ONCE MORE, WITH YOU

XIX

"Of course," Solené replied, patting her back gently.

While they laughed, I turned to Nolan. "What are you even mixing?"

"Uh... Hennessy, Don Julio, Pink Whitney, Malibu, New Amsterdam..."

"Are you trying to poison people?" I snatched the cup from his hand and poured it into the sink.

"I didn't think about that..."

"Clearly," I said, smacking the back of his head. "No more mixing."

Nolan held his hands up in mock surrender. Shaking my head, I poured myself a shot of Hennessy and downed it, feeling the burn. Two more followed, one after the other.

As I set the glass down, arms wrapped around my waist. I turned to find Solené, her smile warm. "Straight to the hard stuff, huh?"

"You know me so well," I teased, leaning into her.

"Where's Adrianna?"

"I gave her water and dropped her off with Nolan," she said, gesturing to where they were sitting on the couch, Adrianna laughing uncontrollably while Nolan looked mildly exasperated.

"She's going to regret everything tomorrow," I chuckled.

"And so will you if you keep drinking like that," Solené teased, nodding at the bottle.

"I'm not a lightweight," I shot back.

"Oh, I know. You drink like a fish."

"Excuse me?" I gasped, smacking her arm playfully. "I barely drink anymore! Just wine—on important occasions."

"Like...?"

"Family dinners. Business events," I shrugged.

"Sure," she said, unconvinced.

Rolling my eyes, I scanned the room. A group was setting up for beer pong. I grinned and grabbed her hand.

"Let's play."

We made our way toward the beer pong table, where the energy was electric. Cups were set up in neat pyramids, and a small crowd had gathered, hyping up the players.

"Are we taking them on?" Solené asked, her lips quirking into a competitive grin.

"Obviously," I replied, squeezing her hand. "You any good?"

She tilted her head, feigning thought. "Let's just say you'll want me on your team."

We challenged the reigning pair, a guy in a hoodie and a girl in a sequined top, who were clearly feeling themselves after a string of wins.

"Y'all ready to lose?" the guy teased as we stepped up to the table.

"Funny, I was just about to ask you that," I shot back, grabbing a ping pong ball and spinning it in my hand.

The first few rounds were tense, with both sides hitting their targets. Solené nailed a perfect arc into the back cup, drawing cheers from the crowd.

"She's carrying the team!" someone shouted.

"Not true," I replied, sinking a shot of my own. "We're a package deal."

By the time we reached the last few cups, it was neck and neck. The crowd was buzzing, placing mock bets on who would win. Solené leaned in, her voice low and teasing.

"Think you can handle the final shot?"

I smirked. "Watch me."

Focusing, I took the ball, lined up the shot, and flicked my wrist. The ball sailed through the air and landed in the last cup with a satisfying splash.

The crowd erupted, and Solené grabbed me, pulling me into a celebratory hug. "Told you you'd want me on your team," she murmured against my ear.

"You were decent," I teased, laughing as I leaned into her warmth.

The losers groaned good-naturedly, and we stepped away from the table.

"Okay, what's next?" I asked, buzzing from the win and the alcohol.

"Food," Solené said decisively. "You've been drinking, and I don't need you passing out on me."

"Wow, looking out for me already? That's wife material," I teased, poking her side.

"Don't get used to it," she joked, dragging me toward the kitchen.

Inside, the counter was covered with half-empty pizza boxes, chips, and bowls of questionable dips. Solené grabbed a slice and handed it to me before getting one for herself.

We leaned against the counter, sharing bites and watching the party swirl around us.

"You know," she said, brushing a crumb off my lip, "you're kind of amazing."

I raised an eyebrow. "Kind of?"

"Okay, fine," she said, rolling her eyes. "You're amazing."

"That's more like it," I said, grinning as I stole a piece of her crust.

We stayed like that for a while, wrapped in our own little bubble despite the chaos around us. At some point, someone turned the music up, and people started dancing in the living room.

"Want to dance?" Solené asked, her eyes sparkling.

"Depends," I said, pretending to think. "Are you any good?"

She smirked, taking my hand and leading me to the makeshift dance floor. "Guess you'll have to find out."

As we moved to the beat, the room seemed to fade away. Solené's hands found my waist, and we swayed together, her body pressed against mine. I could feel her breath on my neck, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispered, "You're really stealing the show tonight."

"Only because I have the best partner," I replied, turning to face her.

Her eyes locked onto mine, and for a moment, it felt like we were the only two people in the world. Then, without hesitation, she kissed me. It was soft and slow, the kind of kiss that made time stand still.

When we pulled away, her cheeks were flushed, and she smiled. "I think this might be my favorite premiere after-party yet."

"Mine too," I said, lacing my fingers through hers.

We danced a little longer before retreating back to the quieter part of the house, finding a couch where we could sit and talk. The party raged on around us, but nothing else seemed to matter.

For the rest of the night, it was just us—laughing and soaking in the glow of a night.