The music there isn’t as loud, and the ambiance is more intimate. There’s a pool table in a corner, where two blokes are having a game, and low couches are arranged in private sections. I planned on us sitting in one of those, but the way she eyes the table changes my mind.
“Do you play?” I ask.
“I haven’t in a while.”
That’s all I need. I head over to the guys. “Sorry mates, I’m gonna need the pool table.”
They comply without issue, and I settle our glasses on a table nearby to retrieve the balls and start a new game. Gen is by my side when I look up, gazing at me with curiosity. “So, it’s not just The Plaza. You walk around like you own the placeeverywhere.”
I chuckle, amused by her perception of me. “Well, in this case, I own a third of the place.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, I bought it from the owners with two mates a few years back. Eli and I stay in the background, but Kill handles it.”
“Kill?”
“Killian. The tough-looking bloke behind the bar.”
“Are you here a lot, then?”
“You’re full of queries tonight, red. How about this: We play a game, and for every ball you sink, I’ll allow you a question.”
She considers it for several seconds. “Will I have to answer a question for every ball you sink?”
“That would only be fair.”
“Not really, since you own this place and probably play pool often.”
“Alright. I get one question for every two balls, so you have twice as many.”
“Better. And I have one veto, where I don’t have to answer.”
“Let’s do this then. Do you want to break?” I offer, pointing at the balls I just finished setting.
“No, go ahead.”
I walk over to the wall to pick a cue, and she does the same, setting her blazer on a tall stool by our table. With her hip leaning onto the pool table, she watches as I bend over to break. My firm and precise hit sends the white ball rolling into the foot spot. Colorful balls scatter over the green felt, and two stripes sink.
First question, then. “What kind of lawyer are you?”
She raises a perfect eyebrow at me. “Why are you so certain I’m a lawyer?”
“Because I hardly see any other profession draft a sex contract for a one-night stand.”
Her plump lips pinch into a straight line, and I hide my smile by going around the table for my next shot. “I’m a corporate lawyer,” she eventually reveals.
“You work for a big corporation, then?”
“That’s a second question—which you haven’t earned yet.”
Cheeky little…I take my shot, expertly sinking another ball. One hit later, I have the right to another answer. I straighten up, give it a good pondering, and meet her ocean eyes again.
“What’s up with the random hookups?”
“Excuse me?”
“No judging here. You’re free to do whatever you want. But you don’t strike me as someone who does that.”
