Looking in the mirror, I straightened up and rolled my shoulders.

“Well, well, well,” her voice rung out, and I didn’t fight the urge to roll my eyes. What the hell is she doing here?

“What do you want?” I asked, buttoning the sleeve to my white dress shirt before glancing up toward the pain in the ass that was my little sister.

She has a place of her own. Why is she at mine?

“You almost look presentable,” she joked, ignoring my question. I shook my head, already used to her shenanigans.

“Why are you here?” I asked, and by the smile on her face she obviously wasn’t bothered by my surly tone. I was a dick. I couldn’t help it. Not when my dreams had been plagued by the mystery girl from the night before.

“Oh, I don’t know.” she shrugged mysteriously. Knowing her, I bet she had something up her sleeve. “Maybe to make sure you dress right. Tonight is a great opportunity for you to network,” she shared, and I raised an eyebrow.

“Network?” I repeated incredulously. “This isn’t one of your lame attempts at setting me up, right?” It wouldn’t be the first time, and something in my gut was yelling at me she had more than she was letting on invested in me going with her and Maverick to the Firemen’s Ball.

“Hush your mouth! Why would I ever do that to an innocent, unsuspecting soul?”

“I’m not that innocent,” I teased with a wink.

“Who said I was talking about you?” She giggled before turning from my closet with a new tie in hand.

“Black? I don’t know.”

“It will go with your white tuxedo jacket.”

“White tux jacket?” I frowned. “Why the hell would I wear that?”

“Oh, I don’t know?” She made a show of pretending to think as she checked off her points on her fingers. “It’s festive. Formal. Oh, and its New Year’s,” she ended sarcastically.

“I’m gonna look like a waiter.”

“The waiters are wearing black vests,” she enlightened me.

“I don’t know, Sof.” I scrubbed my jaw. I should have shaved, I thought to myself. “You don’t think it’s too much?” I asked, grabbing the white tuxedo jacket with black lapels. “I still can’t believe you talked me into getting this.”

“Please. You should be thanking me,” she huffed, and I rolled my eyes.

Holding the black jacket and the white one in either hand, I tried to figure out what would look better.

“Oh, Gabe, it’s the Firemen’s Ball,” she reminded me, and I shook my head. “If you can’t wear that jacket tonight when the hell would you wear it?”

“I don’t know,” I muttered, knowing she had a point. “I guess,” I added, throwing the black tie around my neck and putting the matching jacket back into my closet.

“Wow. Very Rick Blaine of you, man,” Mav said, and I rolled my eyes.

“Humphrey Bogart was a boss, so fuck off,” I snapped as I threw the jacket on. It did have a Casablanca feel, but what the hell? Why not.

“You knew Bogart’s name in Casablanca?” Sofi asked as she walked over to Maverick, and I quickly turned around. “That’s seriously sexy,” she whispered semi loudly, and even though it was my little sister and best friend, I could recognize they were cute together. Through the reflection of the mirror, I watched them silently communicate something as her hand moved off his chest and she turned around to look at me.

“You ready?”

“Almost,” I mumbled as I did my tie.

“I’ll go start the car,” Mav offered before heading out of my room.

“So, why are you two here? You know I have my own car.”

“True, but this way we can be green.”

“Hmm,” I suspiciously muttered, grabbing my coat. “You ready for this horse and pony show?”

“It won’t be bad,” she encouraged softly, and I knew I should tone back the dick tone. “Plus, this is great networking for you,” she pointed out again.

“What do you mean?” I asked, knowing exactly what she was going to say. It’s the very reason I agreed to get dressed up in a monkey suit in the first place instead of sitting my ass in front of my eighty-five-inch TV and watching the ball drop.

“Don’t act dumb. It doesn’t suit you.” She stood slipping one ridiculously high heel on at a time. “We both know Grady is ready to retire.”

“And?”

“And? Ohh, that’s how you’re playing it? Mr. Calm-Cool-and-Collected?” she taunted.

