^^ Mel ^^

"I'm going to murder you. Slowly and painfully," I grumbled into the phone.

"Well good morning to you too!" My best friend chirped back at me.

I groaned. "What do you want?"

She paused, and I suddenly realised the point of this wake-up call. "Well, Tia called in sick, so it's just me. You can have Saturday off if you work today. Please?" She begged.

"The whole of Saturday off?" I confirmed.

"Yes, all day. I only need you for a few hours today. Robbie is coming in at four, so it's only until then. Can you do it?"

I sighed, but this opportunity was too good to miss. I'd worked every Saturday for the last few weeks. "Fine. I'll be there in half an hour." I didn't wait for a reply before hanging up and throwing my phone onto the bed.

It was forty minutes later that I finally stumbled through the door of the cafe. My heart dropped as I saw how busy it was. That really wasn't going to make the pounding in my head any easier to deal with. I dropped my bag in the staff room and made my way to the counter where Shelby, my boss and best friend, was standing with a smug grin on her face.

"Good morning sunshine! Late night, was it?" She laughed, flicking the sunglasses I had yet to remove.

"Just a bit. I had about an hour of sleep, and I'm ninety percent sure I'm still drunk." I sat on the stool behind the register and leaned my forehead on the cool counter-top. I didn't move until a large cup of strong black coffee was placed next to me.

"Here. Drink it quick. We've got customers," Shelby told me.

I looked up and groaned when I saw who was coming through the door. Bulldogs MC - leather cuts, Harleys and all. Now usually I have no problem with them, or bikers in general, but they're not exactly known for being quiet. My point was proven when they all broke out in raucous laughter as one of them tripped over a chair. I looked at Shelby and begged her with my eyes, but she shook her head and walked away laughing. I grabbed my pad and headed over to the table they were about to sit at. I cringed as one of them dragged another table across the floor to put it next to their original one. As he finally stopped moving the table and sat down, I glared at him.

"Are you done? Is there any other furniture you'd like to rearrange? How about that chair over there?" I asked, pointing to a chair on the other side of the cafe. I immediately regretted my sass as the group of men all burst out in their loud laughter again, ribbing their friend as he looked at me with a smirk. "What can I get you, guys?" I asked, looking at my pad.

"You're wearing sunglasses inside," the furniture-dragger remarked.

I sighed and looked back at him. "Ten out of ten for observation. Would you like a medal? Or perhaps a little gold star?" They laughed again and I looked to the blonde man who's cut had the 'President' patch on it. "Your orders?"

"Six coffees please darlin'," he said, before craning his neck to look at the cake display on the counter. "You got any of those triple chocolate muffins?" I nodded. "Two of those as well please."

"Sure, won't be long," I told him, ignoring the other men who were still joking around. As I walked back behind the counter I saw Shelby watching me with a raised eyebrow. "What?" I asked her.

"Well, you can't beat service with a smile," she said, motioning with her head to the Bulldogs.

"I said I'd work. I didn't say I'd be nice," I grumbled, walking past her to get their order together.

The next couple of hours were relatively quiet. I spent most of it refilling the Bulldogs' coffees as the lunchtime rush quieted down. As the men stood to leave, the furniture-dragger made his way to the counter. I took a moment to look at him properly, and was secretly impressed. He really was gorgeous, with his olive skin and pale green eyes. The contrast was striking, and if my head hadn't been split in half, I would have appreciated it a lot more. I could see the edge of a tattoo creeping up the side of his neck, and saw the ones on his hands that carried on up his sleeve. I will admit, tattoos are my weakness, and part of me wished he hadn't covered them up. I took my sunglasses off as I approached him, grateful they had disguised my appraisals of him.

"So, do you believe in love at first sight or should I come back tomorrow?" He asked me with a grin. Oh boy, he couldn't be serious, right?

I smirked and leaned on the counter opposite him, fully aware that my cleavage was currently exposed. "I don't believe in love at all, but feel free to come back every day as long as you tip well," I winked at him.

His eyes widened and he opened his mouth to speak, but one of his friends dragged him away by his collar, nodding at me with a grin as he did.

"Oh, before you go!" I called after him as he was about to close the door behind him. He paused and turned back to me and I pointed to the table he had moved. "That doesn't belong there. And if you drag it across the floor again, I'll do the same to you. I've just got rid of my hangover and the last thing I need is another headache!" I didn't wait to hear his reply as I walked into the staff room at the back to take my break. When I came back fifteen minutes later, the table was in its rightful place, with all the chairs tucked in neatly.

***

"So, are we going out tonight?" Shelby asked me as I finished my shift. My eyes widened as I turned to look at her.

"My liver hates me already and you want me to torture it even more?" I asked her.

She shrugged. "I didn't come with you last night, and I could really do with having some fun." Okay, she'd guilt tripped me. She was supposed to be getting married in four months, but a few weeks ago she'd found her fiancee in their bed with another girl. She was supposed to be staying over at my apartment, but had gone home with a headache, and found him with some girl he'd picked up at a bar in the next town over. Needless to say, it had destroyed her.

"Okay, I'm in. But I'm not coming into work tomorrow, I don't care how desperate you are!"

