Page 7 of Sexy

“—Claudio screamed out your room number. And since he works for you, he’s part of this setup. So why don’t you take your self-righteous attitude and give it a little adjustment. I could just as easily say you sexually harassed me.”

“My God, please,” she screams, her face burning a bright red.

“Tiffy,” Cole says with a hand meant to shut her up. “Stop.”

“Yeah, stop,” I growl. “Save your breath for tomorrow’s meeting. Because I’m out of here. Thanks for the drink. We can pick this up again on the clock.” And I hand the empty glass off to a smirking Claudio as I exit the room.

Chapter Three

The door slams behind him so loud, it makes me jump. I am instantly pissed that he had that effect on me. Especially after what he did tonight. How dare that man? How dare he—

“Tiffy,” Cole says, walking to the door and looking out the peephole. “This is a problem.”

“Which part?” I ask. “The part where he gyrated his hips in my face tonight? Or the part where he placed my hand over his…” Jesus. That really happened. And I didn’t pull away.

“No, Tiff. The part where he says you propositioned him. What exactly did you say to him when you answered the door?”

“What? You’re kidding me, right? That jerk has been using his… position to…” Damn. I can’t even have this discussion with Cole.

“To pick a booty call out of the audience,” Claudio offers up with a smirk. “Is that what you were trying to say, Tiff?”

“Yes,” I say. “Yes, thank you, Claudio. That’s what he’s been doing, Cole! And my father is going to have another heart attack if he finds out how dirty this show is.”

“Oh, relax, girlfriend,” Claudio says, filling up his glass with Scotch and then pouring more into mine. “Your old man has been around more than one block. He knows exactly what’s going on here. He could’ve shut this show down months ago and he didn’t.”

“Yeah, he thinks he knows. But he has no idea that the star of the show is using his hotel to drum up…” Shit. Why does Cole have to be here? I can’t even with him.

“Sex,” Claudio offers again.

Oh my God. I’m really having this conversation in front of Cole. I might die of embarrassment.

“Yeah, Tiff,” Cole says as he gives my arm a comforting pat. “Your father isn’t the one I’m worried about. Did you proposition Novak at the door?”

“What? No!”

“Did he ask to come in? Or did he really ask you to dinner?”

“He did, but—”

“Shit,” Cole says, making a serious frown that causes his eyebrows to knit into a furrow on his forehead. “We’re going to have to tread carefully here.”

“I did not proposition him! I asked him if he wanted to come in! That’s all!”

“I don’t think that’s all, Tiff,” Claudio says before taking a long gulp of his drink. “You did kiss him.”

“What?” Cole exclaims.

“No! Look, Cole. He was just being all…” Fuck. Why can’t I talk about this stuff with him? I’ve known the guy for eight years, since I was a teenager and he just started working for my dad. And yeah, I have a little crush on him, but holy mother, I can’t even think about sexy stuff with Fletcher Novak without blushing in front of Cole. “You know, playerish and stuff.” Playerish? Something is seriously wrong with me.

“Flirty?”

“Shut up, Claudio! You’re making things worse here.”

“OK,” Cole says, gathering up his laptop from the table near the bar. “We’re just gonna go to bed…”

I lose track of his words as I stare at his mouth. He said bed. I’m like a fourteen-year-old boy.

“… and regroup in the morning. I have a call I have to take at eight-thirty, so if you see him before I get there, do not engage. Got it?”