FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

"Hey Em, don't let him get you down. He doesn't know you. You know he didn't mean it personally."

"He meant it, but it's okay, because he's an asshole." The young red squirrel took a breath and wiped the tears from her face, then stood up and brushed out her apron and shook her tail.

"That's the spirit. Didn't you like how Rodger handled it?" Her human friend leaned close and reached around to rub her back.

Em chuckled and nodded with a sniffle, "He really stood up for me. I was afraid he'd fire me."

"Hey, never worry about that. He knew who he was hiring, not like you can exactly hide it." She brushed her arm along the end of the squirrel's fluffy tail, then put her hand back on her shoulder.

The squirrel chuckled and pulled her tail around to hug it.

"At least you know that if anybody else complains and wants to shut this filthy place down because there's a rodent in the kitchen, they better not be talking about you." She smiled at her imitation of the customer.

Em choked a laugh, "Yeah, or they'll have Rodger's boot sendin ya right to tha curb" She laughed at her own imitation and hugged her friend. "Thanks, Micky."

"Anytime, my squirrel girl. Are you going to be okay for the rest of your shift?" She finished the hug and looked down at the shorter morph.

"Yeah, it's only about an hour."

"Good, then get those hairs off your apron before Rodger really does fire you and you'll get his boot."

Em chuckled and looked down to brush herself clean. Her friend quickly did the same, then headed out to the dining room.

A moment later, Micky came back in a hurry and took the squirrel's shoulders, "Em, karma has arrived for you. Look what just walked in the door."

She peered out the doorway and saw a tall, tan horse looking around the room until he picked an empty table and headed for it. "So, it's a horse morph. Not all equines are going to be big tippers like the last one. Besides, looks like he's sitting in your section." She resumed cleaning her apron.

"I mean his friend." She shifted her friend over a foot and pointed her at the guests.

Em gasped and stared at the big, fluffy tail attached to the red squirrel following the horse until it sat down. She turned around and pushed her friend back into the alcove. "You've got to let me take his table."

Micky smiled slyly, "I don't know, that horse is pretty good looking and he might just be a good tipper, you never know."

"You can have the horse and the tip. I just want him." She caught what she just said and covered her face.

Her friend laughed, "Alright, you can have the table. Now get out there before you make me look bad."

Em hugged her friend. "Thank you!"

"You're acting like you've never seen another squirrel before."

"Well, I have, but they're the grays and browns around here. He's a red. He's a red." Her mind shot off like a rocket as it sunk in. "He's a red! What do I do? What do I do?"

Micky grabbed the squirrel's shoulders, "Em, you're a waitress. You smile; you say hello and you take their order."

She took a breath and calmed down as she turned to the door and shored up her courage, "Right."

"And when he takes you home, you fuck his brains out."

Her tail frizzed and she turned around, shouting a whisper, "Micky! ... I can't do this."

"Yes, you can."

"I gotta go to the bathroom." She started to push her way to the kitchen.

Micky turned her around and aimed her towards the dining room. "No you don't. You have ten seconds to get out there before I take my table back."

The red squirrel girl took another calming breath and swallowed hard, then embarked on the longest walk to a table she could remember.

Bridger looked up from the menu and smiled, then leaned down to whisper to Chester, "I think you'll like our waitress."

"Why? Does she look like Diz?" the blind squirrel droned, still sulking from his bad day as he pretended to look through the menu.

"Not even close. She's..." He was cut off as the smiling server appeared at their table.

"Hi." Em tried to maintain her professional composure while her brain taunted her with images of the new squirrel, excited to see another red, throwing her down on the table and drilling her right there, in front of everyone. She could feel her tail compulsively reacting to her mood and hoped nobody else would notice. Fortunately, she had recited the proper greeting enough that the script came out easy, despite her other thoughts. "Welcome to The Other Diner. I'm Emily and I'll be serving you today. Can I get you anything to drink and maybe start you off with an appetizer?"

