new job in a
new town expects you to go celebrate his bachelor party at a strip club?"

   "Yeah, that's basically it."

   "Gonna go?"

   "Look, Hon, I know you hate the very idea of strip clubs and the
objectivization of women.  I get that.  But I'm kinda in a bind.  If I
don't go, then things could get uncomfortable for me at the new job and
we've just moved here.  What would happen if I was shunned or lost the job?
We'd be screwed."

   "Yeah, you're right.  My job search is pretty much at a standstill
though I've turned in a few applications."

   "Let's think about it and I can decide later.  It's not for another five
weeks or so."

   "Have they told you where it is?"

   "Apparently there's only one in the whole region.  It's called the Kitty
Klub."

   "Oh, I've seen it out on Westhammer Road past the city limits.  I
thought it was just your ordinary dive bar."

   "Nope.  When I asked, they told me the cover is fifty bucks, drinks are
atrociously expensive and you're expected to throw money at the dancers, as
well."

   "Uh, what about those private sessions I've heard about?  Do they have
those?"

   "I dunno, but I would guess they do."

   "Phil, Hon, you know how I hate the very thought of you going but in
order to keep peace at work and keep your job, I guess you should go.  But
I'm gonna put my foot down.  No private dances in the back room.  You stay
out front with the crowd, OK?"

   "Absolutely.  I'm fine with it.  Shit, you're my wife, I love you and I
would never do anything that calls my faithfulness into question.  I'll
stay up front."

   "Even if some hot, big-boobed blonde tries to invite you in back?"

   "Even then," he promised with a warm kiss.

   *****

   After the dishes were done and the two were sitting quietly reading and
doing a little bit of computer work, Kate looked over at her husband.  She
was so in love with him and had been ever since their third or fourth date,
even though it took him nearly a year to propose.  He was a nice
combination of nerd chic and muscles; he was a bit thin, wore trendy
glasses and was smart as hell, yet he had a nice body with well-defined
muscles from his years of swimming.  She had considered herself the
luckiest woman on the planet when he married her and had never regretted it
for one second.  And deep in her heart she knew he probably didn't want to
go to the strip club.  She had never seen him let his eyes linger as he
looked at other women and the few occasions when women had flirted with him
at parties or whatnot, he politely extricated himself from the situation
without offending anyone.  And he always came home to her without any weird
or unexplained gaps in his day.  Yes, she knew he was the real deal.

   But, niggling in the back of her mind was the tiny worry he might find
one of those dancers to be seriously attractive and be tempted to take
things a bit too far.  On the other hand, she knew he wouldn't, would he?
Or...maybe?

   She always considered herself reasonably attractive and, as the old
country-western song said, behind closed doors she could really 'let her
hair down'.  They both enjoyed sex whether it was slow lovemaking or
spicier, even kinky, play.  But those girls, those women at strip clubs
were trained to separate men from their money by whatever method they
could. And what guy, given enough alcohol and peer pressure, could turn
down a stacked babe offering a private viewing in the back room?

   That night in bed she found herself attacking him, first with a
world-class blow job and then riding him cowgirl style, letting her breasts
slide over his chest off and on, something she knew he absolutely loved. 
When he came, he seemed to groan louder than usual, something that
triggered in her one of her best orgasms in over a year.

   Once they snuggled together and after he fell asleep, her mind continued
to race.  Why had he been so vocal?  That was unusual.  Was he imagining
himself with one of those girls at the club?  Was he fantasizing the whole
time?  After several hours of worry, she finally fell asleep exhausted.

   *****

   They didn't discuss things any further for the next few days but on the
following weekend the subject came up again, that is, she brought it up
after another wild session of sex.

   "You seem to be a little wilder in the sack lately, Honey."

   "You think?"

   "Yeah.  Uh, why do you think that is?"

   "I didn't honestly think I was."

   "Well, look at you.  You moaned like crazy and usually you're pretty
quiet.  Were you, uh, were you thinking of something else, someone else?"

   "Uh, Kate, I'm sure you fantasize about others now and then, like I do.
It doesn't mean I don't love you, it's just a head game."

   "Well, who was she?"

   "Who was who?"

   "The gal you were fantasizing about."

   "No one in particular.  Look, let's please drop this.  I've never
inquired about your fantasy guys and I don't think this is something we
need to divulge to each other."

   "OK, you're right.  I guess I'm feeling a bit vulnerable right now."

   "Vulnerable?  Why?"

   "Oh, the whole strip club thing."

   "Hon, you're kidding.  Right?"

   "No, not really.  I'm afraid you'll see some hot babe and forget about
me."

   He rolled over to her and looked at her directly in the eye.  "You have
absolutely nothing to worry about.  I'm sure while those gals may be
superficially attractive, they can't hold a candle to you where it counts."

   "Oh, Sweetie, that's so nice of you.  But I'm a girl and we've been
raised in our society to worship looks and we compare ourselves..."

   "And you're unbelievably beautiful and I love you and no one else.  I'll
probably go to this thing, have a drink or two, toss some bills at the feet
of the dancers and leave as soon as socially appropriate."

   "Still, they're probably gorgeous."

   "I wouldn't be surprised if some weren't a bit hard around the edges. 
The life of a stripper can be pretty tough.  And even if they're pretty,
I'm still coming home to you, I promise.  And I promise no backroom stuff."

   "OK," she answered meekly.

   "I love you and don't you ever forget it.  OK?"

   "OK."

   *****

   Kate was surprised at herself and how worried she was about the whole
thing.  She had never doubted her husband's love for her or his fidelity.
But there was just something about the idea of a strip club that bugged
her. Off and on over the next several days her mind kept going back to the
same old topic and try as she might, it bothered her.  There was one good
thing that came out of her anxiety, however.  Sex with Phil was the best
she'd had in months.

   One day she got a call from a potential job site to come in for an
interview.  The caller was the owner of a wholesale nursery outside of town
who needed someone to work in the propagation center.  Kate was excited to
think her degree in botany could actually be put to use in a new job.  The
interview went very well and since the owner hinted she wanted to have Kate
come onboard, she was on cloud nine on her way home.

