The car service pulls into a long driveway leading to a magnificent plantation-style mansion. It’s impressive, and I’m helped out of the car by a valet. Admiring the scenery for a second, I then enter the house through a wide-open foyer. I hand a masked man my invitation and begin walking to the center of the party.

I can’t help taking in all of the home for a minute; it’s incredible. A man comes around with a tray of champagne, and I accept one. As I look around the room, I notice all the masked people in their finest and I hear the sounds of a live band. It’s like something out of a movie with all the glamour.

Making my way around the room, I smile and gesture as people pass me by. I stop for a minute to again appreciate the beauty of it all. So far I am enjoying the night until I feel a presence close behind me. Fear takes hold of me, sending shivers throughout my body. Then I hear a whisper in my ear.

“Hello, Red.”

I turn slowly looking up to see piercing blue eyes through a black mask. My fear vanishes, but now the shivers are from the searing heat this man provokes in me. I find my voice and say, 

“Well Hello, stranger.”

He chuckles. “I guess I am a stranger, but I plan on changing that.”

While looking into my eyes and without another word, he removes my champagne glass from my hand and hands it over to a blonde woman who just happens to be standing on the side of him. I almost interject, but I want to see what he does next. He smiles down at me, then grabs my hand and walks me to the dance floor. Then in a very domineering way, he glides his arm around my waist and lays his hand flat on my lower back, right below where my spine starts to curve to my ass. For a second, I think of raising his hand because it’s so low that it’s inappropriate, but I decide I like his hand there. He raises my other hand and lays it on his hard chest with his hand still holding mine, then he begins to move. As he glides me around on the dance floor, I am speechless for probably the first time in my life. I’m so blown away by how good it feels to be in his arms. I stare at our hands interlocked on his chest, noticing how large his hand actually is, it swallows my hand whole. My eyes continue trailing up his wide chest taking him all in, this man is so large, I feel so tiny with his arms around me. He’s like a giant; he must be at least six-feet-five, maybe six. I feel safe, like nothing could touch me in his arms. My eyes finally trace his neck up to his strong face, and then I see his cocky smile with dimples in his cheeks. Oh hell, he's smiling like he knows my thoughts.

“Do you like what you see, Red?”

Here we go, his cockiness is coming through. I hate cockiness, but for some reason it’s sexy on him. I just can’t stand for him to think he has the upper hand.

So, I retaliate, “Well, you obviously like my ass because I feel your friend in your pants. And you might want to raise your hand off my ass, before we’re thrown out for indecency.”

He laughs out loud then bends, whispering in my ear, “I never get kicked out of anywhere, no one dares to touch me.” He straightens then says, “And I think I’ll leave my hand on your ass until you ask me to remove it, but you’re not asking, are you? Now as far as my friend goes, he is so eager to be your friend, too.”

This man has some nerve. The music changes, and I pull away, but he pulls me back to his chest, looking down at me through his mask. I’m so drawn into his blue eyes and dimples that I am distracted by them until I hear him say, “I’m not through with you.”

I gasp and say, “You sure are cocky and sure of yourself.”

“You have no idea, Red.”

Well, two can play that game. The band switched the music to something a little more sensual, so I take advantage and show him how cocky I can be. I start to take over the lead and start swaying my hips to the beat. I remove my hands from his, then turn, raising my arms above my head swaying my ass into him. I start lowering myself down to the rhythm, on my way back up he takes his hands and runs them down my sides.

I feel his breath on my neck as he warns, “You’re playing with danger, Red.”

I smile at that, knowing I got him. He’s putty in my hands. There is nothing more powerful than the feeling of having a large, powerful man under my spell. I continue my plan to seduce him and leave him standing here, begging for more. But that’s not what happens.

I lose my balance as he quickly turns me back around and says, “I warned you, Red.”

Without any further notice, he grabs my hand and practically knocks people out of our way as he drags me off the dance floor. I look up apologetically at the people around us and notice a woman staring our way. She’s older, more mature, but probably one of the most beautiful women in the room. Shaking the feeling of her eyes on us, I return to the brute pulling me away.

“Hey, where are you taking me?”

He grunts out loud then stops suddenly, he turns and asks, “Are you here with someone? Are you married?”

“No and no. Why?”