The horse was grinning goofily as he kept looking between the two squirrels, but aside from a glance her direction when she spoke, the fellow red seemed to barely notice her and spoke dismissively, "I'll just have some water right now."

His horse friend rolled his eyes, "I'll have some water and, uh, give us a minute with the menus."

"Certainly. I'll be right back." She maintained her facade as the fantasy inside her shattered and took with it her hopes and dreams of making a happy family. She fought her feet and walked calmly back to the waitress nook, then dropped her pad and stuffed her tail in her mouth as she was nearly overwhelmed by her jumbled emotions.

Micky excused herself from her customers and hurried back to her friend. She grabbed the squirrel's shaking shoulders, "Em, what happened?"

Her tail popped out of her mouth, followed by a strained whisper, "He didn't even care! He just looked at me like ... like ... a human."

"Hey." Her human friend pretended to be offended, but knew it wasn't meant harshly.

"You know what I mean. If they're not making a big deal about me; they look like they're trying to ignore me while they order."

"Oh, Em." She hugged her friend. "Maybe he was just trying to play it smooth, instead of humping you on the table while everybody else is trying to eat."

The squirrel chuckled warmly as the image returned.

"Yeah, I know you were thinking it, but you know better. What did they order?"

"Just some water and time to look at the menus."

"Alright. Check on your other tables, then bring them their water and pretend like he is human, just another customer.

"Just another customer; just another day. Right." Em straightened herself out.

"And this is our bowl of nuts."

Em giggled at their old joke and Micky hugged her.

"Now clean yourself up, again, and go check your nuts."

The squirrel brushed her apron down and wiped her face with her paws, then looked to her friend for approval.

Micky cleaned some wet fur by her friend's eye with her thumb, then smiled and watched her head back out.

"Is she still bothered by that noner that complained?"

The sudden voice behind her made her jump and she looked over her shoulder to see Rodger, "Oh, no. She's got something else on her mind now."

"Is that her brother over there with that horse? I didn't know she had any family around here."

Micky smiled, "She doesn't, yet."

"Oh, is he moving here?"

"Maybe." Micky smirked and walked away, leaving the big man to wonder.

Em tried not to keep looking at the other squirrel, but she didn't want to keep them waiting. The horse was talking to him and his tail was flicking. She wondered if it meant the same thing as with her and checked behind her to make sure her own tail was under control. Her paw was suddenly wet and she tipped the pitcher upright. She quickly pulled a towel from her apron and cleaned up the small mess, apologizing quietly to the customer, while glancing to see if the other squirrel noticed her small disaster.

A hand on her shoulder stopped her, "Relax, sweetie. I don't think he noticed."

She looked up to the elderly woman smiling down at her, "I'm scared that he doesn't even care."

"Well, he's not the only squirrel in the world."

"He's the only male red I've ever seen."

"Have you tried online? There are plen..."

"I'm on three different morph matching sites, but the only other red I've seen on those is female, too."

"You could always try her."

The look the squirrel girl gave was sickeningly pitiful.

The woman chuckled with a smile, "I know, it's not the same. I'll tell you a secret: Don't try to impress him. If you do something out of place, it will put him off. You're a waitress, so serve him; make him happy and comfortable, so he can relax and notice the beautiful squirrel in front of him."

Em let the words sink in, but she got stuck on the last ones, "You really think I'm beautiful?"

The woman smiled sweetly, "I think you look cute, but he's a squirrel, he probably thinks you're a goddess. Just think, if you've had so much trouble finding males, he's probably had just as much trouble finding females. He is probably just as worried about scaring you off."

Em smiled, slowly starting to feel more confident, "I'm going to be the best waitress he's ever had."

"That's the spirit." The customer patted her arm with a smile.

-

"Of course she's a squirrel. Why would I say she is, if she isn't?"

"It wouldn't be the first time that joke has been played on me, but" Chester sighed, "you haven't done anything like that. You've always been straight-forward and supportive. I should thank you for that."

Bridger rubbed his friend's back, "Folks should be honest and support each other. We're all in this world together."