   Since it was such a nice day, Kate decided to drive around a bit more
and explore the countryside.  Instead of returning on the interstate, she
eventually found herself on Westhammer Road.  As the Kitty Klub appeared
ahead on the right, she realized her car was slowing and finally stopping
at the parking lot without her even consciously thinking about it.  The
building looked freshly painted and the parking lot had apparently been
recently asphalted and striped.  There were nearly twenty cars parked in
front and more could be seen down a narrow driveway towards the back.  She
realized they must be doing pretty well.

   Suddenly, she found herself out of the car and walking up to the front
door, as if driven by an unseen force.  Upon entering, she heard a sultry
tune playing on the sound system and behind a rather large, tattooed
bald-headed man, she could tell the room was dimly lit.

   "May I help you?"

   "Uh, I was, uh, passing by and thought I'd check it out."

   "Not looking for a job, then?"

   "No!  No," she laughed nervously.  "What's the cover?"

   "For ladies, it's free.  Gents cost fifty."

   "Mind if I peek in and maybe get a drink?"

   "Be my guest.  Bar's on the left."

   As she headed to the bar, she saw the stage to her right.  A fairly
young appearing woman, probably in her mid-twenties, was in the beginning
of her apparent routine.  She wore a long, shimmering gown and had a
feather boa looped around her neck.  Once at the bar, Kate ordered an
unbelievably expensive rum and coke before turning around to watch the
stripper.  She gyrated and strutted across the stage in time with the music
as she slowly pulled down the zipper in front, inch by inch.  Once the
zipper was open to her pelvis, the dancer slowly teased the gown off her
shoulders and shimmied it to her waist.  A few customers in front of her
hooted and tossed some bills on the stage floor which brought a coy smile
to her face.  Next the dress was slowly pushed over her hips and dropped to
the floor.  She stood up and thrust her chest to the audience.  After
several trips across the stage, she reached up and opened the front of her
sequined bra, teasingly holding it over her nipples until the men threw
more cash at her.  Smiling again, she tossed the bra but kept her hands
covering her nipples.  She looked down at the men and once a few more bills
were tossed her way, she dropped her hands.  All that remained was the
world's tiniest G-string.  Whistling and calls to 'take it off' erupted as
she shyly shook her head from side to side as she danced and swayed to the
music, thrusting her chest towards the crowd.

   "Gentlemen," came a voice over the loud speaker, "Ginger is a shy one.
If you want to see more, you'll need to convince her."

   Kate could easily figure out the whole process.  The dancer danced and
teased until more money came her way and then an item of clothing would
fall.  But she was surprised there were calls for the G-string to come off.
Wasn't it against the law to be completely naked in a strip club?  At least
it had been in her home state, she thought.  As she watched the little
drama about the G-string unfold, she looked critically at the dancer.

   She was surprisingly average looking.  Her boobs were decent but not
huge.  The dancer's waist was a tiny bit thick as were her upper thighs. 
Her hair was a mousy blonde cut in a pageboy style surrounding a cute but
not gorgeous face.

   'She looks pretty normal, if you ask me,' thought Kate, 'Hell, I think I
look better than she does.'

   After another shower of cash, Ginger bent at the waist with her ass
facing the crowd and slowly peeled the G-string over her ass and down her
legs.  Kate couldn't believe Ginger was showing everything to the crowd! 
Upon turning around and facing the crowd, she knelt with her legs spread
apart and slowly bent backwards as she allowed her knees to widen even more
given the audience an amazing view of her shaved crotch!  After pretending
to masturbate, she hopped up and continued to dance sensuously for another
thirty seconds or so before the music wrapped up.  Ginger stood at the
front of the crowd, bowed to the audience with a huge smile, scooped up her
clothes and the bills on the floor before skipping off stage.

   "Give a big hand for Ginger," called the announcer, "We're going to take
a few minutes break and next up will be Sexy Shannon!"

   As the lights dimmed on the stage, Kate realized her drink was
completely gone.  She sat there and chewed on the ice as her mind raced
about what she had seen.  She couldn't believe the dancer was totally nude
at the end, without even a stitch.  How could a girl, how could a woman do
it?  How could she debase herself in front of a crowd of raucous and
leering men?  Yet Kate found herself oddly stimulated by what she had seen
and suddenly wondered for a brief second what it must be like to be up on
the stage.

   As her mind raced, Kate did not see Ginger come up beside her again
wearing the long gown but without the boa.

   "Hi.  Like my dance?"

   "Uh, yeah, I guess."

   "Great!  Uh, do you dance?"

   "Well, yeah, but not stripping."

   "I see.  What are you doing here?  Looking for a job?"

   "No!  No, I just dropped by for a drink."

   "Let me get another one for you."

   "Uh, no thanks.  Close to dinner and I'd get pretty tipsy if I had a
second one."

   "Oh, sure.  You see," she whispered as she leaned towards Kate, "I'm
expected to sell more drinks after I've been on stage."

   "Uh-huh."

   "I also use the opportunity to try and get someone to go for a private
show in back."

   "Ah, I see.  Well, don't let me keep you from your rounds."

   "Ever seen a private show?"

   "No, this is the first time I've ever even been in a strip club."

   "Oh, wow.  Are you, uh, do you like women?"

   "You mean am I a lesbian?  No, totally straight and married to a great
guy."

   "Then why are you here?"

   "Seems he's been invited to a bachelor party here in a several weeks and
he doesn't wanna to go.  I was driving by, my car seemed to stop on its
own," she chuckled, "I got curious and thought I'd check things out."

   "Cool.  You see, actually it's fairly tame, at least out front.  We
strip and all but there's nothing more."

   "What about in back?"

   "Things are a little bit racier there.  The rules are the guys can't
touch the girls at all but we can touch them, at least through their
clothes."

   "Oh."

   "Say, would you like to come back and watch me if I get a private dance
set up?"

   "I don't think so, I mean it'd be kind of weird being in the room with
you.  Wouldn't he think I should join in?"

   "No, Silly.  You'd watch through the two-way mirror.  It's a safety
feature but it's kinda fun to see what the other girls are doing."

   "Oh, OK, I guess I could."

   "If I get a guy, wait a few seconds, go through that curtain over there
and once you get to the blue door, find Freddy and tell him you're my
friend."

   "OK, and thanks, Ginger."

   "Susan."

   "Susan?"

   "Yeah.  Ginger's my stage name."

   "Oh, got it.  I'm Kate."

   "Nice meeting you, Kate."

