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image was exhilarating. ”I have a wide range of interests,” she called after her mother. “Don’t worry about me.”

Fiona turned to the piano again, but before she resumed playing, she couldn’t help going over the critical part of the conversation she’d had with her mother. She reassured herself that the explanation of why she was spending so much time at Laura’s hadn’t been flimsy. On the contrary, it had sounded plausible and her mother had appeared to be satisfied by it. She breathed a sigh of relief.

She allowed herself a moment to think about why she’d really been at Laura’s for two hours. Her face bore a broad smirk as her mind swept through the one hour piano lesson, in which she had indeed performed Je Te Veux perfectly, and the following one hour bedroom session, which had featured a different kind of performance entirely. She suddenly felt a riot of sensations, picturing herself naked under Laura’s touch, but forced herself to concentrate on her practice and began playing again.

Fiona practiced everything that Laura had mandated, including the latest section of the Appassionata that she’d been asked to focus on and the quick piano solo from In My Life. When she had finally finished her practice for the night, she allowed her thoughts to return to the night before, once more savoring her time in Laura’s bedroom and the intimacy that they’d shared.

She also turned her thoughts to the Saturday ahead. Because she had performed Je Te Veux to Laura’s complete satisfaction, another visit to The Lantern had been agreed. Her mind now filled again with visions of the stage performances she’d seen there recently, Evelyn and Lila and The Shimmy Sisters. She didn’t know who would be dancing this week, but she was sure it would be another great night regardless. Hopefully Evelyn and Lila would be there, even if they weren’t dancing.

Throughout Thursday and Friday, Fiona’s uppermost thought was that Saturday couldn’t come fast enough, though it didn’t distract her from her piano practice. When Saturday did come, she practiced in the afternoon, making sure she was finished in plenty of time to get ready for her evening out.

When she and Laura arrived at The Lantern, the doorman gave them a brief nod of recognition as they entered, and Fiona took it as a sign that she was no longer a newcomer, but someone who belonged there. Inside they found the club busy but not crowded, their usual booth in the corner still available.

As they sat down, Fiona quickly scanned the room for Evelyn and Lila, her pulse quickening at the thought of seeing them again. She wasn’t disappointed, Lila’s long blonde hair making them easy to pick out. They were seated near the stage, Evelyn’s arm around Lila’s shoulders as they spoke to another woman Fiona didn’t recognize.

Laura caught the direction of her gaze and smirked, sliding a hand possessively over Fiona’s thigh beneath the table. “Eyes wandering already,” she murmured, “we’ve only been here a few minutes.” Despite her words, Fiona noticed that Laura’s own glance briefly flicked toward Evelyn and Lila.

"I wondered who was dancing tonight," said Fiona. “It could be Evelyn or Lila, or perhaps that woman they’re talking to. She could be a performer.”

“You sound as though you can’t wait,” Laura chuckled.

“I just like knowing what to expect,” Fiona said a little defensively, watching Laura’s smirk deepen.

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy the show, whoever’s dancing,” said Laura, still smirking. “You like ogling naked women.”

“I’ve become a big fan of burlesque,” said Fiona, on the defensive again. “It’s the tease I adore.”

“Well, before we discuss it any further, how about we get some cocktails?” said Laura. “Sex on the Beach?”

“Sex on the Beach?” repeated Fiona. “That’s the name of a drink? It sounds like something exotic.”

“I wouldn’t say exotic,” replied Laura. “It’s actually a club staple. But with your kind of vibe.”

With Laura away getting the cocktails, Fiona took her chance to look over at Evelyn and Lila again. She saw Evelyn leaning in to whisper something in Lila’s ear, and then Lila laughing, tossing her hair back. Evelyn then looked up and her gaze flicked across the room, directly at Fiona. Their eyes locked and Evelyn’s lips curled into a slow, knowing smile. Fiona’s pulse stuttered, only averting her gaze when Laura returned to the booth with their drinks.

Fiona picked up the tall glass she’d been given, the contents having a clearly layered appearance, yellow, orange, pink and red, and looking rather bright even under the club’s dim lighting. Not knowing what the cocktail was made of, she sipped it cautiously, pleasantly surprised to find it sweet and fruity.

She recognized the song being played in the club as My Funny Valentine, a jazz standard. But as it finished, the music shifted into a higher gear, a much brighter rhythm suddenly threading through The Lantern’s low hum of conversation. She didn’t know what the new piece of music was, but she knew she wasn’t the only one who’d noticed the change in tempo, as several women had now taken to the dance floor. She watched as they surrendered to the beat, allowing the music to carry them along.