"Yeah ... She's really a squirrel, then?"

"Looks just like you."

"Like twins?"

"Well, not exactly, but she has a big, fluffy tail like yours; similar-colored, red fur; and the same tufts on her ears like yours."

"I wonder if we're related."

"I'm not sure there's any way to find out."

"Doesn't matter. If we are, we're still strangers. If we aren't, she won't be interested in me, because I'm blind."

Bridger smirked and leaned closer, "Then you've got nothing to lose. Be nice to her and by the time we finish eating, either you make a friend or we get in the car and leave."

The squirrel jumped at his friend's voice suddenly in his ear, then smiled, "Okay, but you'll have to tell me how it's going."

The horse rubbed his friend's neck, "Of course. Now, what do you want to eat? So we can be ready when she comes back."

"Do they have pizza here?"

Bridger chuckled and checked, "There's a build-your-own personal pizza."

"Probably not as good as Vince's, but I'll go with that."

Bridger looked around the dining room, found the other squirrel, and gave her a smile.

Em noticed the horse looking at her and excused herself. She darted through the tables and was quickly standing in front of the squirrel again with a smile and her pad ready. "Have you decided what you would like to start with?"

Bridger started to order, "Yes, he'll have ..."

Chester cut him off, looking straight at the nervous waitress, "I'd like a pizza. Do you have any nuts?"

Em wasn't sure if that was a joke or not.

Ches didn't like the silence and nervously added, "For the pizza."

She didn't want to say no, but it wasn't one of the pizza toppings on the menu. "Um, hold on." She took off for the kitchen, her tail trailing behind. "Rodger! I need nuts!"

The big man looked at the squirrel in surprise as he managed a hot pan of fish on the stove, "What's going on?"

"It's for a customer. He ordered a pizza and wants nuts."

"On his pizza? We don't usually put them on pizza."

"Rodger, please!"

"Well, in the ice cream toppings, we have chopped peanuts, sliced almonds, pecans in syrup and cashew halves. We could use those. Does he want all of them?"

"Thank you, Rodger. I'll go ask." She was out the door in a flash of fur.

"Emily, what's going on out there?"

She was back at the table in a moment. "We have chopped peanuts, sliced almonds, pecans in syrup and cashew halves."

"How about jalapeños?"

Em was taken by surprise again, but had the answer, "Um, yes, we have jalapeños."

"Good, I'll have a cashew and jalapeño pizza." The squirrel smiled at her, then turned to his horse friend.

She held her resolve, ignoring how short he was being with her. No small talk, was he really not interested or just used to better service? "With cheese?"

He looked back at her, "Of course."

She was feeling like a failure as his perfunctory responses made her think she was missing something. She told herself, Don't forget the friend. and looked to the horse. "And what would you like?"

He seemed just as bothered by his friend's behavior, but shook it off, "I'll have the portabella wrap and some of this apple salad." He pointed at the menu.

She was hesitant to leave, it seemed too simple. "Alright, anything else?"

The horse looked ready to speak, but the squirrel spoke first, "Nope, that's enough."

"Okay, I'll put these right in, then." She took a breath and hurried back to the kitchen.

Rodger seemed to be waiting for her as he slid some dishes down the serve shelf, "Got that pizza order?"

"Yeah. He wants cashews and jalapeños and there's a mushroom wrap with it." She stopped at the order terminal and started the ticket, then stared at the available pizza toppings. "How should I put this in?"

"Make it jalapeño and anchovy, then press substitute and replace anchovy with cashews."

"That's an awkward way to do it."

"Well, we can add nuts to the pizza toppings later. Hey, what's going on out there? Is that other squirrel your brother or cousin or something?"

Em started to feel flush under her fur as she knew the answer to that question would reveal more than she wanted to. "No."

"Ooh," Rodger responded knowingly as he finished prepping the pizza and slid it in the oven, "Is he interested?"

