Clothes Off!

Evie was starting to resent the late nights as she walked into Starbucks the next morning.

Growing up in a Mormon household, she'd never really cared for coffee until she ran away from it all and took a job as a dancer.

Sure, she wasn't a Mormon good girl. She'd stopped following the rules when she turned fourteen and bought herself a Red Bull stimulant drink.

But late night shifts and noisy neighbours had soon bought her a one-way ticket to coffee-addict city.

She purchased herself a steaming, sugary, coffee and settled herself down in a comfortable, leather chair, sipping tentatively at the hot drink.

She was just about relaxed until someone sat themselves down at her table. She looked across, her eyes focusing. "Do I know you?"

"Uhm, my name's Ryan. I was with a birthday party last night."

"And you think you picked me up?" she offered, tilting her head and grinning. Ryan's cheeks flamed with colour.

"N-no. My friend saw you - he liked you."

Evie rubbed her temples, trying to place Ryan's face into her memory. She let a small yawn escape her lips before it finally clicked. "Ah, the birthday boy?"

He nodded, fervently.

"So, now I'm being stalked by his friends? That's a new one." Evie took a long sip, her smile coy when she set it down on the table in front of her.

"No! I came for coffee." Ryan wiggled his paper cup at her. "But, I saw you and recognised you."

"You're one of the only people," she drew another long sip from her cup. "Though you probably didn't leave a wife at home. I'm not giving your friend my number."

"Why not?" Ryan's face fell.

"I don't see why I should." Evie wished Ryan would just leave. This was the only peace and quiet she got during a day.

"He really likes you."

"A lot of men 'really like me'," she air quoted. "It means I'm doing my job."

"You went easy on him," Ryan argued. "The guys were giving him a hard time and you went easy on him."

Evie sighed. There was only one way she was going to get rid of Ryan. "Tell your friend if he wants my number, he can come and get it himself." She finished the last of her coffee. "Bye, Ryan."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Good morning, sunshine."

Evie rubbed her eyes as she settled herself down at the bar of her work place, thankful she'd arrived half an hour early. She was moving slowly today.

"Mm. Get me something with a kick?"

"Alcoholic or non?" the bartender, a young girl Evie hadn't ever considered getting the name of, asked.

"Non. No need to make myself less capable of doing my job."

The girl nodded, "You're Porsche, right?"

Evie accepted the Red Bull from her and nodded. "Yeah. And you are?"

"Izzy."

"Thanks, Izzy," Evie smiled and headed of towards the dressing room, knocking the stimulant back like it was water.