He doesn’t say anything else as he goes back to aggressively pulling me down a wide hallway. He opens a door and pushes me through. Before I can yell at him, he grabs my face and kisses me hard. I start to melt into his arms; it’s like I forget myself, almost.

I pull away from him, slapping him hard across his face. Stunning him for only a second, he rubs his face and says,

“Game on.”

Shit, what did I do? He grabs my face again but this time he kisses me gently. Once again, my mouth opens for him and he takes over, slipping his tongue into my mouth. Oh my God, it’s the most sensual kiss I think I’ve ever had. Again, I melt, but this time I totally forget myself. As he slides his hands down my body, I forget everything. I forget my father, the casino, I forget Judith and the Sterns. I even forget my name.

He finishes the kiss and looks deep into my eyes with his devilish smile and softly asks, “What’s your name?”

I whisper back, “Red.”

Because right now that’s all I want to be. I don’t want to be Murphy Larussa with all her problems and hang-ups. Normally I would never allow a man to have this much power over me, and I definitely have never had a one-night stand. But for right now, I just simply want to be his Red, and I desperately want him.

I can tell he is thinking over me telling him my name is Red but he doesn’t push the issue. With me still in his arms, he removes his mask then gives me another cocky smile and says, “Well Red, I’m Zander and I’ve been waiting for you.”

Waiting for me, what does he mean? Before I can give it another thought, he pulls me back into a deep kiss making me melt further into him. Damn he’s good.

For a second though, I gain clarity. “I…I never.”

He stops me from finishing my sentence with another kiss. He trails the kiss to my ear, then I hear him whisper, “Stop, I would never hurt you.”

Then his eyes travel back to mine. “Do you want me?”

I look back into his eyes and see something I have never seen in a man, I see sincerity. I don’t answer him; I slowly get on my tiptoes and simply kiss him back. He once again takes control, and for once in my life I gladly give in. I want to release the control I have never given to anyone. I become putty in his hands. He lifts me onto a desk and starts devouring my neck as he removes his jacket and tie. I help him with his buttons on his shirt, but he never removes his mouth from my neck.

Suddenly, he pulls me off the desk and turns me with my back to his chest.

“How do I get you out of this dress?”

I laugh and then think of Kyle cockblocking me.

“I’m sewn in.”

He whispers, “Don’t worry Red, that won’t stop me.”

He starts kissing down the back of my neck, lowering himself all the way down my back. I feel my dress lift up as he glides his hands from my ankles to my waist. Then I hear him growl, probably from the fact that I’m not wearing any underwear. “Yes.” I feel his lips as he starts to kiss my ass cheeks. My hands fly to the desk as he splits my cheeks and licks his way down to my clit.

“Oh, fuck.”

I’ve never had a man eat me out from behind before. My legs widen as I throw my head back. He pushes me down against the top of the desk. Shit, this man is devouring me; his tongue masters me like no other, starting off slow, then quickening in force. I feel my body tightening, needing to combust. My legs become shaky, and my body starts to convulse. Right then I explode, and damn if that wasn’t the best orgasm I’ve ever had.  

I feel him rise, and I hear his zipper as he lowers it. I should be scared, being in this situation with a man I don’t know, but I’m not; desire burns through every part of my body. He turns me around and kisses me hard again, and this time I can taste myself on him. It’s something I never would have allowed before, but somehow now it’s natural. I begin to feel his hands wrap around my ass as he lifts me on top of the desk.

He stops and whispers in my neck, “I’m clean, don’t ask me to put something on. I need to feel you bare.”

I pull his face up to mine with my hands on both sides, looking him in the eye, studying him while I decide if I can do this, any of this. My mind stops, and I tell him, “I’m on the pill.”

He grins back, asking, “Are you sure?”

I nod my head with certainty. I want this. But when I look down to see his dick, my heart stops. Before I can say wait, stop, anything, he grabs a handful of my hair, forcing my head back up to his eyes.

“Trust me, I’ll be as gentle as I can be.”

Next thing I know, he thrusts into me – and oh, fuck, I feel so full. Even though I know he’s not all the way in.

He kisses my mouth as he pushes further into me, and I can’t help thinking how much more can I possibly take of him. He stops kissing me, and with his hand still in my hair, he forces me to look at him and says, “I have you. Try to relax, I won’t hurt you.” Then for emphasis, he adds, “Never.”