“It’s not a secret I want his job, Sofi. He knows it. Hell, I’m almost positive he’s been grooming me for it, and if I hadn’t had my accident last year, I’d already have it.”

“Very true. But,” she shrugged and kept talking as we walk out of my room and through my house, “we both know to get the job, you need more than Grady’s approval.”

“I know but—”

“That’s why I signed you up for tonight,” she said as we walked out of my room and into the living room.

“Tonight?”

“Just a little volunteer thing, no biggie.”

“Whatever,” I muttered, not thinking too much about it.

“What am I doing?” I asked, fixing the cufflink and stuffing my wallet into my pocket before opening the front door.

“The bachelor auction,” she shared as she walked past me.”

“Wait, what?” I stuttered, but she didn’t look back at me as she walked over to Maverick’s truck.

Bachelor auction?

“I fucking knew it,” I growled under my breath. I should have seen this coming. Fuck my life.

Why did I have to be cursed with a little sister?

“Oh, Daisy, this looks like something out of Great Gatsby!” Karina, one of my other best friends and ex-roommate, fawned, and I couldn’t help but feel accomplished.

She wasn’t wrong. The ballroom of the Rialto Inn looked spectacular.

The black, white, and gold color scheme was seamless and balanced throughout the room. The tables sparkled with the glossy black and gold confetti sprinkled over the crisp white table clothes. Each table was set with fine white china place settings with just the tiniest edge of gold around the rims of the plates and bowls. In the center of the tables were gorgeous, high-set white flower arrangements that made the room even more elegant.

“Thank you.” I beamed. “I still can’t believe I pulled this off.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be here yesterday.”

“Don’t worry about that!” I put my arm around her. “We had a great group of volunteers. You doing good?”

“Excellent.” She winked, and we both looked over at Frank Titan talking to his daughter and our best friend Ruby.

“I still can’t believe everything that’s happened this year.”

“You’re happy,” I pointed out, and there was nothing better than seeing your friends, especially those who were closer to you than your own family, happy.

“I am,” she beamed, and I knew my smile matched hers.

She had met Frank by chance, and by the time she found out he was our best friend’s dad, it was too late. She was a goner over the older man, and from where I stood, I couldn’t blame her. Frank Titan was a very good-looking man.

“Good.” I squeezed her arm. “I need to check on the caterers and the bartenders.”

“Make sure you take a breather and relax,” she reminded me, and I laughed. She was definitely our trio’s mother hen.

“I will, Mom,” I joked. “Talking seriously, once the guests arrive and dinner gets going, it should be smooth sailing.”

“I heard that cop who flirts with Ruby offered himself for the bachelor auction,” she whispered.

“You heard very right. You should have seen her glaring at him. I wanted to turn him down, but I was desperate. I had to take him up on his offer. He even got two of his friends to join.”

“Only time will tell us what’s going on with them,” Karina said with wide eyes and a playful smile as Ruby and Frank walked over to us.

“Yup, because Ruby’s mum on the subject,” I added knowing very well she would hear, and the glint in Ruby’s eyes confirmed it.

“Like a vault because there’s nothing to say,” Ruby shared. “Dad, why don’t you take Karina out for a spin on the dance floor?”

“That doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Don’t I have the smartest kid ever?” He winked before taking Karina’s hand and guiding her to the dance floor.

“You look beautiful,” I complimented Ruby sassily.

“Stop trying to suck up. I know you were talking about me and that…”

“Cop?”

“Scoundrel,” she hissed, and I shook my head trying not to laugh.

“Scoundrel, huh?”

“Ugh. That’s too good of a word for him.” She sighed crossing her arms in front of her.

“Really?” I goaded, wondering just how much information I could get out of her.

“He’s seriously annoying.”

“Hmm, he’s coming this way,” I warned as the fair-haired man neared, and she turned looking slightly torn. She doth protest too much, I thought to myself. There was definitely something going on there.