Laura didn’t ask. She simply stood, extending a hand toward Fiona, a silent command. Fiona saw no reason to hesitate, setting her glass down, and slipping her hand into Laura’s grasp. The moment her palm met Laura’s, the older woman yanked her upright, pulling her close enough that Fiona could feel the heat radiating through her dress. "You’re dancing with me," Laura murmured, her breath warm against Fiona’s temple. "Let’s own the dance floor."

Laura’s grip tightened, steering Fiona toward the dance floor with purposeful strides. Laura’s hand slid from Fiona’s wrist to the small of her back, pressing just firmly enough to guide her forward without seeming to. An illusion of choice that Fiona recognized instantly. The dance floor was becoming crowded now, bodies swaying under the shifting amber lights, but Laura carved a path through them effortlessly, pulling Fiona into the center where the rhythm pulsed strongest.

Fiona’s body moved before her mind caught up, her hips swaying instinctively to the brassy swing of the trumpet, her pulse syncing with the drummer’s offbeat snaps. Laura’s palm burned through the thin fabric of her dress, steering her into a spin that sent her hair whipping across her flushed cheeks. When she stumbled, just slightly, Laura caught her by the waist, fingers digging in with a possessiveness that made Fiona’s breath hitch. "Eyes on me," Laura murmured, her lips brushing Fiona’s ear as she pulled her flush against her body. The heat between them was dizzying, Laura’s thigh slotting between Fiona’s with deliberate pressure.

The music swelled, now something brassy and decadent, and Laura’s hips rolled against Fiona’s in perfect synchrony, their bodies pressed so tight that Fiona could feel every shift of muscle beneath Laura’s dress. A bead of sweat slid down Fiona’s spine, trapped between the press of Laura’s palm and the silk of her dress. Across the room, Evelyn’s distinctive laugh cut through the din, sharp as a piano’s staccato, but Fiona didn’t glance away. Laura’s determined gaze had pinned her in place, darker than the club’s shadows.

The music pulsed around them, insistent and relentless now, and Fiona felt Laura’s thigh press between hers again, equally insistent and relentless. Then Laura used both her hands to grip Fiona’s hips, pulling her forward, guiding her into a slow, deliberate grind against her thigh. Fiona’s breathing became heavy, as she enjoyed both the contact itself and she feeling of being touched so intimately in public.

Laura’s smirk was a blade in the dim light. "Everyone’s watching now," she murmured, causing Fiona to instinctively look around. She saw that a number of women were indeed watching, though that didn’t include Evelyn and Lila who were nowhere to be seen. “It’s good that you’re an exhibitionist,” Laura continued. “It means you can really wallow in moments like these.”

Before Fiona could reply, the music came to a halt and Laura pulled back. There was a smattering of applause from those who had been watching, bringing a smile to Fiona’s face. She found that she liked being applauded for her public display, and for the first time the idea of being a stage performer flicked through her mind as a serious possibility, rather than just a fantasy.

All eyes now turned to the stage, though for the moment it remained in darkness, curtains in place, with no indication that any performance was imminent. Fiona waited, wondering if the delay was deliberate, a way of building suspense, but felt it more likely that the halting of the overhead music and the beginning of the stage performance just hadn’t been coordinated perfectly.

Then the stage lights came on and the curtain swept back. Lila stood center stage, in a gown of deep burgundy satin, its hem fluttering just above the floor. She was motionless, frozen in time, one gloved hand resting lightly at her waist, the other at her side. “Not who you wanted,” murmured Laura, a statement rather than a question. It was true that Fiona had been hoping for Evelyn, but she didn’t feel that disappointed. Lila looked absolutely stunning and Fiona’s tongue traced her lips in anticipation.

The music began, slow and sultry, the bass line throbbing like a pulse. Lila immediately moved into action, pivoting one way and then the other, her heels clicking perfectly in time with the unhurried beat. Each time she turned, the skirt of her gown spread wide and a high slit in the side opened a little, allowing a flash of bare leg. Fiona shuffled a little closer to the stage, Laura following right behind her.

Lila returned to the center of the stage and lifted her right hand overhead, the gesture smooth and unhurried. With her left hand, she pinched the tip of her opera glove and began to pull it away, inch by inch, easing it from her fingers as though she had all the time in the world. The glove slid off and she let it fall, immediately repeating the action with the second glove, until that also fell to the floor.

The dance resumed, but not for long, as Lila soon returned to center stage. She let herself settle for a moment, her fingers then moving to the first satin button at her collar. She undid it with exaggerated slowness, the fabric parting just enough to reveal the barest hint of shadow between her breasts. "Look at how she teases," Laura murmured into Fiona’s ear. "The art isn’t in the reveal, it’s in the delay."

