“Damn.” Grumbling, Eden Waller bent to scoop up her silver owl bracelet. The stupid clasp kept working loose.

“Language,” warned Naj, Eden’s best and, let’s face it, last remaining friend. “What if Thomas isn’t there?”

“He took me to a bar in New York City on my eighteenth birthday. Trust me, he doesn’t care.” Her parents had had a meltdown over it too. Not the drink—they still didn’t know about that—but the fact that Thomas took their delicate little princess to the city and exposed her to rapists, muggers, and every kind of germ had practically sent her mother to Jupiter. Poor Thomas, twenty-two at the time, had gotten hell for it, and it wasn’t his fault at all. Eden had guilted him into taking her there because she’d missed everything the typical high school girl got to do—all those homecomings, prom, graduation parties at the lake…She knew she owed him a lot for that trip. But he’d had fun; she knew he had. They had spent the whole day being the worst tourists—getting lost on the subway, going to the top of the Empire State Building, visiting the Statue of Liberty…He even managed to sit through a Broadway musical, and that was saying something. It was after that when he took her for the infamous drink.

Once her mother was speaking to her again and let her have her computer back, she’d edited the video from their adventure and posted it to her YouTube channel. Which, of course, her mom knew nothing about.

Naj smoothed her already perfect hair. “So help me, if the cops catch us, my dad is going to lock me in my room for the next five years.”

“What are you, in high school?” But her parents were far more lenient than Eden’s.

Naj snorted. “My dad has definite ideas on how a proper Iranian girl should behave.”

Spend a week with my parents, Eden thought wryly. “Come on, Thomas, where are you?” she muttered.

As if in answer, the door cracked open and Thomas peeked his head out.

Naj bounced on her toes and squealed.

“Don’t stand there all night. Quick.” Thomas cast a glance over his shoulder before seizing Eden’s arm and pulling her inside. Naj followed, “accidentally” brushing her boob against his arm. Her friend had a thing for Thomas.

As the girl passed, Thomas glanced into her cleavage. “You look great, Naj.”

She preened, and Thomas ducked his head. Did he just blush? Her cousin stood six-foot-four, but he was helpless when confronted with a pretty girl. When he interviewed for the bouncer job, the manager probably took one look at his size and resting bitch face and hired him. Clearly he didn’t speak, or they would have found out he was the biggest softy.

The second Eden entered the hallway, loud hip-hop music kicked against her eardrums and she caught the unmistakable scent of weed. She squeezed Naj’s arm. “We’re in!”

“I know, right?”

Thomas bit his upper lip and took another sweep of the area, but all Eden saw was a bunch of girls lined up against the wall, most of them giggling.

“Get in line for the bathroom,” he said in a hurried voice.

“I don’t have to go!” The heavy beat made her toes twitch, and all she wanted to do was dance.

But Thomas practically shoved them toward the line. “You’ll blend in better later—people will remember seeing you around as opposed to wondering why they didn’t notice you come in.”

“Oh.” Stashing this tidbit away for future reference, she and Naj obediently got in line.

“One drink,” he reminded her. “Do what you came to do and get out.”

Eden rolled her eyes. “Okay, officer.”

Scowling, he puffed his chest out. “This place is filled with guys who—”

“Thomas!” A perfectly gorgeous blonde in a business suit—completely out of place in a joint like this—stalked toward them.

Looking like he just got caught stealing, her cousin whirled around.

“I’m not paying you to flirt with the clientele,” she said in a clipped voice. “Out front. Now.”

The woman cast a glance at the girls and narrowed her eyes.

“Jeez!” Thomas protested. “I just had to take a piss.”

As luck would have it, the blonde returned her attention to him. “And now you’re done.”

Thomas backed away, his hands raised. “I’m going.”

Was the woman suspicious? Would she ask for ID? Eden breathed a sigh of relief as the woman turned and followed her cousin.

Naj sagged against the wall. “I thought we were dead!”

“Try to look normal,” Eden told her friend. But to tell you the truth, she had no idea what normal was in a college bar. She’d lived in Ithaca her whole life, and she still didn’t know much about college parties.

