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Tess raised the drink to her lips and took a gulp, smacking as she backed away. “Definitely not strong enough.”
Graham suddenly looked—dare she think it?—hurt.
“Wait a sec.” Monique clutched Tess’s elbow, making her drink slosh yet again on her wrist. All three looked at the small woman who had a knowing gleam in her eye. “Did you sleep with Graham?”
IFGRAHAMHADBEENa lesser man, he might have gotten embarrassed at Monique’s query… or cussed like a cabdriver… but he prided himself on keeping his composure.
Tess, however, wasn’t as composed.
“What?” she squeaked, the glass in her hand slipping to shatter on the marble floor of the Yacht Club foyer. It was a scene from a bad movie. Or a soap opera.
Several people mimicked Tess’s shriek, stepping away as the liquid spread. Tess dropped and tried to pick up the shattered glass, but a waiter moved quickly toward her with a towel and tray, brushing her hands away, as he made quick work of the mess.
Monique shot a knowing smile at Graham—the kind he’d always hated. “How did I miss this? You two have something going on and it’s more than just business.”
Graham gave her a quelling look. “Not now, Monique.”
“Suddenly things are so clear.”
“There’s nothing clear in any situation with you, Monique. You’ve never been uncomplicated, and in my limited experience with your new art designer, neither is she.”
Tess looked up from where she squatted, her expression something between tortured and angry. “Stop talking about me as if I’m not here. And, frankly, who I sleep with”—she glanced over to Nick—“or who I don’t sleep with, is no one’s damn business.”
Monique gave a choked laugh. “Oh, dear Lord, this is so effed up it’s crazy. You never change, Gray. Always find away to needle me. Sleeping with one of my employees… really classy.”
Nick, who’d stood looking slightly confused, clued in. “Wait. You’re with this guy, Tess?”
Shaking her head. “I’m definitely not with him.”
Tess’s quiet words sank into him. He didn’t want them to be true. He wanted to be with her in every way. If only…
“But you’re not with me, either.” Shooting Tess a look of outrage, Nick stalked off.
Graham understood. Nothing like getting smacked in the face with that kind of news along with a pointed message about the night ending with a cursory “good night” rather than an invitation to come up for coffee.
“I know how he feels,” Monique said.
“That’s enough, Monique,” Graham warned, giving her the hardest look he could manage.
Monique inhaled and exhaled with great show. “Please tell me this happened before you took a job with her father’s company? Please tell me you didn’t sleep your way into daddy’s good graces because that would be low even for someone like you.”
“Someone like me?” He tried to keep anger from his voice.
“A man who likes to grind his heel on everyone who stands in his way. A man who would go to work for the competition just to rub my nose in it. A man who would seduce Frank Ullo’s daughter… all so he could get ahead.”
“Don’t you dare go there,” he said, gritting his teeth, wishing Monique would shut the hell up. Things were already tenuous between him and Tess. He didn’t need his ex making it look like he’d spent that night with Tess for any other reason than that she’d taken hold of him.
And it felt like she’d never let go… even during those weeks he’d convinced himself it had been a fleeting moment and nothing more. But he’d known even then that Tess was special. That she was a forever kind of girl.
“You love to hurt me.” Monique jutted her sharp chin, her eyes crackling.
“I still have that power? Somehow I doubt it.”
“You don’t,” she sniped.
Graham sighed. “Why do you always think everything is about you? What happened between me and Tess has nothing to do with Upstart or Ullo. Never had anything to do with business.”
Tess edged a shoulder between him and Monique. Pointing a finger at each of them, she hissed, “Both of you, zip it. People are staring… and listening.”