“I have to go to the kitchen. You going to be okay with the scoundrel? Or would you rather come with?”

“I’ll be fine.” She stood straighter and flipped her hair. I wanted to laugh.

Taking advantage of the moment, I looked at my clipboard. The itinerary of the night stared back at me as I walked through the room.

Introductions

Silent auction

Dinner

Bachelor auction

Dancing

Countdown

If I played my cards right and didn’t get caught up in conversation, with the crew I had, I might be able to slip out after the last bachelor was auctioned off and the dancing began.

I had LUSH bath bombs waiting for me, and even though guests were only now starting to saunter in, my feet were already aching. A bath sounded like a dream.

“Daisy!” the familiar female voice called out, snapping me out of my relaxing thoughts. I turned and took in the sight of Sofia Bridges and her husband walking toward me.

They were so beautiful together. I couldn’t help but feel a little envious. I wasn’t sure when I started to want more, but I had, and now it was hard to shake off. Someone to go to events with. Someone to share about your day. Someone to hold your hand. What would that be like? A steady, calm presence who gave you fabulous orgasms. I shook my naughty, crazy thoughts away.

“Sofi!” I smiled brightly as they approached.

“Oh, honey, this place looks amazing! Doesn’t it look amazing, Mav?”

“It looks great.” He smiled kindly.

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without my awesome volunteers, that’s for sure.”

“I don’t know about that. You had everything under control. You rock, and you know it.” She winked squeezing my hand. “Oh.” Her eyes brightened. “I just saw Ruby! Mav, we should go say hi,” she suggested to her husband, who was staring at her adoringly.

“Go!” I urged. “Have fun!”

“Find me later.” She waved, and I fought from feeling supremely underdressed. The Firemen’s New Year’s Eve Ball was a black-tie event, and I was dressed in formal office attire.

“Of course!” I waved and watched Sofi and Maverick walk away hand in hand. My heart clenched slightly. I wasn’t the touchy-feely type whatsoever, but I almost wished I had someone of my own to hold hands with.

What the hell is wrong with me? I wondered as I turned without looking, my head deep in thought. I found myself bumping into a solid wall of heat and muscle, my hands touching a very hard chest that owned a very steady heartbeat.

“I am so sor—” No other words came out.

They couldn’t.

Not when I was looking up at the most gorgeous masculine face ever sculpted. Michelangelo wished he could have come up with this face.

Wide brows, straight regal nose, full lips, and the most inquisitive dark eyes I had ever stared into. So dark and deep, I was positive I was already halfway drowning in his gaze.

Not only was he hot, but he was also touching me. He was probably only holding on to me, so I wouldn’t fall backwards, but his hands felt like they belonged on my body.

“It’s you,” he whispered ominously, almost to himself, and I licked my lips.

I tilted my head to get a better view of him. His eyes fluttered over my bare neck, and I swear I could feel it. I could feel his eyes like a touch.

How the hell is that possible?

I’d read the concept endlessly in romance novels but never fully understood it. Not until right then. In that moment, I swear on all that was mystical, his eyes were like a feather, lightly being drawn over my skin with a light caress.

One laced with crack, I thought to myself because I found I never wanted the mysterious stranger to look away. I pressed my lips to keep from laughing. I was definitely my own brand of quirky today.

“Me?” I asked, noticing the husky tone in my voice.

“I mean…” He cleared his throat, his hands on my waist losing their firm grip but not letting me go. “Are you okay?” he questioned, and I should have taken a step back. After all, I had no idea who this man was. But I was nailed to the floor entranced by his dark gaze.

“I’m good,” I answered.

“I bet,” he said, and I couldn’t help but bristle at his crass innuendo, rapidly realizing he was that kind of good-looking guy.

Of course, he is.

I was about to go all schoolgirl over a guy who obviously knew how hot he was and had no trouble picking up women. Men like that were fun. I’d had my share. But it wasn’t what I wanted or needed anymore.