She grinned and clapped her hands. "Neither am I!"

We walked the few blocks to my apartment, and Shelby chattered the whole way about how she was going to find Mr Right Now tonight, and not worry about anything else. I knew what would happen though. She would dance with a guy all night, maybe even make out a bit, but when it came to going home, she'd be alone. Still, as long as she enjoyed herself, I didn't really mind.

It took us almost two hours to get ready, and we had finished two bottles of wine in that time. I don't party all the time, but when I do, I like to go all out. Okay, it's more like I have no self control after a few glasses of wine, but I'm young, free and single, so who cares?! I was wearing a long sleeved black dress. The front dipped low enough to give a hint of cleavage, and it was backless, with the material stopping just above the dimples either side of my spine. It ended mid thigh and clung to my body perfectly. My blonde hair was wavy as it hung past the middle of my back, and I had kept my make up light. I slipped on my black heeled pumps and gave Shelby a twirl. She nodded her approval and I looked her over.

Shelby's mother was Brazilian and her father was white, so she had an amazing complexion that was perfectly clear and looked like she had a tan anyone would be jealous of. Her straight black hair shone brightly as it hung over the front of her shoulders, reaching just below her collar bone. It was naturally straight but she'd curled the ends to give it some bounce. Her dress was an emerald green strapless one that reached just above her knee. There was a split going from her knee almost to her hip, giving just a tease of her thigh when she moved. The colour complemented her features perfectly and she only wore mascara and lip gloss. She was stunning, and I could never understand why anyone would ever cheat on her.

***

I was beyond drunk by the time I got back to the cafe that night. Technically it was morning; midnight had passed a couple of hours ago. I stumbled through the door laughing, grateful when the guy I was with caught me to stop me from falling. I noticed that a few of the Bulldogs were in there, which wasn't unusual for them in the early hours. I had often wondered if any of them actually had homes to go to. I stumbled to the counter and leaned over it.

"Robbie!" I yelled.

I saw his head poke around the corner as he yelled back. "What do you want?"

"Don't shout! We have customers!" I giggled as I realised the irony of this statement. "I want chocolate!"

I heard him sigh as he walked in from the kitchen, and I leaned over to kiss his cheek as he handed me a slice of gooey chocolate cake and a spoon. "Who's this?" He asked, pointing to the man next to me.

I froze for a second. "Um, this is... Dan. No! Wait! He's Darren!"

The man laughed and held his hand out to Robbie. "I'm Paul," he said.

I looked at him, shocked. "Really? Your name is Paul?!"

He nodded and spoke slowly as if I was a child. "Yes. My name is Paul." He chuckled.

I offered him a spoonful of my dessert and shrugged when he declined.

"So how did you end up with this one?" Robbie asked him, nodding his head at me.

"I fetched her and her friend off the top of the bar when they decided to dance on it," Dan - no, Paul! - said. "I put her friend in a cab but this one was determined she wanted chocolate."

Robbie raised his eyebrows at me and I grinned at him. I realised that the Bulldogs had all gone quiet behind us and turned to look at them.

"Hey!" I exclaimed, staggering towards them. I gave up half way and kicked my shoes off, watching as they skidded across the tiled floor. I pulled a chair out next to the furniture-dragger and plopped down into it. "How are you guys?" I motioned Paul over and introduced him. "These are the Bulldogs. They ride bikes. But they're not really like Bulldogs, more like little puppies." I paused and looked at one of them who I had never heard talk. I leaned towards Paul and stage whispered. "Except that one," I pointed to the quiet one. "That one bites!"

Furniture-dragger laughed and put his hand out to Paul. "I'm Ash. That's Jay," He pointed to the President. "Smiler," He pointed to the quiet one and I choked on my cake, laughing.

"Sorry," I giggled.

"Banjo," Ash said, pointing to the last one. He was watching the rest of us with a grin on his face.

I leant on the table and looked at him. "Do you have a banjo, Banjo? Can I play it?"

They all laughed at me and I was confused. I had honestly wanted to play the banjo!

"I don't have a banjo sweetheart, but I've got another instrument you can play with if you want," He said with a wink.

I laughed aloud and pointed at him with my spoon. "I like you!"

I felt hands on my shoulders and looked up to see Robbie. "If you can wait here an hour, I'll take you home," he told me. I was vaguely aware of Paul saying goodbye and I waved to him as he walked out of the door.

"We can take her if you want," Jay said, standing when Robbie agreed.

"No!" I whined. "I still want chocolate!"

Robbie sighed and handed Jay a plastic tub with more cake in it. "She always wants chocolate when she's drunk. She won't shut up unless you give it to her!"

Ash held a hand out to me as I stood, and caught me when I wobbled. The next thing I knew, I was being thrown over his shoulder. I screamed and waved a hand around trying to grab Robbie. "This is kidnapping! Robbie, I'm being kidnapped!" His only reply was loud laughter as I was carried out onto the street. I was very aware that my dress had ridden up as the cool air brushed my skin. "Wait!" I yelled. "Everyone can see my ass!"

They all laughed as I felt Ash slap my behind. "Don't worry," he said. "It's a very nice ass."