Lila’s second button slipped free, the satin parting further to expose the delicate lace edging of a navy blue corset beneath. Lila’s fingers then moved unhurriedly to the third button, which eventually surrendered, the satin gown gaping open to reveal the full sweep of her corset - navy blue lace straining over the swell of her breasts, the tight cinch of her waist exaggerated by the garment’s architecture.

Lila now turned her back to the audience with a slow pivot, the gown slipping off one shoulder to expose the intricate lacing of the corset’s spine. The audience murmured approval, the air thick with their anticipation. Then the dance resumed again, but with a difference this time, as the looseness of Lila’s gown meant that each turn she made sent it sliding lower. Inch by inch it continued to fall.

The gown finally pooled at Lila’s waist. She danced on for a few moments, before returning to center stage again, where she stood and slowly pushed it over her hips, causing it to fall to the floor. This revealed her navy blue panties which matched her corset, and fully exposed her bare legs. With a dancer’s smooth movement, she stepped out of the gown, moving forward and leaving it behind.

Lila now came to the front of the stage, pausing for a moment, surveying the audience. Suddenly she locked eyes with Fiona, giving her a knowing smile and sending a jolt of electricity through her. Fiona immediately felt Laura’s hands on her hips, the possessiveness of her grip undeniable. Being stared at by one woman and held so tightly by another made Fiona’s stomach twist with excitement.

Laura’s grip on Fiona’s hips tightened even further when she saw how Lila’s gaze lingered and how Fiona gazed so steadily back. Lila’s smile widened, continuing to pin Fiona with her gaze, her hands moving over her corset’s lacing with theatrical slowness. Laura moved her own hands from Fiona’s hips and put them right around her waist, pulling her flush against her and holding her there.

Lila looked away now, surveying the audience again, and began unlacing her corset with tormenting slowness. The audience watched spellbound, knowing that Lila wouldn’t be hurried, but also aware that each tug exposed more pale skin beneath the blue lace. “Look how she has the audience in the palm of her hand,” murmured Laura against Fiona’s ear. “This is a masterclass in how to control a room.”

Lila’s corset loosened further, the laces slithering through her fingers, the blue lace now gaping to reveal the pale swell of her breasts. Still she drew out the suspense, continuing at her own unhurried pace, until finally she let the corset slip from her shoulders with a slow shrug, the garment pooling at her waist before she pushed it away entirely. A ripple of appreciation ran through the room.

Fiona’s breath hitched. She couldn’t help it. Laura immediately reacted by whispering in her ear. “Don’t get too excited girl. You’ve seen her tits before.”

Fiona wasn’t sure how to respond, or even if she should respond. But one thing she was sure of, she didn’t want to take her eyes away from the stage.

Lila had made her way to the front of the stage again, treating the audience to a little shimmy as she arrived, her breasts gently swaying from side to side. She stood there for a moment, surveying the audience once more, arching her back a little to push her breasts forward. The navy blue panties still clung to her hips, the only barrier left between her and the audience’s ravenous gaze.

Lila’s hands now slid lower, fingertips tracing the scalloped edge of her panties before hooking into the waistband with deliberate slowness. Then she paused, holding her position, before rolling her hips in a slow, provocative circle. Fiona’s stomach clenched, her own hips twitching involuntarily, causing Laura to react again. "What did I say about getting too excited? Lila’s just a cat playing with mice."

Lila now turned her back to the audience, and walked a few steps away, her fingers still under her navy blue waistband. After one of her signature pauses, the panties began to slide down her thighs, slowly getting lower, until they reached the point of no return and fell to the floor. Lila held per position for some moments, giving the audience a lengthy booty shake, before turning to face them again.

The spotlight caught the lean lines of Lila’s body, the sharp jut of her hipbones, the taut curve of her abdomen, and made her naked skin glow like polished marble. She returned to the front of the stage and simply stood still, letting the audience drink in every inch of her nakedness, holding herself with the unshakable confidence of a woman who knew exactly what power her body wielded.

Lila suddenly dropped to the floor of the stage and sat there, legs in front of her. She scanned the audience for a moment, before locking eyes with Fiona again. Without breaking the lock, she reached out and placed a hand on her knee, moving it slowly up her thigh. Fiona knew this was a tease and also knew that she’d been well and truly sucked into it, waiting with bated breath for what came next.

Fiona’s eyes flickered away from Lila’s, glancing down at her legs and her hand on her thigh, before looking back up again, finding that Lila’s eyes hadn’t moved and her gaze was still solidly on her. Then Lila smirked and slowly spread her legs and Fiona’s eyes flickered away again, inexorably drawn to the dancer’s explicit reveal, made even more explicit by her being so perfectly shaven there.

