It was electric.

Magnetic and hot.

Dancing with him was like nothing I’d ever done before.

Rhythm poured from him and our bodies moved together like they were made for each other.

This was what people called chemistry.

Every touch sparked a connection, a reaction. It interested me, intrigued me, and yet I didn’t even know my mystery man’s name.

That thing I felt, attraction, drew me to him.

I didn’t think that anything could make me forget the reason I sought refuge in this place. Dancing with this gorgeous man had proved me wrong.

As we moved I became more and more aware of his touch.

His hands on me, his hips moving with mine and the fact that he made no effort to mask the desire in the way he touched me.

He wanted me to know he was attracted to me.

We were dancing like we’d known each other long enough to be dancing this close.

Like we knew each other intimately.

There was nothing chaste in the way that we moved and I got lost in the moment and the feeling.

People were watching us and actually giving us our own space.

Gold lights beamed down on us and I turned to face him. Heat washed over me when I saw the intense lust in his eyes. It pulled me further into this enchantment.

Butterflies filled my stomach and fluttered straight to the pit of my groin, alerting me that I was completely turned on.

He took hold of my hips and pulled me closer so that our bodies were touching again. He then dipped his head low to my ear and whispered when the music changed so I could hear.

“Sexy, truly sexy.”

His face was close to mine and I was aware of his hand creeping down the hollow of my back.

“You too.” I whispered back, but my voice got lost in the sound of the beat that came back.

This song was slower, made for lovers.

We should stop here. I should stop because this man was making me lose control of my mind and I didn’t think that was a good thing.

That would have been the logical thing to do but for some inexplicable reason, I couldn’t move to leave him. That part of my brain was shut for business.

It had been a long time since I was touched this way. A long time since I allowed myself to be turned on.

A long time since I actually felt sexy, as sexy as he said.

The fire that took over from this new persona I’d created for the night had wanted me to tease and play so I did. Something inside me caved and allowed my emotions and inner desires to run free. I realized in that moment that that was what the drink had done to me. It stopped that part of me that held myself back from doing what my inner desires pushed me to do.

Like this. I would never normally be in a club, drinking and dancing with a stranger.

And, dancing like this.

I wiggled my hips to the beat of the music setting alight a wicked smile his face. He leaned closer, so close that I thought he was going to kiss me. He stopped just a breath away from my lips and paused with that sexy smile for effect. The heat of his body radiating. Hot, just like him.

“Again.” I read his lips.

When I did it again I amplified the move, making it more sexy just for him.

Moving my hands slowly over my hair, down my chest drawing his attention to my breasts.

His gaze heated up turning into a look reserved for a predator stalking a prey.

Devour. The look told me he wanted to devour me.

He slid his hands across to my waist, but it was like I could feel him all over

me.

God, if Tom and Becca could see me now. If they could see this man who was a million times more gorgeous than Tom, and sexy, looking at me as if I was one of those women who were perfect.

And, me… being in this man’s presence instantly gave me sinful thoughts that must have come from a combo of the drink and the wild streak my mind was running on.

The music stopped but that didn’t stop us. He pulled me closer, compelling my head to turn into his powerful shoulders then he dipped down to brush his lips against the curve of my neck.

Just like his voice, it caressed my skin and sparked the endings of my nerves making desire pool deep in my core. I moved away, completely aware of what this man was doing to me, but he caught my hand and pulled me back.

Gazing into his eyes, I saw something sensual there.

It froze me, holding me in place just like earlier.

He reached up and brushed the side of my cheek with his thumb, then lifted my chin towards him.

The cockiness of his smile danced on his lips but served to keep me in the trance of the moment.

His eyes…

They clasped me with lusting invisible fingers and I felt powerless to resist his charm.

“Let me buy you a drink.” He offered.

Nice as this was I couldn’t have another drink, and I was cautious of what having another drink with him would lead to.

“Just had one, but thanks. It was nice to meet you. I should go now.” I stepped out of his touch and moved away.

He was trouble, dancing with me like that. And I would be in trouble to entertain any further contact with him.

I wasn’t used to feeling like this, or sparking weird connections with strangers who could get me all hot and bothered with sinful thoughts I’d need to book a week in confession for.

That wasn’t me, and as carefree as I wanted to be for the night I didn’t think adding a man to the drinks I’d had was a good idea.

Especially not this man, who I shouldn’t have been surprised wouldn’t take no for an answer.

He caught my hand once again before I could get away from him, stopping me in my tracks.

I looked down at our hands joined and then back up to him, and the charmer that he obviously was lifted my hand to his lips and kissed it.

Damn.

I noted how soft his lips felt on my knuckles and couldn’t stop myself from wondering how he’d feel on my lips.

“Just one.” He mouthed as the music started up again, and held up one finger.

This was the part where I could walk away, and go back to my hovel of an apartment where I knew I would sink into depression over Tom and Becca again.

Or I could have one more drink with this guy?

“Okay,” I gave in. “Just one.”

The smile he gave me now reached his eyes.

