Step-Something
4 - 1. Misdirection
"I'm breaking my own rule, here," said Sophie. She checked in the mirror again, smudged her lipstick with a finger, decided she didn't like the effect and began to wipe it clear.
"I think we're going to be breaking a lot of rules," commented the golden-haired girl. "Do you have a washcloth? Dampen it and run it through your hair. It will muss it and make it look like you've been getting sweaty. Which rule in particular?"
"The one about not sleeping with Ben's partners. It's not so much a rule as a "ewww"."
"That's what you think about me, is it? Eww?" The blonde tweaked her mascara in the mirror.
"Not so much, Rose," Sophie replied. "Since I've never really thought of you as his partner, or his anything, really, you don't trigger the "eww" factor. That's a first, though."
The blonde smirked at her in the mirror. "We've never been partners. Just occasional fuck-buddies," she said. "I helped him. We had fun. I'm not planning on becoming
your
partner, either. And I don't see what the deal would be anyway. He's not really your brother."
"I'm not sure if he's even my step-brother," Sophie replied. "By the time dad became my stepdad, he'd already been Ben's ex-stepdad for one full marriage. How's this?"
"Good. Comb it out with your fingers," Rose said. "Oh, and..." She reached down to Sophie's jean shorts and unsnapped the waist button. The shorts were still held closed by the zipper. "Fasten it later if you want. For now it's an oversight."
Sophie looked in the mirror and grinned. "That works."
~~~~~
The doorbell rang just after three thirty. Sophie and Rose gave each other an approving look over, then Rose sat on the couch while Sophie headed for the door.
She changed her mind, and ran back into her room for a moment. Returning, she dropped a bra into the corner of the couch.
"Nice touch," the blonde commented as Sophie unlocked the door.
"Hey, Lucas," Sophie cried, with an abundance of cheer. "Glad you could come! Come in!"
The visitor was a little over her own height - without her heels, at least - with dark brown hair and brown eyes. A well-kept short beard turned what was probably a pleasant enough face into fashion catalog material. "Take a seat," said Sophie. "Sorry I was slow getting to the door. I was a little distracted."
"We'd have been a lot more distracted in five minutes," muttered Rose from behind her.
"Shh," Sophie whispered, turning to give the girl a black look.
"I could come back another time, if you prefer," Lucas said. "You didn't need to invite me at all."
"No, please stay," Sophie responded. "Please do sit." This time, he complied, taking the easy chair beside the unlit fireplace. "I really haven't had much chance to spend time with you, and I've been looking forward to the chance to get to know you."
"I'll bet," came the voice from behind.
Sophie turned again and hissed, "Hush!" Then she sat beside Rose.
"I don't blame you," the girl murmured.
Sophie sighed. "The peanut gallery here is my friend Rose. Rose, this is Lucas, Chloe's partner. He T.A.'s my English class, but I've only really met him a couple of times with Chloe. He was going to be at a loose end after today's class was cancelled, so I invited him over."
"Is partner more or less permanent than boyfriend in this case?" asked Rose in a whisper that was probably just audible to Lucas, her eyes roaming his body.
Sophie ignored her. "Tell us about yourself," she ordered.
"Third year. English language and lit," he said. "I run, I cycle some. I yell at people on the internet. I own a german shepherd, who's the sweetest dog you've ever met, but she's with my mother."
"You look like you should be on a sports scholarship," said Rose.
As the other girl spoke, Sophie felt a finger brushing along her panty line. Rose had her right hand against her waist, a couple of fingers extended to explore, even while her eyes were fixed on Lucas. There was no way he would have missed it. Sophie allowed herself to show a flash of surprise and tugged her jean shorts closed, fastening the catch.
Lucas's eyes widened, but he smiled at the blonde girl. "I wrestled in high school, but didn't get a scholarship. I don't think I'd have wanted to keep it up."
"I think I'd like to see you... wrestle," Rose said, with the barest hint of a pause before the last word. Her fingers now being excluded from Sophie's waistband, she moved her arm around the taller girl's back, slipping her fingers inside the base of her crop top and idly brushing them against the bottom of her breast. Sophie affected not to notice. "Are you planning to be a writer?"
"Hope so," Lucas replied, "though I don't know if I will ever make a living at it. I've sold a couple of short stories. The total income might buy me a decent meal - if I don't supersize it."
The blonde girl laughed. "I think Sophie's the one with secure job prospects, but she has to work hard. I don't think I'd want the trade-off."
"I do," Sophie agreed, with a sigh. "I don't have much time to party." She turned to grin at Rose. "So I just have to make up for lost time when I do."
Rose leaned her head toward her and kissed the base of her neck. Sophie didn't need to pretend to quiver. She kissed the blonde girl's forehead, then leaned back into her encircling arm, still ignoring the fingers stroking her boob.
"You do make up for it," Rose breathed.
"You should join us sometime," Sophie said. "And Chloe too, of course," she added quickly.
"Sure, more the merrier," murmured Rose. Then she raised her voice to a normal speaking level. "Hey, hostess, you haven't offered him a drink."
"Oh! You're right!" exclaimed Sophie. She began to stand, then glanced down as if she'd just then noticed Rose's touch on her breast, scowled briefly, and eased herself out of Rose's hold. "What can I get you?" she asked Lucas.
"She makes great margaritas," Rose said. "Her ex told me."
"My ex?" Sophie turned on the girl. "Heather is not my ex!"
Rose grinned at her and lifted a hand to caress her cheek. "The outrage tells a different story," she retorted. "So does the look in poor little Heather's eyes."
Sophie sighed, then turned away, standing. "Would you like a margarita?" she asked her other guest, politely. "Or I have scotch, bourbon, mixers, vodka..."