Fiona looked back up again, once more finding that Lila’s eyes hadn’t moved and her gaze was still solidly on her. Although she now felt hugely embarrassed at staring between Lila’s legs, when she knew very well that Lila was watching her as she did it, she found that she just couldn’t help herself, just couldn’t resist, her eyes drawn downwards again to where Lila’s legs were still spread apart.

The music suddenly reached a finale and Lila rose to her feet again, taking a bow and the acclaim of the audience. The applause was prolonged, but then the curtain fell and she disappeared from view. “I gather you enjoyed that,” Laura murmured. “Quite a performance, I must admit. But don’t let it turn your head. You still belong to me.” The possessiveness in her tone sent a shiver down Fiona’s spine.

Laura took Fiona by the wrist and led her back to their booth, her grip firm and unrelenting. Fiona’s mouth had become very dry after watching Lila’s stage performance, so she was pleased to find that her cocktail glass was still half full. “You know I saw how excited you got there,” said Laura. “You fell for her teasing, hook, line and sinker. After everything I told you last week about not forgetting yourself.”

“Oh no, I didn’t forget myself,” Fiona protested. “Lila’s just so sexy on stage. It’s not like I was the only one cast under her spell. She was controlling the whole room.”

“She’s very good at what she does,” Laura replied, “but I still think you enjoyed it way too much. Tell me exactly what you were thinking when you were staring at her so intently."

“I was wishing that I could dance like that," answered Fiona, diplomatically.

Laura let out a low chuckle. "I’m sure you weren’t thinking that when you were ogling her tits."

“I’m being serious,” Fiona protested. “At least I think I’m serious. I mean I’m starting to be serious."

“Serious about what?” It was Evelyn’s voice. Fiona looked up to find she and Lila standing in front of them, Lila now clad in a silk robe. She hesitated, taken a little by surprise.

“Do you mind if we join you?” asked Lila, although it appeared that they didn’t require an answer, stepping forward immediately and slipping into seats opposite Fiona and Laura.

“So, serious about what?” Evelyn asked again. “Or is it something private? Something I shouldn’t be asking about?”

“Maybe you’d be more interested in telling me what you thought of the show?” purred Lila.

“Fiona was just telling me that she admired your… technique,” said Laura.

“Well, it’s nice to be admired,” replied Lila. “I do my best to entertain. But what about you, Laura? What do you think?”

“I think your performance was... efficient. You know exactly which strings to pull to keep the room’s attention. To keep them wanting more.”

“Do you enjoy that power?” asked Fiona. “Knowing that everyone in the room is watching you?”

“I don’t think of it as power,” Lila replied. “I’m an entertainer. I like to entertain.”

“How would you feel, Fiona?” asked Evelyn. “If everyone in the room was watching you.”

“I… I’d find it exciting,” Fiona admitted. “It’s something I fantasize about now and then.”

“It doesn’t have to be just a fantasy,” Evelyn smirked. “Why not do it for real?”

“I don’t have the confidence to do it for real.”

Evelyn and Lila exchanged a glance. “Confidence isn’t something you wake up with,” Lila said. “It’s something you develop. Something you practice. Like a step. Like a turn.”

“The first time I ever went on stage,” said Evelyn, “I was so nervous I was shaking. I thought the audience could see it from across the room.”

Fiona couldn’t hide her surprise. “You? Nervous?”

Evelyn laughed, tossing her hair back with a theatrical flourish. "Oh yes, absolutely." She leaned in conspiratorially, her voice dropping to a whisper. "But you know what fixed it? The moment I realized the audience didn’t care if I was nervous or not. They just wanted to see me perform. So long as I tried my best they were always going to be on my side."

Fiona hesitated, unsure how to respond. “You really think I could…?” She trailed off, her voice barely audible over the club’s hum.

“Yes, if you wanted to,” said Evelyn. “If you truly wanted to.”

“Having the desire is what matters,” added Lila. “The spotlight isn’t for the half-hearted. If you’ve got the desire, you’d be fine."

“Assuming that Laura gives you permission, of course,” Evelyn smirked, turning her eyes to look at Laura.

Laura reacted very casually, her own smirk playing at the corner of her lips. “If Fiona wants to perform… then who am I to stifle her artistic expression?”

Evelyn’s smirk faded into something more calculating. "You’re giving her your blessing?" she asked, her voice low. “I thought you might be jealous of a whole roomful of women looking at Fiona naked.”

“No, I think Laura would enjoy it,” said Lila. “What do you say, Laura? Watching a roomful of women drooling over Fiona? Wouldn’t that turn you on?”

Laura remained quite casual. “I wouldn’t be giving Fiona my blessing,” she said. “I wouldn’t be giving her anything. I’d actually be testing her. Seeing what she was capable of.”

Evelyn nodded. “I like you’re thinking. In fact I think all three of us would like to see what Fiona’s capable of.”