And I’ll be damned, I relax more than I ever have in any man’s arms, enough so that the next time he thrusts, I take all of him. Every delicious inch of him. Which is amazing because this man has not a big dick, but a huge one. He begins kissing me again and again, the whole time never forgetting to actually be present with me as he thrusts into me hard. Some men just take what they want and forget about the woman they’re actually inside of. Not Zander; he’s making damn sure he’s giving me all his attention. His thrusts become more powerful. And I become more brazen, moving my hips to take him even deeper, if that’s possible. His forehead falls onto mine, and in a low growl he says, “Fuck, Red, I don’t know how much more I can take. You feel so good, like nothing I’ve ever felt.”

Reassured, I take some control back while he’s resting his head on mine. With my legs wrapped around him, I use my strength to fuck him back. I begin to use my inner muscles to squeeze his cock buried deep inside me.

“No, Red, stop. Jesus, woman, I need a minute.”

But I refuse to stop. I keep going until I see his eyes turn a deeper blue and he becomes almost feral. Forcefully, he picks me up off the desk and off him. He turns me so fast, my balance is thrown off. He pushes me down on the top of the desk and enters me from behind.

“Oh God!”

“No, Red, not God. Zander. When I make you cum again, I want to hear my name, not his or anyone else’s, ever.”

He thrusts into me harder and harder, but I love it. This man seems to do things to me that no man has ever done. His hands envelop my ass, and he pulls me harder into him. Squeezing my ass cheeks, I hear him say, “You are perfect for me. I love every single part of you.”

Something in the way he said that does it for me, and I explode harder than before, shouting his name, “Zander!”

He continues to thrust and grind into me until he finds his release. He, too, shouts my name, but it’s not mine; it’s “Red!”

He’s still inside me as he takes his time kissing up my back to my shoulders and neck. He whispers, “Perfect.”

When he finally slides himself out of me, he turns me around, kissing me just as fiercely as before. Then he releases my lips, and I watch as he starts to dress. I just stay where I’m at because I can’t move. My eyes finally take all of him in, up his thick legs to his wide shoulders. He’s like Adonis in all his glory.

He grins with cockiness back at me, and again the dimples are on full display.

“Stay right here, I have to tell someone I’m leaving. You’re coming with me. I’m not finished with you yet.”

Before I can find my voice, he’s out the door.

I giggle like a little girl. “Wow!”

Then I look around the room, and my reality comes back to me like a rush to my system. I jump off the desk and begin to straighten my dress. I can’t leave with him; I have to meet with the Sterns. Then I feel it; shit, he ripped my dress. How the hell am I supposed to meet with them now? They won’t take me seriously after what I just did and having proof with my dress ripped that I just got the fucking of my life. Shit! I can’t do this now. I look around the room and see Zander’s tuxedo jacket, I take it off the chair and wrap it around my body. It’s so large on me, it could be a dress. I have to get out of here. I can’t wait for Zander, I’m so embarrassed. I decide with using Zander’s jacket, I can sneak out of the house and to the car without too much attention. I open the door; seeing that there’s no one around, so I sneak out, closing the door, and head for the foyer. With one glance back, I leave the party with my head down, continuing my walk of shame.

* * *

The party is in full swing. I keep looking around the room for anyone I don’t recognize. Murphy Larussa Jr. was sent an invite, and my mom thinks he’ll show. But I haven’t seen anyone that could be him. Then out of nowhere, my eyes catch sight of red hair, then I glance down, noticing the body that follows. It’s the redhead from the hotel, the one I’ve had a hard time getting off my mind. God is blessing me because he just sent the woman of my dreams right to my door. I look up, saying, “Thank you.” Now to make my move, I watch her for a few more minutes as she walks around the room with a glass of champagne.

Gabriel comes around to me and says, “Who’s that?”

I play ignorant and say, “Who?”

Gabriel laughs and says, “Really, Zander, if you stare at her any harder you’re going to tear a hole in that almost non-existent dress.”

“One can only hope.”

“So, who is she?”

I play dumb again. It’s none of his business who she is, especially since I’m not sure myself.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about.”

“Okay, Zander, we’ll play it your way. The redhead, the one with the hell of a body.”

I turn to him and show him how his words just pissed me off. “Gabriel, remove your eyes from her, or I will remove them for you.”

Gabriel backs up and says, “Wow, okay, big guy. I’m not looking anymore.”

