CHAPTER 1

The kettle whistled on the stove, bringing her out of the daydream she was having. She startled and laughed at herself before she poured the boiling water over the chamomile tea bag. She sniffed the air as the heavenly scent filled her senses.

It might be Friday night and New York was about to come to life, but for Sasha Morris it meant sitting down at her scarred and faded desk in front of the window overlooking Broome Street and studying.

And she didn’t mind any part of it. Not the scarred and faded desk, not the studying or the noise filtering in through the open windows on the balmy spring evening. Even though she was accustomed to only the best, Sasha loved the apartment she shared with her friend Kris on Campus. Her father had surprised them with only the best appliances and a brand-new leather sofa, but Sasha kept the scarred and beaten desk.

When she had signed up for pre-law at NYU her father had insisted that she would stay at home, but for Sasha that wasn’t an option. She had spent twenty-one years under her father’s roof and watchful eye and she couldn’t wait to start her life outside of his restrictions.

She didn’t mind having lunch or dinner with her parents once a week but the rest of the time was hers, to spend how she chose. No compulsory fund-raisers or dinners - where her mother had thought it well to invite yet another Harvard graduate with a bright future - to attend. At each of those dinners her mother paraded her awards and achievements and Sasha wanted nothing more than to hide under the table.

Sasha spent most of her time studying, adamant not to make a success of her life riding her father’s coat tails, and the little bit of time that was left she spent with whomever and wherever she chose.

She carried her cup of chamomile tea over to her desk and sat down. Lovingly she ran a hand over the scarred oak that had served many students before her. Where were they now? Did they make a success of their lives? Do they still remember the scarred desk overlooking Broome Street? Sasha doubted it; she was a sentimental romantic at heart.

Sasha opened her textbook and sipped on the chamomile tea as she started reading the legal jargon. At first it had all been legal mumbo-jumbo but over the past year it had started falling into place. She no longer had to look up legal phrases but understood them; her grades were testimony to that. She was at the top of her class and in her few vain moments she allowed herself to bask in it.

The sun started setting, allowing the balmy evening to cool down, reminding Sasha that Spring still fought for purchase in the cooler March evenings. She tugged the blanket over the back of the sofa over her legs and held the fresh cup of chamomile tea and looked out the window noticing the city was starting to buzz with Friday Night energy. As soon as her fingers had heated enough she picked up her pen and continued to take notes. Kris often teased her for being a study-holic, but for Sasha it wasn’t that she was over-committed; it simply made sense to study her work when the lectures were still fresh in mind.

What felt like a few minutes later her phone buzzed on the table; she picked it up and recognized Kris’s number.

“Hey Kris.” Sasha smiled knowing her friend would be asking her to join them.

“Okay, you’ve done enough studying for a Friday night, get your sexy dress on and get down here.” Kris said in a no-nonsense tone.

Sasha shook her head looking out over the lights of New York City. Every Friday it was the same story. Sasha declined the offer to join them at the latest club or restaurant and every Friday Kris would call and try to convince her. “Kris, I’ve just started. Maybe next time.”

“Bullshit!” Kris shouted into the phone. “It’s ten pm, which means you’ve been at it for hours. You need a break!”

“What?” Sasha asked surprised. “It can’t be…” She turned around to glance on the clock in their small kitchen, only to confirm Kris’s allegation. Where did the time go? “Kris! I can’t believe it’s ten, but I’m not coming out now. I’d rather finish this while it’s still fresh.”

Sasha could hear Kris moving through the crowd, the noise level increased for a short while until it quieted. Kris had probably moved outside.

“Now you listen to me, Sasha Morris. The semester is almost finished, you’re in the top of your class and you have no good reason to study on a Friday Night. I gave you your few hours to soothe your obsessive-compulsive study disorder, but enough is enough. Either you get your butt down here, or I’ll come and fetch you and drag you out in your pajamas.”

The line went quiet for a moment and Sasha envisioned Kris dragging her along the street in her comfy pajamas she loved to study in. The problem was that she knew Kris would do it.

“The choice is yours.” Kris’s firm voice came over the line.

Sasha heaved out a sigh before answering, “Fine. Send me a location.”

