All eyes zoned in on Alistair.
For the first time in days, he looked unsure.
Alistair cleared his throat and faked a smile. “I haven’t had the opportunity to delve into this particular one, but?—”
“Oh, my mistake,” Gerard said. “I assumed you’d done the research, but that’s okay. Perhaps you can speculate on the subject?”
“Speculation isn’t research,” the professor replied, launching into a speech about the better-known naughty artwork at the British Museum.
As he warmed up to the topic, he seemed to regain his footing.Phew.
“I have a strong feeling A-lee didn’tdohis research,” Colin tsked.
His comment was addressed to the person on his right, but I bristled ’cause if I’d overheard him, so had everyone in our little section, and that was not okay.
“Not like Dr. Creighton at all,” the faceless man hummed in disapproval. “He’s compulsively organized.”
I pushed away from the wall and glowered. “That wasn’thisresearch. It was a favor.”
Colin and the man next to him regarded me with the mild surprise reserved for spiders that show up out of nowhere.
“A favor? I don’t think so. It’s an important piece of LGBTQ art that should have been prioritized,” Colin huffed under his breath.
“He didn’t have time,” I argued.
For the first time since he’d joined me on the wall, Colin turned to face me. “I wonder why. Too busy with extracurricular pursuits? That’s not like A-lee at all.”
His gaze burned a hole through my forehead before raking a slow trail down my body. I gasped in dismay. This fucker was throwing shade and he was doing it so well, it almost sounded like a compliment. It wasn’t.
I pushed off the wall, fists clenched and jaw set in a straight line. “Extracurricular my ass, honey.”
Three hundred people turned on cue.
Oh, shoot.That wasn’t my inside voice.
“What are you doing?” Colin hissed.
“Nothing.” I waved sheepishly and tried again in a softer tone. “I was there. I know what happened. The omnipositron is brand-new and there wasn’t time for?—”
“Lower your voice,” Colin snapped.
“What is he talking about? What’s an omnipositron?” the other man asked as a twitter of curiosity buzzed throughout the room.
Heads were craning to see what was going on. Nothing good.
“Sir, please.” The moderator took the microphone and pointed menacingly at me. “You must find a seat at once.”
“But I?—”
“Sit down.” Colin grabbed my elbow.
I shook him off and collided with someone behind me.
“Sorry,” I muttered, overcorrecting as I stepped forward and landed on Colin’s foot.
He lost his balance and toppled backward on his ass, taking me with him.
Yep, I lay sprawled on top of my lover’s ex in the middle of an international conference attended by intellects from every galaxy in the universe.