   She turned away and strutted over to the tables with men impatiently
waiting for the next dancer.  Kate watched her talk to the men and was
impressed at how smooth she appeared.  Ginger/Susan would lay a hand on a
man's shoulder, lean over allowing her breasts to be easily seen and
whisper in his ear.  After several such visits she returned to the bar and
gave drink orders to the barkeeper.

   "I think I may have a taker for a private dance.  See the guy with the
brown sweater?  He's interested, I can tell."

   "How?"

   "He complimented me on my dance and slipped a bill into my cleavage. 
That frequently means they're ready to jump."

   "How much, I mean, how much does a dance cost?"

   "A basic dance, kinda like what you saw on the stage, is one-fifty, but
the real money is in the touching.  Like I said, we're allowed to touch
them through their clothes and most guys get pretty excited from that. 
Some even come in their pants but the rest probably go home to shake hands
with Yul Brynner," she giggled.

   "But they can't touch you?"

   "No!  That's against the law.  It's considered prostitution if we touch
their bare cocks or if they touch us at all.  They have to keep their hands
to themselves.  Anyway, a touch dance, as we call them, costs the guy three
hundred."

   "Wow.  Kinda expensive.  You must be doing pretty well."

   "Yeah, it beats secretarial work and quite frankly, the tips can be
fabulous.  The house gets half of the dance fee but the tips are all ours.
Look, the drinks are ready.  Keep watching me and if I look right at you
when I come back, that's your signal."

   "Got it." Kate watched Susan carry the three drinks back to the tables
before leaning over the brown sweater guy and whispering in his ear.  A few
seconds later he nodded his head, slipped her some money and stood up,
drink in his one hand and holding her hand with his other.  As they walked
towards the back, she looked right at Kate and gave a tiny nod.

   Kate waited about thirty seconds before making her way towards the back.
When no one stopped her as she approached the curtain, she walked right
through, down the hall and to the blue door.  There, a short man with
stringy black hair rose to greet her.

   "This here's private, Ma'am."

   "I know but Susan invited me back to watch.  Is that OK?"

   "She invited you?"

   "Uh-huh."

   "Hmm.  Well, no harm in watching, I guess.  She's there in the blue room
so you go one door over.  Pull the drapes back but keep the light off and
you'll see everything just fine.  If she looks to be havin' any trouble,
let me know."

   "Sure.  Thanks, Freddy, right?"

   "Yeah.  Susan tell you my name?"

   "Yeah, and I'm Kate."

   Once the light was off, she pulled the drapes back and looked in the
room.  She could hear the music Susan had begun to dance to in front of
Brown Sweater, as she called him.  He was on a wide, semi-recumbent chair
with his hands down by his side.  Susan gyrated in front of him and went
through a similar but perhaps faster striptease than she had done up front.
However, she would break frequently and crawl over him, spreading her legs
and pretending to ride him cowgirl style.  Once Susan was nude, Kate could
see she was lowering herself right over his crotch and it even looked like
there was contact between her crotch and the obvious bulge in his pants. 
She gyrated forward and backwards over him until he closed his eyes, thrust
his pelvis towards her and spasmed several times.  Kate realized he had
just come!  Once he opened his eyes, he smiled at Susan and began to raise
his arms as if to give her a hug.  Susan smiled as she politely led his
hands back down to his side.  There was a bit of murmuring conversation
before he stood up, opened his wallet and gave her several bills.  Once
Susan had dressed and escorted him from the room, Kate closed the drapes,
turned on the lights and with her mind racing at what she had just seen,
left to go back to the bar.

   There Susan came up to Kate and asked what she had thought.

   "It looked like he came.  Does it happen often?"

   "Occasionally.  Those guys are usually so embarrassed that they tip
pretty heavily."

   "How much did you get from him?"

   "One hundred tip on top of half the three hundred for the dance.  Not
bad, huh?"

   "So, in addition to half the money you got from the dance up front, you
picked up two fifty?"

   "Yup."

   "Wow.  How often do you dance?"

   "Three or four nights a week.  I'm putting quite a bit into savings and
once I have enough, I'm moving far, far away and starting my life over. 
I'm not a hooker but clearly, I can't meet a guy or stay here long term."

   "How'd you get into this?"

   "A girlfriend told me about it.  I came out, did a little audition with
Carlos, the owner, and he hired me.  It took a few days until I was
comfortable with the whole nudity thing but now it's just a job.

   "Look," she went on, "I've got to get back to selling drinks.  Nice
meeting you."

   "Yeah, you too.  And thanks for showing me around."

   Kate knew it was getting late and she had to hurry home but she spent a
few more minutes watching the next dancer go through her routine.  Certain
features were similar to Susan's but this dancer was sultrier and less
girl-next-door in her actions.  She seemed to be doing quite well in the
thrown money department so Kate turned to leave, dodging an obviously drunk
patron on her way out the door.

   On the way home, Kate's mind was racing with images of what she'd seen.
And she felt slightly better about Phil coming to the club, so long as he
stayed in the front and didn't do a private dance.  She picked up a pizza
on the way home for dinner beating Phil by a few minutes through the door.

   "Pizza, huh?"

   "Yeah, just got home from the interview."

   "How'd it go?"

   "Good.  She sounded like she wants to hire me.  Pay's a bit low but it
will get me out of the house and I can use my degree some."

   "When would you start?"

   "She suggested in about three weeks or so.  She'll let me know for sure
next week and give me the details."

   "Great.  I know you've been wanting to get back to work and this will at
least do that for you."

   *****

   Kate did receive a nice job offer with a start date soon after Phil's
anticipated trip to the Kitty Klub.  She tried to keep her mind busy with
decorating their new place and getting to know the community better but in
spite of everything, her mind kept going back to her visit at the stripper
bar.  She never did tell Phil about her visit fearing he'd be upset or
think she was spying or checking up on things.

   She found herself intrigued by the whole stripping 'culture,' if you
could call it that, and even did some online research about strip clubs and
the women who worked there.  Since her mind was so preoccupied with the
topic, she found herself increasingly horny.  Several times after doing her
research and watching strip tease videos, she was so turned on she had to
take care of things with a quick session of two-fingered tango.  Also, for
the first time since they were married, she indulged in some me-time with
BOB, her battery-operated boyfriend.  On the one afternoon Phil was able to
get off work early, she attacked him right as he came through the door,
laughingly demanding he 'put out' or get out.  Phil gladly complied without
question.