Naj adopted a pained look. Eden knew her friend was trying to look badass, but all it did was make her look like she needed to poop. She giggled.

“What?” Naj demanded.

“Nothing,” Eden answered. “If we really had to go, we’d be in trouble.” There were at least ten girls ahead of them, and that didn’t count the ones who were waiting inside the bathroom. After five minutes Eden was ready to spring through the ceiling.

“Screw this,” she shouted in Naj’s ear, for the music had gotten louder, if that was even possible. “Let’s get going with Operation Smooch!”

Naj’s eyes lit up and she nodded. Immediately the girls abandoned the line and left the stink of stale urine and vomit behind. Eden pushed into the main room, and immediately a tanned girl with wavy brown hair and six pounds of eyeliner stumbled into her. Something cold hit Eden’s arm.

“Hey!” She now wore at least half of someone’s drink.

“Watch where you’re going!” With a disdainful scowl, the skank tossed her locks over her shoulder and disappeared into the crowd.

“What a bitch!” Curling her hands into fists, Naj moved as though to go after the girl, but Eden caught her elbow. Naj was a good four inches taller than her and could probably kick the other girl’s ass, but Eden had no intention of getting thrown out.

“Let her go. She’s just some idiot.”

Naj clenched her teeth but soon relaxed her shoulders. “Whatever.”

She craned her neck, taking in the crowd. So did Eden. Being only five-foot-three was a distinct disadvantage when standing in a heaving mass of flesh. She’d worn heels, which made her stand out in a roomful of flip-flops and running shoes. Now three inches taller, you’d think she’d be able to see better, but the shoes didn’t help much.

“No way!” Naj grabbed her arm. “That guy! Go up and talk to him!”

Heads turned, and Eden met several curious gazes. “Don’t point,” she hissed. “What’s wrong with you?”

“He’s totally hot. He’s perfect for you!” Naj grabbed Eden’s arm again and gave an eager toe bob.

“Maybe you should say that a little louder. I’m not sure he heard you.” The guy was something; that was true. Right now, however, he eyed her friend with an incredulous sneer. Dick. Her shoulders tensed.

Naj giggled. “Just do it.”

Not a chance. Trying to be casual, Eden eyed the crowd as though looking for someone. She did a fake yawn as her gaze passed over the thick beard and sensuous, sneering lips. You’re nothing special, just another college boy. He wasn’t, though, and clearly he knew it. The guy held court to a fan of five girls. Of course, all were gorgeous and had long shiny hair. She had no chance. None whatsoever.

She turned her attention back to her friend. “He looks like an asshole.”

“Well, yeah,” Naj admitted. “But it’s not like you have to date him.”

“I want to enjoy my first kiss, not endure it.” She’d made it all the way past her twentieth birthday and never once had a date. She required no less than explosions of sweetness and a hallelujah choir.

“I guess.” Naj gave a twisted smile. “He probably tastes like ass, anyway.”

Eden snickered.

They pushed their way farther into the crowd, and Eden’s shoe caught on something sticky. Gross! By now she was starting to sweat, and she wished she wasn’t wearing such a tight dress. So far other than Naj and herself, she didn’t see any other girls in dresses. They’d only been there for ten minutes, but she’d deduced that everything about them shouted “not from around here.”

Eden didn’t know what she’d expected from a college bar. Something quieter, like the pub she’d gone to in New York, she supposed. Had Thomas taken her someplace tame on purpose? Moonies was about as different from her first experience as a place could be. She’d anticipated it’d be rowdy, but somehow she’d pictured something cooler, more bohemian. She certainly wasn’t expecting cocky assholes and chicks spilling beer.

She paused in a rare gap and turned to her friend. “I don’t know, Naj. I don’t think this is the right place.”

“Crap!” Naj’s forehead wrinkled as she reached up on her tiptoes to scan the room before dropping back down with a pout. “Well, what if the guy is just nice, not the best looking guy in the bar?”

Eden shook her head. “No, he has to be smokin’; otherwise I can’t cross it off my bucket list.”