She looked up in surprise at the human on the other side of the line as he skipped most of the conversation she was expecting, "I ... I don't know. He doesn't seem to be. He's friendly, but he doesn't quite look at me."

"Don't worry about it. We'll get some food in his belly and he'll be considering a different appetite."

Now she really wanted to disappear, but when she ducked out to the alcove, Micky was waiting for her.

"So, how's it going?"

"I, uh ... I don't know. He's smiling, but when he looks at me ... It's like he's looking over my head."

"Well, you are short."

"Micky!"

"I'm sorry. Maybe he just really likes your ears." She reached up to toy with the tufts on top of the squirrel girl's ears.

She swatted her hand away, "I'm serious."

"So am I. Don't let his eyes bother you. Most guys stare at my boobs for a while before finally finding my face, but that's okay. They're nervous and need some comfort to distract them. That's why I wear shirts that show as much cleavage as Rodger will allow. When they're thinking about my boobs, they're not thinking about anything I've gotten wrong, or how much they 'can't afford' the good tip they leave. Let him check you out. At least he's being discrete about it instead of groping you and announcing to the restaurant what a chub he is."

"You think he's going to turn out to be a dick?"

"No! I'm saying he's not. Just let him look. If he starts to get grabby or mouthy, Rodger can turn him into roadkill for you."

"Micky!"

The girl laughed and pulled her furry friend in for a hug, "Just give him a chance. Maybe he's the dream squirrel you've been waiting for."

Em sighed, "I hope so. I'm so tired of being alone."

"Hey, you're not alone. Okay, so you may be lonely for a mate, but you've got me, so you're not alone."

She squeezed her human friend, "I'm glad I have you."

"Now, get out there and let him see you. Walk around, look confident and squirrely. Make him want you, even if his favorite part is your ears." She teased the tufts again and gave the squirrel a gentle push towards the door.

-

"She sounded uncomfortable; are you sure I was looking at her?"

"Yes, right at her. Maybe she expected you to say something more than just your order."

Chester gasped as he remembered the wolf's rants from earlier, "Do you think she was a slave and I just gave her a flashback to her abusive owner?"

"Well, I ... It's possible, but not all owners were abusive."

"What should I do?"

"Who cares?" It wasn't Bridger's voice. It came from the other direction, "You're a squirrel. She's a squirrel. Just go fuck her in the bathroom and get it over with." The young guy dropped some money on the table as he got up.

"What? That wouldn't work. I don't want to rape her. What kind of furry would just have sex with a stranger because of their species?"

Bridger put his hand on the squirrel's arm as the guy left.

Chester gasped in realization and turned to his friend, "I guess I would. ... Bridger, am I a bad squirrel?"

Bridger snorted a soft laugh, "I wouldn't say so. I've wondered about some things, but overall, you seem to want to do the right thing."

Ches groaned inside, "Bridger, you've got to let me know when I'm doing something wrong. I've never met another red squirrel before and I don't want to mess this up. Even if we never get married or anything, I don't want the only other furry like me to hate me."

"She couldn't hate you."

"Bridger, please!"

"Just relax and be yourself."

"I can't be myself. If she finds out I'm blind before she likes me, she'll just feel sorry for me and want to get away so she doesn't feel bad."

"I knew you were blind before I liked you."

"But you're different, I ..." Chester stopped as he thought about all the things he shouldn't have done with the horse, but if he hadn't, they wouldn't be sitting here together. "You really didn't care that I'm blind."

"It doesn't stop you from being a good person, even when you're grumpy from almost being run over by a dumb horse."

"You're not dumb."

"Neither are you. Now, here she comes."

Chester tensed, then pulled his tail into his lap to keep it under control.