   About two weeks before the anticipated bachelor's party, Kate's mind
kept drifting back to the Kitty Klub and her experience watching Susan's
dance up front and the private session in back.  As she wondered what it
would feel like to strip in front of horny strangers, Kate had a sudden
thought.  What if she got up on stage?  What if she danced and stripped? 
She never thought she'd make a habit of it, but she thought it would be
interesting to try it, at least once.  One time wouldn't be a big thing,
would it?

   Then another idea struck.  She could dance on the night of the party! 
Maybe she could get permission to dance once and it would be in front of
Phil!  His coworkers didn't know her or even know what she looked like. 
Maybe she could wear a wig so they'd never recognize her in the future. 
Phil would certainly recognize her and she began to wonder what his
reaction might be.  She doubted he'd be angry and he might enjoy the prank
she'd be pulling on him at the bachelor party.  Her mind raced with all the
possibilities until she decided she'd at least look into it.

   That afternoon she hopped into her car and drove out to the Kitty Klub.
The same bouncer at the door recognized her and asked, "Back for more?"

   "Uh, kinda.  Is there any chance I can speak with Carlos?"

   "Lookin' for a job 'cause if you are, he's told me he's got a pretty
good group of girls right now."

   "No, I'm looking for a special favor.  It's kinda hard to describe so if
I could get three quick minutes of his time, I'd appreciate it."

   "Let me check." He grabbed his phone, hit an icon and was apparently
talking to Carlos within seconds.  "Uh, Boss, nice lady here wants to bend
your ear for three minutes.  You available?....OK, I'll send her back.

   "Uh, Sweetheart, he'll see you but make sure you don't waste his time.
Go through the curtain..."

   "The one that leads to the private rooms?"

   "Yeah, that one.  His office is at the very end.  Good luck."

   With her heart beating double-time in her chest, she slid around the
side of the room, through the curtain and down the hallway.  At the last
door she knocked softly.

   "Come in."

   "Hi, uh, Carlos, right?  I'm Kate and I have a big favor to ask of you,"
she said as she shook his hand.

   "Since I don't know you, any favor would be huge.  What's up?"

   "Uh, well, this is kinda embarrassing, at least for me.  You see, my
husband is coming here in about ten days for a bachelor party for one of
his coworkers and I, uh, I..."

   "Out with it, Honey."

   "Ah, shit.  Well, here goes.  I want to surprise him and do a dance here
in the club when he's here."

   The silence in the room was deafening as Carlos looked at Kate.

   "So, one dance on one night, basically a one-off?"

   "Yes."

   "Ever stripped before?"

   "No."

   "You a dancer?"

   "I've done some ballroom, modern dance and as a teen I even did some
ballet, so, yeah, I can strut and move to the music."

   He stared at her some more before going on.  "Usually when I go to hire
someone I have them do a trial run in front of a few of my employees and
some of the other girls to make sure they can handle it.  Then they do a
show when we first open on a slow day.  I don't think I wanna waste all
that effort and time for a one-off."

   "But this is a one-time thing only.  Surely you could do this without
the trial run."

   "I've got a reputation to think of.  If you were a dud, it could hurt my
business."

   Kate had to chuckle to herself.  An owner of a strip club was worried
about his reputation!  "Look, all I ask is for five minutes.  I'll go home
and practice and make sure it is reasonable.  I'm even willing to watch a
few of your girls' shows to make sure I'm doing things in the same vein."

   "Hmm.  What's in it for me?"

   "You get all the receipts.  I'll scoop up the cash and bring it to you
personally.  I won't take a dime."

   "You willing to do a backroom session?"

   The thought had never occurred to Kate.  Certainly, she'd never do it
with a strange man but maybe she'd be able to entice Phil back there. 
"Only if it is with my husband and if he does, all of his money will be
yours as well."

   "Interesting proposition.  Hmm.  Let's see what you got."

   "What?"

   "Let's see what you got.  Take off your clothes."

   "Uh, I think you can tell from the outside I'm generally decent looking
and..."

   "If you wanna do this, I need to see the goods.  Again, I've got a
reputation and my girls are all good looking."

   "I've seen a couple and I'd agree but what about Susan?"

   "So, you've met Susan?  She's special.  She's our 'girl next door.'
Nearly every strip joint has one of them.  A lot of guys get off to someone
like that because they get too intimidated by the babes but with Susan they
get to see some bare tits and ass from someone they could potentially see
themselves with."

   "I see.  And you want to see...?"

   "Yup and don't worry, you're safe here.  I see more pussy in a week than
most guys do in a lifetime and I'm not about to hurt you or take pictures
or anything."

   "You want me to do a practice strip show for you?"

   "Nope.  Just need t' see the goods."

   "OK, uh..." Kate stood up and slipped off her coat and shoes before she
turned to her blouse.  As she undid the buttons slowly, she realized this
would be the only time since she first slept with Phil that she exposed
herself to a new guy.  Even her doctors had been women.  Once the buttons
were undone, she pulled the tails from her slacks and dropped the blouse on
the chair behind her.  Next, her slacks dropped to the floor, she stepped
out of them and stood facing Carlos.

   "You're not done, Kate, wasn't it?"

   "You want everything...?"

   "Come on.  You're gonna strip in front of several dozen guys.  What's
one more right now?"

   "OK," she answered nervously.  She reached behind herself, unhooked the
bra and dropped it on the chair.  Finally, the panties were slid down to
her knees from where they fell to the floor.  She stood up straight, thrust
her chest slightly towards him and waited with a bit of a proud, defiant
look in her eyes.

   "Nice.  Good tits.  What are they, C or D?"

   "Depends on the brand.  Usually a D, sometimes a C."

   "Turn around slowly.  Nice ass, if I say so myself.  Full, but not huge.
No extra fat.  You know, Kate, you're a fine-looking woman."

   "Thank you," she replied with a nervous giggle.

   "One thing, though.  You gotta lose the bush."

   "Oh, I've gone natural lately but I used to keep it cropped short and
shaved to a narrow dart.  Would that be OK?"

   "I guess, but most guys want the pussies to be totally bare.  You'll
need to at least shave your lips so when you show your pussy off, they can
see the lips."