“Make that all four of us,” said Lila, “as surely Fiona’s also keen to find out what she’s capable of. Wouldn’t you say so, Fiona?”

Fiona hesitated, unsure how to respond. “What if I said yes?”

“We’d show you some moves,” said Evelyn, “to get you started.”

“And we’d pull some strings with the management here to get you on the stage,” added Lila.

“This is all very sudden,” Fiona protested. “I need some time to think about it.”

“Of course,” said Evelyn. “Lila has to circulate anyway, so we’ll talk to you later.”

Evelyn and Lila exchanged a glance and then stood. “Later,” said Lila, and Fiona watched their retreating figures as they moved away, headed toward the bar.

Laura took a slow sip of her drink, studying Fiona over the rim of her glass. “You look like someone who’s just been handed a dare.”

Fiona exhaled shakily. “It feels like more than a dare.”

“Well, don’t let them talk you in to something you’re not ready for,” said Laura. “If you go ahead with it, make sure it’s your decision.”

“I can’t believe I’m even considering it.”

“Well, we both know you’re an exhibitionist,” Laura replied. “So maybe you should see this as an opportunity.”

Fiona suddenly relaxed and smiled. “Yes... it would be an opportunity.”

“Exactly. To see what happens when you stop fantasizing about who you could be and actually try being her.”

Before Fiona could reply, a young woman with a cheery grin collected their now empty cocktail glasses. “Would you like anymore drinks?” she inquired.

“Sex on the Beach, please,” said Laura, looking at Fiona, who nodded.

“Two Sex on the Beach,” said the young woman, still with a cheery grin. “Coming right up.”

Fiona decided to get back to the matter in hand. “You really wouldn’t mind? If I actually did this?”

“Mind?” Laura chuckled. “Fiona, I’m curious. I genuinely want to see what you’re capable of. I want to see what you can do when you’re not holding yourself back.”

“I could never be as good as those two,” said Fiona, thoughtfully. “Or the Shimmy Sisters.”

“You don’t need to be as good as them,” insisted Laura. “It’s not about being as good as them. It’s about doing your own thing and seeing what it feels like to be up there.”

Fiona nodded a little, thinking it over. “I see what you’re saying.”

“Remember what Evelyn said earlier,” Laura continued. “The audience will just want to see you perform. So long as you try your best they’ll be on your side.”

“Yes,” said Fiona, suddenly sounding very positive. “And I get the kind of experience I’ve fantasized about, but never thought would happen in real life.”

“Exactly.”

The young woman with the cheery grin returned, bearing their cocktails. Fiona picked up the glass placed in front of her immediately, thinking that a lengthy sip of her drink was in order before she spoke to Laura again, because she already knew what she was going to say and wanted to feel refreshed before saying it.

Fiona put the glass down again. “I’m going to do it,” she said. “I’m ready.” She lifted her chin, as though saying the words had shifted something inside her. Laura noticed it immediately, the subtle straightening of her posture, the spark behind her eyes.

“You’re ready,” Laura echoed, her voice warm but edged with curiosity. “I can see it.” “I should let Evelyn and Lila know,” said Fiona, feeling that she couldn’t wait to tell them. She looked around and her eyes quickly found them close to the bar, but they were deep in conversation with another two women and were clearly occupied at the moment.

“There’s no hurry,” said Laura. “You’ve made your mind up, that’s the important thing.”

Fiona’s eyes turned toward the stage, picturing herself up there, picturing herself performing up there. The stage lights burned hotter in her imagination than they ever could in reality, white-gold halos searing her skin as she stood center stage. She could almost hear the murmur of the crowd, almost see the dozens of eyes fixed on her, almost feel their anticipation as she began her performance.

The fantasy was so vivid she barely registered Laura’s fingers tightening around her wrist, grounding her back into the booth’s vinyl embrace. “You’re not just ready,” said Laura. “You’re looking forward to it. I can see you getting excited, just thinking about it.”

“It’s true,” Fiona replied. “But now that I’ve decided to do it, I can’t help feeling excited about it.”

“Don’t get too excited yet,” cautioned Laura. “You need to wait for Evelyn and Lila to confirm that they’ve managed to pull the right strings before you can say that it’s definitely going to happen.”

“It’s not all excitement anyway,” Fiona replied. “There’s part of me that still sees it as very daunting.”

Laura's fingers slid from Fiona's wrist to her thigh. "Well, you’ve got my confidence,” she said. “I see you taking to it like a duck to water.”

“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Fiona modestly.

“Well, while we wait," Laura murmured, her voice a slow curl of smoke, "let's discuss your future performance."

“My performance?”

“Yes.” Laura leaned in, her lips brushing the shell of Fiona's ear. "You need to be yourself on stage. No mimicking Evelyn's theatrics or Lila's precision. Stamp your performance with your own personality."