Em watched the guy at the table beside the squirrel get up and leave. She continued checking on her other tables for a little while, not wanting to rush across the restaurant and seem as desperate to be near him as she really was. It was difficult keeping her tail still as she thought about dragging him into the bathroom and raising it for him. She shook off the thought and took a breath. It was Micky's table, but she really wanted to see if her friend was right about the way he was looking at her. She gathered her courage and focused on the table, walking straight for it. She glanced over to give them a smile as she approached, but only the horse was looking at her. He was smiling, but the squirrel seemed to be looking at anything but her as she gathered the dishes. She moved around the table, trying to let him see her from every angle, even standing beside him with her tail towards him. She stacked everything together and glanced again. This time he was looking at her for a moment, then looked down at his tail in his lap. Her heart skipped a beat and her tail vibrated in excitement before she caught herself and held it still again. She finished cleaning the table, left two utensil wraps from her apron, grabbed the dishes and tip and hurried to the alcove.

Micky noticed the rush and followed her friend.

Em put the dishes in the tub, then turned around and shoved the money in the human's hand, shouting in a whisper, "Micky, you were right! At first I thought he was avoiding me, but then I caught him looking! He really wants me!" She froze as her mind replayed images of her fantasies, with a few new ideas thrown in.

"See, He was..."

"Micky! What do I do? I can't stop thinking about having sex with him!"

The woman tried not to laugh and pulled her friend close, "Oh squirrel girl, you do have a problem." She pushed her back to look at her. "Try thinking about him soaking wet, with his fur matted down and messy; his tail's scrawny instead of fluffy and he looks like a drowned rat."

She inhaled heavily as she imagined his slender body revealed as he stood under the falling water with his erection standing up and waiting for her, "Micky! That's not helping! Now I want to do him in the shower!"

"Squirrel, we have very different ideas of sexy." She hugged her friend again as she thought, then released her, "Okay, so he's the sexiest thing you've ever seen and you can't help yourself. If you let it look that way, you'll lose him. He's either the jerk that'll screw you and leave you or he's the nice guy that'll run away from the easy girl. I know what I said earlier, but now that you know he wants you, you've got to make him work for it or he won't appreciate you."

"What?! I don't want to push him away!"

"Just a little. You've got to pretend that you don't care that he doesn't care. You know how much it bothers you when kids are all excited about seeing a squirrel morph..."

"Kids I don't mind. When adults do it, it's weird."

"Right, well, you're not a kid, so don't be weird."

"I think it's too late for that." She tried not to let her tail fall.

"No it's not. He's still here. Just make sure he gets his food and you're there when he decides to ask you out."

"You really think he will?"

"If he doesn't, he's stupid and you don't want him."

"Micky..."

"Go on. Don't forget your other customers." She turned the squirrel girl towards the dining room.

Em started out, then stopped in her tracks and her tail fell, "Oh no, It's Greg."

"What?" Micky pulled her back into the alcove before she was spotted and watched the red haired irritant pick out his table in Em's section.

"Couldn't he take just one day off?" Em's tail was frizzed as she fidgeted her fingers.

"Or maybe the rest of his life?" She noticed her friend's distress and grabbed her paws. "I'll handle him. You get yourself under control." The woman walked out, forcing herself calm, and stood by his table, glaring down at him until he looked up. "What do you want, Greg?"

He looked up at her, then around the room, barely noticing the horse on the other side, "Where's Cherry?"

"What do you want?" She tried to keep her voice low to not draw attention to them.

"Cherry knows what I want."

"You're not getting her. You have me today. What do you want?"

"Is she home sick?"

"What do you want?" She repeated herself, trying to resist just punching him out and throwing him in the street.

"You're not being very nice to me. Do I need to talk to Rodger?"

"Rodger doesn't like you, either."

"I'm a customer. He has to like me."

She snorted a laugh, "You should talk to the last one that thought that. Why don't you go do that now?"

"I came here to have dinner with Cherry, like always, and that's w... There she is. Did you switch sides again? I'll just go sit over there." He started to get up, but Micky put her hand on his chest and shoved him back in his seat.

"There are no empty tables over there for you. You'll sit right here and order something from me or you'll leave now."

His eyes followed the bushy-tailed waitress across the room with a tray of food to the table with the horse and saw the empty one beside him, "There's one right there." Then his eyes went wide as he noticed, "Another red squirrel?" He looked at the stern woman in front of him for a moment, then back to the two rodents. "Is it a girl?"

