I've replayed the last time I saw Sophia over and over in my head for the last fucking 3 months. I haven't seen her since that day I showed her the cctv footage.

Now, all we do is send a few texts back and forth. I thought maybe she would have reached out by now, maybe she was waiting for me to make my move, I don't fucking know anymore.

Last night we went out the celebrate Adam's engagement with his bride to be Emma. I'm happy for them, but I was wishing that Sophia could have been with me. I was stuck being Brent's wingman most of the night.

Emma asked to speak to me this morning about Adam getting some time off for his birthday, she wants to give him a surprise trip away somewhere, so we met up in Aroma.

I have kept my distance from the coffee shop, knowing Sophia works there more now and I'm trying to still respect the 'we need some space'. So today I finally decide it's time to get my fucking act together and head to Aroma.

Jack has told me many times that this break will be good for us but I don't think I have much hope. Although I do see where Sophia was coming from, to be a couple we need to be happy with ourselves. I know I put too much into work and I've realised it's not worth the stress of it effecting my life or my relationship.

I have mangers to deal with things, there isn't just me. So I offered for Jack to hire another bar manager so then he could help me 2 days a week with the orders and paperwork. Plus I'm still working on something else that is still taking up some of my time.

Aroma isn't too busy and I can't see Sophia anywhere, I don't like hanging about in here, so I make my way outside. As I swing the door open, I nearly knock someone out.

"Sorry-" I say. I can't believe my fucking eyes.

Sophia.

She's even more beautiful after not seeing her for months.

"Hi Sophia." I say, my breath hitching in my throat.

"Hunter, hey." She replies, nervously tucking a stray hair behind her ear.

"You cut your hair, you look beautiful." That fucking blush on her cheeks. Her hair short suits her, I can't believe how good she looks. I'm speechless. It feels like the first time I met her, all over again, where I can't find the right fucking words to say.

"Thank you. I better go, my shift starts soon."

"Yeah, of course-" I start but Emma interrupts me, coming outside.

"Hey, thanks for not waiting!"

I glance at Sophia, who is ready to walk away. Fuck, she is going to think I'm with Emma. I step infront of her, ready to set the story straight.

"It was great seeing you Soph, this is my friend Adam's fiancée, you remember him?"

"Oh yeah, of course. Well I gotta go, have a great day." She smiles at us and heads inside.

I stare after her, my heart is pounding in my chest.

"So that's the one that got away is it?" Emma asks as we head back to my car.

"Yeah, I can't believe I just bumped into her like that."

My mind is racing, I just want to march straight in there and kiss the hell out of her. I've missed her touch, her smell, her taste, as much as I wanted to respect this space we are having, I had to restrain from calling her everyday, just to hear her voice.

I drop Emma off at her place and head to Lava Lounge where I'm meeting up with Brent. I park up and pull my phone out.

"Hey man what's up? I-"

"I just bumped into Sophia and I don't know what to do." I get out as soon as Jack picks up the call.

"What did you say to her? Were you a dick?" Jack asks me.

"No I wasn't a dick! I bumped into her leaving the coffee shop, she was just about to start her shift. She didn't say much, but I was with Emma, I let her know who she was, so she didn't think I was with her." I tell Jack.

"And now what?"

"Well what do I do? Should I call her? Fuck, she looked so good, her hair was all short and sexy, I thought maybe she would wanna talk to me by now-"

"Alright, slow down, look- I think it's been good this time apart, you've realised a few things about yourself and she probably has too. I know you still love her, so what if she is waiting for you to make the first move?"

"You think she is?" I question. I'm no good at this. Jack is the one I ask for advice with women, and he always makes me see it differently.

"It's worth a shot man, hey, I gotta go, but I'll see you Saturday night yeah?"

"Yeah, thanks Jack."

"No problem, and think about how to get your girl back." He chuckles ending the call.

〰️〰️〰️

I'm just about done with the paperwork for tonight, I can't wait to get home. I'm hoping I can call Sophia tomorrow and have a chat to figure out what is going on with us and if she wants to go on a date with me.

I fucking hope she hasn't forgotten about me or moved on, I couldn't watch her around another guy.

Stepping out of my office, I maybe spoke too soon. I see my beautiful Sophia, at the bar with some guy, being too close with her and touching her back. I make my way through the crowd watching the bar as Jack approches them to take their drinks order. I slide up beside her as she starts to say her order.

"Vodka cranberry with ice." I finish for her.

I gaze into her eyes as she looks up at me.

"Hi." She smiles. This woman is fucking stunning, her little white outfit, her short hair in waves, and her lips glossy, asking to be kissed.

"Hey." I smile back. Jack returns with her drinks and he shoots me a wink, I nod at him.

"These are on the house." I say in Sophia's ear, her perfume drifting into my senses.

"Thank you, you didn't have to do that." She tells me. "Oh, sorry, this is my friend Sam, he's a personal trainer at the sports centre." She introduces me to the guy she's with. I bite my tongue and smile, nodding my head to the guy.

"Sam, this is Hunter, he's the owner of The Velvet Room." Sophia tells this Sam guy, his eyes widen as she speaks.

