It was a face that took my breath away; a face that would make panties all across the country go up in flames; a face that, no doubt, made girly parts weep the whole world over.

“What can I say, I’m stealthy.” Then he smiled. And holy exploding ovaries, Batman, what a smile it was!

Blond hair hung overly long just past a chiseled, square jaw with several days’ worth of stubble dusting it. Full, plump lips surrounded straight white teeth as he smiled a perfectly dimpled smile. Yes, dimples!

And that was just the lower half of his face.

The upper half… Good Lord.

The stranger had cheekbones most women would die for, and glassy green eyes surrounded by lashes so long and dark I was hit with a pang of envy. The man was straight-up criminally beautiful, no other way to describe it.

Having already been stunned stupid, I let my gaze glide down his massive frame. He had to be at least six-and-a-half feet tall. I was tall for a woman, standing at five-feet-six, and I was wearing heels, yet he still hovered at least half a foot taller than me.

A tight gray T-shirt stretched across broad shoulders and tapered down to a trim waist. Thickly muscled, tattoo-covered arms stretched the short sleeves, practically threatening to rip the fabric. Faded, well-worn jeans covered large thighs and led down to thick-soled black motorcycle boots.

Everything about this man screamed dangerous, and I’d be damned if he didn’t make every nerve ending in my body explode. The man was nothing like the guys I normally went for—sweet, simple good old boys who didn’t appear to have a wild bone in their bodies—but there was just something about the guy standing in front of me that I couldn’t ignore. It was magnetic and exhilarating. My skin actually tingled as he looked at me.

He was exquisite.

“You finished checking me out, or do you need a few more minutes?”

At his amusement-laced words, my eyes jumped back up to his. Embarrassment sent fire spreading up my chest and neck, heating my cheeks until I had no doubt they glowed bright red.

“Sorry. I was….” Totally lusting after your body. “Just… sorry.”

“Nothin’ to apologize for, sweetness. Worse things in life than being checked out by a beautiful woman.”

My blush grew impossibly deeper. If the stranger kept grinning at me like that, I was at risk of spontaneously combusting.

“You not enjoying the party?” his rough voice asked, pulling me from my blatant perusal.

“Oh… uh. No, it’s… it was fine, I guess. I just needed some air.”

He turned his whole body to face me and leaned his hip against the railing, his thick arms crossed over his chest. I would have given anything for the lighting to be bright enough for me to make out the intricate designs that covered every square inch of skin on his arms. “You don’t sound too convincing, sweetness.”

I smiled nervously, giving him a small shrug. “Not really my scene,” I admitted. “I’m only here because my best friend dragged me along. She’s kind of obsessed with the band who’s apparently hosting this thing.”

“And you aren’t?”

“Aren’t what?”

“You’re not a fan of Civil Corruption?”

“Not really.” Then I realized how bad what I’d just said sounded. This guy could have been a friend of the band members for all I knew, and I’d just basically insulted them. “I mean, I’m sure they’re great. I just have a different taste in music.”

“And what’s your taste?” He was still grinning at me, so I was able to relax in the knowledge that I hadn’t just put my foot in my mouth. “I like Top 40 stuff.”

He let out a pained groan, throwing his head back and slapping a hand to his chest. “Fuck. Top 40? You’re killin’ me, beautiful.”

“Sorry,” I giggled, somewhat surprised that I actually found myself enjoying this strange man’s company. “It is what it is. My friend has tried converting me for years. Guess I’m a lost cause.”

“That’s a fuckin’ shame.” His voice came out gruff as his eyes did a sweep of my body. I shivered under his scrutiny, and it had nothing to do with the chilly temperature.

“So what about you? What made you sneak away from the debauchery going on downstairs?”

“Just needed a break,” he answered, uncrossing his arms and taking one step closer.

I cleared my throat and searched the recesses of my brain for something to talk about, anything. “Are you a friend of the band’s or something?”

“Or something,” he replied vaguely, closing another inch or so of distance. “I’m Garrett, by the way.”

“G-Gwen,” I stuttered, his close proximity causing my brain to glitch. Never in my life had I had the attention of such an attractive man. It was downright overwhelming just feeling his gaze on me.

“Pretty name, Gwen.”

“Thanks.” I smiled. Then, like I always did when I was out of my element, I started to ramble. “My full name’s actually Gwendolyn. My mom had this obsession with romance novels when she was pregnant with me. You know, the bodice-ripper ones with the Fabio-looking dude on the cover tearing open a woman’s corset? Anyway, she loved those books and picked a name that sounded like it belonged in a romance book. I guess it could have been worse.”