Micky leaned down in front of his face, "You are not going to mess this up for her."

"A boy squirrel? I need to get over there." He slid around her to get up and started towards the squirrels.

Micky grabbed the front of his shirt and yanked him off balance, then pushed him towards the door, not stopping until they were outside, "No you don't. She is not your squirrel or your girl. I don't care how long you've known her or who you knew back in Missouri. She doesn't like you and neither do I. If you come back here looking for her, I will rip your face off, have Rodger fry it up, and serve it back to you and the next time I won't be so nice. Do you understand me?"

"I love that squirrel. You can't keep me from her!"

Micky's fist acted before she realized it and the impact to his face sent him straight to the ground. "Don't make me prove I can. I'm going in to call Officer Kinnet. You better not be here when he gets here."

"You hit me!"

"Get out of here, Greg! You're too dumb to know what's good for you." She stormed back to the door and calmed herself before opening it. As she walked in, an elderly woman was silently applauding her, then pointed across the room.

-

Em brushed her tail down, then cleaned her apron, but almost frizzed again when Rodger's voice surprised her.

"Emily! Your pizza order's ready."

She hurried into the kitchen and collected the plates onto a tray.

"Is everything alright out there?"

She sighed, pausing for a second, "Greg's here."

"Oh. Do I need to take care of him?" He raised the spoon he was holding.

"No. Micky's dealing with him." She lifted the tray and headed out.

"Do I need to protect him?"

Em carried the tray of food straight to the table, without looking anywhere else. She set it on the empty table beside them and smiled as she served the horse first, then set the pizza in front of the squirrel and smiled at him, "Anything else I can get for you?"

He stared at the pizza, then looked up at her neck, "Uh, just some more water."

"Certainly." She ignored his eyes and hurried off with the tray.

"Bridger!" Chester whispered urgently. "She's going to see me eat."

"I've seen you eat pizza. It's no disaster. Go ahead and have some before she gets back." The horse started on his own meal as he dismissed his friend's concern.

Em grabbed a pitcher, added some fresh ice and water, then headed back. She risked a glance across the room and saw that both Greg and Micky were gone. She hoped she didn't really hurt him. She shook it off and focused on the squirrel, no, customer in front of her. She smiled as she filled his glass and he took a bite of his pizza, "So, how is it?"

He fought to chew and swallow quickly, so he could talk.

She just watched, smiling at him and relishing the opportunity to stand close and just look at him. It was comforting just to be near another red and know he existed, even if he didn't stay.

He turned and looked over her shoulder. "It's delicious. Thank you."

"I'm glad you like it." She dared to touch his shoulder, then couldn't believe she had been so bold and pulled her paw back, shuffling her feet nervously. She looked to the horse with a smile and waited for him to finish chewing, as well.

Before he could speak, the squirrel leaned forward and whispered, "Did I have food on my face?"

The horse looked apologetically at her, "Um, no, but you might want to explain why you just acted like she's not standing right beside you."

"She's still...?" He dropped the piece of pizza onto the plate and froze for a moment in embarrassment as his tail fell out of his lap, then turned and stared right at her eyes.

She fought to keep her tail under control as he looked right at her. She was bouncing inside, overjoyed that he finally really saw her.

"I was hoping I didn't have to tell you, yet." He looked nervous as he fought with himself for the words.

Her mind raced in that second, wondering if he was going to say he's gay or sterile or something worse.

He forced the words out bluntly, "I'm blind."

That was not in the realm of her expectations, but before she had a chance to process it and decide how she felt about it, she heard a thunk and looked down to see ice water splashing out of the pitcher she had just dropped. Her stomach clenched as she watched it land in seemingly slow motion on the squirrel she had been trying to befriend.

He jumped at the cold, but tripped on the table and fell on his face on the floor with his tail laying over him.

