“I know your type.I mean, you just represented TechNova Enterprises, famously destroying the environment with their humongous data centers.They need so much water to cool down their servers so their weird AI doesn’t burn it all to a crisp, a nearby town has basically run out.Where are your morals there?”
A tech company needing servers, what a shocker.It wasn’t Baz’s job to judge his client’s business practices.Worrisome that a fellow lawyer didn’t know that.He pitied Sami’s clients.
“I represented them for a breached contract and theft of intellectual property.”
“So when the inevitable happens and they get sued for data theft and environmental destruction, you’ll drop them as clients?”
Oh, please, no lawyer of worth would.Which said a lot about Sami.“Show me one company no one has any ethical objections about.”
“Is that what you tell yourself?”Sami’s tone was high with mockery that itched under Baz’s skin.
“It’s true!”
“Whatever makes you feel better.”
Baz clenched his dewy glass.What business did Sami have claiming moral high ground when he himself had escaped punishment for his crimes with a shady deal?When he was literally representing the people who’d given the kids cancer?
“So you only believe in people’s rights to a fair trial if you deem them worthy, got it.”
“And you only believe in the presumption of innocence when people pay you.”
That—Sami didn’t get it, and Baz was not in the mood to explain.
“You’re a dick,” he declared instead and sipped his drink.The warm buzz worked away at the knot in his stomach.
“Yeah,” Sami said, perfectly nonchalant.He even smirked.“But at least I’m not pretending to be anything else.”
“Might do you good.”
“You know, I can think of a few other things that would do me better…” Sami’s foot snuck on the metal bar of Baz’s stool.Their knees brushed; a bolt of heat sizzled up Baz’s inner thigh.Sami didn’t withdraw.On the contrary, he traced his knee along the outside of his thigh.Was he… flirting?
That couldn’t be.He couldn’t possibly think Baz was into these rude and obtrusive attacks on his character.Actually, he might.That guy was a real piece of work, after all.
Baz had never shied away from work.In fact, he could think of more than a few ways to shut Sami up.Bending him over the counter or getting him on his knees in the bathroom would be an efficient way of keeping his mouth busy.Plus, Baz could get all the emotions brewing inside of him out of his system too…
God, Baz was losing his mind.He would not sink to that level of desperation, no matter how well-fitted Sami’s white shirt was, or how pretty his eyes were, or how much of that well-groomed chest hair he teased Baz with.
He pushed Sami’s leg away.If that discouraged Sami, he didn’t show it.On the contrary, his grin widened; his foot immediately returned to Baz’s stool.
“This is fun.Hey, what are you drinking?Any good?”
Baz glared at him.“Go away.”
“I’d peg you as a gin man, so, let me guess.Negroni?”
Did he expect Baz to be impressed by that?He must have overheard the order.
“You have no idea what I like.”
“I know what you don’t like.Me, for example.”
Baz would have given him credit for having a basic level of self-awareness if it weren’t for that toothy grin broadening on Sami’s face.Normally, Baz knew better than to descend into unprofessionalism during an active case, but Sami caught him on a bad day.
“Damn right I don’t.”
“What I don’t know is why.I’m such a ray of sunshine.A pillar of my community.”
“What, with that shiny, lawful past of yours?That’s right, I looked into you.”
