Page 11 of Sexy

“You stinky whore! You stayed up all night getting drunk and watching videos of that dreamboat? I should slap you.”

“Why are you yelling? My head.”

“Tiffy,” Claudio says, pulling me up off the bar. I stumble trying to step down off my stool and fall into his chest and knock us both down. “You’re gonna pay for this, toots. I swear. You’ve got a meeting in one hour and you’re still drunk! What the hell happened last night after I went to bed?”

“I don’t know.”

“Get up off me, you ungrateful—”

“Stop insulting me!”

Claudio manages to push me aside so he can scramble out from under me, then stands there, tapping his slippered toe in front of my face. “You’re going to blow this, Tiffy. And you’re the one who dragged me up here in these godforsaken mountains to help you fix this hotel. I could be on vacation right now. I could be sucking down margaritas with Raul in the Bahamas.”

“I know. I’m sorry. Help me up.” I reach for him, but no help comes. Claudio is a grudge-holder. And he’s right. I did drag him away from that trip with Raul. But Raul is an asshole. He can do better. I feel justified. “Fine, don’t help me up. I can get up myself.”

I brace my hands on the floor and manage to make it to my knees. But then my head starts spinning and I have to take a break. I’m not sure how long I kneel there looking like I’m waiting for someone to take me doggie-style, but in the end, Claudio gives me a hand before I make it to my feet.

“Thank you,” I squeak. My stomach is a mess and it starts to rumble loudly.

“Your meeting is in forty-five minutes, Tiffy. Now what?”

Shit. Shit, shit, shit. Fletcher Novak’s final hour is upon him and I’m not even coherent. “Call Cole and tell him he should take care of it.”

“No can do, girlfriend. He’s been texting you all morning. In fact, he called just before you woke up and said he might be a few minutes late to the meeting. You need to handle this. And if I was a betting man, I’d predict that Novak has something up his sleeve. He’s not going down without a fight.”

“He uses audience members for sex after each show, Claudio. We both know that’s happening.”

“But it didn’t happen last night, Tiffy. He asked you to dinner and you invited him in. So you’re the one who looks like you’re out to seduce him.”

“Ridiculous.”

“I agree.” Claudio laughs. “He’s ridiculously handsome. And these videos!” He takes my seat at the bar and starts clicking on the videos of the Mountain Men I was watching last night. “They are all delicious.”

My phone rings and I stumble over to the coffee table to grab it before flopping back on the couch. “Tiffy Preston,” I say, not even looking at the screen.

“Thank God, Tiff. I’ve been trying to call you all morning.”

“Sorry, Cole, I was sleeping pretty hard.”

“I guess,” he says. “You feeling OK?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” I say. “I’m perfect.”

“Good, because I’ve got my hands full with a problem in Reno hotel. I have to drive down there and take care of a personnel issue this morning so I’m not just going to be late for the meeting, I’m gonna miss the whole thing. But I’ll be back soon. Can we have a late lunch today?”

Lunch. Yes! Finally, after all these years of waiting, Cole is asking me out. It might only be a day date, but that’s—

“Tiffy? You still there?”

“Yes! I mean, yes to both. Yes for lunch and yes, I’m still here.” I chuckle. “Obviously.”

“OK, good. I’ll see you around two then. Sound OK?”

“Sounds great, Cole. Looking forward to it.” I end the call and smile up at a waiting Claudio. He’s got his hands on his hips and he’s tapping that toe again. “We have a date!” I smile so big, my cheeks hurt. “A real date. Late lunch, you whore. So there. I told you he was interested in me.”

“Hmmph,” Claudio pouts. “And why wouldn’t he be? You’re hot, Tiffy. A little bit of a prude for my tastes. But you’re damn fine in the beauty department. And you’re the daughter of a bazillionaire. What’s not to like? You are ten steps up for boring, pudgy Cole.”

“He’s not pudgy! He’s just a big guy.”