𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 | 𝟏𝟖+

4 | The Art of Keeping Busy

DAY 11

It had been four days since Steve was at Honey's apartment.

Three days since she woke up that morning to one of her lavender sticky notes on her fridge that said "I used the rest of your milk" and no Steve Rogers anywhere to be found.

It had been enough time to move forwards - forget her strange encounters, focus on her studies, and keep busy. Be that as it may, she had a rather tough time progressing ahead. Much to her annoyance, Honey couldn't stop thinking about those blue eyes or the way he was gripping her around the waist.

She was pathetically consumed by the mere thought of Rogers, as if she'd never been touched in her life or as if it had been a year since her last sexual encounter. She couldn't quite put her finger on the reasoning behind her disposition, it wasn't like she really even knew that much about him - aside from the stuff one could just read on the internet.

Perhaps this was why she had agreed to go out tonight with a few girls from her Advanced Reporting journalism class. Partying wasn't exactly Honey's scene, she would much rather enjoy a glass of wine from the comfort of her home, but she didn't have a shift tonight and she didn't want to dreadfully think about Captain Jerkface anymore.

Keeping busy was an art-form at this point.

Honey also didn't talk to any of the girls outside of class, usually, so they were naturally overly excited that she had settled on a girl's night out.

Hence, the reason she was sitting in the back of a taxi with Corinna Stevens and Josephine Willis, two of the journalism majors that had invited her out. They appeared to have already started drinking, reeking of a faint liquor smell, as they squealed about taking selfies together. The nagging sound of their drunk girl voices reminded Honey of why she didn't do this often. She forced a happy smile, even so, determined to have a fun night.

"This bar has the hottest guys in it, every time I come here," Corinna told them enthusiastically, flicking her blonde locks over her shoulder.

By the time the taxi had arrived at the bar, Honey was ready to climb out of the cramped cab and start on some drinks herself. The second she stepped out into the fresh, New York City night air, she made a beeline for the entrance - the girls not seeming to notice in the slightest.

The entrance led to a flight of stairs preceding to the rooftop where the bar was held. The roof showcased a dozen string lights overhead, illuminating the white, cushiony couches and greenery lining the rooftop wall. A giant pool sat in the middle surrounded by dancing people, enjoying themselves as they sang and drank the night away.

Honey adjusted her petite, yellow dress before making her way over to the bar, ordering a glass of red wine as she took a seat in one of the tall booth chairs. She strangely felt more comfortable alone than she would have around her two classmates, who were already chatting up some guys by the pool.

The beat of the music filled her ears, almost making it impossible to hear the random man who decided to plop down in the chair next to hers, despite all of the other empty seats he could have chosen.

"A girl as pretty as you has no business being alone," the man admitted, giving her a toothish grin before taking a sip of his beer.

He wasn't bad looking, with his dark, slicked back hair and hazel eyes, until he opened his mouth. Something about the tone of his comment made Honey's stomach flip uneasily as she gave him a polite smile.

"Not alone," she corrected sweetly, pointing towards her drunken friends.

"They seem pretty busy to me," he chuckled softly, eyeing the glass of wine the bartender had just placed in front of Honey.

She laughed light-heartedly, hoping he would get the hint because she didn't quite have it in her to tell him to go away, as she took a sip of her wine.

Her hopes were crushed immediately as he hopped from his seat, his chest grazing her shoulder, as he leaned down towards her ear. "Do you want to get out of here?"

"No thanks," Honey whispered faintly, smiling nervously as she kept her eyes trained on the drink in her hands.

The man reached up to brush some of her dark curls over her shoulder, grazing her skin with the tips of his fingers, making the hair on the back of her neck stand up as fear pulsated through her bones.

"Come on," he urged in a murmur against her earlobe now, his lips making contact. "You don't want to have some fun?"

Leaning timidly away from his touch, Honey's lips parted anxiously as she felt his hand slide onto her exposed thigh.

"N-no-"

And then the creepy guy was being yanked away, making Honey flinch as she looked up in shock to see Rogers with two fistfuls of the guy's shirt, inches away from his face.

"You don't know when to take a fucking hint, do you?" Steve stated in an angry tone, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "The girl said no."

Scary, dangerous situations seemed to be the only thing that would put a smile on his face.

Without another word, Steve shoved the guy backwards with ease, making him stumble into the crowd of people that were watching the show now.

"Take it outside," the bartender warned.

"No problem," Steve insisted, glancing at the bartender before turning his head towards Honey, his blue eyes trailing over her swiftly. "We're leaving."

She swallowed slowly, staring up at him through wide eyes. "I haven't finished my drink."

"We're leaving," he demanded harshly, stepping closer to her, his musky, delicious cologne basking in her nostrils. "Now."

What had she gotten herself into this time?