Olivia leaned in close and whispered in my ear.
“You should go speak with him.”
“And embarrass myself? I don’t think so.”
“He’s obviously into you. What do you have to lose?”
“How about my self-esteem?”
Olivia made a fart sound with her lips.
“Self-esteem? You haven’t had any of that since you graduated.”
I was twenty-three, fresh out of college, and working a desk in the research department of the same university I’d graduated from.
I hadn’t put much thought into what I wanted to do next, so when the research position came up, I applied and was surprised when I got it.
As most of my friends were still at school and wouldn’t graduate for another two years, I decided to stay on.
At least this way I could enjoy being a student a little longer before heading out into the big wide world with them.
In the meantime, I could earn a little money on the side.
The only drawback was the fact that as I was the only one with a full-time job it left me to pick up the tab every time we went out.
I didn’t mind.
It wasn’t like I had anything else to spend my money on.
No serious job, no steady boyfriend.
If I headed over there and spoke to the random stranger staring at me—I mean us—would he turn me down?
I wasn’t sure I could take the rejection.
I didn’t exactly have the best record.
So maybe now was the time to break the chain.
Did I want to be this shy around guys forever?
No, I decided.
There was a benefit to this guy not knowing who I was.
Meeting new people meant you had a chance to experiment with becoming someone else.
I downed the last of my drink and slammed it on the table.
I nodded to Olivia.
“Okay. I’ll do it.”
“Um, I’m not sure you need to.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s heading directly toward us.”
I turned to peer back at the stranger.
Only, he was no longer there.
He was crossing the dance floor.
Toward me.
I mean, us.
He had a hypnotic way of walking.
He seemed to glide as if his feet never touched the floor.
The lights strobed, blinking blue, green, yellow, all the colors of the rainbow.
Each time the lights blinked, I caught another feature that took my breath away.
His high cheekbones that pulled taut at the skin of his face, giving him the sharp threat of a fashion model.
His wide mouth, ideal for kissing, was curled into a semi-smile as if he was in on a joke that only he knew.
The dimple on his cheek matched the one on the tip of his narrow chin.
He hadn’t shaved for a couple of days and it gave him a rough but manly appearance.
He didn’t need it.
His chest was broad and tapered into a narrow waist, his shirt was navy blue but appeared black when the lights shifted.
The cuffs were unbuttoned and rolled up to his elbows.
What caught my attention most was his eyes.
Dark.
Hooded.
Seductive.
The overhead lights cast shadows across his face that danced but didn’t disclose their emotion.
Instead, they teased me with how little they revealed, enough to stir my curiosity but not to satisfy it.
“I’ll, uh, leave you to it,” Olivia said.
“No…” I said, suddenly losing my nerve and reaching for her.
She slid smoothly out from behind our table and disappeared into the throng of writhing bodies.
What sort of friend left a girlfriend behind when a man—an unknown man—approached her in a club like this?
A good friend, a voice in the back of my head said. A damn good friend.
The stranger came to a stop before my table.
I looked up at him and my throat turned dry.
He peered at me with those invisible eyes cloaked in shadow.
My words—what words?—lodged in my throat.
“Would you like to dance?” he said.
That hint of amusement remained in his eyes.
I wondered if Olivia hadn’t put him up to this.
I wouldn’t put it past her.
No guy had ever approached me like this before.
Least of all one that looked like him.
“I’m not much of a dancer,” I warned.
“That’s okay. Neither am I.”
He extended a hand.
It was big, muscular, the kind used to physical work.
Was he a soldier?
A laborer?
Did he work on a nearby farm?
I didn’t know.
But I did know was there was something unusual about him, something that drew me in.
Had I met him before? I wondered idly.
I was certain I would have remembered if I had.
I placed my hand in his and it swallowed mine.
He helped me onto my feet and led me to the dance floor.
What the hell am I doing? I thought frantically. I don’t know how to dance!
And now there I was, pretending like I could!
I couldn’t.
I’d fall flat on my face and that would be the end of it.
Everyone would laugh at me.
The end of my life, my career, my very existence.
It wasn’t like I could escape it either.
The whole event would follow me wherever I went.
I took a deep breath in an attempt to calm down.
I was panicking and losing control of myself again.
The doctor warned this would happen if I put myself under stress.
And that was exactly what I’d done.
Why did I think I could pull someone like this tall, handsome stranger?
I couldn’t.
I wasn’t anywhere near his league.
I should just turn around and leave right now before the worst of the damage was done.
The stranger—and I still didn’t even know his name—placed one hand on my hips and, looking deep into my eyes, took my hand and placed it on his waist.
A shiver shook me to my core.
My mouth felt dry.
I might as well be chewing sand.
It was the first time I’d seen his eyes directly.
They were big and beautiful—the lightest shade of brown I had ever seen.
Gold, I gasped. His eyes are gold.
My breath caught in my throat and I swallowed my protestations.
We began to dance.
He led—thank God—and turned me in a circle, his arm wrapped tightly around me.
He didn’t move like the other dancers.
Where they jumped and shouted and hollered, we were quiet, calm, and graceful.
In total control.
My attention shifted to the other