But the best looking guys she’d seen had no interest in her. What a bust.

Naj scowled. “Can we at least get a drink?”

Making the best of things, Eden adopted a smile. “At least I can say I went to Moonies and didn’t get carded.”

“Right?” Naj grinned.

“Let’s head for the bar.” She knew it was to their right somewhere. “What do you want? I’m buying.”

“Get me Sprite or ginger ale. It’ll look like a mixed drink.”

When they finally muscled their way to the bar, they found the line three-people deep. Naj followed close behind Eden as she nudged her way forward, finally wedging herself between two barstools. Success! Now all she needed was a bartender.

The music ceased, bringing welcome relief to her rapidly forming headache. But the crowd picked up where the song left off, and started singing “Hey, Baby, Won’t You Be My Girl.” That wouldn’t have bothered her except someone behind her clapped their hands to the beat and jumped around like an idiot.

This is ridiculous. I should just go home. She was about to stuff the twenty back into her cleavage when a tall guy moved in next to her, and almost immediately the bartender leaned in. “What’ll it be?”

“Give me a pale ale,” he replied, and her spine tingled at the deep, masculine tones. The bartender returned half a moment later and traded the beer for a ten.

“Keep the change, man.”

“Hey.” She pushed her twenty at the bartender, but he ignored her.

“This sucks.” She hated this place. She really did. Whatever it took to succeed in a college bar, she didn’t have it. All she’d wanted to do tonight was grab a couple of drinks, flirt with a gorgeous boy, and then kiss him.

Determined to get at least one of those things, she tapped on the tall guy’s arm as he took his first swig. She offered him her twenty. “Hey, if that guy comes back, do you think you can…”

She lost her voice as he turned. A flutter started somewhere around her heart and spread into her chest as she took in touchable barely-there whiskers and eyes so green they look like they’d been photoshopped. Her breath caught.

His gaze sharpened. “Do you need help?”

His words drew her attention to his lips, which looked soft and yet, at the same time, cruel. Realizing she was staring, she swallowed. What had she been asking?

Smiling crookedly, the guy straightened to his full height, breaking the spell.

“I’m sorry,” she stuttered. “I… Sorry.” What the hell was wrong with her? God, she’d just made a total ass of herself. Face flaming, she tore her gaze away. Eden refocused on the bartender.

With a sigh she stuffed the twenty into her cleavage and settled back on her heels. She could get drunk anywhere, and really, why even bother? If you got drunk, you were supposed to do it with your friends—you know, a group fun thing. Not by yourself in a bar full of strangers with a friend who didn’t drink. What was the point of flirting when the only guy looking was the skinny one two chairs down with the zit on his chin?

“Forget it, Naj,” she tossed over her shoulder. “This place is a bust.” She turned to leave, but a warm hand settled over her shoulder. Startled, she glanced back and again met sexy green eyes. A thrill slammed her right in her chest.

“Here.” His voice rang out over the crowd’s roar, immediately catching the attention of the closest bartender. A female attendant who was working the opposite end of the bar sped toward them, though, and she practically shoved the closer guy out of her way. “What can I get you?” she asked, her voice breathless.

He glanced down at Eden, his brow raised.

No way. This couldn’t be real. But Eden could feel him beside her, warm and present. Her mind went blank, and she flicked a glance at the first tap handle. “Bud Light,” she squeaked. “Two.”

His gaze sharpened. “Two?”

“My friend N-Naj.” Blushing, she jerked her head toward the quivering mass of Jell-O at her shoulder. She remembered then that Naj didn’t drink, but it was too late.

“Two Bud Lights.” Smooth as a player, her rescuer drew a twenty out of his pocket and handed it to the bartender. The girl’s eyes grew large, luminous, and Eden got the impression she’d like to lick him from head to toe.

“Oh, no.” Eden yanked her money out and thrust it toward him. “I didn’t mean you should buy it.”

Ignoring the cash, he reached around her and offered her friend a red plastic cup. “For you, Naj.”

Wordlessly, Naj took it, her gaze eating him alive.

