Sexy in Stilettos by Nana Malone

stranger in a random hotel’ did not make my list. But learning Bachata will. As will dancing on top of the Eiffel tower in an evening gown.”
    “You think I’m hot?”
    She smacked him on the arm as the elevator dinged on the pool level. “You really can’t help yourself, can you?”
    “Nope.” His grin clearly stated his unabashed delight in himself. “So, can I see it?”
    “Oh, hell no.” No one saw her list. Not even Micha and Ricca. They were her private goals. She was the only one how saw if and when she crossed things off.
    “Wait, you’ll tell me what’s on it, but you won’t let me see it?”
    “I only told you two things. It’s private. Like, really private. I don’t show it to anyone.” Lest they judge her by her failures. Like the time she’d tried to ride the New York City subway all night, just to get a vibe of the city. Big mistake. She’d been mugged. He didn’t need to know that. Her whole life, she had two mottos. Never let them see you sweat, and never let them see you fail.
    “Let me guess. It’s one of your rules.”
    She crossed her arms. “I like my rules.” But her conviction didn’t sound as solid as it would have two days ago. After all, sleeping with a stranger was a no-no in her book. Was Micha right? Was she too uptight with too many restrictions? The tiny voice in her head argued. But if you didn’t have your rules, how would you live? Everything would be in chaos. And she hated disorder. No, you don't. It’s your father who hates chaos. You want to be free. She shook her head and ignored the voice. She needed her list of dos and don’ts. But as she watched Alec out of the corner of her eye, she wondered if she could relax some of her rules.
    The muscles in his forearms quivered as he pushed up his sleeves. “Cat got your tongue”
    “No.” She flushed and looked down at her hands. “I've been meaning to say, thank you. This job, if it pans out, is something I needed. I'm not sure what I did right. But thank you.”
    He remained silent. She brought her eyes up to meet his. And he smiled. “You don't have to thank me. Believe me you're doing me a favor.”
    “And the wedding? Is that doing you a favor too?”
    “Oh yes.” He winked.
     “How exactly?” “
    “I get to spend the next two weeks with a beautiful, sexy woman.”
    She flushed. “You shouldn’t flirt with me like that.”
    “What if I like flirting with you? What if I like making you flush pink under that pretty brown skin?”
    She didn't exactly know what to say to that. So she played with the hem of her shirt and changed the subject to something safer. “I sent out a ton of query letters to event planning companies around town, looking for a bite or referral. They all know my work. They were competitors and pseudo friends. All of a sudden, my email is either being ignored or they're not getting back to me. One actually replied that he knew my father well and if I'd left, it must be for a reason.” She sniffed in an effort to keep the waterworks at bay.
    A frown line marred his otherwise smooth forehead. “Word got around quick, huh?”
    She gnawed on her lower lip. “Well, seeing how it's a Saturday and I left on Tuesday, the only way for word to have gotten out is if someone spread it. Which is possible. Or it's something else.”
    “Something else like…?”
     “Like Dad is deliberately blocking my chances to get another job.”
    “But why would he do that? What's your story with him anyway? Why would he stand in your way?”
    “My father and I—our relationship is tense. I'm the least like him, so I try harder to please him. He’s austere and doesn't show his emotion unless it's with Tamara. He actually smiles at her. With me, all he sees is ‘not good enough.’ Even if I pull off a flawless event, he's always riding me hard with things I could improve on.” She shrugged. “It’s just his way.”
    “You spend a lot of time trying to make him happy?”
    She barked out a