Stein smirked back, realizing that Birkin was joking, and laughed along with him, sipping his drink with one hand while he turned the bolt in his head with the other.

"I think Vanessa has had a terrible influence on you," he said, leaning a little closer, just to see what Birkin would do. "I know you're only joking," he went on, reaching for him and curling his fingers around his tie. "But I do find you very interesting. I wonder what you'd do with the right...push."