“To answer your question, only when provoked,” I say sweetly, picking up my drink just as the bartender drops off our technicolor disasters.
“She’s actually being polite,” Jeremy chimes in. “Usually there’s more swearing.”
Out of nowhere, Nolan decides to get snarky. “Well, sorry to crash your post-loss pout parade.”
He tilts his head a little, like he’s trying to figure out what part of me bites and what part breaks.
Fuck around and find out, Rhodes.
“I had to buy my guy a drink after he cleaned up at Vanguard,” he adds, lifting his glass. A toast. To salt in wounds.
And I see red.
“Oh, so you’re a funny guy?”
He takes another sip of his drink, eyeing me from the rim of his glass.
“You know, there for a second, I mistook you for someone who actually does the work, instead of hiding behind account managers, like Rishi here, who cut budgets and take insider tips to win accounts.”
That wipes the smile right off his handsome smug face.
Rishi steps in. “I didn’t?—”
“You think we cheated in order to beat you?” Nolan cuts him off.
“I think you needed a coupon and a mole. But sure, spin the narrative.”
Nolan's gaze flits to Rishi briefly before returning to me, cold and unbothered. “Well, I certainly didn’t expect to run into someone who speaks in weaponized subtext tonight. What a treat.”
In the background, gazes volley.
“And I didn’t expect to run into someone who flirts like it’s a hostile negotiation,” I shoot back.
“Oh, I’m definitelynotflirting.”
I arch a brow, sharp as glass. “Sure you aren’t. Must’ve been someone else mentally guessing my bra size from across the bar.”
His jaw ticks.
“No come back?” I smile. Deadly. “Next time, try starting with hello instead of a slow striptease.”
Maya eventually leans in, pretending to whisper but failing spectacularly. “Should we leave you two alone or should we set up a boxing ring?”
Jeremy drags her back. “Nah. This is the foreplay portion of the night. Let it play out.”
When did toe-to-toe rooftop banter with the enemy become my kink?Is that something I should unpack in therapy? Because Nolan smirks—and that smirk short-circuits my brain, sends a pulse straight between my legs, like my vagina’s a damn smoke detector and he’s hellbent on setting off the alarm.
“Don’t flatter yourself,” Nolan says.
I narrow my eyes at him. “You always this arrogant?”
“Yes,” him and Rishi say in unison.
“Well, at least you’re self-aware. That’s one trait we can build a personality around.”
“I hate how hot this is,” Maya whispers.
“This…” Rishi lifts his glass, grinning. “This is exactly what he needed. A good old-fashioned head-to-head to knock the heartbreak right out of him.”
