I'm Not Easy With Being Sleazy

I decided not to stay at Brandon's after our date and headed home, even though I would have loved nothing more than to continue our night. However I had to work at 4 pm tomorrow and I was working until close. It was going to be a long night but Saturdays were always busy so I hoped that meant a lot of money in my pocket.

On my way to work though, I had to stop at the mall and pick up a new romper for Tara. I just hated that I was using my money to pay for it. That's right - I didn't take the money Brandon put on my clutch. It left a really bad feeling in my mouth, almost like he was paying me for sex even though I think - hoped? he was just being generous and felt bad about ruining the outfit. Before I left his house last night, I placed the bills under a glass in his kitchen. I gasped when I saw how much it was. He had given me $500. Who even just randomly carries that amount of cash around these days? It's not that it was a huge obscene amount but most people just use credit or debit cards now.

As I came out of my room ready to hit the shops, I noticed a huge bouquet of flowers on the side table. Beside it was a note from Chelsea saying these had come while I was in the shower. She was headed out to study with some friends for the afternoon but she demanded to know what it was I did last night to deserve such an amazing gesture. She gave me a few hints as to what she thought I did to earn them with some kinky pictures she doodled on the note.

I stopped to smell the flowers and then bent down to look for the card. I found it and opened it up to see:

You may not have accepted my small token last night, but I hope you will will accept these. As beautiful as they will be, I'm sure they won't be as stunning as you.

As I was already starting to run late, I didn't have time to admire them. I couldn't help but feel a little weird though. I'm not really used to a guy spending money on me so I wouldn't know how to react anyways, but I still felt really uneasy over the money. I tried to just push it from my mind. Really was it any different than if he spilt a glass of wine all over me and offered to replace it since he ruined it? I knew there was a difference but I didn't want to think about that.

.............................................

Work was going by fairly quickly that night which was great. What was even better was that at 7pm, Grant the manager who was training me left and Liam took over. As always he looked so good and all I wanted to do was stare at him. For once though I was determined not to look like an idiot in front of him.

"Hey Alya!" he smiled. "Looks like its you and me again kid!" I couldn't even be mad at the kid part because he said it in some crazy attempt at an accent, and failed miserably. For once it was his turn to go red.

He let me take over the bar for a while, only stepping in when I was unsure of something. By 10 pm though it had become pretty full and we were both quite busy. We worked in sync with each other and I was proud of myself for not losing my cool when his arm would reach around me to grab something or when he put his hand on the small of my back when he was explaining to me how to ring in a special drink order. We continued to flirt casually all night and I was having a blast. I didn't want the night to be over. Well I did...by now it was 2 am and I had been on my feet for 10 hours. Sadly when you close up you still need to restock everything, clean up, do the cash and whatever else needs to be done.

Finally around 3:30 am we collapsed into a booth with a few other co-workers who were left. We tended to try to wind down with a drink or two before we left and tonight was no exception. While Liam and our bouncers Stephen and Gary talked about some of the baseball games that had been played today, I mostly chatted to Serena and Kelsey, two of the girls who worked the floor tonight. I could hold my own when talking about sports but sometimes I enjoy girly gossip too.

Things were going fairly smooth and light until, suddenly Gary tuned to me and if I was planning on going to the next gaming convention to see the "show". He asked it with a smirk and an exaggeration on the word show so of course everyone wanted to know what he was getting at. Gary quickly relayed the story of Peter's romance and he had everyone in stitches. He was adding in details I hadn't even heard about, although knowing Gary the story was likely embellished some.

When Liam finally stopped laughing he turned his body towards me and asked, "So Alya, when are you going to stop dating losers like that and date a real man?" He looked at me with raised eyebrows and a smile. Stephen and Gary started hooting and hollering and egging him on, while the girls shot daggers at me with their eyes. It was no secret everyone wanted to be the one Liam asked out. So far since he had been working with his, he hadn't paid attention to anyone. Some of the pettier girls who had struck out had even tried to convince us that he was gay just because they couldn't seem to sink their claws in him.

I was just about to say that I was dating a real man now, when I realised that I wasn't sure what Brandon and I were doing. We had only been on two dates and never spoke of anything. While I really did like Brandon I couldn't deny the attraction to Liam. Besides after the last two times with Brandon I finally figured out just how much I had been missing out on. Maybe it was time to learn just how much being single could be. Uhhh perhaps just with a little less sex. I didn't need a reputation of being a sleazy whore.

Before I could question if he was asking me out I paused. Being the person that I am, I felt uncomfortable dating two guys at once. I know I'm lame. Maybe if I wasn't sleeping with Brandon it would be different. I knew I couldn' pull it off.

It suddenly hit me that I hadn't said anything and Kelsey was kicking me under the table, and not even being subtle about it. I coyly looked at Brandon and exclaimed, "Well I'm not sure if you are even asking me out or not but I don't date people I work with (lies!!!!!). Besides I doubt you can you even handle me" As I said that I went to flick my hair over my shoulder in an exaggerated way as a joke but I totally missed and knocked my glass over and spilt my drink everywhere. I thought everyone was going to die laughing (and me from embarrassment). Gary and Stephen were actually leaning against each other, red from laughing so hard.

"Alya", Liam said shaking his head as he wiped up the mess, "I think I would need to be brave to date you. In fact I think anything we get up to would be dangerously--ly entertaining. I get the no co-workers policy but I am hoping I can change your mind." I blushed, ducked my head and wondered just what I gave up by turning him down. Good, ok - great, sex was messing with my mind.