The Little Black Dress (Love in Las Vegas)

Victoria ended up marrying the whale, who was smart enough to never show his fucking face in my casino again. I heard they got divorced a year later, and she took him for half his wealth.

I guess he did me a favor. And I learned a lesson I’ll never forget…

Don’t get emotionally involved. And never give away your heart. It’s a surefire way to have it handed back to you, shattered.

Shaking my head to clear it of the foul memory, I pick up the remote on my desk and press the button to raise the blinds covering my office windows. They’re not actually necessary. The windows are reflective on the outside, so no one can see in. The blinds are only lowered when I feel the need to be distraction-free.

But right now, I want to see what a certain redheaded distraction is up to.

She’s sitting at Scotty’s desk––her desk now, I suppose––smiling up at him as he speaks and gestures wildly with his hands. The smile is real. Natural. And one of which I’ve definitely never been on the receiving end. It knocks me a little breathless, which irritates me almost as much as she does.

A barista exits the elevator with three cups of coffee in a cardboard carrier. Sophie stands and moves around the desk, rifling around in her bag for a moment before coming out with her wallet. The barista holds up her palms, refusing any payment. I have a running tab with the coffee shop, and at the end of every month, I pay the bill, adding in a hefty gratuity.

After the barista leaves, Sophie pulls a cup from the carrier. Throwing her shoulders back and lifting her chin, she gives Scotty a firm nod before walking to my door. At her knock, I call for her to enter as I pretend to type on my computer’s keyboard. Because, you know, I’m a terribly busy man.

“Your coffee, sir.”

I look up from the gibberish I’ve typed on my computer screen to see Sophie standing rigid before me. She’s not frowning, but she’s not smiling, either. Her face is just…stern. I cock my head to study her.

“Did you spit in it?”

I know she didn’t. I was watching her. But she doesn’t know that.

Setting the coffee cup down before me, she smiles. This one is real, even if it is a little sinister. Straightening, she meets my gaze and holds it for a beat before responding.

“I guess you’ll just have to take your chances.”

She spins around, making the skirt of her black dress flare out slightly, then strides across the office. She pulls the door closed behind her softly, then skips back to her desk with a cheeky grin for Scotty.

She’s got a lot of backbone. I’ll give her that.

I smile as I lift my coffee to my lips and take a small, gratifying sip as I watch her through the window. This feels like a war. A battle of wills.

And I’m here for it. One hundred percent. Let her give me her worst.

Because this is my house, and the house always wins.