Chapter 6
Sophie had made it as far as the woman’s apartment door, that she’d backed her into and had just pulled back from a rough kiss. She looked in her green eyes and was overcome with a feeling of being in the wrong place, with the wrong person. The distraction technique she’d relied on for so long was failing her.
And that’s where she left her. Standing dumbfounded outside her own apartment door with absolutely no clue what she’d done wrong.
“Miss me?” She leaned across the bar when she’d finally caught her attention.
“It’s only been two days.” Ryan placed her drink on a napkin and slid it across the bar top.
“Keeping tabs on me, Ryan?” Eyebrows raised, teasing eyes, hopeful tone. They hadn’t spoken or seen each other in those two days since Sophie’s awkward hug.
“Comment es-tu si belle, mais si ennuyeuse? Ferme-la s'il te plaît.”
“You speak French?” She practically swooned. “Oh, that’s hot?”
Ryan just shook her head and rolled her eyes. Her standard response.
“I got the please part. Thank you, high school French. What exactly are you begging me for?”
“Silence.” She said without missing a beat, but there was a teasing lilt, like she had an inside joke with herself. “It’s a long winded way of saying shut up, please.”
She narrowed her hazel eyes and pursed her lips. “I’d rather you beg me for something else.”
“You’ve got game tonight, huh?”
“I always have game.”
A single raised eyebrow made Sophie laugh. Like genuinely laugh. “Redirect it to some other unfortunate woman. Thanks.”
“Okay, okay. Easy on my ego.”
“I’m sure your ego is fine. Who’s the luck lady tonight?”
“You know, I don’t remember her name.” She shrugged. “Besides, I left her outside her apartment. She’s probably still standing trying to figure out what happened.” She sipped her drink.
“So…what happened?”
“I- I just wasn’t feeling it.” Another sip of whiskey.
“You’re a bad liar.”
“Oh, you’re reading me now?”
“It’s not hard.”
“Okay, so then tell me what happened.” She leaned forward.
“Hot girl summer is getting boring.” Ryan started. “Or you just have poor taste.”
Sophie sucked her teeth. “And now you’re insulting me?”
“Did I lie?”
She just shrugged. Agree to disagree. Although, she wasn’t wrong.
“I’ll be right back, don't let anyone spike my drink.”
“Just finish that and I’ll pour you another.”
Sophie never liked taking orders. Hated it actually. She often purposely did the opposite when told what to do. But all five foot nothing of this woman could boss her around all day…and night.
She’d been staring at a message from Jada as she returned from the bathroom and didn’t hear Ryan.
“Huh?”
“This one is courtesy of the brunette over there.” She tilted her head in the direction of the end of the bar. A pretty, brown haired, blue eyed woman smiled back at her.
“Just leave it on my tab.”
“THEE Sophie turning down a free drink and a chance at a nightly proposition?” She feigned shock with her fingertips pressed to her chest.
“Funny.”
She bowed. “Thanks, I’ll be here all week.”
“Let’s make a bet.”
“No.”
“Why not? You don’t even know what it is. Scared you’ll lose?”
“What’s the bet?” She asked, before clarifying. “This is not me agreeing.”
“If I can get her to ask me to her place in under four minutes, I win.”
“And I win if she tells you to fuck off in as much time?”
Sophie chuckled before nodding. “Yeah.”
“What will I win?”
“I’ll stay out of your bar and out of your hair for two whole weeks.”
Ryan titled her head from side to side, considering. “And if you win?”
“You have to yes.”
“Yes to what?”
“I guess you’ll find out soon enough.” She nodded toward the woman that was now approaching the stool next to her.
Ryan took out her phone and opened the timer app, setting it to four minutes. In less than two, Sophie stood from the bar with the woman and started walking toward the exit, tossing a wink over her shoulder at Ryan who stood behind the bar, shocked, and slightly impressed.
She shook her head and started to clear their glasses from the bar when Sophie reentered the bar with a smug smile. “I’ve come back to collect my prize.”
“That was quick.” Ryan muttered, continuing to wipe down the bar.
“Oh I walked her out and helped her into an Uber.” At the bartender’s expression of disbelief she pressed on. “So, you have to say yes.”
“Technically, I didn’t agree to the bet.”
“Humor me.” She bit her lip and leaned across the bar on her forearms. “You might actually want to say yes.”
“Doubtful.” She tossed the rag in the bin behind the counter and leaned back against the register, arms crossed over her chest. “What do you want Sophie?”
“I want you to trust me.” Ryan scoffed but Sophie pressed on. “Just for five minutes.”
“No.”
“Fine, two minutes.”
“One minute.”
“Fine. Hangout with me.” The rules were clear. Don’t sleep with her. Jada did say become her friend. Friends hangout…right?
“Hangout? What are we? Twelve?”
“Would you rather call it a date?”
“Absofuckinglutely not.”
“Okay then. Let’s hangout. You agreed to say yes.”
“This seems more like coercion.”
“You also didn’t say no, so…”
“I’m still trying to figure out how you cheated.”
“I would never!” She protested. “Come on. Hangout with me. Outside this dimly lit bar. One time. And if you hate it, you’ll never have to do it again.”
A reluctant sigh. “What did you have in mind?”