“Says the guy who has two back-to-back bookings lined up for tonight, instead of coming to the beach!” Zukiswa says.
“I didn’t know you were considering the lifestyle,” he snaps back. “You want me to make an intro for you? You’d be a natural whore.”
“Ethical slut, thank you.”
“Just giving it away . . . Besides, tonight isn’t back-to-back, it’s a double with the gorgeous Malik. And you know how much I love playing with my friends.”
“Didn’t I already send you the audition link?” Nats frowns.
“Maybe? I’ve got a hundred and eight unread messages.”
“From clients? I hope you’re charging extra for chitchat. Ain’t nobody got time for that.”
“I think they’re mostly from my mom.”
“Babes! You still haven’t come out to her?” Zukiswa burns her fingers on one of the jalapeño poppers that have materialized on their table, and drops it back to the plate, swearing.
“She’s still dealing with me being queer,” Luvo shrugs. “Not to mention dropping accounting for English lit last year. One thing at a time is all her beautiful heart can take.”
“So, tell us everything.” Mel lights another one of her disgusting cigarettes and leans back in the chair. “What was the script like?”
Nats wafts the smoke away. “Uninspired. I had to ad-lib most of it. Standard stuff. ‘Oh my fucking god, you’re sooo big!’” she moans, tangling her fingers in her curly hair, startling an elderly woman getting out of her car. The old lady gives them a dirty look and scuttles into the liquor store.
“What was the dirtiest thing you said?”
“Oh, I know the answer to this one. Definitely butt stuff.” Mel has an infectious giggle, mischievous as hell. Which is different from the “oh, how interesting and funny you are, what a great joke” ego-stroke titter she uses with especially annoying clients.
“Can we get a dramatic reenactment?” Zuks asks.
“Okay, okay.” Nats clears her throat and takes a moment to compose herself, head down, hands on her lap. She milks it, lets them wait, and then raises her chin. With wide eyes, blowjob-face on, she says in an adoring purr, “You’re so wonderful. I’m so lucky. How did I ever end up with someone like you?”
“Oh, ew!” Zukiswa shrieks in horror, throwing up her hands. “Ew, ew, ew!”
“Aren’t you worried you’re going to put yourself out of business?” Luvo says. “You’re like the little mermaid, giving her voice to the sea witch who wants to destroy her.”
“I’m diversifying. Besides, it’s not like my clients have that kind of cash to blow,” Nats says.
“I don’t know how anyone could actually have sex with any of those things.” Luvo shudders. “They don’t even have heads. It’s disgusting.”
“You eat lab-grown meat, don’t you?”
“Yes, but you couldn’t pay me to fuck it!”