Outside the restaurant, Don paced back and forth like a bored zoo animal. He stopped momentarily to stare along the busy city street. Lines of red and white car lights resembled decorative lanterns as the evening traffic slowly filtered through the nocturnal city. He leaned against the limestone wall and took a glimpse at his wrist watch. "Where is she?"

A yellow flash of a car's indicator light caught his attention as it slowed and came to stop in front. The rear door of the taxi opened, a pair of long legs gave Don his first clue as Jessie stepped out onto the pavement. His eyes feasted on her figure hugging black and silver cocktail dress. "You look fantastic."

"I do like to try sometimes. Quite different from the last time you saw me?"

"Absolutely, you do scrub up well."

"Scrub up well... I'll take that as a compliment." Linking his arm, Jessie walked Don towards the entrance. "Come on, can't wait to get inside."

They were greeted by the warmth and smells from the kitchen. A suited waiter guided them both through the maze of diners until they reached a small table that was set for two. The waiter pulled back Jessie's chair to let her sit while Don sat himself down. Once his guests were settled the waiter lit a table candle, before handing Don and Jessie a large leather bound menu each. Don felt surprised as he weighed the menu in his hands. "Some weight in this thing."

"Reminds me of my hymn book."

"Church goer?"

Jessie blushed before hiding her face behind the menu. "For my sins, yes." She peeped over the top. "But before you run off, I'm not going to try and convert you. I'm no bible bashing missionary... I just enjoy singing in the choir."

"Cute."

"You really think so?"

"Yeah... It's good to have a hobby."

Jessie handed the menu back to the waiter after ordering her meal. "I'll have the soup followed by the lamb, thanks." She then smiled at Don. "Out of interest, what's your hobby?"

"Erm... probably fighting over the TV chair with my brother."

"I'm an only child... Would have been nice to have a sibling to share stuff with."

"The only thing I share with Damien is bruises and bad language... you're better off in church."

As the pair waited for their starters, Don gazed at his surroundings. "Talking about churches, do you think this place was one once?"

Jessie stared up at the gently lit dome. The curved alcoves were painted with frescos that depicted the city's maritime past. "Maybe. It's certainly majestic enough. How did you find this restaurant?"

"I had a mate in the first year, called Steve. He told me about it. I've wanted to come ever since. I've just been waiting for the right person to bring."

"Waiting for the right person? I'm sure you must have been on a few dates since last year."

"I'd be lucky. Being a geographer doesn't exactly get the birds flocking towards me. Come to think of it, being an idiot doesn't help either."

"Stop being so self-deprecating." Jessie chuckled. "Although you're right about geography. Not the sexiest of subjects."

"To be honest, I was getting pretty desperate... good job I met you when I did, or it might have been Wolfy sitting opposite me." Don laughed, shooting wine through his nose. "Oh dear, excuse me." He quickly dried his nose on his napkin. "Sorry you had to see that."

"Don't worry, happens to the best of us." Jessie leant backwards as the waiter placed a bowl of soup in front of her. "Wolfy is your mate with the beard, right?"

"That's right. He's an odd character." Don eyed up his Caesar salad. "But he's great once you get past the initial insults and putdowns. I spent the first month thinking he hated me."

"I saw you both in the library."

"You did? When?"

"Friday. You were both more interested in Facebook than working."

Don felt his temperature rising. "He was just showing me how to use it."

"I noticed you seemed to be stuck on my profile for at least five minutes."

"Oh... That's right, yes. I remember. My computer froze." Don's cheeks glowed red as if he had a mouth full of hot cinders. "I emailed the student rep to complain."

"Well it unfroze enough for you to flick through my photo albums without too much trouble." Jessie watched as Don dabbed his forehead with his napkin. "Calm down, Don. I'm not going to report you for stalking me."

"Ok, you got me. Is that why you didn't come and say hello?"

"I wanted to, but I thought it would be more entertaining to watch you squirm with embarrassment tonight." Leaning on her elbow, Jessie pointed with the butter knife. "The other benefit of waiting to interrogate you tonight, would be to see if you tried to deny it. If so, I would know never to trust you."

"Clever. But I didn't exactly deny it...did I?"

"Not for long. You just about passed."

"I'm surprised you still agreed to come tonight after finding out my Facebook fetish."

Jessie gazed into her bowl as she circled her spoon in her pea soup. "Actually..." She shyly glanced up at Don. "I've been excited about tonight... ever since you asked me out."

"You have?"

"Yes, of course. I don't know why do you seem so surprised?"

"I'm totally flattered." Don crossed his knife and fork over his empty plate. "You can't even imagine how much I have been looking forward..."

"NO!"

"What? What's wrong?"

