He swallowed, and it was the first sign that he wasn’t as unaffected as he was acting. “Fine. Let’s discuss the important things then. Please remind me what those are.”

“The fact that Hari is waiting outside. The fact that you’ve put my life’s work at risk simply by—”

“Existing. I seem to be causing you quite a few dilemmas simply by existing.”

He was not wrong but if she responded to that, they’d be back to his thigh between her legs, and all she wanted was to forget about that. Dear Lord, could she please please please forget about it?

He had the audacity to grin as though he’d heard her prayer.

“Can we just get to the point, Vansh?”

He stared at his hands, considering his options, and fortunately decided to focus on the right part of the conversation. “The point is we need to figure this project out.”

“I don’t have a choice, do I?” The amount of frustration she felt having to say those words made her want to storm out of there and throw Jiggy’s money back in his face. But that was not how this gig worked. There were too many lives at stake. Too many parts already in motion.

“I did not intend for it to turn out this way. I promise I will do everything I can to not make you drop your budget.”

“In the long run.”

He shrugged. “I’ve got a business plan that will show you how little we need and how fast this can go live.” Then he dimpled at her. So good was he at this dimpling business that she could no longer tell if it was real or not. “Let’s please both take his money. Please.”

As if she had a choice. “Fine.”

“‘Fine’ as in I can call Hari in and you’ll see what we’ve drawn up thus far?”

“Not just yet. I have conditions.”

He was grinning from ear to ear. He thought he’d won. “Of course you do. May I guess them, please?” He wiggled his brows. Now that he’d gotten his way, he was back in full-blown playful mode. It was a miracle Serious Vansh had lasted this long.

“No. You may not. This is going to be strictly professional.”

“You mean, no using my thigh for—”

“Vansh! No bringing that up. It was a mistake. I had too much to drink. Stop being a jerk about it.” She hated the pleading note in her own voice, hated how vulnerable it felt to let it slip. Even more, she hated that he picked it up, saw right through her, then covered it up with a shit-eating grin, saving her from the mortification that flooded through her.