Fiona nodded. “I couldn’t dance like them anyway.”

“That’s not the point,” Laura replied. “The point is...” Her hand squeezed Fiona’s thigh. “You don’t have to be like them. You just have to be Fiona.”

Fiona nodded again. She looked toward the bar area, wondering if Evelyn and Lila were likely to return, wanting to give them her decision, and wanting to discuss the matter with them further, but she didn’t see them there. She quickly scanned the rest of the room, but they were nowhere to be seen.

“They must have gone backstage,” Laura commented, knowing very well why Fiona was looking around the room. “Lila must be dancing again soon, She’s probably getting ready.”

Laura was proven right when the music in the club suddenly came to a halt, a signal they both knew of an imminent stage performance. Fiona looked across the room at the stage, but it remained in darkness for the moment with no sign of activity, although a few people were gathering nearby. Fiona’s heart started to beat a little faster, thinking that before long it could her her they were waiting for.

“Let’s get nearer to the stage,” she said to Laura. “We can’t see that well from here.”

“Not as well as you want to see anyway,” chuckled Laura. “You obviously want to see her close-up.”

They crossed the room and joined the group that had gathered before the stage. Just as they arrived and settled into position, the stage lights clicked on and the curtains whisked away, revealing Lila standing in a long trench coat with the collar turned up, fedora tilted low over one eye. Fiona hadn’t expected anything like this and looked at Laura in surprise. Laura shrugged, looking rather surprised herself.

Fiona looked back at the stage. She had expected to see Lila in something shimmering or sequined, silk or satin. Something vibrant. Something sexy. Not something like this, which seemed quite incongruous. Before she could make sense of it, Lila’s music began, a slow, sultry number, a jazz noir, led by a languid saxophone with some gentle piano in the background. In another surprise, Lila didn’t start to dance, even as the music played on. She simply continued to stand center stage, not moving at all.

Finally, Lila moved. But even now she didn’t dance, but simply walked, unhurriedly crossing to one side of the stage and then the other, not giving the audience a glance. She turned toward the front of the stage and made her way forward, reaching the very edge, where she paused, lifting her chin. Her hand emerged from the trench coat’s pocket, moving to the fedora’s brim and slowly tipping it back.

Lila now scanned the audience, the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. Her other hand emerged from the trench coat’s other pocket and moved to the belt of the coat, loosening it but not untying it. Suddenly she locked eyes with Fiona, her smirk growing as she did so. Fiona felt her pulse quicken, but she held Lila’s gaze quite steadily, reveling in the personal nature of the moment.

Without breaking the stare, Lila now untied the belt. She paused, still holding the stare and her smirk, then reached up, pinched the brim of her fedora between two fingers, and slowly lifted it from her head. She then turned away and walked to the back of the stage, where a hand in the darkness there took the fedora from her. Lila now came forward again, fingers reaching for the top button of the trench coat.

Lila’s fingers moved with her usual unhurried precision, the trench coat's first button smoothly popping open, revealing a sliver of collarbone and the hollow of her throat. The second button followed, located at about nipple height, but the coat didn’t fall open much yet. It simply loosened, the fabric relaxing around her frame, but there was now a clear glimpse of black satin beneath.

Fiona felt Laura’s hands on her hips. “This is a masterclass in burlesque,” she whispered in her ear. “She may be wearing a coat, but the way she’s dressed has just made her performance more engaging.” Fiona nodded her agreement, taking a quick glance around the room and seeing what she expected. All eyes were riveted on Lila. She had the room on a string, Her control beyond question.

The brooding jazz noir continued, the slow, rhythmic pulse of the saxophone seeming to mirror the steady thrum of the audience's anticipation. As the third button was released, the heavy fabric of the trench coat began to lose its shape, gaping wide enough to reveal more of the dark satin shimmering underneath, together with the swell of Lila’s breasts which were barely contained by it.

The fourth button slipped free, the coat now open enough to offer a clear view of the black corset beneath. The fifth button was the last, and when that was released the coat flared open, revealing a matching black satin garter belt and dark, ultra-fine silk stockings with a distinct back seam.

Lila now retreated to the back of the stage. As she walked, coat swaying, Fiona noted the theatrical contrast between the masculine, oversized trench coat with turned up collar and the highly feminine ensemble which lay beneath. With a graceful shrug of her shoulders, Lila now allowed the heavy coat to slide down her arms, and it was expertly caught by a pair of hands in the darkness there.

Lila now moved forward again, one deliberate step at a time, her black stiletto heels clicking on the stage floor, her hips swaying just enough to make the sliver clasps on her garter belt shimmer under the stage lights. She reached the very front of the stage and stood there, scanning the audience, a perfect picture of control and confidence. A puppetmaster surveying her puppets.