Jessie pointed at the crossed cutlery. "That's bad luck."

"You nearly gave me a heart attack over some hocus-pocus."

"It's even worse if you dismiss it."

Jessie pushed the candle to one side. She then leaned over the table to correct the cutlery. As she did so. Don stared at her cleavage. "You never know, it could be lucky for some?"

"It never is."

A nervous waiter stood at Don's side. "Excuse me, I'm sorry to disturb you. Sir, I'm afraid we have run out of salmon. Have you a second choice?"

"I can't remember what was on the menu. Can you, Jess?"

"No, sorry. But I'm having the lamb."

The waiter handed him a menu. "Not a problem. Take your time, sir. Signal when you're ready."

"See what I said about the cutlery, Don?"

"How long does the bad luck last? I'm accident prone as it is."

"I... I don't know. I wouldn't like to say." Jessie picked up her handbag. "While you look for a new main, I'll freshen up."

"No problem." Don tracked Jessie with his eyes as she walked away from the table, shaking his head in disbelief that she was his date for the night. His stare then dropped to the menu. "I can't have anything else in case I get a kiss later on, because everything is covered in bloody garlic." He suddenly smelt a pungent burning smell. "I hope she doesn't think that's me who's farted."

~

Jessie froze as she stepped out of the washroom. She dropped her bag on the tiles, then raised her hand to her face,. "Oh my God?" She could see licks of yellow flames travelling along the spine of Don's menu as he unwittingly grilled it over the candle. "Don, can't you feel yourself burning..? Or at least smell it?"

"I promise, it's not me who trumped."

"Don, stop fucking around, you're putting us all in danger."

"Wow. You have quite a mouth on you after a glass of wine."

Jessie waved her hands in frustration. Grabbing a jug of water from a neighbouring table, she emptied it across the menu. Startled, Don jumped up and fell over his chair, kicking the table and sending the plates crashing to the floor.

Lying on his back, he stared up at the great dome that seemed to rotate for a few seconds. He blinked several times while rubbing the back of his head. Jessie held her hand over her mouth while viewing the carnage. "I'm sorry, you were on fire. I... panicked."

"Fire?"

"I'm really sorry for soaking you. Forgive me."

Back on his feet, Don noticed the singed spine of the menu. "How on earth?" He then saw Jessie's teary face. "Hey, hey, no. It's me who should be sorry. It's me who needs to be forgiven." Open armed, he smiled as she stepped into his embrace. "I'm sorry."

"I didn't know what else to do? I didn't want you to burn yourself."

"You did the right thing... I'll put that down to the knife and fork."

"Stop mentioning it or it won't go away."

While waiters rushed about re-organising their table, Don could sense the whole room watching. He rubbed Jessie's back and whispered into her ear. "I think we're done here. Fancy going somewhere else?"

"Definitely."

~

Strolling down the shadowy streets, there wasn't a star in the sky. Don felt a proud man and couldn't stop smiling as Jessie clung to his arm. Drunken cheers and badly sung karaoke escaped on to the street from each Irish pub they passed. Jessie felt Don shiver. "Are you cold?"

"No. I just hate Karaoke."

"I love it." Jessie stopped on in his tracks and pulled him towards her. "So if Karaoke is off the cards. What do you want to do?"

"Let's go for a drink and we can chat about what to do next."

Jessie smiled at Don. "OK."

Hand in hand Don and Jessie stepped into the pub as a couple. He felt proud that she held tight to his hand.

It felt like a promise.

Upbeat Irish folk played over a sound system, so Don had to raise his voice to be heard. "I'll get the drinks. What do you want?"

"A juice."

"What?"

"A juice. Tropical, or any other, really."

"You sure?" Don didn't try to hide his disappointment. "I was hoping for a drinking partner. So I'm not the only one who makes a tit of himself."

"You don't need alcohol for that, Don."

"Hey, you cheeky git."

Jessie grinned. Then patted Don's chest. "I'm not a good drunk, Don. Quite a bad one, actually."

"How do you mean?"

"I tend to get a bit reckless when I drink." Jessie felt her upper arm and glanced away. "A bit... Flirty."

"Thats fine by me."

Jessie chuckled. Then teased. "When I drink... I feel more than a little bit horny "

"Then that's definitely fine by me."

"I mean like, really, really horny."

Don marched over to the bar. "Jessie. In that case I'll buy you double of whatever spirit you want."

"Don Morphy... Are you trying take advantage of me?"

"Just a little."

"In that case. Are you sure you can handel me?"

"Jess. I can't wait to handel you."

"Then promise me you will look after me."

Don placed his hands on Jessie's slender shoulders and stared directly into her hazel eyes. "I promise that no matter what happens, I won't abandon you, or take advantage of you."

