Page 166 of Catfish

“You were saying?” Reagan presses with a perked brow.

“Not a damn thing.” I wave the bartender to come over when she gets a chance and drain my glass.

“Alright, calm down, killer,” she chides. “Going home drunk wasn’t the plan.”

I turn my body to face her, my knees brushing against her thigh. “What was the plan exactly?”

“Just getting out of the hotel.”

My face contorts. “You’re as lame as I am.”

Her eyes widen. “What? It took me a half-hour to get you to put the hat on.”

I shrug, leaning my elbow against the bar top to keep her secluded along the wall shielded by my body. “You weren’t convincing enough.”

"Obviously, I was—” She leans closer to me over the louder music. “—because you’re here.”

I pull the bill of my hat down so that she can’t see the teasing in my eyes. “Because I got tired of hearing you repeat yourself.”

She hits my upper thigh playfully with a laugh, then flicks my hat up so she can see my whole face. “You suck, G.”

I hit her with a leisurely smirk that alludes all the confidence in the world. “Sometimes, Shelton.”

With her bottom lip between her teeth, she studies my face.

Yes, Sox, I'd love to suck your clit until my name is the only word you remember, but not when you have the power to destroy my career with one sentence or story.

Nor am I stupid enough to try it.

But harmless flirting—little Shelton and her sassy ass is going to learn tonight.

“Was that charm I heard?” she muses with slitted eyes.

“That was actually—”

“Heyyyy…can I buy you a drink?” Reagan’s attention drags to something behind me before I furrow my brows and turn on my stool.

Fidgeting around are two skinny blondes with no tits in matching white tank tops. They peer up at me with hope and intrigue underneath pounds of makeup, like if I say yes, it's going to make their whole night.

I want to say no.

But the woman behind me thinks I have no game, and my pride demands I take them up on their offer.

"Just about to order another one ladies, but can I get you two one?" I chant, watching their smiles widen as they both look at each other.

“That’d be great,” the one to my right replies. “Sex on the Beach—for both of us, please.”

“Smooth,” Reagan utters behind me with amusement in her tone.

Twirling back in my seat to the woman who holds all my attention, I graze her chin with my thumb and index finger. “You’re my number one tonight, Shelton, don’t worry.”

Awe transforms over her face as the young bartender comes back to take my new drink order.

Ordering the girls their drinks, another for Reagan and myself, the newcomers stand behind me patiently since all the other stools are taken up at the bar.

"I'm Annie," the taller one states, extending her hand for me to take. "And this is my best friend, Meghan."

I shake both of their hands, silently examining them. They look like they work at Hooters with their long hair tucked behind their ears, hot pink shorts instead of the orange, and plastered half-drunk smiles.

---