Page 96 of Start With A Slap

“Aren’t you going to introduce me to your stunning girlfriends?”

The eyes had moved on to Tiffany, who had seemingly just shuddered in orgasm.

“Um,” Ivy said, thrown, “Sever Mark, Tiffany Khalil. Tiffany, this is my father-in-law.” She rephrased for maximum impact: “Jason’sdad.”

Tiff’s wedding-ring check and subsequent glee was shameless. “It issucha pleasure to meet you, Mr. Mark, I have heardsomuch about you.”

Shyeah. He had to know she was lying through her giant, perfect teeth. Right?

But then he took her hand and insisted she call him Sever, and Tiffany blushed and beamed and chest-heaved, and then he got all Frenchman on her with theEnchantéand the soft kiss on the knuckle and Tiffany full onsquealed.

Was he seriously trying to get a rise out of her by leading on one of her friends? Could he possibly sink any lower? And would he please drop theI’m-so-mesmerizedact already?

“This is Amy,” Ivy said, and snapped her fingers. “Sever?”

Finally letting go of Tiffany’s hand, he sent a quick smirk Ivy’s way before turning to Amy.

Him and his smirks.

As she powered through the introductions and he somehow managed to melt every woman in her party, lesbian included, the owner of the lounge came up to invite Sever and his “party” to the VIP area.

“We’re fine out here, really,” Ivy said, only to be speared in the shin with a Louboutin heel. “You have business to tend to, Sever. You go ahead.”

“And drink all that champagne myself? Someone’s got to come with me.” His gaze rested on Tiffany.

Oh no he didnot.

“On second thought,” Ivy amended, standing up, “it is kind of crowded out here. Let’s go feel important, girls.”

She wasnotgoingto break. Not tonight. Not on Jason’s birthday, no matter how far he took this Tiffany thing.

This is what she told herself when she saw Sever touch Tiffany’s lower back as they walked ahead of her, when he draped his arm behind Tiffany’s neck as they were seated in the curtained-off booth, and now, when he kept staring at Tiffany’s mouth.

“You must travel a lot,” Tiffany said over the mellow chill-step that filled the VIP lounge.

And again, he stared at her mouth. “Flew in from São Paulo three hours ago.”

“Wow,” Ivy said. So that’s why he was so bent on seeing her tonight: he wanted welcome home sex. “You don’t waste any time at all.”

Sever glanced at Ivy’s knee, which had started to jerk.

“Yeah, wow.” Tiffany got his attention back by caressing her clavicle: a move she and Ivy learned fromCosmoin the seventh grade. “That’s so exciting.”

“It’s an exciting city.” He tilted his head, as if he were sizing her up. Ivy began to fidget. “Have you been to Brazil?”

“No,” Tiffany said faux-sheepishly, “but I’m a big fan of their waxes.”

He looked at Tiffany with the slow-growing wolf grin Ivy had come to believe was reserved for her. “You’re a sassy one. I like you.”

Then theylaughed. Gross.

“Hey, Sever,” Ivy said. Hello? Sassy one you came here for? Owner of the home you wrecked? Over here,behindthe oneyou’re shamelessly flirting with? “Didn’t you come here for a business meeting?”

“In a bit,” he said, never taking his eyes off Tiffany. “You must be an actress. Gorgeous girl like you.”

“Oh my god, I am!”

This was getting train-wrecky. Ivy knew she should walk away, go sit with the other girls, but ...god help her, she couldn’t.

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