“Great, see you shortly.” Kris beamed before hanging up.

Sasha paid the cabbie and stepped out of the cab on West 21st. She tucked her hands into the long coat that covered the short purple dress that Kris had referred to and took a deep breath before heading into the club.

A hypnotic beat filled the club; bodies writhed together to its rhythm on the far end. Sasha handed in her coat and placed the ticket stub in her clutch before heading to the bar. If she was going to be here for the next hour she would need a drink. She would get a drink, find Kris, enjoy the drink and brief conversation and then head back to her apartment, pajamas and chamomile tea.

Squeezing through the crowd Sasha finally reached the bar. She tugged out a few bills and held them over the bar hoping to be held quickly. The seat at the bar where she stood was empty, but Sasha pushed up against the bar ignoring the empty chair.

Finally, the barman reached her; she briskly gave her order and watched him make it. After the exchange of bills and a drink Sasha stepped back, only to sit down squarely in someone’s lap.

Warm strong hands steadied her as she lost footing. The warm breath against her bare neck freaked her out until she heard his voice.

“Now that’s an entrance.” The husky voice washed over her. She tried to ignore the goosebumps on her flesh and the flicker of attraction in her stomach as she turned to face him. Met with the palest green eyes she had ever seen and perfect straight white teeth, the flicker turned into a throbbing. “Sorry,” she whispered, inches away from his face.

Dark hair that was overdue for a cut framed his face as he smiled at her. “No problem, you’re welcome to stay a while.”

For a moment Sasha considered staying in his lap with his voice in her neck and his hands on her hips before sanity prevailed.

“Sorry again,” she said, pushing up, grabbing her drink and rushing into the crowd to find Kris.

What was that? It was almost like her body had instantly responded to him. And those eyes, they were so light they appeared almost transparent. By the time she found Kris and a few friends among the crowd her heartbeat still hadn’t quieted.

“Sasha, you came!” Kris shouted before rushing over to hug her. “Oh good, I see you’ve got a drink already. You’re just in time.”

Sasha sipped her Cosmo, the sweet battled with sour on her tongue and she relished the taste. “Just in time for what?”

“We’re hooking up with that group of guys for a round of darts.”

“Darts? Kris, I don’t even play and we don’t know those guys.” Sasha said glancing over to the group of hot guys sitting across from them.

Kris laughed jubilantly. “That’s the point! You come out on a Friday Night, you meet people and spend time finding out if you like them.”

When Sasha only watched her with wide eyes, Kris played her joker. “Besides, look at it this way: at least your mother didn’t pick them.”

Sasha shook her head. One hour and that’s it, she thought as she followed Kris to the dartboard with their other friends.

“Hello ladies, we’re just waiting for Stefan. He’s just getting drinks.” The blond Adonis spoke to the group but his eyes stayed on Kris the entire time. So that was why they were going to play darts, Sasha thought as she was introduced.

“I’m Jason. Peter, Duke, and Stefan will be back soon.” Jason said pointing the guys standing around him.

Kris took the lead and stepped up to the line; she turned and winked at Sasha before wiggling her butt and taking aim.

Jason applauded her effort even though she pegged the dart at the edge of the board. Jason followed Kris and nearly hit a bull’s eye.

Sasha stepped up to take her turn. Just when she had taken aim she felt the warm hands encircle her waist even as the husky voice spoke at her ear. “Fancy meeting you here.”

One of the warm hands slid up her waist leaving a wake of tingles as it moved along her arm and took her hand.

Sasha heard a gasp from Kris standing only a few feet away. Somewhere in the recesses of her mind she knew should step away, but she didn’t want to.

She let him guide her hand pulling back and whispering in her ear to release as his other hand remained on her waist. To Sasha’s amazement she hit the bull’s eye.

She flung around ecstatically. “I did it!” From pure joy she grabbed the handsome stranger with the pale green eyes and hugged him. As soon as her body was flush against his, she realized her mistake. She pulled away hesitantly reeling from the brief touch.

Those green eyes watched her, fog lifting from a forest before a sexy smile showed his straight white teeth. “Like I said, you’re welcome to stay a while.”