This is never going to work.

My fear realized, not half an hour since I decided I wouldn’t get anything done today.

"Miss Abba?"

I looked up at the man I was talking to. We weren’t really talking, I’d just joined his group and introduced myself. His eyes were a little too intent for my liking, and I gave him my bland, not interested look.

"I'm sorry?"

He smiled, and it looked a little tight. "I asked you a question, I'm afraid I'm still awaiting your answer."

For a second, I nearly panicked. I didn’t know what the hell we were talking about. And then I realized it really didn’t matter because these weren’t people I planned on seeing ever again. My expression didn’t even change. His brow furrowed in annoyance because it was taking me too long to answer.

"I'm sorry," I said again, my tone making it clear I didn’t really mean it. "I keep getting distracted tonight. Would you excuse me? I see someone I'd like to talk to."

I gave him a bland smile to go with the look and turned to leave. I saw Luke, out of the corner of my eye, as he turned to follow me only to be stopped by the woman already standing beside him, who I assumed was his date. He threw a frustrated look my way before turning to the woman, who was a little flushed and glaring, probably to try to appease her.

I was sure they both got a good look at me.

Fuck. Cursing, even internally, wasn’t something I did often, but the frustration that brought it on was warranted this time.

I kept getting distracted.

I was keeping an eye on Greco. It was the reason I was here. I'd somehow managed to crash a party, uninvited and by myself, on a fucking island with security on both ports and on the water before I even got to the building. Getting through it had taken more than a little effort, it was a minor miracle to accomplish. Even masquerading as part of the catering staff, I could have been caught.

I would never get a chance to be so close to the target like this again.

For all that hard work, I was wasting it. I’d had him in my sight as soon as I got back to the crowd. I was lucky he hadn't decided to bow out early.

But at the same time, my attention kept shifting toward Luke.

He was back in the room; he must not have waited too long to follow behind me, and he was moving around the room, only unlike before, I was now aware of him. I didn’t even make a conscious decision to look for him, I just lost myself in my head, spaced out, and realized my eyes were traveling the room either watching him or looking for him.

"Dammit, Luke. What did you do to me?"

I didn’t realize I'd spoken out loud until a passing waiter stopped close to me and looked at me, confused.

"Did you say something, ma'am?"

"No," I said immediately, smiling and lifting my glass up. "I didn’t say anything. It's probably just the background music."

He was still confused, but he just smiled and walked on. I had to bite the inside of my cheek not to curse out loud, but I did in my head. I glanced around the room again and saw Greco. But then I caught Luke out the corner of my eye.

It was then I decided I needed to leave. I wasn’t going to do anything worthwhile, not with him here. I wondered just how hard it would be to leave early. I didn’t think I could just sneak out as easily as I snuck in, at least by myself, and no one else looked like they were tired of the party. I looked down at the glass of champagne in my hand, getting the sudden urge to down the whole glass and look for more. But I couldn’t, not on enemy territory. A sip might not kill me—the whole glass wasn’t even enough to get me drunk—but I knew I wouldn’t do it anyway.

I grimaced, stopping in place, though I hadn't realized my feet were still carrying me around the room. I looked around for the nearest table and went to place the glass on it.

Somehow, I had to get out and keep my anonymity while doing it. It was either that or I was going to get myself killed soon. But just then, the low, mellow music stopped, and as it did, so did the conversations around the room. I looked around, surprised because I was sure the speeches must have been over already.

Almost as one, everyone turned to the stage that sat at the far end of the room. I hadn't gone near it, because it was on the other side of the room from where the tables were set, and I didn’t want to be that far away from my purse. And really, no one was getting particularly close to the stage.

I didn’t know if it was part of the room, or something put in just for the party. It was only about a foot off the floor, with musical instruments set up, though for the past couple hours or so, the music had been coming from discreet speakers around the room. But as I watched, men and women came onto the stage, dressed just as finely as the guests only in matching colors, settling behind the instruments, a man and two women getting behind microphones.

I had a sudden bad feeling. I was also sure my plan to leave discreetly had just flown out the window.

Then it came, the call for everyone to get on the dance floor as the musicians started a tune, the singers leading the music. It was interesting, at least, but I hadn't thought far enough ahead to account for dancing. I didn’t doubt I could find someone to take me to the dance floor, but I didn’t want to dance. Even though I'd thought it a possibility—really, would anyone in this crowd forfeit a chance to show off?—but I wouldn’t be this distracted over one man if I’d thought of it before.

I looked around, not sure who to choose as a partner. My search was maybe a little frantic, but it was because I was hoping to run away from Luke.

Not that I even had a chance to, because when I turned, still looking for a partner, he was suddenly there in front of me. He had surprised me, but a widening of my eyes was the only reaction I let myself show. He still caught it, and his lips curved into a self-satisfied smirk. I let my eyes narrow at him.

"Luke, how nice to see you again."

"The pleasure is all mine, Elda," he murmured, getting closer and taking my hand. I didn’t resist as he raised it and kissed the back of it. Only, unlike the first time, the move sent a thrill through my body. "May I have this dance?"

I opened my mouth to refuse—nicely—when I noticed the humorous light in his eyes, saw the humor leaking into his smirk. It stalled me for a moment, and he didn’t wait for me to get my bearings back, just dragged me forward by the hand.

"Luke!" I hissed his name quietly as he pulled me into the slowly crowding dance floor, but he just chuckled and ignored me. He stopped us right in the middle and turned so we were facing each other again, his eyes practically daring me to say no. I was tempted, for a second, to try and defy him just to see what he would do. But I'd done enough stupid shit for one evening.

I sighed, and he grinned. I removed my purse from under my arm, holding it in my hand. Then he wrapped his arms around me, surprising me again with how fast he moved. I couldn’t have moved away if I had thought to, he was holding me so tightly against his body.

I should have complained, struggled even at the cost of making a scene and drawing attention to myself. I didn’t see myself as dominant in my relationships, but if we weren’t equal I didn’t let myself get pushed around by just anyone.

But I couldn’t move away from him, because Luke had proved that he wouldn’t mind being pushed around by me, either, he let me do it to him twice. I couldn’t help the fluttering of my heart as I slowly brought my arms up to his shoulders, keeping my purse in one hand, the other curving into his shoulder blade.

Then we were moving, weaving in and out of the crowd, circling other couples without bumping into them, even though I could feel that he never took his eyes off me. I knew how to dance, but that Luke did, and that he was so obviously skilled, was enough to surprise me. I'd intended to ignore his eyes, knowing what they would do to me, but as we swayed to the music, I got distracted again, and it felt, as cliché as it sounded, like the whole room melted away.

Being this close to him, having his body strong against mine, looking up and meeting his eyes…

I was completely lost.