   "Does that mean you'll do this, I mean, let me do this?"

   "Kate, all of my business brain is sayin' not only 'no' but 'hell no.'
But somehow, I think I want to give this a shot.  Maybe I could turn this
into the beginning of something like an amateur night or something. 
Anyway, you have a deal."

   "I do?  Thank you, Carlos," she squealed as she ran over and gave him a
hug before remembering she was totally nude.

   "You're welcome.  Now, a few things.  I'll need the exact date so I can
warn the announcer and let the girls know.  I'll try to have Susan there as
your emotional support girl.  You'll need to pick your music and bring it
on a flash drive.  Try to keep the song to about five or six minutes.  New
dancers are nervous, tend to strip too quick and then end up dancing nude
for too long.  The thing to remember is the 'tease.' The more you tease,
the better the reception and the better the tips."

   "Wow, it's a lot to remember," she said as she started dressing.  "How
about I call you tomorrow with the details?"

   "Sure.  Sounds good.  Give me your number and I'll have Susan call you.
OK?"

   "Yes.  And thank you, Carlos.  I'm sure I'll be nervous but I promise
you I'll deliver a decent show, maybe even a good one.  I'll practice a
lot."

   "Good.  Nice meeting you, Kate.  Oh, one last thing.  You'll need a
stage name."

   "Kiss me Kate?"

   "Nope.  You need a totally new, fake name.  How about Darling
Clementine? Kinda cute and I'm sure we'll never have need for the name
again."

   "Clementine it is.  Thank you."

   Once back in her car Kate suddenly started to shake with nerves.  She
had done it!  After stripping in front of a complete stranger, she had
arranged for a surprise strip show for her husband in front of his
colleagues, yet none of them would know it.  She was sure he'd be blown
away and though it would be a big surprise, she figured he'd go with it. 
And after her dance, maybe she'd try to get him to go in back for a private
dance!

   *****

   Susan called bright and early the next morning.  "Kate, I heard the good
news.  Are you excited?"

   "More nervous than anything."

   "Carlos wanted me to help you, you know, get an outfit and plan your
dance.  Maybe help you with a practice dance."

   "That'd be great."

   "What's your stage name gonna be?"

   "Clementine, you know, like Darling Clementine."

   "You mean like in that old song?"

   "Yeah.  Carlos picked it."

   "Hey, maybe we can work with it.  When can I come over?"

   "Why not now?  Time's a wasting."

   In less than an hour the two were sitting in Kate's living room drinking
coffee.  Susan was clearly excited about Kate's planned dance and kept
throwing out ideas, most of which Kate wasn't too thrilled with.

   "Wait, I've got it.  You'll love it."

   "What?"

   "You're gonna be Clementine, right?"

   "Yeah?"

   "Why don't you dress up like a woman from the eighteen hundreds before
you strip?"

   "Uh, that might have possibilities."

   "You know, long dress, corset, chemise and bloomers!"

   "Where would I get those?"

   "There's an intimate apparel shop here in town and they have a few
Victorian items."

   "Maybe we should go there and figure things out."

   "Yeah and we've got time to modify them for stripping.  I mean, you
can't be slowly unbuttoning the corset, could you?  Would take too long."

   Thirty minutes later they were at Sally's Slinkies, an upscale lingerie
shop.  Without telling Sally about the stripping, Kate was able to try out
all the items needed.  Sally pointed out modern corsets weren't quite so
binding as in the 1800's and could easily be taken off by the wearer with a
hidden zipper in back or in front.  Under the corset Kate would wear a
thin, sexy chemise.  Next came the bloomers.

   "These are crotchless," exclaimed Kate.

   "Yes, back in the day women needed to remain modest and they'd simply
squat to pee right through the slit.  No need to pull down the whole
garment."

   "I don't know," hesitated Kate before Susan jumped in.

   "Kate, it's exactly the right thing, you know..." she winked.

   "Oh, yeah, I see.  So, what will these three things run?"

   Next, they went to a costume shop and quickly found a long, Victorian
dress with a low bodice.  Back at her house, Kate laid the items out.

   "Now, we need to convert these for stripping," offered Susan.  "The
dress should be easy.  We can put two tiny dots of Velcro in back so you
can easily pull it open before you drop it to the floor.  Can you sew?"

   "Not really."

   "I have to modify my costumes all the time so I'll come back tomorrow to
help with that.  The corset already has a zipper and all we'll do is tie a
ribbon to it.  You could bend over and let one of the guys pull the ribbon
down."

   "Yeah, that'd work."

   "You can pull the chemise over your head and the bloomers, well they can
simply be pulled down, after you let everyone see they're crotchless."

   "Uh, is that such a good idea?"

   "Hell yeah.  You can bend over and wiggle your ass at the crowd and
they'll see your puss.  Perfect!  So, I'll bring over my sewing equipment
tomorrow to fix those two items.  Now, let's plan on the music and outline
your dance."

   They spent quite some time looking for music to dance to.  They both
felt it should be easy to listen to and not be hip hop, which might clash
with the Clementine image.  They kicked around several ideas until they hit
upon using an old tune from the eighteen hundreds which had a nice melody
and a pulsating beat.  She could incorporate some old dance steps from
reels and polkas into her act.

   "OK, now let's do some early planning on your acts, as I call them. 
Each item of clothing is an 'act.' We know how long you'll be up there
since the song is nearly six minutes long.  You've got four items to remove
so you'll want to plan on one item each minute or so leaving you nude for
about a minute and a half.  That's perfect."

   "Are you sure I need to be nude that long?  I thought I'd pull off the
last thing just as the lights go out."

   "No.  You've gotta give them something or they'll sit on their wallets.
Now, let's move the furniture back and use your living room as a practice
stage."

   Susan and Kate spent the next hour outlining a dance routine before
Susan had to leave for her next shift at the Kitty Klub.

   "Now, you need to keep practicing and work on your timing.  Try to use
the music to divide up your routine into five parts.  See you tomorrow."

   The next day the Susan finished working on the outfit.  The dress would
have tiny Velcro dots which would pull apart easily and the corset's zipper
had a ribbon tied to it.  The plan was for her to 'accidentally' remove the
dress first.

   "Then what you could do is turn to the crowd, put your index finger on
your lower lip and mouth 'Oops' to the crowd like it was an accident."

