"Fine. Just one sip, then." By lowering the bar, he left her with no room to refuse. One sip instead of a full glass.
Riley hesitated. She was naïve, but she wasn't foolish. If she kept refusing, she might really upset him.
Biting her lip, she took two steps forward, carefully picking up the glass. Just as she brought it to her lips, she met his gaze—cold and unreadable.
Her heart skipped a beat. In her panic, her 'small sip' turned into a large mouthful.
The drink was smooth, surprisingly refreshing, with a faint citrusy sweetness lingering on her tongue. It wasn't as harsh as she had feared.
For a brief moment, she even thought—Maybe… I could take another sip?
But what she didn't realize was that her face was already flushed red, all the way to her ears. This particular dry martini had been specially mixed by the bartender. The alcohol burn was mild, but its effects?
Immediate. Alex gave a small nod of approval.
