This couldn't be happening she told herself. She didn't let this happen. All those carefully constructed walls that she had spent years building up were impenetrable; at least that is what she had always believed…until that day.

Just a normal day at work. A little coffee shop on campus, easy money and a chance to socialise. Or it would have been if she actually made friends. A loner, and happy that way. With an absentee father that skipped out when he found out her mother was pregnant with her and her mother whom the term 'hippy' was coined. Funny how living in a home that became a half way house for Bristol's waifs and strays made you retreat into yourself and build those wall even higher. Strange men professing to be the messiah and naked mutes didn't tend to bring out her 'come back to my house after school and get to know me' side.

So what had changed this day? It started with a feeling…eyes on her, watching her as she poured coffee and gave change with what she could only imagine was an extremely bored expression on her face. But the gaze was unwavering, penetrating even. She willed herself to ignore it, probably just one of the geeks from her classes that seemed to find her 'intriguing'. But the longer it went on the more she felt exposed, like someone was trying to look right into her, which was starting to piss her off.

One quick look up to find the owner of the stalker stare was all it took. Across the shop her ice blue eyes caught deep brown ones and in that second so much happened. It was like she was frozen, she felt her stomach drop and flip at the same time making her feel slightly nauseous, her heart rate sped up and she could feel her chest tighten with the sharp intake of breath. Those eyes were drawing her in. No wait…she didn't do this, didn't do Hollywood meetings across a crowded room. It was then that she managed to snap herself out of the daze and take in the owner of the gorgeous brown eyes. A petite redhead with the most amazing smile. Oh shit…she was smiling at her! She looked back up to those eyes with what must have been a look of shock or panic because that grin grew even bigger. Shit shit shit!

Thankfully she was pulled back to the reality of work by her manager talking to her. 'Naomi. Naomi? Naomi! Are you with us?'

'Umm, what? Yes, sorry, what?'

'You have customers waiting. I don't pay you to sit around and stare at our patrons.'

Looking up she saw the line had doubled since her ill fated decision to look for her stalker. How long had she been caught in that dazzling and un-nerving gaze. She chanced another look before going to serve only to find the seat previously occupied by the mysterious redhead empty. She was surprised to find that she was actually disappointed. What was going on? Naomi didn't have feeling for people, random good times usually involving alcohol, but nothing that had made her feel…whatever she had felt in those few seconds of eye contact. Probably for the best she decided, just a blip in her otherwise cool and calm exterior. Feelings left you exposed, made you let people in, gave you a connection. Feeling made things messy. So why did she have the sudden urge to run out the shop to see if she could glimpse that vibrant red hair again? It must be the weather; the heat always played havoc with her hormones.

Naomi normally slept like a trooper, so she was not expecting the disturbed night's sleep that followed her coffee shop encounter. Dreams of red and brown, and slim delicate fingers tracing lines down her body. When her alarm finally went off it was almost a relief. 'Snap out of it' she told herself in the bathroom mirror. 'It's not like your gona see her again…or want too!'

Famous last words…! For the next few days all over campus there were glimpses of red. Out of the corner of her eye or just disappearing around the corner. She had convinced herself it was just her mind playing tricks on her until she turned the corner and SMACK! Cup of coffee on the floor, books and notes going everywhere. Not that Naomi noticed or moved to pick up her scattered possessions, her vision and senses were filled with red, and an intoxicating smell of strawberry's and vanilla.

'Oh shit, sorry, are you ok?'

Wow, that voice. Just the right amount of husky to be super sexy.

'Totally my fault. I wasn't looking. Hello….? You ok?'

It was the hand waving in front of Naomi's face that finally kicked her brain into gear.

'Umm…yea, no, fine'. There goes that increased heart rate again, what was it about this girl? Oh wait there it is, that totally cute smile again.

'Ok, well, good. But I think your top might be ruined'.

'Huh?' Real smooth Naomi…!

'Your top….its got coffee all down it'. Yep, that smile, those eyes, that body….wait how did that get missed last time?

'Oh right, shit'. Damn, that was a decent top to.

'Well the least I can do is buy you a coffee to replace that one.'

'Umm, ok sure'. Naomi could help but smile when the redhead rewarded that answer with an even more radiant smile that made her eyes actually sparkle.

'I'm Emily by the way'.

'Naomi'

Naomi had a feeling she was in trouble when all she could do was roll the name Emily around in her head and think about how perfect it was, and the person that came with it.