Instead of going to the bar I was originally at he led me up to the VIP section, which was actually a room on its own with glass walls. The volume was controlled in here too.

The room hovered over the dance floor literally creating the feel of floating in a glass ball, but while we could see outside no one could see us in here. This was the kind of room designed with style, with the definite VIP’s in mind.

A bartender came inside to take our orders when we sat down in the booth.

“Water.” Mr. Perfect ordered to my surprise, then slid a little closer to me. “And orange juice for the lady,” he looked at me. “Unless if you want something stronger.”

“Orange juice is good. Thank you.” Orange juice was better than having anything else alcoholic.

The bartender went away with the order leaving us together.

“What’s your name angel?” Mr. Perfect asked.

Angel, I liked that. For a moment I wondered if this was how the woman in the pink dress felt when that man was talking to her.

“It’s Summer,” I replied. “And you?”

“Alex.” I liked the sound of his voice. It was deep and masculine, strong and sexy, but also playful.

The bartender returned with our drinks handing me mine first.

“Are you here by yourself Summer?”

I wondered how to answer that question. Was telling him I was here alone a bad thing?

Bad things happening to women in clubs were always on the news. I didn’t get the impression of this man being harmful in that way, but what would I know? I’d just met him.

I was attracted to him, and knew that much but as for anything else I didn’t know.

He laughed on seeing my contemplation. “I swear to God I don’t bite. Just wanted to know if I should expect a boyfriend or a husband storming over here to kick my ass for being with his woman.”

I smirked. When I was with Tom that would never happen. Tom was too laid back and never said anything when guys hit on me. Even when I got the creepy kind who were overtly undressing me with their eyes, he still did nothing.

“No, there isn’t anyone here like that. I just came here to check the place out.”

“By yourself?” He raised a dark brow. I noticed his lashes and eyebrows were a shade darker than his hair. It was a very striking contrast.

“Yes,” I replied tentatively.

“What would bring a woman like you out to a nightclub, all by herself?” Those eyes of his brightened with a glint of wonder.

The thing that brought me inside here was Tom and Becca. I didn’t want to talk about them to anyone and sound more pathetic.

Earlier my brain felt like it was going to implode on itself and I needed to…

“Escape.” The words went straight from my mind to my lips.

“What were you escaping?” He looked intrigued.

“Life,” I said with a nonchalant shrug as if it wasn’t a big deal.

“Oh, I see.”

“Are you by yourself?” I decided to ask too.

“Is that like my question? As in am I here with a girlfriend, or just here physically by myself?” He held my gaze as he took a sip of water, eyes never leaving mine.

“Both,” I replied. Why not? This was me chilling out right? And being carefree.

The smile on his face widened with satisfaction. “There is no one like that here,” he borrowed my words. “And I’m here by myself. Turns out I’m escaping life too.” He leaned closer brushing against my shoulder.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

I didn’t think there could be a girlfriend here because of the way that he danced with me, and we were sitting together now. I couldn’t imagine though what he’d have to escape from. He looked like wealth, smelled like it too with the rich woodland aftershave that tantalized my nerves. He had the arrogance and cockiness of a man sure of himself and I didn’t think I needed two guesses to know that he was here to pick up women.

“Here’s an idea,” he began, mischief flickered in those eyes of his making him look more seductive. “How about we be here together?”

The way that he looked at me held a purely sexual flame.

I was single, very single. I’d been single for the last year, and hadn’t acknowledged or accepted it.

Until today. Right now it waved itself in front of me, telling me I didn’t have to worry about loyalty to anyone.

Just myself.

I couldn’t tear my eyes away from his, being mesmerized by him and the idea of being here together.

“Together?”

He reached out to touch my cheek, running his fingers along the line of my jaw.

Heat rose from the soles of my feet and spread throughout me, worsening when his knee brushed against mine.

“Together,” Alex’s eyes flicked down to my lips, lingered there, then snapped back up to my eyes

“What would that involve?” I asked cautiously, looking at his lips too and the perfect angles in his face.

Butterflies fluttered in my stomach, going wild as he lowered closer, his finger still on my chin.

“This.”

The look in his eyes turned hotter and gut instinct told me he was going to kiss me.

My heart fluttered in anticipation, skipping past the fact that I’d only ever been with Tom. He’d been my first everything and my only, but that was just a useless thought like everything else that used to be. Best left in the past.

I was here, right now with the gorgeous and perfect Alex and as he came closer I did too, feeling the temptation luring me in. Casting the thrall of a spell that gripped me.

His lips pressed to mine and I swore my mind went blank of everything except for the zing of desire that rippled through me.

The kiss pulsed throughout my entire body. Bone-tingling and sensational, the type that was possessive, greedy, full of the firestorm of passion.

I felt lost when he moved away briefly to offer a wicked smile that curled my toes from the sauciness that filled it.

Seeing that I definitely wasn’t ready to stop kissing him, he moved back to recapture my lips and that was when we really got going and I got lost in him.

Lost in the kiss, lost in the moment.

Angels on sex had worked on me like a drug, but kissing Alex wiped Tom and Becca clean from my mind.