Fiona reveled in how intimate the scene felt, with Lila so close to the audience, but eventually she retreated again, heading once more to the back of the stage. Fiona noted that whilst Lila had been at the front, a chair had appeared at the back, no doubt put there by the hands that had been visible in the darkness there. The hands which Fiona supposed were those of Evelyn.

Lila sat on the chair and released a stocking from the garter belt. Her fingers curled around the top of the stocking, peeling it down her thigh in her typically unhurried way. The stocking slid down her calf like liquid shadow, pooling at her ankle before she took off her shoe and pulled it away, then put her foot back in the shoe. She repeated the process with the other stocking.

Lila now stood, her fingers moving to her garter belt, which she unfastened and dropped on the chair behind her. She then came forward once more, still walking not dancing, her heels clicking sharply as she approached the front edge of the stage again. She stopped right at the very edge, scanning the audience with a confident smile on her face. Like a queen looking over her subjects, thought Fiona.

Lila began unlacing her corset with her characteristic slowness. The audience watched, quite captivated, knowing that the unlacing was a lengthy job at Lila’s pace, but knowing also that their patience would be well rewarded. "She’s such an expert at dragging things out," Laura murmured. “Which makes a corset the most perfect thing for her to wear, as that can be dragged out endlessly."

Despite Laura’s remark, the laces gradually came free, slithering through Lila’s fingers, the black satin gaping open to reveal the voluptuous swell of her breasts. She continued with the remaining laces, working at her own unhurried pace, happy to draw out the suspense. Finally, the last lace came undone, and with a firm shrug of her shoulders the corset slipped away, pooling around her waist.

Fiona gasped, not from the sight of Lila’s bare breasts, but from Laura’s hands suddenly grabbing her around the waist and pulling her close, tight to Laura’s own body, holding her there possessively. Despite being taken by surprise, and apart from that initial gasp, Fiona chose not to acknowledge Laura’s move at all, keeping her eyes firmly on the stage where Lila was playfully cupping her breasts.

The corset was still lingering around Lila’s waist, her hips preventing it from falling, but now she pushed it away entirely, leaving her standing in nothing but black satin panties. Her hands then moved back toward her breasts, her palms sliding up her own ribs with her trademark theatrical slowness, fingers splaying just beneath the swell of her breasts and pausing there, letting the audience's anticipation coil tighter than any corset.

When she was ready, Lila ran her hands over her breasts, playing with them, gently kneading them, her eyes fixed on the audience, watching their reaction. Her fingers then moved to her nipples, tracing circles around them, before pinching and gently pulling them, her head tipping back in mock ecstasy. A murmur of approval swept through the audience, the theater of Lila’s performance clearly appreciated.

Lila now dropped to the floor of the stage and sat there, legs in front of her. She scanned the audience for a moment, before leaning back and slowly spreading her legs. Fiona’s pulse jumped at the suggestive movement and her eyes were inexorably drawn to the spot between Lila’s open legs, but she still had her black panties in place, maintaining a firm barrier between herself and the audience’s gaze.

Lila reached out and placed a hand on her knee, moving it slowly up her thigh, until her fingers reached the edge of her panties. She repeated the motion, this time her fingers going further, reaching the waistband, her other hand then coming forward and resting on the waistband too. Her hands then gripped the panties and started to slide them down, but they hadn’t moved very far before she paused the action. There was now no movement at all, although both hands were still holding the panties.

Suddenly, Lila locked eyes with Fiona, making her pulse jump again. For a moment they gazed at each other, before Fiona looked away, distracted by Lila’s fingers twitching against her panties. She looked up again, finding Lila staring at her with a questioning look. Fiona looked back for a moment and then the penny dropped like a bomb. Lila was asking her if she wanted the panties removed.

A tidal wave of embarrassment tore through Fiona. She didn’t want to plainly ask for the panties to be removed, but she couldn’t bring herself to look away either. Lila continued to stare at her, with the same questioning expression. Finally, the embarrassed Fiona gave a small nod. At that sign, Lila’s hands moved smoothly into action and the panties resumed their journey down her legs.

Lila was now fully naked. With a knowing smile, she leaned back and spread her legs again, and Fiona’s eyes quickly honed in on her explicit reveal, unable to resist the sight of the deliciously exposed and perfectly shaven Lila. The thought flicked through Fiona’s mind as she watched that if she did go ahead and take to the stage herself, she would make sure she was fully shaven too.

Fiona could tell that the stage music was coming to an end, as the saxophone was fading away now, like a tide ebbing away from the shore. As the final notes sounded, Lila rose to her feet and took a graceful bow, the audience responding with warm applause and a few appreciative whistles.

