The jealousy flared hotter in my chest than I wanted to admit.
“I should—”
“Yes, you should,” Camille cut in. “Before she stumbles into a bad decision just to spite you.”
I gave her hand a squeeze. “Thanks for the dance.”
I made my way toward Elise just as her giggle turned into a full-on laugh.
She was in that gold silk dress I’d stupidly told her to buy, one heel kicked back behind the other, a smile on her face I knew damn well was faker than half the music industry in the room.
And next to her? Tom Rossi’s assistant, Malcolm, with his weak chin, shiny shoes, and his hand inching a little too close to her waist.
“So Elise, are you here with someone?”
I closed the distance. “She is. Now back the fuck away from my assistant.”
Elise turned at the sound of my voice, clearly tipsy and clearly startled.
“Nathan,” she said, her tone sugary sweet. “Shouldn’t you be off dancing withMs. Perfect Cheekbones?”
I ignored the jab and leveled a look at Rossi’s slimy assistant beside her. “Leave. Now.”
Malcolm blinked. “Excuse me?”
I stepped between them. “She’s taken.”
“I don’t see a ring,” he shot back, all fake bravado and nervous sweat.
“It must be pretty hard to see anything with that black eye.”
“I don’t have a black eye.” Malcom scoffed.
“Not yet.”
Malcom sobered up quickly, my words landing the way I anticipated. He held up his hands in surrender as he backed up and turned without another word.
Elise scoffed. “Seriously? You can’t just show up and get territorial like you own me.”
“I didn’t say I owned you.”
“Oh, really? Because you just chased off the one decent conversation I was having all night.”
“If you thinkhewas a decent conversation, I’m starting to question your judgment.”
Her jaw dropped. “You’re unbelievable.”
I stepped in close, brushing a piece of hair behind her ear that didn’t need fixing. “And you’re cute when you’re jealous.”
“I’m not jealous,” she snapped, way too fast.
I raised a brow. “You sure?”
“Yes.”
“Because you were glaring at Camille like you were five seconds away from ripping her hair out her head.”
“I wasconsideringit.” Elise begrudgingly admitted.