Em jumped over the bouncing pitcher and hurried around the chair to kneel by the fallen customer, "Oh, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I'm so, so sorry." She pulled two towels from her apron and wished she had more as she pulled his tail into her lap and started drying his side as he rolled over. He looked like he was in pain as he leaned against her legs and she patted his hip and leg and lap and chest and belly and...

Suddenly he started inexplicably laughing.

She froze and stared at him as he caught his breath, then realized where her paw was resting as she noticed it getting firm. She quickly pulled her paw to her chest, then started drying his tail.

He took a breath and sighed, "I'm sorry for laughing. I've just been so worried about doing some little thing that might scare you away, but now, here I am on the floor, a total disaster, and you're still here."

"But I'm the one that made the mess. I'm the disaster."

"Only because I told you I'm blind and you wanted to run away."

"What? No. I didn't run away. I just wasn't expecting it, is all."

"You had no idea?"

She shook her head, then realized that he wouldn't see it, "No, not at all. I thought you were going to tell me you were gay or something."

The squirrel beamed, proud of himself, then chuckled, "Well, now that you mention it..."

"Chester," the horse interrupted.

She felt her heart turn sideways.

"Sorry. I've dabbled; that's how I met Bridger, here."

The horse cleared his throat and smiled meekly, clearly embarrassed by the announcement.

She was starting to feel a little embarrassed, herself. "Um, are you okay?"

He sat up, pushing his tail behind him. "Yeah, I'm fine, just a little wet. Hey, um, could I look at you?"

"What?" She wasn't sure what he was asking.

Chester held up his paws, "Can I touch your face, so I can know what you look like?"

She wasn't sure what to think of the request. She desperately wanted him to touch her, but she didn't want to seem so eager. She also didn't want to hesitate too long. She forced out a nervous, "Okay."

He reached out slowly and gently found her nose. His fingers brushed over her whiskers and followed the contours of her face, dancing over her mouth, her chin, her cheeks. She closed her eyes as his fingertips grazed over her lids, then continued up to find her ears. He lingered there, tenderly stroking inside and out, and she bounced with excitement inside as she held perfectly still for him. He couldn't see her ears, but he still liked them. His nose was right in front of hers; she could feel his slow, steady breaths and counted each one as the spicy, nutty scent thrilled her. Her emotions overwhelmed her in their few seconds of closeness and she reached up to put her paws on his cheeks, then leaned forward and kissed his lips. He returned the kiss, sliding his paws down to her neck as his lips pushed back. Her body responded, warm and tingly, and her mind prepared for their imminent intimate embrace by filling her head with images of everything she wanted him to do to her.

Someone started clapping and soon the whole diner was filled with the sound of applause and cheers, quickly shattering her fantasies and driving a spear of embarrassment through her chest as she realized she was sitting on the floor at her job, kissing a customer she just met while everyone watched. She looked around to see the crowded restaurant, full of patrons that she knew, Micky and Rodger clapping, Ellie had come in early just in time to see her disaster, the smiling horse, the red squirrel himself, grinning wide. She grabbed her tail and pulled it over her head as she tried to fight her urge to run away.

Micky was by her side, helping her up, "Come on. Let's get you two off the floor." Once her squirrel was up, she stooped to help the other squirrel. "Are you alright? Do you need anything?"

He whispered something to the human that made her smile at her friend.

Em found Rodger beside her now and she was suddenly terrified that he was going to fire her on the spot with his boot giving her a swift kick under her tail to get her out the door.

Instead, he put his hand on her shoulder and looked to the other squirrel, "I'm sorry about the mess. Your meal is on the house."

Now she really felt bad; In the year and a half that she had been working there, he had only volunteered 2 free meals. One when a waiter quit by throwing a tray of food on the ground and the other ended with the girl getting fired for forgetting about a customer's allergy, twice in the same meal. She was just waiting for him to walk her to the door.

"Please forgive our Emily, here. I'm sure she's just excited to meet you."

She was stunned and just stared up at him. She felt like she was back in Missouri, with the Governor apologizing for her for something she didn't do wrong.

