Less Talk - A Hangman Story

Part II

A/N: I'm so excited that you guys liked the first part! Thank you so much for commenting and voting, it means more than you know! Enjoy part 2!!

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Jake watches you navigate your way back to the table with a scowl; it's just like you to make an untimely entrance. He sets your fresh cocktail down beside your first, half-empty one, and takes his seat. You arrive in silence and sit down without looking at either Bradley or Jake.

"Everything alright?" Bradley asks, trying to mask the concern in his voice by clearing his throat a couple of times.

You place your hand on the stem of the new glass before you, twisting it between your fingers. "Thanks for the drink," you say stoically.

Jake starts chewing on the inside of his lip, hoping that Bradley isn't stupid enough to disclose who'd gotten it for you.

Bradley shoots Jake a furtive glance before looking back at you. "What's going on, Y/N?"

"Uh," you say. "I'm going to get going soon."

Jake watches you carefully as your fingers slide up and down the stem. The disappointment he suffers at the thought of you leaving is downright distressing considering how displeased he'd been with your attendance in the first place. Moreover, he can't decide if he's angrier with himself or with you for the physical reaction that accompanies this unexpected flood of feelings. And so, before he can stop himself, Jake makes the following ridiculous bid for your attention: "Already? We've hardly scratched the surface of the environment disaster at the heart of international trade. Thought you could draw up a list of tropical fruit that I'm never to bring up in conversation again."

Bradley glances over at him with elevated eyebrows and a barely concealed smirk for which Jake nearly kicks him under the table.

"And once we've thoroughly unpacked that dilemma," Jake continues, "there's a whole slew of domestic issues we could sink our teeth into. We haven't even begun to discuss public sector corruption!"

You look at Jake sharply. "You want to talk about corruption in the public sector?" you say, your eyes igniting faster than fireworks. "Look no further than the military."

"I was hoping we could stick to judicial misconduct or the like. You know, keep it from getting too personal," Jake says with a slight smile that he fights to keep from spreading further.

To your right, he can see Bradley shaking his head with a widening grin that he doesn't bother hiding.

You nod tauntingly. "Sure, sure," you reply. "Ignore the blatant abuse of power happening right under your nose."

Jake smiles smugly. "Ignorance is bliss, darlin'."

You give him a sour look. "You're despicable."

"And you are intolerable," he retorts, although he's not truly annoyed; not anymore. Not by a long shot. He'd rather sit here and have you bad mouth him six ways from Sunday than watch you take your leave. "Drink your drink," he says, almost hoping that his inappropriately commanding tone might spur you on.

You glare at him but bring the glass to your lips and take a sip which he finds exasperatingly sensual.

"Right," Bradley says. "I'd say that's my cue." He lets out a sigh of feigned fatigue as he gets up and stretches his legs.

You eye him curiously while Jake gives him an ominous sort of look. "Where are you going?" you ask.

"Bar," he says.

"You're gonna miss our fistfight," Jake says while you look pointedly at Bradley's untouched beer.

"Shots,' he says, answering your silent question. Then, he glances at Jake. "Honestly, my money's on Y/N but you'll have to hold off till I get back."