Rick Steele took in the crowd at the Vesper Lounge. A bit light tonight, but he appreciated the elbow space. He ordered the famous Vesper martini and swept his gaze over the elegant, open space of the bar. Set in the Cosmopolitan Hotel, Rick enjoyed getting away from the chaos of the casinos. The excellent knowledge of cocktails from the staff only added to the appeal. The spill of pendant type chandeliers and waves of glass from the ceiling, generous bar, and brightly patterned comfortable seating let a person unwind from a hectic day. And God knows, he’d had a hell of a day.

“Hey, dude, I gotta present for you.”

Rick turned at the familiar sound of his friend’s voice. Dan was a bouncer at the casino and fondly dubbed the ‘Brickhouse’ from the famous seventies song. Rick put up a finger and a Cosmopolitan was slid in front of him a few minutes later. Rick learned the hard way not to tease his friend about his choice of foo foo drinks. He’d seen personally the black eye and broken tooth from the last chump.

“A vacation in the Virgin Islands?” Rick asked. “You shouldn’t have.”

“Better.” Dan took a sip of his Cosmo, and slid an embossed black and gold card across the bar. The gold scrawl on the front read FANTA C.

Rick rolled his eyes, not bothering to pick it up. “Thanks anyway, but I’m burnt out on strip clubs.”

Dan shook his head. “You’re burnt out on everything lately, my friend. Look, I know you went through a bad time, but seriously dude, that was months ago. You gotta move on. You haven’t had a date or a screw for far too long. Trust me, this’ll be good for you. It’s the answer to your prayers.”

“Right. A strip club’s going to solve all my problems. Go ahead. I’m listening. Really. I am.”

Dan grinned, which looked more like a scowl from his meaty, gruff face. His brown eyes sparkled with excitement. “It’s not a strip club, not even close. This is an exclusive club. Unlisted, of course, and the clientele are guaranteed privacy, discretion, and the night of his or her dreams.”

Rick choked on his drink. The vodka burned down his throat, tearing at his eyes. “You’re trying to hook me up with an escort service?” he questioned. “Seriously, I’m outta here.”

Dan held up his hand. “You’re not listening to me. It’s not an escort service or has anything to do with hookers. Essentially, you give them your fantasy of who you want to spend one night with. Your ultimate thrill. They match you up with someone who can fulfill the fantasy.”

“Dude. No matter how you spin that, it’s a hooker. ”

“Not even close. The woman you’re matched with have the exact same fantasies as you do. See, if they don’t get a match, you don’t get a call back, but that doesn’t happen very often. Always someone out there who wants the same thing you do.”

Rick frowned. “You’re telling me they’ll find me my perfect woman for one night? What happens after that?”

“You go your separate ways and no one says a word.”

“Sounds like a hooker to me. A high priced one to boot.”

Dan let out an impatient groan. “The fee is high, and you fill out a bunch of paperwork. It’s a contract, but no one talks. It’s just one awesome fuck. It goes no farther than that unless, of course, you both want it to.”

“Then why is it called Fanta C?”

“Cause a lot of people do want sex and they want to experiment but they don’t know how to go about it or find partners that will respect their privacy. You need to do something different, Rick. I’m worried about you and I think this will help.”

Rick studied his friend, his features softening. It had been a long time since he’d played with a submissive, and hooking up in various clubs had stopped satisfying him a long time ago. He’d been craving a connection he couldn’t seem to find in any of the normal or not so normal male/female hook up spots. Endless women and no one interested him beyond an initial conversation. Since he moved to Vegas, Rick had focused only on work, friends, and nothing sexual, much less intimate. Maybe Dan was right.

Maybe he needed to try something different.

Rick took the card. Turned it around in his fingers. A phone number was scrawled on the back in raised gold embossed numbers. “Is there a name I need to ask for?” he asked.

“No. Just tell whoever answers the phone that I sent you. When you’re done, burn the card.”

A grin tugged at his mouth. Things were getting interesting and precisely at the right time. “This is legal, right? Because if it’s not, I’ll beat the shit out of you.”Dan laughed. “I don’t play that way. It’s totally legit. Just extremely exclusive. You won’t regret it, Rick. I sure didn’t.”

Rick tucked the card in his pocket and nodded. They turned the conversation to neutral chitchat, but the seed had been planted, and all he could think of was the number on the card. And what it promised.

Maybe it was time to experience a new adventure. He trusted Dan. And maybe having one night to remember would kick start him out of his rut and his current sexual starvation.

He’d make the call.