   "Great idea."

   "Then to remove the corset you should wave your finger at a guy and have
him pull the ribbon down all the while your feet are moving to the music.
After that, you slowly pull the chemise up but leave it covering those
wonderful boobs of yours for several seconds.  You wanna make 'em wait."

   "Got it."

   "Now you're down to your bloomers.  You'll need to bend over at the
waist facing away from the crowd.  Let 'em see your puss."

   "Will it show?"

   "It will if you put your hands on your cheeks and pull the cloth away
from the middle.  Again, your feet will have to be moving to the music
while you're doing this."

   "Good idea.  Uh, one thing we haven't discussed.  I need a wig to
disguise me.  I don't want any of my husband's coworkers to recognize me in
the future."

   "I've got it.  A red wig with pig tails, kinda like the Wendy's girl. 
We could paint on some freckles, too.  That would go great with the costume
and the 'oops' thing, too."

   "Oh, Susan, you should be a theater or a dance director.  You've got
some great ideas."

   "Thanks.  This is so fun.  I hope you're able to pull it all off without
getting too nervous."

   "I do, too.  Maybe by making things so tight with the music and the
timing, maybe I won't have time to be nervous."

   "You'll do fine.  Look, I've gotta run.  Work on your routine for a
couple of days and I'll come back Wednesday and you can do some full
practice runs with me at that time.  OK?"

   "Yeah.  And thanks again for all your help."

   Susan dropped by twice in the days leading up to the big event helping
Kate with tiny details.  Otherwise, Kate was on her own.  She went through
her routine seemingly dozens of times making sure she had the timing, her
footwork and her moves down pat.  She always had to stop well before Phil
got home to move the furniture, hide her outfit and make their home look as
normal as possible.

   *****

   On the big Friday night, Phil almost ruined everything.  He arrived home
early and seemed in a slightly sour mood.

   "What's up, Honey?"

   "I'm not sure I'm going."

   "You mean to the bachelor party?"

   "Yeah, it's not the thing for me."

   "I thought you decided you'd make an appearance so you could bond with
the rest of the team and then duck out kinda early."

   "Yeah, but even so..."

   "You know, you should go.  I'm not worried about you or us so I'll wait
here and when you return, well, you can tell me all about it.  Go on, have
an extra drink and try to have some fun."

   "Yeah, maybe you're right."

   Once he agreed to go, Kate let out a silent sigh, ate a quick bite with
Phil and led him to the door.  "Have fun, Honey.  I'll be waiting for you,"
she knowingly lied with a sly wink and a promising smile, "And remember, no
private shows."

   "I won't, I promise you."

   As soon as Phil drove down the driveway, Kate went to her closet and
pulled out her bag with the costume and the wig.  With nerves aflutter, she
hopped into her car and drove slowly to the Kitty Klub.  Once she saw
Phil's empty car sitting on the front lot, she drove around back, left her
car and walked up to the employee entrance.

   "Sorry, Sweetheart, this is for employees only."

   "Yeah, I know but I'm dancing tonight.  I'm Kate.  You can ask Carlos."

   "Oh, sure, go ahead."

   Inside, she found the dressing room and to her delight, Susan was
already there.

   "Hi, Kate.  Welcome.  Nervous?"

   "Yeah, a little, no, make that a lot!"

   "Here, let's get you made up and your clothes on.  You'll go on right
before me in about twenty-five minutes or so.  I'll be right off stage in
case anything happens."

   "Can I peek the audience?"

   "Sure.  Follow me."

   Between the curtains Kate could see a dancer doing some work on a pole
and right in front of the stage was a table of guys including Phil.  He
would be up close!  Her mind began to race about the possibilities.  She
was sure he'd recognize her even with her wig and fake freckles but she
wondered if maybe she could get him to be the one to pull off the corset!
To delay him figuring out who she was, she decided to alter her routine a
tiny bit and begin her show with her back to the audience and turn around
right before she 'accidentally' lost her dress.

   Back in the dressing room she told her idea to Susan who completely
agreed.  After she dressed, she pulled her hair up, slid on a tight, nylon
head-covering and the red wig.  Susan helped paint large 'freckles' across
her cheeks and nose before standing back and claiming, "No one, except for
your husband, would ever recognize you.  You look great.  Now you need to
relax until your name is called up.  Did you give your music to the DJ?"

   "No.  I'll run it to him now."

   A bit later, she heard the raucous applause from the crowd, signaling
another dancer had finished her routine.  Suddenly a cute little Asian gal
crashed into the dressing room with a fistful of money in one hand and her
clothes in the other.  "Are you Kate?"

   "Um-hmm."

   "You're up next.  The DJ guy said he'll announce your name once you're
onstage, OK?"

   "Yeah."

   "Your first time?"

   "Yeah."

   "Don't worry.  They'll love you.  Just go out and pretend you're dancing
for your boyfriend or whatever and forget all the faces out there.  You'll
do fine.  Sometimes it's good to imagine the guys are all naked as well. 
And smile!  They love smiles."

   "Thanks.  Well, Susan, here I go."

   She was going to dance naked in front of a crowd!  The thought made her
so nervous her hands were shaking and acid seemed to be boiling in her
stomach.  Once at the stage curtain, she paused and caught the announcer's
eye.  After he strolled over, she told him again her stage name and she
wanted to have the stage darkened while she entered.  Once she knelt, he
was to announce her name and start the music.

   "Good luck," he whispered.

   A few seconds later it started.  "Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight for the
very first time the Kitty Klub is proud to present a new and lovely lady.
Please welcome My Darling Clementine!"

   As the crowd applauded, the lights dimmed and she went to stage center,
turned away from the crowd and knelt down.  After a dramatic pause of ten
seconds or so, the music began and the lights came up.  And suddenly, she
was on stage ready to strip in front of many strangers and her husband, who
had no idea what was about to happen.  Her heart suddenly went into warp
speed and her nerves were on edge but after the first few bars of music had
played, she willed herself to relax and dance as she had practiced many,
many times.  By concentrating on her steps, she was able to calm down the
jitters in her stomach, the racing of her heart and the shaking of her
hands.

