The small crowd clapped, and I surreptitiously glanced back at the balcony, but the mystery man was gone. My heart immediately sank. In the course of ten seconds, I had grown insanely attached to the dark figure lurking above. My stomach twisted at the thought of never knowing who he was.
I leaned forward until my lips were inches from Ann-Marie’s ear. “I’m going to the bathroom.”
She didn’t look away from the stage, where a second woman had joined the first. “Want me to go with you?”
“No, I’ll be okay. Be back soon.”
I grabbed my clutch and headed for the short hallway the bartender pointed out for us when he served our drinks. The sconces placed along the walls made it lighter than the main floor. I pushed my palm against the door to the ladies’ room and stepped into the powder area. Leaning against the counter, I stared at my reflection. My pupils shrank and grew, and a few beads of sweat glistened on my upper lip.
I looked like I was having a panic attack.
Taking blotting papers out of my clutch, I dabbed the moisture on my skin away. After a reapplication of makeup, I finally looked normal again.
I just didn’t feel it. My heart still hammered, and there was a giddiness flooding my entire system.
I’d gone too long without the touch of a man. That was it. I’d been so busy working two jobs, just trying to pay rent and impress Crumbs’ manager, that I hadn’t even thought of dating in, like… God, I didn’t know how long.
I’d stopped thinking about it. That was the real answer. It had been a little over a year since I last saw Jesse. Our surprise break up kind of killed my desire to ever interact with another man again, much less share a meal with one.
But I couldn’t think about that anymore. Snatching up my mascara and lipstick, I dropped them into my clutch. This night was about having fun, not about dwelling on the past.
I exited the bathroom, took two steps, and stopped short. A man walked down the hallway, his broad shoulders seeming to tower halfway toward the ceiling. My heart flipped and then stopped beating altogether.
It was the air around the man. It crackled like lightning, causing me to freeze in shock.
It was him. The man from the balcony.
CHAPTER TWO
Xavier
She stood a few feet away, full lips parted as her brown hair kissed bare shoulders. She was more girl than woman. Or maybe not. A second passed, and the innocence in her face transmuted into something more mature. She lifted her chin slightly, probably not even knowing she was doing it. Brown eyes seemed to penetrate me, daring me to make the first move.
It was a good thing calling the shots happened to be my specialty.
“Did you enjoy the show?” I asked.
A second passed. “Yes. It was wonderful.” Her voice was light and sweet but with a slight rasp to it.
“We have them nearly every night.”
I took a step forward, inviting her to do the same. She stayed glued to her spot on the carpet.
“This is my first time here,” she explained, licking her lips, nerves showing in the gesture.
“I know.” Her eyes widened, and I gave her a slow smile to let her know I wasn’t a danger. “Xavier Fields. I’m one of the owners of Enigma. In case you’re wondering, I make it my job to notice our guests.”
“Oh.”
A bit of disappointment resonated in the single syllable.
“But I do have to say… I noticed you the second you walked through the door.”
Her cheeks flushed, and her eyes fell to the carpet. Heat ripped through my veins even though demure wasn’t usually my type. I liked a woman who knew what she wanted, but this girl brought something fresh to the table. She had a doe-like quality shining from her brown eyes.
Add that to her trim, tight body, and I was done hunting for the night. This girl was going home with me. And we were both going to love every hot, sweaty minute of her visit.
I extended my arm in invitation. She bit down on her lower lip and hesitated.
Maybe she won’t be so easy after all.
“Come on,” I told her. “I don’t bite. Who are you here with?”
Her dark lashes fluttered as she looked back at my face. “My roommate.”
“Let me get you a table upstairs.”
Her breathing changed, growing more rapid as I took another small step in her direction. “You don’t have to do that.”
“I want to.”
She still didn’t move, but I could tell she was having a deeply physical response to my close proximity. Her chest rose sharply with each breath, and she kept licking her lips. She was probably sopping wet between her legs. But for some reason, she still wouldn’t touch me.
I gazed into her brown eyes, daring her to resist my offer one more time. All it took was one look. She stepped forward and lightly rested her fingers on top of my forearm.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
“Riley.”
“Riley.” I rolled the name over my tongue. “Let’s go find your roommate and get this night started right.”
Riley took me to the bar, where her roommate sat swaying to the piano music, and introduced us. A sharp nod and flick of my eyes toward the upstairs area let Fernando know I desired a table. He removed the rope from the best balcony section, and I led Riley and Ann-Marie upstairs. The second girl was just as hot as the first, but there was something missing about her. She didn’t have the wild, untamed rawness of Riley. I didn’t know if it was innocence or general cautiousness, but I liked it. She presented a challenge, something new to be conquered.
We settled onto couches as a synthetic beat began. The bass rumbled through the floor and traveled up my legs. Though the club often had dance music late at night, we kept it at a classy level. One of the things my three partners and I agreed on upon opening Enigma was that the club needed to possess a degree of refinement that was rarely found.
One of the waitresses appeared almost immediately with my preferred vodka. She mixed three drinks and then left the alcohol, soda water, and garnishments in a bin of ice. I leaned back in my seat and studied the young women across from me.
Ann-Marie crossed her legs and took a hearty sip of her drink. Riley mimicked her, clearly needing the fortification. They were nervous and probably questioning exactly why I invited them to hang out with me.
“This place is so nice,” Ann-Marie gushed.
I inclined my head in acknowledgment, but my eyes were on Riley. She looked back at me from under her lashes and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I gave her my best slow smile, the one proven to draw a woman in.
“Are you students?”
Riley shook her head. “No. I graduated last year.”
Ann-Marie bumped her shoulder against Riley’s. The music was getting louder, and she had to raise her voice. “She wants to be a pastry chef.”
“Is that so?”