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“It’s been nice meeting you, Riley,” Graham said, smiling congenially, “but I need to talk to Miles before I slip out.”
“Oh, I’ll walk with you. I haven’t seen him in forever,” Riley said, shooting Tess and Nick a smile and linking her arm with Graham’s. “Who knew I’d find such a handsome escort when I showed up tonight. I didn’t even want to come but Daddy begged me.”
Riley gave a little ta-ta wave and dragged Graham off.
Graham glanced back and in the depths of his eyes she saw resignation. He was stuck. And she wasn’t going to rescue him the way she had that night at Two-Legged Pete’s. Nick gave a heavy sigh as he saw his only chance for a random hookup striding away on Graham’s arm.
“That dude is ballin’ with the chicks,” he said, his expression hangdog.
“Really?” Tess said, shooting him an incredulous look. “An hour ago you were telling me you’ve changed. Don’t think I didn’t see you putting the moves on Riley.”
Nick blinked. “I was not.”
“Oh, don’t give me that, Nick. I know you. That last statement was you bemoaning the fact you’re not getting underneath Riley’s too tight dress.”
“Well, I’m not getting underneath yours, that’s for sure.”
Tess snapped her fingers. “You got that right, buster.”
And then she stalked away, heading for the exit. Monique could kiss her ass. She cared about her job, but she had to get out of the May Madcap Mixer. Like, pronto. Like, yesterday. Like, at that second.
Before she punched Nick, ripped Riley away from Graham, and had a nervous breakdown in the middle of a primo Mardi Gras krewes shindig.
Tess Ullo was finally cracking up.
And there was nothing funny about it.
GRAHAMPRIEDTESS’Sfriend’s hands off his ass for the second time that evening. Seemed the woman was a veritable octopus.
“I’m feeling a little drunk,” Riley trilled, grinning at him as they danced on the small dance floor set in front of a New Orleans funk band. “And you know what that means… ”
“You’re going to bed early?” he cracked.
“Oh, yeah. With you.” She wiggled her eyebrows and grabbed his hands, moving them down to her ass.
Graham had to admit that any other time in his life, Riley would have gotten that early night. She was extremely pretty and obviously very available. But this wasn’t the old Graham.
Coming to New Orleans had been about starting over, and he wasn’t going back to the man who’d walked on the edge, wondering if any day he might drop down into the same pit his own father fell into. No. Conviction had grown inside him—the conviction to be a respectable businessman, an available father, and a good person. No letting his goal slip through his fingers, which meant no more sleeping around with pretty, half-drunk girls.
Except when it came to a stubborn dishwater blonde with a perfect mouth, spectacular breasts and a laugh that made angels jealous. That’s how you started, dude. Picking up a half-drunk girl in a bar… and falling in love with her.
Tess was the one.
Even though a gulf stretched between them, he knew deep down inside in places he pretended didn’t exist that he’d fallen for Tess.
“Riley, you’re a beautiful woman, but I’m not available in that way,” he said as she slightly ground her pelvis into his.
A furrow gathered between her pretty eyes. She studied him for a moment before raising her eyebrows. “Ohhhh. Yeah, that’s unfortunate. Uh, for me.”
What did that mean?
“The good ones are always gay,” she muttered, jerking his hand back up to her waist.
Graham almost laughed but controlled himself. “Yeah, we are. Sorry about that.”
“That’s okay. You can salvage this evening by telling me what you think about Armani’s new collection. I’m a buyer for Saks and all my other gay friends are so conflicted about the new cut on the jacket. What do you think?”
“You think all gay men know fashion?” Graham asked.