And just like that, the pleasant floaty feeling I’d been experiencing disappeared and stark sadness took its place. It happened any time I thought about my mother. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn’t stop missing her. I dropped my head as tears stung the backs of my eyes.

“Hey now.” Garrett’s voice came out soft and quiet. His fingers put pressure under my chin until I was forced to look up. I blinked rapidly, dreading the thought of crying in front of this perfect stranger. “What’s that look about, beautiful?”

He was so close I could smell the whisky on his breath. The small laugh that bubbled from my chest sounded self-deprecating, even to my own ears. I sniffled and took a step away, breaking our connection as I brushed at my damp cheeks. “Nothing, sorry. I’ve just had a rough week… or weeks… or months, actually. Just ignore me.”

One corner of his mouth tipped up, making a dimple pop out. “You know what I think you need, beautiful Gwen?”

“What’s that?”

“To get really fuckin’ drunk and let it all hang out for a night. No better cure for what’s botherin’ you. Trust me.”

A genuine bark of laughter burst from my throat. “Is that right?”

“Sure is.” He graced me with a full-blown smile that made my belly flip. “And it just so happens you’ve come to the right place.”

* * *

“Fuck, sweetness. Fuuuuck.”

“Garrett,” I whimpered, my back arching off the bed as he slammed into me, his cock sliding along a place inside that caused stars to burst behind my eyelids.

His hand in my hair twisted, jerking my head back and sending tiny stinging pulses of electricity from my scalp to my clit.

The night had turned out to be so much better than I ever could have imagined. I’d spent hours on that terrace with Garrett, talking and laughing. I’d opened up to him about everything: my mother and father, my dying dream of becoming a writer. I released it all, letting the words spill out of me and shedding some of that weight that had been sitting on my chest for as long as I could remember.

He’d been… amazing. He listened to me talk, then offered bits and pieces about himself. After a while, it felt like I was talking to someone I’d known for years. And the whisky certainly helped fuel the conversation.

I hadn’t wanted the night to end. It was like Garrett and I were in our own little bubble, the rest of the world ceasing to exist. I wanted it to last forever.

Then he’d kissed me. It was the most intense, passionate kiss I’d ever experienced. When we finally broke apart, both of us were struggling to regulate our breathing. I ignored that annoying little voice in the back of my head warning me that I was moving too fast, and shot Corrie a quick text telling her to leave without me before kissing him again.

The kiss suddenly turned into something else, and before I knew it, Garrett and I were tangled together on that huge four-poster bed.

Not once did I stop to consider what I was actually doing. I turned my brain off and simply allowed myself to feel.

Before I knew what was happening I’d been stripped naked. The way his jade eyes glazed as he stared down at my naked body made me feel invincible, like he wanted nothing more than to spend the next several hours devouring me.

And it only got better from there.

I screamed and moaned until my voice grew hoarse when he’d buried his fingers between my thighs. I’d barely come back to earth from the two orgasms he’d given me with his just his hand when he was suddenly suspended over me, thrusting his long, thick cock to the hilt.

“Christ, sweetness, you’re pussy’s so fuckin’ tight.”

“Don’t stop. God, don’t stop!” I chanted, teetering precariously close to the edge of a release more brilliant than anything I’d ever felt. “I’m so close.”

“I know, baby,” he grunted. “Can feel you squeezing the shit outta my cock.”

Garrett sat back on his haunches and grabbed hold of my hips as he powered in and out, in and out, pulling me down on him each time he thrust forward. “Get there, baby. I’m about to come.”

His thumb moved down to where we connected and began rubbing my clit in tight, hard circles. That was all it took. Just like that I came, crying out as I crashed headlong into the most epic orgasm ever.

I could barely breathe, barely move as he buried himself balls-deep and roared with his own release, coming on a string of expletive-laced grunts. His weight hit my body once he finished, his dick still jerking inside me. It was perfect—hands down the best sex of my fucking life.

Exhaustion began to set in as I slowly came down. And as my vision started to blur, the edges growing dark, a smile spread across my face so wide it made my cheeks hurt.

The heat from Garrett’s body wrapped around me like a warm blanket, and the last thing I thought as sleep pulled me under was I’m so glad I let Corrine talk me into coming tonight.