Then he handed Eden hers and their fingers touched, sending a jolt of warmth straight to her core. Wow. It was all she could do not to move closer. Instead she smiled. “That was so nice.”

Not knowing what else to do, she took a sip of—yuck, dog pee.

His eyes twinkled at her reaction. “My name’s Darak,” he offered.

He’s still here. Still looking at me. Darak cocked his head and smiled, and for a heartbeat she forgot how to speak.

“Eden,” she finally managed.

Humor tugged at the corners of his mouth as he took a step closer, and his masculine scent enveloped her. Safe, it whispered. No, danger—the kind that made you forget every warning your mother gave you and throw yourself on nature’s mercy. He was the guy you dreamed of, if you could dream something that perfect. It had been years since a boy looked at her, really looked, and this was no boy.

“What?” He bent closer.

“Eden. Eden Waller,” she shouted into his ear.

Nodding, he straightened. “Do you go to school here?”

“No. I, um, I took some time off to do some traveling.” Lame. Lame! But she couldn’t tell him the truth, now, could she? “Before life gets, you know, serious. I’m starting this fall, though.”

At community college, but no way was she admitting that. All she had was a GED.

“Your hair…” He tucked one of the longer pieces behind her ear, and a shwoosh of tingly euphoria nearly dissolved her into a puddle. “Nice.”

“Thanks,” she said, trying not to wince. “I’m trying to grow it out.”

He cocked his chin and said something, but Eden didn’t catch it. The sensuous look in his eyes mesmerized her, and those whiskers were an open invitation to caress his face. Everything about him screamed touch me. Who was this guy? Eden realized he was staring at her, expecting an answer.

“What?” She took a big gulp of the watery mess. She’d snuck into Moonies. Check. She’d been served. Check. Flirting with the effing hottest guy in the bar? Checkmate!

“I like it,” he murmured against her ear, so close she felt the brush of his lips. “You look different from the other girls. More fun.”

“Oh.” Her stomach knotted up at his assessment. Darak was older, in his mid-twenties maybe. Probably too old for her, but she didn’t care. She was going to hang on to this fantasy as long as she could.

“What?” Once again he bent to hear her.

“I guess.”

He frowned. “Is it just me or is it loud in here?”

“No, it’s you,” she shouted up to him. “It’s quiet as a bee-loud glade.”

“I don’t know what that is, but it sounds deafening.” He smiled, displaying a double row of even white teeth. Almost too white.

Krinar. The thought caught her by surprise. Could he be one of them? Reports had it that they were almost too beautiful to look at. But what would a Krinar be doing, hanging out at a bar in Ithaca? Their settlements were in Costa Rica and other warm places like it. Biting her lip, she took in his jeans and near beard and relaxed. The Krinar she’d seen on the Internet looked like CEOs. Gorgeous, impeccable, thickly muscled CEOs, not like sexy grad students.

Darak’s gaze swept the room, and Eden feared she’d managed to bore him. But then he placed a hand in the small of her back. Touching her.

“Those people are leaving.” He indicated some spot with a tilt of his chin. “Let’s grab that corner back there.”

He wanted her to stay with him! Yes oh yes oh yes! Eden could have squealed, but she managed to stop herself. She winced. “I can’t. I don’t want to leave Naj by herself.”

She glanced at her friend, who donned a sly expression.

“Actually, I’m looking for Thomas.” Naj executed another one of her toe bobs. “Do you know where he is?”

“Probably at the door.”

“I’m going to go find him.”

Chicks before dicks. Eden frowned. I’m a rotten friend.

Naj shook her head. “It’s okay. He’s been waiting all night to stare at my boobs.”

Before Eden could answer, her friend disappeared into the crowd.

Then Darak took her hand and instantly she glowed, a sun radiating from the inside out. She could feel everyone looking at her—or rather, him, and jealous eyes slashed her back as he guided her to an impossibly small, counter-height table. It was barely enough to set their drinks down. He turned his back on the crowd, effectively shielding her from the crush.

“That’s better, isn’t it?”

