“Kinda busy, isn’t it?” Connor said loudly.
We had to dodge flailing limbs and push our way through to a corner farthest away from the speakers. I spotted a tall round table without anyone standing near it and pointed it out to Connor. We quickly made our way over before someone could swipe it out from underneath us. I pressed my palms into the table’s surface, slumping over, already worn out from the noise and press of bodies.
“I’m staying here the rest of the night,” I told him. “I don’t want to brave that crowd again. You’ll have to go back out there to get drinks.”
“What’ll you have?” Connor asked. “Another Seven and Seven?”
“Can you get me a vodka cranberry?” I asked.
“Promise not to spill it on me?”
“As long as you don’t run into me again, we’ll be fine,” I said.
Connor took off to get drinks. I checked my phone and brought up the list of places to visit. We still had two more on the list for tonight, and after the press of the crowd and the loud music I was antsy to get a move on. I already knew there was nothing about this place Connor would like.
I cast my eyes around, trying to find him after a few minutes. It was taking longer than I’d thought.
I spotted Connor near one of the side bars. He wasn’t talking with the bartender. He was speaking with a short, cute girl in a sparkly black top. She had a coy smile on her face as she reached out to touch his arm.
Jealousy burned through me, acid churning in my stomach. I quickly looked back down at my phone, stabbing at the screen to check my email. I’d cleaned out my inbox earlier that day. There were no emails to check, only spam. I sent them to the trash with furious swipes of my thumb. The plastic case creaked under the force of me pressing the screen.
I lifted my eyes again, zooming in on Connor and the girl. She was hiding a laugh behind her hand. I recognized the smirk on his face. It was the same one he wore whenever he said something to make me blush.
Jaw clenching, I tore my eyes away from the sight, staring down at my email again, continuing to swipe on the screen.
When Connor eventually returned, I stamped down on the knot in my gut and shoved my phone in my purse.
“Always working?” he asked.
“Just checking email,” I said tightly.
Connor set my drink down in front of me. I raised an eyebrow as I picked it up. It wasn’t in a cocktail glass. It was in a clear plastic cup with a lid and straw, like you got from fast food joints.
“Just making sure we don’t have any more accidents,” he said, lips twitching as he suppressed a smile.
“Gee, thanks.” I took a sip through the straw, feeling like a three year old with a sippy cup. “Did you remember to get the receipt?”
He took a strip of paper from his pocket and handed it over.
“Why am I collecting these again?” he asked.
“So I can pay you back at the end of all this.”
“Treating me to a round, after all?” he asked.
“My company is. It’s a business expense.”
“How unromantic,” he said.
“Is it romance you’re looking for?” I asked. “I thought you had more unsavory intentions.”
He leaned casually against the table, drawing in close.
“I don’t have any intentions,” he replied. “I’m keeping things strictly business from now on, remember?”
“You sure you can stick to your promise?” I asked. “Flirting seems to be built into your DNA. Can you even help yourself if you try?”
I hadn’t meant for the words to come out so snarky. Connor’s brows lift up in surprise.