Fiona’s pulse was still high, her body taut as a violin string wound too tight. She turned to Laura, trying to look relaxed. “That was… different.”

Laura chuckled, as she led Fiona back to their booth. “In some ways it was different. In some ways it was predictable. Above all it was calculated.” Fiona sat down, immediately picking up her cocktail glass. “I suppose it had to be calculated. I mean if you wanted to put on a good show, you’d naturally calculate what you were going to do. The only alternative would be to make it all up as you went along.”

“Darling, there’s nothing wrong in making it all up as you go along,” Laura replied. “I think the best performances are improvised ones.”

“Improvisation is fun,” said Evelyn, as she and Lila slid into seats opposite Fiona and Laura.

“But it’s also fun knowing exactly what you’re going to do,” added Lila, now clad in her silk robe again.

“So what did you think of the show?” purred Evelyn.

“And have you decided if you’re ready for the spotlight yourself?” asked Lila.

“Yes,” said Fiona, “I’m ready.”

Evelyn and Lila exchanged a glance. “Well, if you’re sure,” said Evelyn, “we’ll get you booked in. We’ve already spoken to the management and they were happy with the idea.”

"When?" Fiona asked, the word coming out a little sharper than she intended.

"How does next Saturday sound?" Evelyn replied, a playful glint in her eyes as she leaned forward. "The Saturday night crowd is always the most... enthusiastic. They don’t just watch, they participate with their energy, as you’ve seen tonight. It's the perfect time to make an impression."

"A debut on a Saturday,” said Laura. “You really aren't throwing Fiona into the shallow end, are you?"

“I’m not too worried about it being Saturday,” said Fiona, “but next week is so soon. I was expecting to get several weeks to practice and work something out.”

“You don’t need several weeks to practice,” said Lila. “Your first show shouldn’t be anything elaborate. The best way to start is to keep it simple.”

“Just do what comes naturally,” added Evelyn.

“I agree with them,” said Laura. “You don’t need a polished routine for your first appearance. You just need a little fire.”

Fiona hesitated, still not entirely convinced, but eventually nodded. “Okay,”

“Next Saturday it is then,” said Evelyn. “Let’s go and talk to Valerie who handles the bookings and get it confirmed.”

“I’ll handle it,” said Lila, getting to her feet. “Come with me, Fiona.”

The two departed, headed toward the bar, but returned after only a few minutes.

“That was quick,” said Laura. “Is everything alright?”

“Yes, it’s fine,” said Fiona. “I just had to sign some papers. I hadn’t realized I was getting paid for this.”

“Of course you’re getting paid,” said Evelyn. “You’re an entertainer. You have to get paid.”

“I thought I was just an amateur giving it a go,” replied Fiona. “I suddenly feel so professional.”

“Valerie’s more comfortable with paid performers,” said Lila. “Someone dancing on an amateur basis might not take it too seriously.”

“Do you want us to show you some moves?” asked Evelyn. “To get you started.”

“Fiona’s been watching shows here for four weeks anyway, so I think she’s got a good grasp of the basics,” said Laura.

“You can also find videos on YouTube that show you burlesque moves,” said Lila. “Plenty of them. Some are very good burlesque classes that give you expert tuition.”

“That sounds incredibly useful,” said Fiona. “I’ll check them out. But what about a costume? I haven’t got anything to wear.”

“You don’t need anything elaborate for a first appearance,” said Lila. “A blouse and skirt will be fine. If you remember, that’s what I wore the first time you saw me.”

“Buy yourself some nice lingerie though,” said Evelyn. “You can afford it now you’re a professional dancer.”

Fiona chuckled at hearing herself described as a professional dancer, finding it very grandiose. She was still chuckling about it the next day, when she began looking through burlesque videos on YouTube, as Lila had suggested. The videos quickly proved to be a gold mine of helpful information, and armed with the knowledge she was gaining, Fiona was surprised at how quickly she grew in confidence.

She may have immersed herself in the world of burlesque, but Fiona made sure that she didn’t neglect her piano practice. After departing The Lantern the night before, she and Laura had gone back to Laura’s place as they always did, greatly enjoying one of their hot and steamy sex sessions in her bedroom. But before Fiona had left for home, Laura, always the teacher, had impressed upon her that she mustn’t allow anything at the club to distract her from her piano studies. As she was making such good progress, Laura had said, it would be a crime to lose her focus now.

Fiona knew that with her burlesque studies and her piano studies she was going to have plenty to keep her occupied that week. She also knew it was going to be a week of rising excitement, as the nearer it got to Saturday the more fervor she was going to feel over her forthcoming stage performance. In some ways, her stage debut still felt daunting, but on the whole she was really looking forward to it.

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