He’s still with me. He’s protecting me. Eden’s cheeks tugged her mouth into a silly smile. She nodded. Not knowing what else to do, she took an awkward sip.

“Is that a tattoo?” Darak brushed his fingers over the black and red heart just behind her ear. His touch tickled, and at the same time it awakened a craving deep inside her.

“Yes.” Did he like tattoos? The way those eyes of his swept over her, she felt like he was picturing her naked.

He traced the heart with his fingertip. “Does it mean anything?”

It did, but she wasn’t going down that road. Instead of answering, she tossed back a mouthful of beer. It was starting to taste…okay. “Do you go to Cornell?” she asked, changing the subject.

He shook his head. “I’m not in school.”

“Then do you live here? In Ithaca?”

“No, I’m in town for a meeting, and after that I’m leaving,” he said, an odd spark in his eye. “I’m doing some traveling, actually. You know, before life gets serious.”

She bit both lips at the reference to her earlier lie. The truth was she would have loved to travel, to do something big, like spend a year or two touring Europe. She’d never do it, though. Her parents would never allow it. Terrorists, they said the last time she asked. But she knew it was more than that. To say they were overprotective was putting it mildly. Right now they thought she was safely jammied and in for the night. If they ever found out the truth… Eden’s life stretched before her, a flat interstate highway, meandering forward but never really getting her anywhere.

“Take my advice,” she told him with a sigh. “Pretend serious doesn’t exist and do what you want to do.”

“You mean I shouldn’t devote myself to researching alternative protein sources?”

“Is that what you went to school for?” It sounded like something you’d get your doctorate in. Just how old was he? Eden felt like a kitten pretending to be a puma.

“Sort of,” he hedged. “Researching and developing sources of nutrition is the family business.”

“You don’t sound happy about it.”

“I don’t have to be,” he said, his lips pressed in a flat line. “I just have to do it.”

Now that she understood. A pang hit her at the wistful look on his face, and she had an urge to comfort him. “Why do parents do that? It’s so unfair. Where will you be?”

A wry smile twisted his lips. “A world away from Ithaca.”

Disappointment chilled her. “Well, at least you know you have a future.”

He looked at her oddly, and silently she cursed herself. “I mean, you don’t have to stress out, wondering what you’re supposed to do,” she clarified.

“There’s that.” His eyes flickered, and for a moment he glanced away. “What do you want to do, Eden?”

She blinked. What did she want to do? Everything. She wanted to do all the dangerous and forbidden things her family tried so hard to shield her from. She wanted to live, but since saying that would make her sound like a crazy person, she narrowed her eyes. “Number twenty-two.”

“What?”

Was talking about your bucket list weird? Eden had no idea. She hadn’t flirted with anyone since the tenth grade. She gave an embarrassed shrug. “I want to go zip lining.”

That hint of a smile returned. “Zip lining?”

“Uh-huh,” she said, taking another swig. She was feeling a lot more confident now. “Then I want to hike to the bottom of the Grand Canyon.”

Darak nodded as though that sounded like a great idea. “What else?”

She laughed, noting how good he smelled, which was funny when you thought about it. Until he started talking to her, the air smelled like old sweat and stale beer.

“I want to do everything.” She went to take another drink only to find she’d finished her beer. She stared into the cup, feeling betrayed.

“Take mine,” he said, offering her his. She took it, stacking her empty cup under his. The alcohol was going to her head, and she liked it. She threw back a sizeable mouthful— Too much! She choked.

Darak crossed his arms over his chest, his eyes dancing. “What? That too much for you?”

But his gaze held a challenge. That and something else. Something that made her warm, made her muscles down there clench. Suddenly shy again, she bit her lip. “I want to learn the constellations.”

“That’s easy.”

“Ha!”

“All you have to do is look at the sky.” He smoothed her hair again and drew closer, sending her pulse into overdrive.

“I don’t know what to look for,” she said, her mouth dry. “Besides, you have to know the mythology that goes with it. Otherwise they don’t mean anything.”

