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“Are you even old enough to drink?”
“I’m twenty-six, thank you.” Riley rolled her eyes and laughed. “I just look younger.”
Harlow wanted to say she agreed but didn’t want it to seem like she had noticed how Riley looked. Instead, she turned her attention to the menu the bartender sat in front of her. Riley seemed to already know what she wanted and ordered a Porn Star Martini from the bartender.
“I read on their website it’s one of the most popular drinks.”
“I wouldn’t have pegged you for a martini woman.”
“Yeah?” Riley arched an eyebrow at her. She leaned onto the bar closer to Harlow as a smile spread on her face. Harlow wasn’t sure if it was the low lights in the bar or not, but she was sure Riley’s eyes darkened. “What kind of woman did you have me pegged for?”
“What? Oh, I, um, well,” Harlow couldn’t form any words. “I haven’t pegged you at all. I mean, I haven’t thought about you. No. I mean that I haven’t thought about you like that. I don’t even know you.”
Harlow felt her chest was going to explode. She pressed her hand onto her sternum and grabbed the glass of water the bartender had set in front of them. Chugging the water, Harlow pleaded with her brain to focus. Maybe she should skip drinking all together and go back to the bus. But what good would that do? It wasn’t like Riley wouldn’t find her there. No, anywhere Harlow went, Riley would be there.
“Are you okay?” Riley laughed, but Harlow could detect a hint of concern in her voice.
“I’m fine,” Harlow choked as she sat the empty glass down on the counter. She motioned for the bartender, who walked over to her. “Can I get a Long Island, please?”
“Long Island, huh?” It was Riley’s turn to judge Harlow for her drink choice. “I wouldn’t have expected little quiet Harlow to love such a strong drink.”
“I guess we’re both more than what meets the eye.”
“I guess so.”
What was that? What was that look?
Riley looked at her as if she were a steak and had been lost in the desert for weeks. Never in her life had Harlow seen that kind of look directed at her. She had no idea how to process it. What did it mean? Harlow had no idea. They both sipped on their drinks in silence until Riley’s drink was empty and she pushed the glass away.
“Can I ask you a question?”
Harlow could only nod.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
“Wh—what?”
“Are you dating anyone?”
“No,” Harlow flatly stated.
“Me either.”
Riley ran her finger around the rim of the empty water glass. Harlow’s eyes didn’t know where to focus: Riley’s eyes or Riley’s fingers. Both were fighting for her attention and she had no idea why. Was she finally feeling attraction toward someone?
No. I can’t be.
Not to Riley of all people.
She was her coworker. Harlow had to spend the next few weeks on a bus with her. This so wasn’t the time for her asexual ass to start falling for someone. Maybe in another life they could have explored a relationship but not now. Not on tour together. It seemed like a bad idea.
An intriguing, but bad idea.
The bartender placed Harlow’s drink in front of her and she quickly took a long sip. She turned her attention away from Riley, focusing instead on the bottles behind the bar. Harlow hoped that Riley would drop any questions about her personal life and would instead turn toward the boys in the band that were sitting on the other side of her.
But she didn’t.
Instead, Riley placed a hand on Harlow’s knee as she leaned in closer.
