“If I fail to get myself a tour,” I swallowed, “then I will sit back, swallow my pride, and let you do all the work for me.”
“I like that.”
“Yeah, I know you do.”
“And if you manage to get the tour?”
My lips curled at the side as I shifted closer to him again, letting my hand rest against his chest. “I get…” I drawled, “a onetime pass to take over in the bedroom.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Interesting…” Suspicion was in his eyes, but curiosity soon clouded it.
“What do you say?” I asked.
His hand came to rest on my waist. “I say we have a deal.”
I smiled, pressing a closed-mouthed kiss to his lips. “I knew there was a reason why I liked you. Why don’t we drink to it? Seal the deal.”
“I’ve had enough drinks for tonight.”
“Liberty night, Elio. We are dropping self-made laws, remember?”
He hesitated but then nodded. “Okay.”
I grinned, inching away from him before my gaze moved to the semi-distant crowd ahead of us. I found the waiter by the side and gestured him over.
When he reached us, I picked two drinks from the tray, which held four; I passed one to Elio and thanked the waiter as he went off.
“Ah, cheers to me winning again.” I clinked my glass to his.
“This ego of yours is a problem you need to address,” he said, bringing his glass to his lips. I drank mine in one go while he drank half of his.
“Ugh, it’s not even strong alcohol.” I grimaced. “Should I get another one?”
“It is fine; this is all right,” he said, setting his half-empty glass on the table and checking his watch. “It is almost midnight.”
“The party always starts at midnight. Look around; people are just arriving,” I told him. “Also, I still have a bet to win.”
He shook his head. “Maybe I should retire before you. I have a little work to get done and some papers Casmiro needs me to look over. And I should probably go speak to Kareem about a certain tour.”
I watched him as he straightened.
I laughed lightly. “Right… I’ll let you go.”
Something in my voice must have made him look back at me with a slight frown. He probably didn’t think much of it… until he moved to stand and stumbled back on the couch.
Then he blinked.
Once, twice.
I watched him swallow as he turned to meet my gaze, eyes unfocused but hard. “Did you…”
“Yes?” I asked, shifting closer and holding him to stop his swaying body.
“Did you… I don’t feel…” He blinked a few more times. “You fucking spiked my drink?” His tone was low and slow, dark and angry.
I held him close to my body. I could tell he was trying to get out of my hold, but he had no control anymore. Even though he was tense, he was mine to control.
My heart hammered as my fingers danced in his hair while my other hand rubbed his back.
