Free Conflicted by Lisa Suzanne Page A

moment.
    I snapped out of it as the man extended his arm toward me. I took his hand in a firm grip.
    “Vince Hanover,” he said.
    “Nice to meet you.” I smiled, trying not to blush as his dark eyes bored into mine.
    “Assistant my ass,” he said to Cole after he broke his gaze with me.
    The whole “trying not to blush” thing was shot to hell with that comment as I waited for Cole’s reaction.
    “Give me a break,” Cole said. “She’s married.”
    I let out a disappointed breath, but he was absolutely right. I was married. I was off limits to all men, no matter what sort of attraction I found myself having.
    Cole’s words sent an icy chill down my spine. He’d just confirmed that even if there was an attraction between the two of us, nothing ever could or would happen. He wasn’t going to get involved with a married woman, and he probably assumed that I wouldn’t get involved with him.
    I wished I could say he was right.
    But he wasn’t.
    “These assholes came along for a free dinner,” Vince said, motioning to his “entourage” of three other men. He introduced them as Brock, Tanner, and Aaron.
    We placed our orders as I stared at the men and memorized their names. All four of them ordered the same bourbon Cole was drinking. I wondered for a moment if that was why Cole had ordered it in the first place—did he know his clients that well and wanted to make them feel comfortable? Or was he drinking it because he actually liked it?
    Cole and Vince seemed to go way back, but the other men appeared to be new acquaintances, which I assumed was why Cole had dragged me along.
    “Tell me how the campaigns are performing in your eyes,” Cole said once the drinks had been served.
    Vince smiled wickedly. “Getting business out of the way early?”
    Cole shrugged. “If you want me to expense this meal, we have to touch on it.”
    Vince nodded his head toward Aaron. “Aaron can fill you in. Or maybe I should have him talk directly to your assistant since you won’t remember any of this.”
    “Fuck you, Vinnie,” Cole said. It was a clear joke and banter between friends, but it surprised me nonetheless to hear that sort of language fall from Cole’s lips at a business dinner.
    The little shudder than ran down my spine told me I kind of liked it.
    Why was I so attracted to him? He was such a douchebag.
    Vince nodded in Aaron’s direction, who started in with a summary of our services. “Overall we’ve experienced a lot of success with your campaigns. Your market research was on point. We have four underperforming ads that we want your team to take a look at and revise.”
    “Email the details to Ms. Cleary,” Cole said. “She will get it to the right people, and we will ensure those four ads are revised immediately.”
    “Ms. Cleary?” Vince teased Cole. Cole looked away while Vince turned toward me. “I’ve known this asshole for a lot of years, and the only time he calls his assistants by their last names is when he’s attracted to them.”
    Cole rolled his eyes. “I apologize, Ms. Cleary. Vince is drunk already and it was a mistake to bring you tonight. I’ll call you a cab.”
    “Nonsense,” Vince boomed. “She’s staying. And we’re going to show her one hell of a good time.” He winked at me and raised his glass in the air.
    Vince and Cole talked business through the meal, and the drinks kept coming for the men.
    By the time Cole paid the bill, I had five semi-drunk and very loud men on my hands, and the one glass of white wine I’d guzzled at the beginning of the meal was doing nothing to help me control them—or their volume.
    As unprofessional as their raucous laughter and totally inappropriate language were, I couldn’t help but think how fun and unexpected it was to see Cole let loose. I always saw him in his professional role as the hard-ass, demeaning boss, so seeing him as a normal guy who could act like an immature idiot with his friends was oddly comforting.
    Vince