The adrenaline of the day, the tequila, and Richard’s proximity make it too hard for me to talk. I let Indira and Saffron lead the conversation. As we listen to the other two, I occasionally catch the boss giving me furtive looks, and smiling. Is he eye-flirting?

“Yo, guys,” Saffron says after a while, stretching in her chair like a cat. “I’m calling it a night.”

“Me too,” Indira echoes.

They both get up and look at us as if to say, “You coming?”

Richard lifts his half-full glass. “Mind if I finish the beer before we go get Chevron?”

“No, sure.” I get up to hug Saffron and Indira goodnight.

The former pulls me into a tight embrace. “The boss likes you,” she whispers in my ear, and then she adds aloud, “See you Monday.”

Richard nods, and we both watch Indira and Saffron slalom through the tables and disappear inside the main bar. And then we’re alone.

There’s a moment of awkward silence until Richard asks, “Want something else to drink?”

“No, I’m good. Thanks.”

“Pity, there’s half a bottle of good tequila left.” He chugs the last of his beer and takes the bottle in his hands. Then he turns toward me with a mischievous grin. “Still convinced you’d lose at that drinking game?”

“Never have I ever? One-hundred percent.”

Richard flashes me a challenging smile. “Want to give it a try?”

The smile I give back is equally wicked. “Game on.”

“What were the rules again?”

“You say something daring you’ve never done, and if I have, I drink a shot and vice versa.”

Richard grabs two clean shot glasses. “And how do we decide who loses?”

“Whoever drinks the most shots?”

His eyes sparkle as he fills the glasses. “Ladies first.”

“Okay.” I wrinkle my nose. “Never have I ever… cheated on someone.”

Richard doesn’t move. “Sorry to disappoint.”

“Actually, that’s no disappointment.” I smile. “Your turn.”

“I have never…”

“Say it properly. Never have I ever…”

“That’s just a waste of words. I have never… thrown a bowl of spaghetti on somebody’s head.”

“You’re using inside information. Not sure that’s fair.” I begrudgingly drink my shot.

The boss refills the glass. “Your turn.”

I realize Richard knows more about me than I do about him. It’ll take some guesswork to hit the right spots. “Never have I ever… gotten a tattoo.”

He drinks. Mmm, interesting. Now I can’t stop wondering where the tattoo is. I scan his chest for a moment before catching his gaze. Richard gives me a knowing stare as if he knew I was hoping to X-ray through his shirt and see the ink.

“I have never…” Richard pauses, “been arrested.”

“You’re not playing fair.” The tequila burns my throat. This time I do the refill, keeping the shot glasses more than half empty. I’ve learned how to pace myself with alcohol.