“I know them. Some of them.” He laced his fingers with hers, and she knew this was it. The perfect night she’d dreamed of. She was a pink balloon, floating to the clouds.

“Wanna get out of here? I can show you.”

She stiffened, suddenly aware that he was a man and she was, well, inexperienced. “You mean now?”

“Why not?”

She wanted to kiss him, not get hacked to pieces and buried in some field. “No, that’s okay.”

“Come on. I’m parked not far from here. We’ll get away from the city lights so we can see better.”

Her hands gripped the half-empty cup as she tried to see past the throng that blocked her view of the bouncers. She shook her head. “I can’t leave Naj.”

Her heart sank when his expression shuttered. “My mistake. I thought you meant it.”

Crap. Now he thought she was a poser. “I do, just—”

“I notice a lot of people talk about their dreams, but not many act on them.”

“Hey! I’m not like that.”

Darak eyed her sideways, and she frowned.

“You don’t know anything about me, Darak. I have a whole list of things I want to do.”

“Yeah, but are you going to do them?”

“Of course I—” She didn’t finish. He was right; she was being a coward. The entire bar saw her with him tonight. A guy as gorgeous as Darak could never go unnoticed. If he did anything to her, he’d land in jail in a hot minute. He had to know that.

Darak shrugged and glanced over his shoulder, and she wondered if he was losing interest.

“There are other things I want to do,” she added lamely.

“What?”

“I said learning the constellations isn’t the only thing on my list!” she shouted.

Understanding lit his expression. “Like what?”

Lose my virginity. The thought popped into her head, right out of nowhere. But she wasn’t about to share that with him. When it happened, it would not be with some stranger. Hoping he couldn’t read her mind, she shrugged uncomfortably. “Lots of stuff.”

He flashed her another white smile, and again she wondered…but no. He couldn’t be.

“It’s hard to talk in all this noise. Come outside with me,” he said when she hesitated. “I’m parked nearby. We can climb onto the roof of my car and talk. Nothing bad can happen if you’re in plain view, right?”

Yes, whispered the voice inside her head. Her lips parted, but still she hesitated.

Darak placed a hand in the small of her back and pulled her closer. “I hardly ever bite. I promise. What do you say?”

The hypnotic sensuality of his gaze mesmerized her. She’d never felt so alive. Her breasts ached, and she wondered what it would be like if he touched them. It would be good; she knew that. Fucking fabulous, probably.

He traced his fingertip along her jaw, then over her lips. She smelled cinnamon and oranges and…and… God, he smelled so good. She watched, her heart hammering in her chest, as he bent and brushed his lips against hers.

Such an innocent touch and yet it sent tingles through her chest. For Eden the rest of the world ceased to exist, and she entered a dreamlike fog. Her first kiss.

Drawing back, Darak studied her. Something in his expression…she saw a flicker of wonder, or maybe it was just a reflection of what she felt. He kissed her again, this time pulling her full against his body. Instantly a trickle of lust pooled between her thighs.

Forget caution. That was her parents, not her. Didn’t she want to live? Didn’t she want to escape the web of cotton that had held her prisoner for the past few years?

His tongue sought permission, and she welcomed him into her, relishing the thrill that coursed through her blood. His warm hands at her back made her feel wanted, treasured, and she pressed closer. She experienced the strength of him as though the connection went all the way to their DNA.

It wasn’t enough.

His tongue played with hers, and she leaned into his embrace. Heaven. Was it possible to hold a kiss forever? But when she felt his thickness pressing against her belly, she stiffened.

“It’s okay,” he murmured. “You’re fine.”

He said she was fine, so she was. An answering ache throbbed between her thighs. She whimpered.

When Darak pulled away from her, she staggered. Looking pleased, he caught her. “Do you still want to see the stars?”

“Just go outside?” She blushed, realizing she was panting.

“Sure. That’s all. Finish your drink and we’ll go.”

She didn’t care about the beer. “I’m done.”

“Go ahead and finish it,” he urged. “It’s paid for, right?”

A college girl would be able to chug like a pro. After a moment’s hesitation, she swallowed the rest of it down.