   In the first minute she strutted in time to the music while mostly
facing away from the group right in front of her.  At the exact moment she
had practiced it, she subtly pulled at her dress which popped open and fell
off her.  She acted startled, turned to the audience with a surprised look
on her face, let her index finger pull down her lower lip and mouthed
'Oops' to the cheers and laughter of the crowd.  A few bills flew onto the
stage in front of her.  They liked her!  That little bit of response gave
her a huge ego boost.  Maybe she wasn't going to bomb after all!

   But next was the most important part of the evening.  She'd have to look
at Phil and, if possible, get him to participate.  Her eyes quickly scanned
his table and sure enough, he was eyeing her with a totally astonished look
on his face.  He had recognized her!  She caught his eye, gave him a tiny
smile and as she danced for the next minute or so, kept looking right at
him and no one else.  At the correct point in her dance, she slid forward
to the edge of the stage, leaned over and waved her finger, signaling him
to come forward.  With a stunned look he responded and grabbed the ribbon
as she indicated.  Once she stood up, the zipper fell open and the corset
dropped to the floor.  The crowd went wild which she thought was
interesting since the only part of her skin visible was her arms.  The
chemise and bloomers covered the rest.

   After more steps in time with the music, she knew it was time to remove
the chemise.  With her nervousness again climbing rapidly, she faced the
audience and, as slowly as she could, pulled the bottom hem up until her
breasts were barely covered.  She looked down at the men with a questioning
look only to hear them shouting, "Take it off" and to see them throwing
more cash on the stage.  For a second, she let the hem drop lower to boos
and moans from the men before she quickly turned away and pulled the
chemise off, showing her back to the crowd.

   "Turn around!" "Let's see them!"

   While still dancing, she peered over her shoulder with a coy look,
smiled slightly and turned towards the crowd but with her hands covering
the girls and her feet keeping time with the old-fashioned music.

   "More!  More!"

   She took one hand off her chest and held it out palm up while covering
both breasts with the other.  The request for more money was instantly
understood and dozens of bills hit the stage.  She slowly dropped the arm
and danced proudly in front of the crowd, exposing her softly swaying
breasts to the men.  A quick peek at Phil confirmed he was still looking in
shock, but at least he was smiling.

   The last act, as Susan had called it, was next.  Once again, she turned
from the crowd and leaned forward, showing her ass to the crowd.  As the
music was getting louder, she reached her buttocks and pulled the bloomers
apart, exposing her pussy.  In addition to the sensation of fresh air on
her lips, she seemed to 'feel' everyone's eyes on them.  Even though the
crowd had recently seen several strippers in a row, they seemed to be
particularly vocal in their approval as calls for removing the last of the
cloth came from near and far.  She peeked over her shoulder with a grin
belying her nervousness and raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

   "Take them off.  Take them off," rang out through the room.  She turned
to them and right on cue, sixty seconds before the end of the tune, she
untied the little string at the waist and with a deep breath to steady her
nerves, she let the bloomers slide to the floor.

   Kate was naked, save for a pair of knee-high white stockings, in front
of the crowd and in front of her husband.  As she held her arms over her
head and slowly rotated around on dancing feet, she peeked at him again. 
There was a big smile of admiration on his face and he was nodding
slightly, telling her he approved, an action that went a long way to
calming her nerves and boosting her ego.  And off in one corner she saw
Carlos give her a subtle thumbs up sign.

   The lights dimmed and the crowd cheered, clapped and called for an
encore.  "Ladies and Gentlemen, you have just seen the very first dance of
My Darling Clementine.  Wanna see more of her?"

   The crowd went berserk.  The noise level went higher and higher until
Susan slipped beside Kate and said, "A quick little look and they'll toss
in another hundred, I guarantee.  Do it."

   Kate nodded to the announcer after Susan left and the lights went back
on.  She smiled at the men, waved, took a big bow and backed out of the
spotlight.  The money kept flying onto the stage for a minute or so until
things calmed down.  Susan stepped up and helped gather the money before
both went behind the curtain.

   "Wow, you're a big hit, Kate.  It must have been the innocent, old timey
thing, don't you think?"

   "Thanks.  I was so nervous at the beginning..."

   "Aren't you glad you practiced?"

   "Yeah.  It gave me something to concentrate on and it was easier to
forget I was bare-assed naked up there."

   "You got quite the haul.  They loved you."

   "Thanks, and you're the real reason I did so well.  I promised Carlos
all the money but I think you should have some of it."

   "Oh, don't worry about it.  I was glad to help.  This was fun!  And
don't forget, you'll need to get out there and sell some drinks and see if
you can sell a private show."

   "Phil's the only one I would ever give a private show to."

   "Well, do it.  You two could have some fun back there."

   "Yeah, maybe I should," she said with a gleam in her eye.

   Kate finished dressing, went up front and chatted with the barkeeper for
a few seconds.  Later, after she took a few drinks back out to the
customers, she went up to Phil.

   "Hey, weren't you the one who pulled off my corset?"

   "I, uh, well, yeah, I was."

   "Care to go to in back where it's a little more private?  I could show
you a really good time."

   "Sorry, I can't."

   Kate felt an instant twinge of disappointment.  "Why not?"

   "I promised my wife I'd stay up front."

   "You know, there are two kinds of shows in back: no touch and touching
allowed, that is I can touch you but you can't touch me."

   "Still, even if I went with the no touch, I'm afraid my wife would be
upset."

   "I'm sure she wouldn't be.  And besides, what's the harm in just
watching?  You've already watched me tonight.  And it's only for a short
little show."

   "But I'm a man of my word," he grinned.

   "Your loss.  Maybe some of your friends would be interested..." she said
as she turned to the rest of the table.

   "Uh, wait!  Look, if I go back, how much would it cost?"

   "One fifty for the look but no touching option."

   "Promise you'll never tell my wife so she holds it over me?"

   "I promise.  And I promise she'll never hold it over you," she said with
a wink.  She grabbed his hand and led him through the curtain to the
private rooms.

   "Which room is open?" she asked Freddy.

   "Green room is."

   "Honey, go on into the green room and wait for me.  I'll be right with
you." s Once Phil went in the room, she turned to Freddy and whispered,
"Hey, I don't know if you are aware but this will be my only time here.  It
was a surprise for my husband and he's agreed to come back for a no touch
show."

   "OK."

   "Thing is, I can't guarantee there won't be any touching, if you get my
drift.  So, no peeking, no looking.  We're married, so who knows what will
happen.  Understand?"