Kissing him cleansed everything from my mind and I had to struggle to recall who I was and where I was.

His hands slid around to the back of my head to bring me closer. I allowed myself the privilege of running my own fingers up his jaw, feeling the stubble of a beard on his chin. Feeling him and enjoying the softness and teasing of his lips on mine.

When we broke apart my lips burned feeling ravished from the desire filled way that we kissed. And I wanted more.

I couldn’t believe I could feel this way after a kiss.

“Come home with me.” He whispered against my lips.

It was only then that my sense of awareness returned.

“What?” Shock heated up my cheeks.

“Come home with me,” he repeated with that sexy smile.

That would be crazy. Completely insane, and it could be dangerous.

“I can’t.” I shook my head. Yes, I wanted carefree, but this was several levels ahead of carefree. “I don’t know you.”

“We can fix that problem.” He smiled and stopped my next words with another kiss equally as fiery as the first.

I melted against him, allowing him to devour my mouth. “Come home with me, angel.” Came his words again.

“We just met.” My voice came out breathy as if I’d been running a marathon.

“I’m not a serial killer or some kind of creep. I’m just a guy interested in you.”

Alex looked me over with true seduction and my heart fluttered in response, heating up from the sexual fire that consumed it. The smoldering fire I saw in his eyes captured me and I was powerless to resist.

Could I really do this?

Go home with him?

I needed a moment to evaluate this. Alex was hot, hot like hell, but that was as much as I knew.

Going home with him would just lead to one thing.

A one night stand.

I didn’t do things like that, or hook up with gorgeous men in a club and go home with them .

“I can’t. This is crazy.”

“Why is it crazy?” He chuckled.

“We just met,” I was twenty eight years old, met Tom in high school and had all my firsts with him. I hadn’t as much as kissed another man in the year that I’d been single so how was I supposed to go off with a man I’d just met?

“What does that matter? I think we both know what we want.” That fire appeared in his eyes again.

I was a little embarrassed that I seemed that transparent so I resumed my former play. “Anything could happen to me.”

“Take out your phone and find the number for the person you’d call if you were in danger.”

I widened my eyes at him. He was actually being serious?

I shook my head at him and really entertained the possibility of me doing this.

Going home with him.

Other than the police, there was only one person that I had that I would call if I were in danger.

That was Eilesh. Next to Becca, Eilesh was the closest friend I had. I guessed now though that she was the only friend.

If she were with me now, I doubted she would tell me to turn this guy down.

Eilesh had been that one crazy friend everyone had who pushed the limits and loved gorgeous men.

She’d caught Cody, an Australian deep sea diver, who was her own gorgeous man. They’d been married for the last three years, but marriage hadn’t dimmed her craziness, and spontaneity.

She knew about Tom and Becca being together and how they’d treated me. If she knew about the marriage update, Eilesh would have probably shoved me into Alex’s arms with a box of condoms.

God, was I seriously thinking about going home with him?

I looked at him, looking at me in that playful manner, eyes taking me in in a purely sexual way.

Eilesh was visiting Cody’s sister in San Francisco. She was going to be there for the next two weeks. She wouldn’t have been able to help me if I needed to be saved, and that was just stupid thinking that because if I needed to be saved I would call the police.

“Give me your phone,” he chuckled.

“Why?”

He wiggled his fingers beckoning me to hand it over. I reached into my bag to retrieve it, unlocked it and handed it to him.

He tapped something into it and held it out to me to show a google search for the Chicago Police Department.

My lips parted in surprise when he pressed the number to call them and I widened my eyes at him in astonishment as he started talking when someone answered.

“Hi Alex Sullivan here. I’m just letting you know that I’m taking Summer,” he paused and took the phone away from his ear for a second. “What’s your last name angel?”

“You called the police?” I couldn’t believe that he wanted me to go home with him that much.

“Angel come on, I’m validating myself here so you’ll trust me. Can you think of a better idea Summer?” He gave me a look of expectancy and I found myself smiling.

“Summer Daniels.”

He put the phone back to his ear. “I’m taking Summer Daniels to 55 Park Lane Towers. My car registration is ASUL10. Yup, it’s unique. If anything happens to her come and see me. we are leaving from the Hideaway and it’s now nine. Thanks bye.”

He hung up and handed the phone back to me.

“You’re crazy.” I smiled.

“Yes, but in a good way. Feel safer?”

I wish it was just the safety part that I had to worry about.

“I feel safe yes, but I …” he held my gaze, looking at me the way he did earlier when he stood by the column.

That same paralysis seized me, and I wondered what it would be like to be with him. His kiss still burned my lips, my body, my soul.

He stood up and reached out his hand to me.

“You coming angel?” He smiled revealing dazzling, straight white teeth. “We could escape life together.”

Temptation in its fullest seized me.

Escape life.

Yes, I wanted to.

Tom and Becca had drained me out.

I wouldn’t even begin to address the grief I’d shelved to the back of my heart over losing my father.

Escape life with him.

Alex, the gorgeous man who’d taken to calling me angel.

Could I do it?