"Good. I've not had a drink in 6 months. Buy me a cider. Thank you." Jessie quickly added "Right, I'm just going to the toilet. I will meet you at the bar." She pecked his cheek then left with a pleased smile. He watched Jessie as be walked away, her long dark hair, pin like legs that came down from under short floral cocktail dress.

The bar room was oak panelled and had a real Victorian authenticity to it. The lights were dull as if they still had gas lamps. Don glanced around and thought the patrons, a mixture of drunkards and down n' outs, we're almost as old and building itself. It was a little too rough for his liking. A bit of a dive.

Don waited at the bar. He wondered how far he would get with Jessie tonight. Since they first met he had wanked every night about fucking her. He dreamt of what she smelt like, how she tasted, what she sounded like when she groaned and moaned as he fucked her. Was she a squirter?

Yet tonight he was happy to settle for a sloppy kiss.

The barman broke Don from his sordid thoughts. "What can I get you?"

Don dug out a ten pound note from his pocket. He ordered a larger for himself and a cider for Jessie.

As Don paid the bar man, Jessie arrived. She handed Don a banknote and ordered a round of double shots. Don bleated, "Christ. We're on a mission."

"We are indeed Mr Morphy. You have seen me at my best, now you can see me at my naughtiest. After all, you said you reckon you can handle me."

To Don this only meant one thing. He suddenly felt his cock swell. "I'm certainly up for it.. In more ways than one."

"Cheeky."

The pair downed the shots at the bar but took their pints to a quiet table in the corner where they began to flirt. Jessie stroked his cheek."You have the bluest eyes I've ever seen. They remind me of early Spring" She felt him shiver to her touch.

"That's really romantic. But it is a shame they don't work properly."

"Huh?"

"I wear contacts."

Jessie laughed as she took another sip from her cider. "Ah, don't worry. I do too."

"But I can still tell you are the most beautiful girl I have ever met. I think you would be easy to fall for, Jessie Jones." Don took a large mouthful of larger. "And I'm definitely falling for you."

Jessie put her finger to his lips. She then rested her lips on his for the briefest of moments. "Let's dance." She stood from her chair then pulled Don off his stool.

Don hardly ever danced before. His hips were rigid and his knees not much different. He felt the worst dancer in the world. But he would do anything for Jessie.

An amazed Don watched Jessie in her short floral cocktail dress. Her long legs skipped to the Irish beats. He did his best to match her but only resulted in making her laugh which he didn't mind.

They danced, swirled and jigged through one song to the next.

Don wanted those legs of Jessie's wrapped around his waist. He wanted to taste her lips. He wanted to feel her warmth on his fingers.

An audience now formed around the pair. Obviously Don knew the young and lithe Jessie was the object of interest. The old perverts we're undressing her with their eyes the same way he was.

As the song finished, Don stepped up to Jessie."Let's go somewhere else. Somewhere quiet… Just the two of us."

Jessie pecked his cheek. "Later. But come and dance some more."

"I've had enough. Come on."

"One more. I like dancing."

Jessie liked dancing, but she clearly liked attention too. What's worse for Don, he could tell Jessie was drunk. Her eyes were glazed. Her smile was stupid rather than honest and wholesome. But something deep inside her had shifted.

Jessie gestured to for five minutes then continued to Dance. It wasn't outright rejection but it wasn't the reaction Don had hoped for.

But Don didn't dance, and sat on a bar stool. He felt tired, a little annoyed, and wanted to make a point.

Worryingly for Don, with no boyfriend, Jessie was now courting the attention of the other men. Even if they were twice her age or more.

This wasn't the real Jessie. Or was it?

An increasingly dis-spirited, Don felt uncomfortable with the turn in events. Yet he didn't own her. So what right did he have to force her to stop? He decided he had no choice but to watch on.

Jessie danced around the men. She swung her hips and pushed out her arse provocatively. It may cheapen her but she acted the slut well. After all, fallen angels are the most fun.

Two of the men took the bait, and coaxed each other on.

The three danced together, with Jessie in the middle. Don felt invisible. He wanted to leave. But dared not abandon her. He had promised not to abandon her. Had promised her he was different.

The larger of the men suddenly grabed a surprised Jessie, and forced her to bend over. He bunched up her dress so her black panties were on show, before pretending to fuck her from behind.

Both men laughed as Jessie broke free. She brushed down her dress then mockingly exclaimed, "Excuse me? I'm not that kind of girl."

"Whatever."The large man then pushed her into his friend who then held her tight in his arms - their noses touching.

You choose?

1) The thug tries to kiss Jessie

2) Jessie breaks free

3) Don causes a scene.

I would love a writer to join me in this story