“Tessa, you’re all flustered,” Sierra added.

“Oh, my God, Tessa Ashford,” Allie said. “Did you sleep with Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome?”

My eyes widened. “Um…”

Sierra squealed. “Was he a guest? Girl, don’t tell me you broke all your rules for once?”

“I don’t know if he was a guest.” I covered my face. “We…had sex on the mezzanine.”

My friends all made wild noises.

Sierra clapped her hands and bounced. Jazz was beaming. Allie shook her head and grinned.

“Responsible, respectable Tessa Ashford had wild sex at the masquerade.” Allie’s face was gleeful. She clapped a hand over her chest. “I’m scandalized.”

“Girl, we are all a bit envious,” Jazz said.

Sierra grabbed my arm. “Was it good?”

I blew out a breath. “Best sex of my life.”

They squealed again.

“What’s his name?” Sierra asked. “Are you going to see him again? Did you see him yesterday?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know his name. I kind of freaked out after and ran.”

Sierra pouted. “Oh.”

Allie’s hand gripped my shoulder. “Probably for the best. Reality tends to ruin these things. You find out he’s an in-debt accountant from Colorado Springs who’s still married and has three kids. It kind of bursts the bubble.”

“You have to let that bad date go, Allie,” Sierra muttered.

I straightened. “It was just one night to escape everything. Today, it’s back to work. And the best thing, I have a giant check to give the children’s charity.”

“And memories of an earth-shattering orgasm,” Allie added.

Sierra snorted.

“Three,” I corrected.

My friends all went silent, staring at me.

“Three?” Allie said. “In one hot encounter at a ball.”

I nodded.

“I need Hector to man up,” Jazz muttered.

Sierra blinked. “Maybe you shouldn’t have let that one get away.”

“Ladies.”

Our heads jerked up. Everett was studying us. God, I hoped he hadn’t heard anything.

“Did I miss a memo for a staff meeting… in the hallway?”

“No.” I flicked my braid back over my shoulder and stepped forward. “We were just reminiscing about the masquerade.”

“And how some men are such amazing givers,” Allie added.

I glared at her.

“To the charity.” She smiled innocently.

“I need to go and do my walk-around. Don’t you all have work to do?” I hurried away and escaped back into the lobby.

The masquerade was over and I’d never see my mystery man again. It was for the best. But as I crossed the lobby, I found myself studying every tall man there, wondering if any of them were him.

Stop it, Tessa. My phone dinged. I pulled it out and saw an email from Langston. I groaned.

Subject: Good morning

Dear Ms. Ashford,

I realize the transition to the Langston Hotels group is a challenging time, and I understand that I can be a little demanding at times.