Right then, Vin and Liam walk up. Liam says, “Who the hell is the body?”

And then Vin pipes in, “Man, that’s not just a body; that’s a brick house. Maybe I’ll make a move.”

I turn and grab Vin by the throat. Growling, I say, “Try it!”

Liam pats my shoulder. “Zander, we were just joking around. Put him down.”

I look down and realize I have indeed lifted him off the ground by his throat. I slowly put him back on his feet and say in his face, “Mine!”

Vin rubs his throat and says, “No problem, man, I was just looking. I didn’t know, okay?”

I ignore him and the others as I walk away. I continue to follow her to the side of the dance floor, gaining a little of my cool back. Then I feel Avery’s hand land on my shoulder. “I told you, big guy, she could be just around the corner.”

I look at her and smile. She automatically brings me back to my normal self. I’m so thankful because I would never have introduced myself to the redhead when I was in working mode. That’s what I call it when I have to be badass Zander, the most feared man in New Orleans, but when I’m not working, I’m a big teddy bear, at least that’s what they say.

“Thanks, kid.”

“For what?”

“For bringing me back.”

I kiss the top of her head and make my move towards my future.

“Hello, Red.”

She turns, and when recognition hits her, she says, “Hello, stranger.”

I tell her I plan to change that; I won’t remain a stranger for much longer. I lift her glass and pass it off to Avery. Then I lead her to the dance floor, where I get my first feel of her in my arms. Her curves are driving me insane. I’m having such a hard time keeping her from noticing my growing erection. But I soon find out that I’m failing at it.

After a little banter, she calls me out for being cocky; if she only knew how cocky I could be. But then something strange happens, she turns the tables and starts to seduce me. She turns, wiggling her luscious body all over mine. I even get a chance to run my hands over her sides, feeling all her curves. Shit, I can’t take it much longer. I’m about to throw her down on this dance floor and have my way with her, right here, right now.

I even warn her she’s playing with danger. But she continues, so I do the only thing I can. I stop her by grabbing her hand and pushing our way through the crowd past all the partygoers. She hesitates to ask where I’m taking her, and I ask, “Are you here with someone? Are you married?” She tells me no, and that’s the answer to my prayers. I open the door to the first room I find and push her in. It happens to be my mom’s office, but I don’t give a fuck.

I pull her to me and unleash my kiss upon her. She melts, but then she straightens as she pushes me off and slaps me hard. My Red has some spunk, I like that. “Game on.”

I grab her again, but this time I’m gentler and patient as I wait for her to open her mouth, and when she does, I know I have her. After the kiss, I ask, “What’s your name?”

She answers me, “Red.”

Fine. She wants to play it that way, she has no clue I’ll find out; I’ll find everything out about her. Starting with her body.

But I tell her my name. I want her to know who I am and who will be giving her the best night of her life. I just need to get her permission because I am not a man to force any woman. I see her hesitation, and she’s about to tell me she never does this kind of thing. But I don’t care about her past, I only care about here and now. So, I tell her I would never hurt her, and I never will. When she gives me the green light, it’s on.

I lift her on the desk and start to remove my clothing, and she starts to help with my buttons. I want to see her, all of her, so I lift and turn her, looking for a zipper, anything to remove this dress from her and from what belongs to me. I can’t find any way to get her out of this fucking dress. She tells me she’s sewn in. Fuck, I’ll have to find another way to have her. I kiss my way down her back and slide my hands from her ankles back up, bringing her dress with me. Her ass is in my face now, and she has no panties on, shit. It’s the best ass I have ever seen, big and round, and all I want to do is suffocate myself between her cheeks. I push her down onto the desk, splitting her cheeks, and dive in. Her taste and smell are my undoing. I can’t stop now, even if she begged me to. I devour her until I feel all her juices dripping down my face. I don’t think one taste will ever satisfy me. I need to feel her now with nothing on. I’ve never been with a woman without protection, but for some reason I can’t stand the idea of having her and not feeling her naturally. So, I do the gentlemanly thing and ask her permission. I let her know that I’m clean, and she tells me she’s on the pill. But it wouldn’t stop me even if she weren’t. I’ve never felt this much desire or need for a woman in my life. I could honestly say I would risk anything to have her bare.

