I feel someone touch my hips.

I freeze. Then I’m pulled against a body. A hard, warm body.

I know it’s HIM. And he smells like my dream man. His woodsy scent surrounds me immediately, and I lose my tongue.

“Don’t be afraid,” he whispers in my ear, his warm breath fanning the side of my neck, sending flickers of electricity slithering down my spine. The hairs on my nape rise in reaction. My skin prickles, breaking out in goose bumps.

I’m not used to a man’s touch. My self-preservation instinctively wants to scream bloody murder. But I’m rendered immobile by the unique feel of him. So warm and solid behind me. So strong.

I don’t feel threatened at all. In fact, I feel excited.

“I’m not gonna hurt you, my sweet goddess. Trust me.”

I smile. He calls me “goddess”. Nobody has called me that before. I like it coming from him. His voice is a raspy baritone but soothing amid the loud music.

Trust me.

He’s finally making his intentions clear. He’s no longer just looking at me but touching me.

It’s absurd to trust anybody in this place, especially if his hands are already on my body. Yes, I’m very attracted to him, but he’s a total stranger! It’s one thing to want him in my mind, but to want him to actually lay his hands on me like this…

I should be afraid. I should be kicking and screaming for him to let me go, but I do none of those things. I remain still as his warmth seeps into my skin, making me an extension of his body.

He feels so good against my back. His hands span my narrow waist, his fingers idly drawing circles on my stomach. Butterflies seem to come alive in my tummy all of a sudden, flapping their wings wildly.

Oh. My. God. The proverbial butterflies. I’m finally experiencing it. It’s real!

My limbs are going weak as I stand there in the middle of the dance floor with him. I’m vaguely aware that people are now circling us, dancing around us like we are a raging bonfire.

Indeed, flames start to consume me. I feel hotter than I was a few minutes ago and in a different way.

“Dance for me,” he murmurs close to my ear again.

His sexy voice pushes energy back into my system. I feel weak and yet doubly excited. More alive than I’ve ever been.

“Sway those sexy hips for me, goddess.”

The energy comes with electrifying heat, and it’s rapidly spreading all over me.

“You smell so good.” He inhales deeply in my neck and rubs his lower body against my behind.

I gasp, feeling him. That part of him. A very hard ridge pushing at the softness of my bum cheeks. Oh my, that’s his—

He starts swaying us together, guiding my hips to rub against him.

I can’t believe what’s happening. I don’t even know him, and he’s rubbing his erection against me!

But I feel powerless to stop what he’s doing. My body is responding to him against my better judgment. My breasts suddenly feel full and heavy, my nipples itchy against the material of my bra, and there’s a pulse building at the pit of my belly. It’s all new to me, but I know what it is. I’m getting sexually aroused by a total stranger in the middle of a dance floor, in front of all these people.

“Can you feel how much I want you, goddess? I’ve been hard for you all evening, watching you dance. You’ve bewitched me.”

His words are like gasoline to my fire. I suddenly find the strength to turn around and face him.

My eyes collide with the darkest pools of mystery. I’m caught in his sorcerer’s gaze, and I can’t look away. His eyes are so dark, but the edge of his irises are golden so that I’m staring into the eyes of a beast— a lion.

How fascinating.

His stare sears me with such smoldering intensity I feel even weaker than before. I don’t think my legs can support me if he’s not holding me.

My hands creep up to his chest, spreading my fingers over the crisp material of his suit. I can feel his heart beating erratically against my palm.

He’s so tall that I need to look up to meet his eyes even in my 4-inch peep-toes. His shoulders are so broad, and by the feel of him against my palms, he’s all hard muscles underneath his tailored suit. I’m suddenly jealous of his clothes. I want to rip them off his body.

God, my thoughts are scandalous. I’ve never entertained such sexual thoughts for a man before, but tonight is different. I’m in another dimension. I can think whatever I want, do whatever I want, and I damn well want him naked.

“You’re so beautiful. And you’re mine.”

Mine.

