I hastily grabbed my laptop bag and my files I was taking home from the office to review over the weekend. I waved a hasty goodbye to Pat on our office switchboard at the front and slipped out of the door. I knew I wouldn't escape work the whole weekend, but at least I could get one good Friday night in for once in my life! Law clerking was not what I had envisioned it in college, but the work was fast paced and intelligent enough to keep me interested, even if it meant a 60 hour work week!

I rushed across the parking lot, and plopped into the seat of my little Audi. I set the bag down in and reached into the minute back area of the car for the bag I had packed that morning. I had felt the itch right as I woke up. I slipped out of my blouse and pulled the black camisole over my head, switched my work trousers for a blood red skirt that just hit my knees and had the most wonderful slit up the side. I always wore heels to work so that didn't need any changing. I smiled at myself in the rearview mirror as I applied lipstick and eyeshadow. The little green clock on my dashboard flashed 7p. I had enough time for dinner at my favorite place, before hitting the club around 10. I happily turned the key in my ignition, bringing my second most favorite toy in the world to life. My first most favorite was tucked into the bottom of the bag I had just pulled my clothes out of, patiently waiting, as it had been for some time unfortunately.

Dinner at The Hall sounds like a joke when I tell people where I'm going, but the little tavern served up wonderful meals and it was a wonderful place to sit back and watch people in the evenings. Men in wonderfully tailored suits, and women dressed in amazing dresses and skirts ruled the booths, and a few more relaxed business people mingled with the bartender in the center of the room. I waved to the hostess, Anna, who smiled and winked at me coyly. The girl was too sweet for words! Cute little black dress, curly mahogany hair falling just long enough to frame her perfect breasts. It took me only an instant to know I'd missed this place. I settled in at the edge of the bar, where Toni took a long look at me from under her eyelashes before setting a vodka tonic in front of me.

"Ah, you haven't forgotten me. How sweet," I laughed as I sipped the drink. She smiled quietly, and ran a hand through her short white-blonde hair.

"You know we almost thought you'd left us high and dry here. How's that new job fixing you?" Toni polished a glass as she spoke, nodding to other regulars who were seating themselves around us and in the booths.

I sighed and lit a cigarette, despite the fact that to get the job in the first place I'd said I had quit. "You haven't been the only ones feeling neglected," I said as I blew a badly rounded smoke ring, "Mel threw me out. I'm living in a loft on the other side of town now."

"We all heard. She's been in here flirting with everything with two legs," Toni confided. It wasn't that I hadn't heard that before. Mel was a consummate flirt, and I had my suspicions that I had been kicked to the curb because the girl couldn't keep her legs closed.

"Please tell me she