   "Yeah, uh, Kate, wasn't it?"

   "Good memory.  Thanks Freddy," she said, slipping three twenties into
his hand.

   Once in the room, she ran up to Phil and gave him a big, long hug.

   "This isn't exactly a no-touch situation."

   "I guess not, but they can't hit me with prostitution charges since
you're my husband."

   "Why the heck did you do this, anyway?"

   "Oh, Honey, I was driving back from the nursery interview, happened to
be on this street and I, well it was like I had no control over myself. 
The car stopped but I don't remember hitting the brakes.  The car door
opened and suddenly I was inside almost like someone was controlling my
actions.  Was weird.  I had a drink and met one of the dancers who was
super nice and down to earth and before I knew it, I was thinking this
could be a big surprise for you.  We've been working on my routine for two
weeks and it looks like it worked out."

   "You were amazing.  I still can't believe you did it.  What's with the
wig?"

   "I didn't want anyone from your work to recognize me down the line so I
had to disguise myself.  Like it?"

   "You look so different, it's like you're a new person."

   "Play your card right and you'll get to sleep with a 'new person'
tonight.  What music shall I put on?"

   "Anything.  You're in charge."

   Kate hit the 'random play' button, nudged Phil back into the chair and
began to strip again for him.  His eyes were glued to her and she could
tell right away he was getting excited.  And suddenly, so was she.  Seeing
his erection always turned her on and that night was no exception.  As she
undulated and strutted to a more modern tune, she felt a heaviness in her
pelvis and slippery dew between her lips, sure signs she was getting
excited.  She had him pull the corset's ribbon again and once she was down
to only the bloomers, she straddled his legs and reached for his belt and
zipper.

   "Hey, are we private?"

   "Um-hmm.  I tipped Freddy to make sure," she whispered.  Once she had
his cock pulled free, she leaned over and gave it several long licks. 
Scooting forward, she brought her pelvis closer to his, grabbed his cock
and spread wide the slit in her bloomers.  Once she had the positioning
right, she sank on him, driving him deep inside her.  Oh, it felt so, so
good!  She began rising and falling rapidly on him, feeling him deep within
her until she suddenly felt herself on the verge of a sudden climax, faster
than ever before.

   "Feels sooo good."

   "You, too."

   "I'm about to pop!"

   "Go ahead, Kate, let go."

   And she did, biting her lip to keep from screaming out loud.  As she
plunged on him, she felt him thrust up into her as he went over the edge
with her.

   After she collapsed on him, he gently rubbed her bare back and kissed
the top of her head.  She turned up to him and they shared a more intimate
kiss before she rose up off him and whispered, "Wow, that was fast!  By the
way, you owe me one fifty."

   "What?"

   "Carlos and I had a deal.  He'd let me do this and I agreed to let him
have all my earnings."

   "OK, here you go.  And it was worth every damn penny."

   They both got dressed and she led him back to the front, lightly
squeezing his hand before they went through the curtain.  She watched him
wander over to the table where he was greeted with hoots and high-fives. 
Little did they know...

   She turned and made her way to Carlos' office where she was greeted with
a big smile and even given a friendly hug.  "You were fabulous out there
like nothing I've ever seen in a rookie!  Great use of the name, crazy good
costume and the music fit perfectly.  I think the guys loved the innocent,
old timey feel to your act.  Fantastic."

   "Thanks Carlos and thanks for the chance to do this.  My husband was
totally surprised and enjoyed the whole thing.  Here's your money."

   "Kate, I don't want your money.  You deserve it."

   "No, we had a deal and I intend on keeping it."

   "Nope."

   "Yes."

   "OK, well, then keep the money your husband gave you and let's split the
rest like I do with the other girls.  You and your hubby can have a nice
dinner at a real restaurant on me.  Huh?"

   "Carlos, only if you insist."

   "I insist.  And if you ever want to do this again, give me a call."

   After she left the office, she peeked and saw Phil was gone, presumably
on his way home.  She knew she should leave soon so she thanked Susan again
and gave her a big hug before hurrying out the door.  At home she drove
into the garage, shutting the automatic door behind her.  Once inside, she
went into the living room to see Phil sitting there in his favorite easy
chair.

   "Just where have you been, young lady?"

   "I was, uh, I was at a club with some friends," she smiled.

   "Come here and let me smell you.  See there!  I can smell sex.  You've
been with a guy!"

   "No, I haven't," she laughed.

   "Yes, you have and you deserve to be punished!" He swooped her up in his
arms, hoisted her over his shoulder and walked into their bedroom with red
pigtails bobbing and her squealing the whole way.  Once he dropped her on
the bed, she called out, "Help, help me, a mean ol' man...." The rest of
her words were muffled as his lips met hers.

   *****

   Roughly three weeks later Kate came home late from work to find Phil
finishing up making dinner.

   "Wine!  I need a glass of wine!  And thanks for making dinner."

   "Here you go.  Rough day?"

   "Yes, it was.  They've thrown several projects at me but I still love
the work."

   "That's good."

   "What's really neat is they've given me my own little greenhouse and a
modest budget to work on cross pollination and hybridizations.  That's
gonna be so cool."

   "Great."

   "Yeah, and if I'm successful, they'll let me name any new plant line
though they'll get all the rights to it.  I could even name one after you."

   "Uh, I already have a plant named for me."

   "You do?"

   "Yeah, the Phil -odendron!"

   "Ohh," she groaned, "That was the worst pun imaginable."

   "Thought you might like it," he chuckled.

   "Hey, I got some other news, too."

   "Oh?  What?"

   "Carlos gave me a call today and told me if my new job doesn't work out,
he'd take me back as a dancer.  He says lots of people have been asking for
me to dance again."

   "What'd you tell him?"

   "I told him sorry, but Darling Clementine was lost and gone forever."

   "And you think my jokes are bad," he laughed as he reached over and gave
her a warm, sexy kiss.

   *****

   The song Darling Clementine was written in the 1880s and has been sung
around campfires and used in movies and by professional singers ever since.
It features Clementine who fell into a river and drowned because her
man/husband couldn't swim to save her.  The chorus runs:

   Oh my darling, oh my darling,

   Oh my darling, Clementine.

   You are lost and gone forever,

   Dreadful sorrow, Clementine.
   ****