"Oh, I noticed."

She looked back at the squirrel's big smile and tail flicking behind him and felt even more embarrassed for kissing him.

"Is there anything else you need? I'm sure she would be happy to serve you."

The squirrel's smile grew and his tail vibrated.

"Don't be crude, Chester." The horse looked worried.

His tail stilled and his smile softened, "Well, I could use someplace to change."

"Our bathrooms are clean."

Micky smiled slyly, "What about Em's place? It's just up the block and he wouldn't have to worry about getting his tail in the toilet."

A customer snorted a laugh and got his arm smacked by the woman beside him.

Rodger rubbed her shoulder, "Well, that would be up to Emily. I can't make her take a customer into her home."

When the Governor said something like that, she knew she had to agree anyway or she would feel it later. This time, she knew that she wouldn't be punished for saying no, but she wanted to say yes. She wanted to take him back to her apartment and let him touch her some more. She wanted him to touch her all over and let her touch him. She wanted him to stay and be with her forever.

"Em?"

Everyone was looking at her, waiting for her answer. "Um, yeah. I can do that. I mean, he can come over to my place to take his clothes off. I mean, get ... get changed." She pulled her tail up to her face to hide her embarrassment as a few customers laughed.

"You don't have to, if you don't want to." Rodger leaned down to her level.

"I want to!" More customers laughed and she realized how loud she had said it and hid behind her tail again.

Rodger chuckled, "Well, why don't you go ahead and take him, then."

She dropped her tail, "But I still have a half hour."

"Don't worry about it. Ellie's here early to take over for you and I won't dock you the half hour." He whispered in her ear. "Go spend some time with him. You can even have tomorrow off. I know he'll like you, because we do." He straightened up and patted her shoulder. "We can pack up your pizza and I'll even make you a fresh one for free, next time you come in."

"Now that sounds like a deal. Come on Bridger, we're going home with Em."

Micky spoke up, "Wait, he can stay here while you go get changed."

"My stuff is in his car and I can't drive." As excited as he was about getting some time alone with the female squirrel, Chester was a little worried about getting separated from Bridger.

Em was also worried, about missing her chance with a male red. "It's okay. I don't mind if his friend comes along."

"Are you sure?" Micky was really hoping to get her friend alone with the new squirrel.

Em nodded.

Rodger wanted to get things moving again. "Alright. Let's get some boxes for their food. Ellie, Micky, check to make sure everyone else is taken care of and I'll go make sure Manuel hasn't run out of dishes." He stopped at a few tables to say hello and grab some empty plates as he went back to the kitchen.

Micky hurried off to the alcove to grab some boxes, while Ellie checked with each table. Many customers started to gather their things and head for the door. The small diner had gotten so full because people had stuck around after paying to see what would happen with the two squirrels and it quickly emptied after the show.

Micky shoved a box in Em's paws and directed her to the pizza while she headed for the horse, but there wasn't much left of his meal. Em kept her eye on Chester as she boxed his meal, realizing that he wouldn't notice if she stared at him.

He brushed at his wet clothes, then stopped and his tail twitched, "Em?"

She closed the box and moved quickly beside him, "Yes? What do you need?"

He smiled, hearing her so close, and spoke low, "I'm ready to get out of these wet clothes."

She couldn't help but giggle and blush fiercely, then gasped as Micky put a container of fresh apple salad on top of the box in her paws.

"Go on, you two. Your horse friend is already heading for his car."

"Bridger?" Chester started to worry, then remembered that he wasn't alone. "Em, would you lead me out?"

She smiled as his paws found her arm, "Gladly. Let's go."

There were still some customers in the parking lot to watch as she walked him to the open top Mustang. She noticed Greg among the crowd, but tried to ignore him. She felt like one of the VIPs at the Governor's Balls and beamed excitedly as they drove away to a few more cheers. She couldn't help catching another glimpse of the jealous redhead as they passed and hoped this would finally be the end of his infatuation.