He placed it beside his discarded suit jacket, then leaned back against the couch, rolling his cuffs halfway up his forearms.
The quiet authority he carried even in this relaxed posture made Tang Fei's pulse trip unexpectedly.
"You can have a drink," he said suddenly, glancing toward the bar cabinet at the far end of the room. "Just one."
Her brows lifted slightly. "You're allowing me?" She was surprised that he was letting her have a drink after banning her.
"I'm not allowing," he corrected mildly, meeting her gaze with that calm, unreadable look. "I'm indulging you. There's a difference." He knew how she behaved when drunk, thus, she could drink in his presence alone.
She let out a soft scoff but crossed to the bar anyway.
The bottles were lined neatly on the glass shelves, labels gleaming in the golden light.
She hesitated, then reached for a red wine, rich and full-bodied, the kind that lingered on the tongue.
