“Pardon?” I asked, confused.

“You look hot. As in, I think I just got hit by a truck and the devil sent his sexiest vixen to get me, H.O.T.” She finished with a wolf whistle.

“Oh, give it up. It’s nothing much. Scarlett told me to amp up the wardrobe a little, so I did. It’s not too much, is it?” I asked, suddenly nervous I’d overdone her instructions. I looked down at my outfit of black torn tights layered under a red and black plaid schoolgirl style skirt and topped with a black sleeveless and very busty top.

“I fucking love it. Those boots… holy hell I’d fuck you in those boots.” She pointed to my grungy, chic black and silver studded stiletto ankle boots with a greedy look in her eyes.

“Back up now, sister. You’re banging my brother. You can’t have it all.” My mood had lifted significantly just from her words. I apparently needed that kind of affirmation that I’d done something right. “One sibling at a time, honey,” I joked as I pushed my handbag under the desk and took my seat.

“Fine. I choose the penis then. I don’t think I could live without a good penis even when it’s attached to an ass who infuriates me more than he pleases me.”

“Stop talking about my cock for shit’s sake,” Trip grumbled as he walked out from behind the wall separating the reception room and the rooms where they worked their magic. He stopped walking and screwed his face up while staring daggers through me. “Get up, get the fuck home, and change your clothes.” His voice was deathly quiet.

“No,” I told him with attitude, and turned back to my desk.

“Now!” he rumbled behind me.

“Fuck off, asshole,” I said nonchalantly. To hell he was bursting my bubble with his He-Man tantrum.

“Leave her alone and go away.” Teeny stood with one hand on her hip and one pointing to the back of the shop. “Now. Go on, get.” She tipped her head, cementing her words.

“Teeny, stay out of it. She’s my baby sister.” Trip threw his hands crudely toward me while stating his case to his girl. “The fuck she thinking coming in here looking like that?” His face colored crimson with his outburst. All the while, I pretended to busy myself with where everything was located behind the counter.

“Fuck off, Trip. Unless you don’t want to get off later.” Teeny smirked, an evil I-got-you-by-the-balls look in her eye. With a huff, Trip turned on his heel, mumbling something about cock-blocking, and throat-punching, and who knows what else. Teeny turned back toward me, her gaze following my brooding brother. “You know, he only does it because he cares.” Her voice just a tinkling whisper. There was no way she was giving up the power she just assumed for the day when it came to Trip.

I knew it was only a matter of time before I heard sex noises coming from the back, especially when those two had words.

Teeny winked at me and bounced back to her station, humming some sort of “I’m gonna get cha” type tune. “Don’t let him get to you, babe.” She shook her head as she prepared her station. “You know how those boys are. He’s just taking the fact you’re all grown up now a little harder than normal. He’ll get over it.” She explained.

“And if he doesn’t?” I asked earnestly.

“I’ll beat it out of him.” She laughed. “You know my boobs used to look like that once…” She trailed off, walking away with a wistful sigh and leaving me to smile in her wake. I’d always liked Teeny, but even more so now she had my back or a crush on my boobs. Either way, it worked for me.

“I’m sorry, sir. I just can’t find it. Are you certain you called ahead?” The phone was pressed tightly between my shoulder and ear trying as hard as I could to hear the male voice between static sounds. “I’m having a lot of trouble hearing you clearly. Can I call you back shortly?”

I pulled the phone away from my ear and cringed. I’d dealt with more morons in one day than I had in the last month. I didn’t think anything else could go wrong for a first day. First, I’d dropped an entire dish of ink while setting up Teeny’s station. Then I’d gone to help the delivery driver get in the door with a shipment of supplies only to trip over my own two feet and take him down with me. I’d double booked Trip by an hour and a half. Luckily, Teeny had time to fix that mess and then I’d insulted some lady who’d come in to have a small piece added to her ribs, asking her, “Would you prefer one of the artists to draw something up.” I was about ready to go bury my head in a bucketful of piranhas; it’d be much less painful I was sure.

As if it were possessed, the phone kept ringing. I struggled to keep up with all the flashing lights. Geez, I knew Needle’s Kiss was successful, but damn. Picking up the next call greeted me with a god-awful screeching sound. I wasn’t sure if actual words were being spoken or someone was strangling a cat. Putting my finger in my ear, trying to block any cross noise, I listened for what the request was.

“Okay, no need to scream. I’ll have to see what I can do. Okay, yes. Please hold.” I pressed the Call Hold button and put the receiver down, releasing a big breath. Why were people such asses? I’d always had respect for people in customer service, but after today, even more so. Being abused and yelled at for no good reason, spoken down to and made to feel stupid were the themes of the day apparently.

The front door chimed and I looked up to find a party of three college students coming toward my desk. “I’ll be one moment, sorry.” I held up my finger and dashed off to find Teeny.