Clothes Off!

Evie and Brendon were eating at Caesar's Palace.

The place was the perfect setting for their first date - both of them decked out in finery that neither had been expecting. Brendon's jaw had almost unhinged when he saw Evie. Evie had almost jumped Brendon's bones there and then - something she'd never thought she'd say about anyone but Johnny Depp.

They were sat opposite each other in an intimate booth, a bottle of white wine in a cooler next to the table, basket of bread in the middle and nothing but each other in the spaces between. Or, at least, that's how it seemed to them.

Brendon couldn't tear his eyes from Evie's.

Evie tried to keep up a cold indifference, but Brendon was showing her everything. He was being himself, pure and simple and Evie couldn't help but smile and laugh at his lame jokes and stories.

As they slowly worked their way through the courses, Evie felt her plan crumbling and when Brendon began to get bold - he was lightly touching her hand across the table; nudging his foot gently into hers; making sweet comments that had her blushing and her stomach in knots - she knew it was now or never.

If Evie didn't break free from him then and there, she never would.

She dipped her fork into her cheesecake, her eyes fixed on the now rapidly depleting glass of wine in front of her. She was getting nervous. And when she was nervous she drank. And when she drank, she did stupid things, like sleeping with Brendon.

Though she'd done that sober now too.

Brendon didn't seem to notice how fast the wine was going, simply ordered another bottle obliviously. It wasn't like neither of them couldn't afford this kind of treatment.

Evie shifted in her seat, a little uncomfortably because she was now a tad unsteady from the drink, and felt her leg brush up against something beneath the table and from the way Brendon's dark eyes turned darker still, she knew that she was in deep shit.

Brendon smiled at her, all handsome and full lipped as the waiter topped up their wine. Evie licked her lips and took a large sip of her freshly replenished drink to steady her nerves that had flared once more.

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As they stepped into the cool Las Vegas air after their meal, Evie cursed the wine she'd drunk, forcing her to lean against Brendon for support. He was only too happy to oblige with her needs as he led her towards a cab.

As he clambered in beside her, Evie couldn't help but ask, "Are you expecting an invite upstairs?"

Brendon smirked, "Well, you looked a little unsteady and I'd hate myself forever if I found out tomorrow that you'd tripped and fallen on your way to your apartment."

She'd wanted to make a witty remark, instead she chose to give the cabbie her address and settle back against the worn fabric of the cab seats.

"I'm glad you decided to have dinner with me."

Evie looked over at Brendon and smiled. "You should be honoured, not glad."

Brendon laughed, shaking his head. "I'm serious, Vie."

She felt her stomach knot at the use of a nickname and her cheeks filled with colour and warmth. "Me, too."

He let out another soft laugh before he reached across and kissed her lips softly. "I knew you'd be worth the wait."

As the cab pulled to a stop, Evie's only response was the slamming of a door in his face as she fled from him.