"Wow, cool club man." He shouts over to me.

"Yeah thanks."

"I better go, I'm with Ivy and Cassie." Sophia picks up 2 drinks while Sam grabs the others and starts walking away.

"Have a good night." I tell her.

I watch as she disappears into the crowd to find her friends.

"That was good yeah?" Jack comes over to me, as I sit at the bar.

"I don't think so, she was with that guy-"

"Hunter, are you telling me you don't wanna fight for her? You need to make your move man, I saw how she looked at you."

"Fine, give me a beer and I'll figure something out."

I wasn't expecting to see her tonight, I made a plan in my head that I was going to call her tomorrow, but she's here now. She's obviously here with her friends though, I can't just go all serious with her, asking for a chat.

I'm deep in thought when Jack taps my arm.

"I don't think she was with that guy." He nods to the dancefloor, where I spot Sam dancing with Cassie, looking like they are about to kiss.

"I'm going over." I slam my bottle down and head into the dancefloor.

Reggaeton music blasting through the speakers. I approach Sophia from behind, softly placing my hand on her swaying hip. As soon as she feels my hand on her she spins around.

"You wanna dance with me?" I ask holding my hands out. I mentally pray that she doesn't tell me to fuck off or slap me for this.

She smirks at me, spins around and pushes her back to my front, her ass grinding against me, she knows what she's doing here.

I feel her arm stretch up and her hand tangles in my hair just above the back of my neck. I glance down at her neck, I could easily just place a kiss there. My hands grip her hips as she grinds against me more.

"Sophia-" I whisper in her ear.

She spins around facing me, wrapping her arms around my neck, my hands still firmly on her waist.

We gaze into each other's eyes. I've missed her so much. I will fight for her, Jack was right, this time apart has made us better, because now I know what it's like not to have her in my life and it isn't something that I want to experience again.

I lean into her as she rises up on her toes to reach me, I feel her breath on my face as her glossy lips are about to touch mine.

Suddenly my pocket is vibrating. Fuck. I step back and dig out my phone, I need to take this. I have been waiting for this call all fucking week, and of course it has to be now, 11.30pm on a Saturday night, and just when I was about to kiss Sophia.

I look back at her face, she's embarassed, or disappointed, I can't tell which.

"I'm sorry, I have to get this." I shout, holding up my phone. "I'll be back, I promise." She nods at me as I step back towards my office.

As soon as the door shuts, I hit the accept button.

"Sorry it's so late Hunter, but we have been working day and night to get everything done and you told me to call you when everything is finished, so this is me calling you now."

"It's all done?"

"Yeah, ready to go. I hope you like it, I'll meet you here tomorrow morning for the final sign off?"

"Yeah sure, 11am sound good?" I ask.

"Yeah, have a good night."

Fucking finally, the call I have been waiting for. I can't believe my luck tonight. I was about to kiss Sophia. To have her dancing with me, so close, making me embarassingly hard, things are definitely starting to look up.

I need to find Sophia, I need to kiss her to ask her out on a date, I need her to be mine again. Feeling the adrenaline pulsing through my body, I step out into the crowds to find my girl.

I walk around the club for half an hour before pulling out my phone to text Sophia.

I sprint outside, straining my neck to find Sophia, I look down the pavements and I can't see her anywhere.

Just as a big crowd enters the club, I spot Sophia, hugging herself with her arms looking down.

"Soph!" I jog up to her and instinctively wrap my arms around her.

"Hey, I can't believe your out here alone-"

"It's fine, don't worry about me."

"I will worry about you baby, I would never want anything to happen to you." I rest my forehead on hers. Her eyes gazing down.

"Let's go to my car, I'll take you home." I tell her, unwrapping myself from her body.

"No it's ok, my Uber will be here soon-"

"Please Soph, let me drive you. Cancel it."

She nods and begins tapping on her phone.

"Done."

"Come on, this way." I take her small hand in mine and guide to the staff car park behind the club. I open the door for her and help her in. She tells me her address, an apartment block just outside of the city.

"Thanks for bringing me home." Sophia says, unfastening her seat belt and turning to open the door.

"Wait, I'll get it." I dash around to her side, opening the door for her and placing my hand out so she can pull herself up.

She blushes, her eyes not meeting mine. I take my chances, I need to taste her.

I step forward, my hand sliding around the back of the neck, my thumb softly brushing her jaw, my other hand on her waist. She gasps at my touch, making my heart race.

She places her hands on my biceps as she reaches up on her toes. I lean down to meet her halfway, my eyelids slowly closing. In one swift movement, our lips touch. It's a slow kiss, no tongues involved, almost like we are testing the waters, remembering this feeling.

Simultaneously, we pull back, our foreheads touching again, this is definitely our thing.

"Will you meet me tomorrow?" I whisper.

"Like a date?" She grins.

"Sure baby." I smile.

She reaches up on her toes, placing a kiss on my cheek.

"Goodnight Hunter."

"Night Soph, so tomorrow?" I ask, wanting to hear her confirm she wants to see me.

"I'd like that."

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