The absolute certainty in his voice should repulse me. I’m about to marry a man who bought me with his power and money and this man in front of me is exhibiting another form of masculine disregard for a woman’s freedom to choose. But somehow, there’s a difference. Big difference.

This man, I want. God, yes, I do.

I want him. I want him with every fiber of my being.

I want him to be my first lover.

At that moment, I decide to make him mine, too. Even just for tonight.

My hands move to frame his handsome face. His five o’clock shadow tickle my palms, and I feel the sensation between my legs.

His lips are so sinfully sexy, too full for a man and I want to kiss him so bad.

“Yes, I’m yours. And you’re mine. You hear me? MINE!” I say back fiercely.

A smile slowly broke on his lips. Now I know what those romance books mean by ‘panties melting’. I feel liquid heat gush out of me from just staring at him. I’m getting wet for him, my body readying for him. I’m feeling all sexy woman under his masculine appraisal; sexy as hell woman, and I love it.

I love myself so much right this minute, and I want him to love me, too. I want him to discover me. Make me discover myself. This man has awakened my sensuality to the fullest, and I welcome it. It’s so liberating.

“My feisty little goddess. Where have you been hiding all my life?”

I smile back at him. Now that I’m sure what I want, my confidence soars. I don’t know anything about seducing a man, but if this is the only chance I’d get from here to my wedding day, I’ll do it.

I deserve this. I need this experience to get me through five years.

Maybe this is a mistake I’d regret in the end, but I want it. I want this mistake. For once in my life, I’m going to do what a good girl shouldn’t do in this situation.

I’m going to take a risk. I’m going to have sex with this stranger. I’m going to give him my virginity. I’m going to allow him to do all those dirty stuff they describe in romance books. And I’m going to enjoy every minute of it.

“In your dreams,” I answer his question.

His smile broadens.

Then his face descends on me.

His lips claim mine.

I’ve kissed a boy in high school, two guys in college, when I actually got the chance to socialize a bit, but they were nothing like this, like I’m getting sucked out of my body and into his. His kiss is creating a havoc of the most wicked sensations within me, and yet his lips are nothing but the gentlest, playing unhurriedly against mine, soft and warm. He tastes like nothing I’ve ever tasted, and I want more.

I push my tongue past his teeth.

I feel him freeze, sucking in his breath sharply.

I pull away, afraid that I might have done something wrong. I’ve never shoved my tongue down a guy’s throat before in my impatience to get more out of a kiss. “I’m sorry…“ I say, my face flaming in embarrassment.

But he kisses me again, and this time, his tongue is in command. I sigh in surrender. He tips my head backward, supporting my spine as he ravishes my lips like a conqueror for all to see, and I don’t care if the world caves in on us right now. I just want him to go on kissing me until I become mindless, until I forget everything.

He pulls away and straightens me. I stare at him wide-eyed, lightheaded.

“Dance for me,” he commands.

And I do. I step back a few feet away from him and start to sway my hips again. I run my hands down my sides slowly, rolling my hips to the beat, letting them travel up my body seductively, framing the sides of my breasts.

I feel so slutty, and I don’t care. I want him to want me so badly he’d go crazy all over me.

His eyes become even darker as he stares at me with absolute ownership, and I don’t mind. I want to be owned by this man. This gorgeous stranger who’s making me feel so beautiful and desired.

Tonight, I want to be truly free. I want to explore myself. My sensuality.

If I’m going to be spending five years of my existence within a hollow union, I might as well taste real passion with the man of my choice. And the breathlessness I feel as I stare at this man is passion at its hottest. I want to feel it to the fullest. My entire body throbs with excitement as I think of us touching in the most intimate ways.

I slowly walk back toward him and put his hands on my hips, holding them there as I grind to the music, pushing my breasts out, letting him see what he’s going to get. He doesn’t even know how lucky he is. He’ll have first dibs on this never-been-touched body of mine.

“I want you, too,” I tell him boldly. “I want you so much.”

His hands tighten on my hips.

I throw caution to the wind. “Take me.”