Mike, the waiter

Your heart leaps into your throat as Mike speaks. His hand once again comes to rest on the back of your neck, his fingers curling gently along the curve of your skin. To your male mind, it's a power move bordering on threatening and it makes you tense. But physiologically, your response to him feels almost positive. Your pulse quickens excitedly as his cologne hits your sense of smell. He's invading your space without concern for you at all, and here you are almost happy about it.

This guy can't be serious, right? Why would you ever agree to actually move in with this jerk? But then, you'd been an adult for so long that you hadn't even considered the possibility of sharing an apartment with someone else. A roommate. Of course. But Mike? "You?" Your voice comes out softly, tinged with something that sounds almost hopeful. Inwardly, you curse your lack of control over your vocal tones, but Mike smiles.

"Yeah. It's actually a pretty great place." Mike plucks the paper from your hand, tightening his grip on your neck slightly when you reach to take it back, keeping you firmly seated where he wants you. You don't try to move a second time. "Wow, you sure do need some help." He drops the paper for you but it catches the air and flutters off the edge of the table to the floor. He ignores it. "Tell you what, Red. I think we can help each other out. I got a little business venture that you'd be perfect for." He glances up at the clock. "My shift is just about over, so you sit your sexy little self right there for another five minutes and Mike will take care of everything. Don't you move, now."

He releases you and walks away, leaving you to sit and ponder everything he said. Whatever business venture a guy like him could come up with that would involve you, you're pretty sure it's going to be something shady and or degrading. But then, maybe it could work. At least long enough to keep you in a house and off the street until you can find a better option. Maybe you can find one of your old associates and convince him to let you work as a secretary. But you'd have to do that convincing as Katie, without using any of Sam's connections or shared history. You feel yourself growing faintly aroused as you ponder the sorts of things a smoking hot 18-year old with no experience would need do to convince such a man to let her be his secretary.

Without even realizing that you're doing it, you sit obediently at your table the entire five minutes until Mike returns, grinning like a wolf. "Oh, that's what I like to see. Good girl. Now get up. Follow me. Gonna take you straight to your new home."

The way he talks to you simultaneously infuriates you and intrigues you; leaving you simply disoriented. You gather your various documents and stand without a word, following the attractive man out of the restaurant. Amy, the hostess, notices you leaving with Mike and as you walk past her, she shakes her head. "Oh, honey...

Outside, the air has chilled enough to hit you like a bucket of cold water and you once again wish you had a coat. Holding your arms around yourself, you hope your destination isn't very far away. It isn't. As it turns out, Mike has a small sedan parked right around the corner from the restaurant. "Get in, girl, you're going to freeze to ****. Don't you even have a coat?"

You climb inside and wait for him to do the same before responding. "No, as a matter of fact, I don't. This," you gesture to your attire, "is everything I own."

Mike tilts his head questioningly. "Really? That's kinda weird. Why such a nice outfit?" Mike starts his car and pulls away from the restaurant. After a moment of delightful silence, he adds, "What's your story, Red, and why are you in such **** need for housing, money, and even clothing? Are you some kind of runaway?"