Teaching Harper (Tempting Mr. Bedford #2)

Eleven

POV: Simon

"Oh, hi, Chloe, darling," Ben cooed.

"Hi, Ben," Chloe said, smiling as she set down a plate. "You ordered wings?" Then she turned to glare at me again.

I really should have called her. I'd bolted from her place when she initiated sex and never called her. That was a mistake. I was supposed to be making friends, but all I've succeeded in doing is getting Chloe to hate me. "Thank you, Chloe," I said. "Er, do you have a break coming up soon?"

She looked surprised. And suspicious. "Why?"

"Nothing, just thought we could talk. Somewhere quiet."

She didn't reply although she stopped glaring at me. Her smile was bright as she addressed Ben and Chris. "Another round, gentlemen?"

"Yes, babe, thanks," Chris said, raising his wine glass.

I watched her leave. Did I still have her phone number? It should be in the pocket of one of my jackets somewhere.

"Did you stand her up or something?" Ji-Hye said, sounding amused.

"No, no. And we're just friends."

"You never dated?"

"We went biking once. Not a date. I'm going to be here for a year, so I was making friends." I waved a hand toward Ben. "Friends outside the university, I mean."

"So you don't want to be my friend?" She leaned forward, her elbow on the table, her chin on her palm.

"I don't see why not." I had less than three weeks to make five friends if I didn't want to lose the bet I made with Ben. "Do you like to bike?"

"I'm more of a runner, actually. I've been bugging these two to join me on my runs."

"Sorry, babe, no time," Ben said. "Maybe when the kids are a little older."

The rest of the evening was enjoyable, and I was glad I made time to come. Ji-Hye was fun to talk to. She was studying historical linguistics, a topic I had developed an interest in recently.

"Aren't you going to get another beer?" she said. "That glass has been empty for an hour."

"No. I ..." I paused. "I shouldn't be drinking."

Her eyes widened. "Sorry."

"No, no." I waved a hand. "I don't have an alcohol problem. I just avoid it."

"You don't like it? That's okay."

"I do. I just... tend to act a little out of character when I've had two drinks in me. Besides, I'm driving."

"Or maybe you act more in character when you drink." She smirked. "In vino veritas, and all that."

"Yeah, that's the problem."

Her eyes lit up in interest. "Ohhh. Is there a bad boy underneath that buttoned up exterior?"

I sighed. "Something like that."

"I'm intrigued. So, is it working?"

"What is?"

"How long have you been avoiding alcohol? Have you been able to behave?"

"Two years." I frowned. All those times I had sex with Harper, I had been sober. Was this exercise in self-control futile after all? "And no, I'd slipped recently. Turns out I don't need alcohol to be misbehave."

"I have a suggestion for you. A little experiment." She dropped another shot glass of soju into her fresh beer glass. With a grin, she slid it over.

I ran a finger up the side of the glass. "An experiment."