Page 53 of The First Spark

It’s an overt gesture, but I love her for it, even though I don’t know the bartender’s name and haven’t given her a speck of attention until now.

All Oriana will see is a beautiful woman coming onto me. Will I play that to my advantage? Damn right, I will.

“We’ll have to work on that, won’t we?” I pull a twenty from my wallet and tuck it into her front pocket, watching her eyes alight.

See, Oriana? You’re not the only one who’s moved on.

“We will. Come find me when you’re done.” With a final hip shake, the bartender returns to her post, and I cross my arms triumphantly over my chest and shoot a cocky grin toward Oriana.

Judging by the tight set of her jaw, she isnotamused.

Join the club. Besides, she started it with Mr. PlaidPatches Yale wannabe. No way in hell that man can fuck worth a damn. No one wearing elbow patches knows how to please a woman.

But I sure as hell do, and now I have a very interested party to spend the evening with.

Game over. I win.

“We’d better go,” Ori’s schmuck says, giving her sleeve a gentle tug. “Don’t want our food to get cold.”

Ori nods, but the aggravation is still clear on her face. “Absolutely. Have a good night.”

She reaches over, giving Kiki a hug. Then, in a totally unexpected move, she turns to me and opens her arms. “Don’t worry if she sees you. Your bartender friend doesn’t seem the type to be easily dissuaded. Besides, I’ve earned a hug.”

Before I can respond, Ori steps in closer, wrapping her arms around my waist. My breath catches as her body presses into mine with a warmth that sends a jolt of memory through me.

Her cheek rests against my chest, and for a moment, I feel her breathing in sync with mine. I fold her into my embrace, ducking my head to breathe in the sweet scent of her hair—a scent that is uniquely hers.

“Congratulations. I’m really happy for you,” she murmurs.

I slide a finger under her chin, forcing her eyes to meet mine. “All because of you.”

She starts to pull back, her body instinctively trying to create distance, but I’m not ready to let her go. My grip tightens, just enough to keep her close, to make her understand there’s still something unfinished between us.

I lower my head, brushing my mouth against hers in thelightest, softest kiss—a mere whisper of contact. It’s barely there, yet the weight of it lingers in the air, saying everything we haven’t. Her breath hitches, and I can’t resist leaning in further, my lips grazing the shell of her ear as I murmur, “He’s not what you need.”

Ori bites her lip, her eyes flickering with amusement. A small chuckle escapes on a sigh, tinged with irony. “Neither is she, and we both know it.”

Her words hang in the air between us, undeniable and sharp, cutting through whatever game we’re playing. For all my bravado, she sees right through me, and she isn’t afraid to call me out on the fact.

She breaks free from my grip and offers a last smile before linking arms with Professor Prep and walking out the door.

Fucking hell.

Do I want to stop Ori from leaving? Of course, but then what? Demand her time and energy, only to shove her away again tomorrow?

One night. That was the agreement. At least on my end.

I can’t be angry she’s abiding by it.

That’s what my head says. My fists want to pummel that preppy bastard into the ground.

Releasing a low growl, I swig back half my drink, slamming the glass on the table as I sit down.

Then I notice Kiki’s bemused expression.

“What?” I snap.

“You tell me.”

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