“Excuse me?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

“Who do you want me to be?” he flirted, and I took a step back, but he matched it.

Like a predator.

It should have freaked me out, but my brain wasn’t working rationally. I liked the way he seemed to be chasing me. The way he seemed to want more, and I knew my face gave me away. I couldn’t stop my lips from quirking upward.

“Who do you want me to be?” he repeated, now clearly amused by me.

“Wait I,” I stuttered. My head and reason seemed to bubble to the surface.

Thank goodness, I thought to myself before stepping back, only this time, he let me go and stayed where he was. Oddly enough, I felt the loss of his hands on my waist in a way that left me slightly unsteady. “I am sorry for bumping into you,” I finally spit out.

“You can bump into me anytime, beautiful.” He winked, and the initial allure of his good looks was gone. This time, his flirting didn’t make me smile.

This guy was seriously a piece of work. Cocky, self-assured, and he’d obviously been fawned over and told he was pretty one too many times.

“Does that actually work for you?” I asked, surprised at the steady tone of my voice as I held my clipboard to my chest.

“I don’t know.” He shrugged one boulder of a shoulder. “You tell me?” He was frustratingly charming.

I didn’t want to like his response. I didn’t want to be tempted to agree right before slipping him my phone number. But that was all it was. Temptation. I could say no.

Substance, I reminded myself. I wanted more than a roll around the sheets. Even if by the look of the man, it would be a guaranteed sweaty, fun time.

Maybe it was all the couples around me. Karina with Frank. Sofi and Mav. Hell, there was even Daisy and Rocco, which was just a matter of time. Or maybe it was just that time in my life when I found I wanted something more.

I had the career and the friends. Great relationship with my family even though they were traveling and hardly around. Now I wanted a guy.

No. Not a guy. A man.

A man to share my day with. Someone to wake up with and settle next to at the end of a long, fulfilling day. A partner to share my life with. With those profound thoughts fresh in my head, I stared into the stranger’s eyes and smiled politely.

“I should get—"

“Don’t go,” he blurted. “I’m sorry.” His hand met mine, and I should have pulled away.

But I didn’t. There was something about his hand in mine that made it suddenly difficult to breathe.

“I came on too strong,” he announced.

“That you did,” I muttered. “But it doesn’t change the fact I have to go.” I was working after all.

“Wait. Spend some time with me. I promise I’m not a douchebag.”

“Unless I wanted you to be, right?” I surprised myself by saying before sighing, “Look, even if I wanted to,”—which I sorta did—“I honestly can’t.”

“Why?”

“I’m working.”

“What?” He frowned, his brows meeting closer together. Hadn’t he noticed every other woman here was dressed to the nines in a ball gown and I was far from wearing anything fancy?

“I’m working the event,” I shared with the tall, dark, and extremely sexy stranger. “I really have to check on the caterers. Excuse me.” I quickly sidestepped around him, and to my own disappointment, without another word, he let me.

I headed toward the kitchen. I found myself wishing I didn’t. Or that I would have at least asked his name.

I fought the urge to glance over my shoulder. He’s going to be gone. A man like that doesn’t wait and stare at a woman like me. Walk away, I scolded myself childishly.

When I reached the double doors that separated the ballroom from the kitchen, I broke and gave in. Taking a glance behind me, my heart flipped and squeezed in my chest.

Standing there, in his white and black tuxedo, making him look like he’d popped out of an elegant 1950s classic movie, his eyes were trained on me. A look of longing and something else was cast upon his magnificent face. When his eyes met mine from afar, I didn’t miss his nod. He smirked arrogantly as if he’d somehow won something, and I instantly wished I hadn’t looked back.

He was everything I’d had and was done having. I could tell he was older off the bat; there was a self-confidence men took on after thirty. Only he had it tenfold.

Who would have thought the fact I was working New Year’s Eve would work in my favor?

If I was busy working, I couldn’t be tempted to fall into bed with the sexy stranger.