She looks down at my hard cock, and I can tell she is taken aback. I tell her to trust me, but I know I have to show her that she can, so before she can doubt anymore if it will fit, I thrust into her. Damn, this woman feels like home. Shit, where has she been all my life? I tell her to relax, and she does, which gives me all the encouragement I need.

I keep kissing her, I can’t stop, I love the way she kisses me back. It’s like she has this power over me I can’t control. I need to slow down, so I halt my movements and rest my head on hers, telling her I need time. It’s going too fast; I’m not ready for it to be over. I want to stay inside her as long as I can. But she decides she needs more. She takes up the movements, and fuck, can she move. When she squeezes my dick, I almost lose it. I lift her up and pull out. Flipping her over onto the desk, and enter her from behind.

With her ass in my hands, I feel like a man starving. I pound into her over and over. I’m squeezing her ass so hard, I know I’m probably going to leave bruises, but it’s too late to worry about it. She yells out God’s name, and I become jealous, if that’s possible. I want to hear my name come from her mouth, no one else’s, not even God. So, I tell her and continue my thrusts. I feel her start to contract on my cock, and I know she’s cumming. All I want and need now is to hear my name come from her mouth. And there it is, my name, that's all it takes. I cum so hard, I could pass out. Holding onto her hips I slowly lean my body over hers, panting and breathing hard. I start kissing her back because I don’t want to remove myself from her, not yet. I’ve never felt this way after having sex with any woman. Even though my erection has softened, I still feel her warmth, and it’s not something I’m willing to give up.

When I finally do slip out of her, I kiss her again. I’m not ready for the night to be over. I can’t let go yet, I need her again quick. And it’s a done deal when I notice her staring at me while I’m dressing; my dick gets hard all over again, that fast. I tell her to stay, I’m not done with her, and I’m not; I honestly don’t know if I’ll ever be. When I told her my name I also told her I have been waiting for her and for some reason it’s true I have been waiting for this woman my whole life.

I leave her to search for my mom. I need to tell her I’m leaving. Fuck Murphy Larussa Jr., I have more important things to do.

When I finally see my mom, I walk straight to her and say, “Mom, hey, I need to leave. Something came up, and well, I just need to leave.”

“Zander, who was that woman with you?”

My lips become tight because I’m getting frustrated. How am I supposed to explain it to my mom?

“She’s someone I think I like very much, so much that I would like to continue our night.”

There, I did it. Without telling her, I’m dying standing here talking to her instead of drowning in-between Red’s legs.

“What about Murphy Larussa Jr.?”

“Mom, I don’t think he’s here. I told you, I still can’t find out any more about him. But I know I’m not wasting anymore time waiting for him. I hear the new boss of the casino will be there Monday, and I plan on being there.”

“Fine, Zander, go, but if this woman is so important, don’t you want to introduce her to me?”

Taken aback, I think about it. I’ve never introduced my mom to any women, but something in me wants to do just that.

“You know what, Mom? I think I do.”

Her face turns to shock. It’s priceless. I start to laugh, then Theo Trahan, a close family friend and boss in most of the surrounding parishes, walks up to us. “Hello, Catherine. Zander, what’s so funny?”

Mom speaks up, “Zander has a woman he would like me to meet.”

Theo looks just as shocked but says, “Well, if you don’t mind, I would like to meet her, too.”

Surprised at his request, I tell them both I’ll return with her in a minute. I leave to retrieve Red, and I wonder why Theo would want to meet a woman I’m interested in. I stop because I didn’t even think to ask if she would be interested in meeting my mom. Shit, I don’t know how to do something like this. Whatever. I just need to get Red back in my arms.

I return to my mom’s office to find it empty. I look around and notice my jacket is missing, too. Where did she go? Why would she leave? I told her I would be right back.

I run out of the office and head to the foyer to ask if anyone saw her leave. I stop abruptly once I get there. I see my mom; she’s looking through the basket of invitations.

“Mom, what are you doing?”

She holds up an invitation and says, “He’s here.”

“What?”

“Mr. Larussa, I put a special marking on the back of his invitation. See, right here, he was the only one with that mark. So, that means he is here, or was.”

I hold the invitation in my hands and then look around the party.

“I’ll stay and search the house.”

“Where’s your friend, Zander?”

I look at the doors and say, “She left.”

I turn with the invitation in my hand and leave my mom without saying anything else. I feel dumped. For the first time, someone dumped me.