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I quickly wrap my arm around her waist and swim upward, and her breath catches in surprise.
“Can you swim?” I ask, my voice steady as I hold her and tread water.
“Yes,” she answers.
Our eyes are locked in a moment that feels electric, the world outside fading away.
“Finish your sentence. What were you going to say before you clumsily tripped and pushed me in?”
She chuckles as I hold on to her, our closeness ignites something that’s hard to ignore.
“I don’t remember,” she says. “Let me go.”
“Fine.” I swim away from her, lift myself onto the edge, and stand, water dripping from my body.
Billie swims toward me, and I reach my hand out to her, my heart pounding.
She looks at it, then takes my help. Without hesitation, I pull her small frame out of the pool until her feet touch the ground. Standing in front of me, she laughs. We’re completely soaked. Mascara streaks down her cheeks as she wrings out her hair, the scent of chlorine mixing with her floral perfume.
“I’m really sorry about the suit. It’s a shame; the Gucci was really nice.” Billie steps closer, unbuttoning my suit jacket to reveal the stunning crimson lining underneath. “This is one of my favorites.”
I meet her gaze. “Your Revenge Dress might be ruined.”
“It fulfilled its purpose,” she replies, turning to walk away.
I can’t help but watch her, captivated. As I glance past, I realize all eyes are on us, the crowd buzzing with curiosity.
“Fuck,” I mutter under my breath, feeling the weight of their stares pressing in on me.
She leaves a trail of water around her feet, and just before she reaches the door, she glances back over her shoulder. “You’re still an asshole.”
“Your fucking favorite,” I shoot back, and she gives me a small smile.
Billie walks inside, and Louis rushes over with a towel, wrapping his arms around her like he just pulled her from the depths of a stormy sea. He tucks her wet hair behind her ear and kisses her forehead, a gesture that almost seems real—except her eyes find mine instead of his, a silent challenge crackling between us.
I pull out my phone, realizing it was in my pocket. The last thing I want to do is turn it on, though I think it’s waterproof. I hold it tightly as I grab my flask and unscrew the top. The familiar scent of aged whiskey greets me.
Seconds later, Weston joins me with a towel.
“I can’t believe she pushed you,” he says, shaking his head in disbelief.
“She tripped,” I explain, trying to dry off as best I can, the fabric of my clothes sticking uncomfortably to my skin.
“That’s not what she just said.” His brows furrow in concern. “She mentioned you were jealous of her and Louis, so she pushed you into the pool. You pulled her in with you.”
“Wow, she’s really playing dirty,” I tell him, taking off my coat jacket and tossing it aside, the fabric landing with a soft thud. “Looks like the games have begun.”
“Why did you agree to work with Josh?” Weston asks, snatching my flask from my fingers and taking a swig. “I’m trying to figure that out.”
“Nothing like a little friendly competition to bring out the best in this business. You and I both know that’s when real progresshappens. It pushes companies to step up and innovate. Only the strong will survive.”
Weston shakes his head and smiles. “Billie’s going to wipe the floor with you and Josh. You know that, right?” He laughs, giving me a light pat on the back.
“I have no doubts she’ll give it her all,” I admit, my mind racing with possibilities.
Weston nods, his expression turning serious. “Can we talk about what’s going on between you two?”
My brows knit together. “Our feud?”