Evalina laughed and chatted with her friends about the relative merits of different cake restaurants while she waited for Syen. The rain, a light mist when they exited the bar, congealed into droplets and pattered with increasing authority. A chill wind scratched her thinly clad arms and legs.

Finally, her friends wanted to make a move. “Are we ready?”

“Well, I’m kind of waiting for someone,” she said.

They grinned. Everyone was relieved she had someone on her birthday.

The rain steadied into a shower.

They moved across the street and huddled under an awning. Wind shook the canvas, cascading cold water on them even though they were under cover.

Chloe checked the time and tossed her hair. “My break’s over. Let’s meet up tomorrow. I’ll treat you to breakfast.”

Her other friends were chilled and tired, and the best restaurants were closed.

“Want to share our Uber? Sure?”

Eva waved them off. She lived in another part of town and anyway she wanted to give Syen just a few more minutes to turn up. So, after checking she had her phone and was really okay — and remembering she could always run back to the bar and rejoin Chloe — they also left.

She got onto Facebook and thanked her online friends for their birthday wishes. Rain pooled on the awning and poured off in a thick, liquid curtain that obscured the bar across the street. Cold misted her bare arms. She hugged herself and shivered.

Okay. Where was Syen?

She checked her phone. It had been … god, it had been almost an hour. Her birthday was long over.

Was this a joke?

Yes, Syen’s boss looked scary, like her great uncle who’d been a drill sergeant. Even at ninety, he’d scared the nursing staff into line. So, Syen wouldn’t dare join her until his boss gave him the okay.

And that was saying something.

Syen himself was huge!

She hadn’t realized it when he’d been leaning against the pillar. When he’d straightened to ask his boss’s permission the first time, shivers of feminine awareness had flooded her. She was a big and tall lady, but next to him, she felt like a dainty, petite little wisp who could wear her tallest heels and still fit under his arm, or melt into his hard body on the dance floor.

Boy, could he dance.

Sliding his hard abdomen against hers, rubbing his rigid cock against her so she could just imagine its girth between her naked thighs, seducing her with his wet kiss…

A hungry ache twisted in her center.

And it had been a really, really long time since she’d been around a guy who made her woman parts come alive. Even longer since a man had reciprocated her interest. The country he was from must speak pretty good English. Lucky for her he’d come to America.

So, it was no wonder she waited in the frigid rain.

Except … where was he?

The rain intensified, pounding on the asphalt and spraying her with chilling mist. She was frozen and soaked.

Her phone flashed reality.

He had been gone for over an hour.

Had something happened? Was he okay?

She’d never know. He hadn’t given her his number. If this was a brush-off then at least she couldn’t embarrass herself with any worried texts.

Eva clutched her damp hair. Hopefully, he was okay.

There was really no point in continuing to wait. Whatever the reason, he wasn’t coming. She had to move before she got hypothermia and died.

Except what if he was on his way and she left?

Her stomach dipped.

One missed connection could change everything.

Childish thinking. Just like her obsession with sparkles. Completely irrational.

But if she left now, she’d never have another chance. That’s why she had to wait. That’s why she always waited.

In case her dad came back. In case her first heartbreak changed his mind. In case the ambulance rushing her sick grandma to the hospital turned around and she got all better. Evalina had to be waiting or the magic wouldn’t work.

So, deciding not to wait any longer for Syen really made her guts churn.

Calm down. He knew where to find her. It wasn’t like she was moving to another state. She came to this bar every weekend and she’d told him so. He’d just have to come next week with a great excuse and a whole speech begging forgiveness.

She’d be waiting next weekend.

Eva opened her ride-share app to order a ride home. The voice mail notification blinked. She dialed and lifted the phone to her ear.

Clink.

Huh?

Oh. Right.

Eva touched the smooth plastic earbud. Super high tech. He’d miss this, wouldn’t he? Or would he? He was rich. Probably.

Fine. She was keeping his one ear bud. He knew where to find her next weekend. If he wanted it, he could come and get it back.

She dialed again and held the ringing phone to her other ear. The one without the earbud. Her mom’s voice wished her a special day.

That’s right. He could come to her.

He could—

A huge shadow loomed on the sidewalk beside her.

She jumped. “Syen?”

As if her cry summoned him, Syen emerged out of the curtain of rain and joined her beneath the awning.

She flushed hot, then cold, then hot again.

The voice message finished, and she swiped her thumb to hang up. “You came back?”

“You’re still here.”

“You told me to wait.”

His lips parted. What was that expression? Surprise?

“What took you so long?”

Instead of answering, he reached out to her. “Come with me.”

“Stop.”

He checked. Rain bounced off the awning and soaked his shoulders.

He wasn’t out of breath, but his face had a light flush as if he’d run. Rain plastered his dark hair to his head and dripped off his chiseled cheeks. He didn’t seem like the kind of man who got his kicks from making women wait. But the impassive expression and opaque sunglasses made him hard to read.

She was expecting more begging for her forgiveness. Especially considering how her teeth were chattering. “Where were you?”

“The office.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

But it was almost one in the morning. She crossed her arms. “Kind of late to file paperwork.”

“My boss held a meeting.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

“And where’s your office?”

He pointed over his shoulder. “Outside Longview.”

Longview was an hour away. One way.

She sputtered. “Longview? You went all the way to Longview and back — and held a meeting — in an hour?”

He nodded.

Could he at least choose a more plausible lie? One that didn’t defy the laws of physics?

“What were you really doing?”

He closed his mouth. His face was so unreadable.

He didn’t seem like he was messing with her. But how could she believe something so impossible? Sure, she wanted to believe him. He had been so nice to her. And he filled that wet business suit with lean hardness, powerful broad shoulders, and a tapered waist she’d already enjoyed feeling up — and would love the chance to do it again. He knew how to move her body and she knew how it felt to be pressed up against him. Moving in rhythm.

Heat surged through her again.

But he kept those impenetrable sunglasses on.

What did he see when he looked into her eyes? Because all she saw when she tried to look in his was a reflection of herself, wet and shivering.

“You should have just told me to meet you later,” she said, trying not to sound as pitiful as she felt. “I waited here a really long time. My friends all left. I never even got cake.”

Flat reaction.

She tried to express herself more clearly. Like an adult. “I’m really disappointed.”

He pulled out a slender cell phone and poked at it.

No way. “Are you ignoring me?”

He jerked up. Looked at his phone. Looked at her again. And didn’t deny it.

“What are you doing?”

He looked down at his phone. “Seeking cake.”

Seriously? “Everywhere’s closed.”

He nodded and put the phone away.

She just had no idea what he was thinking. “Anyway, I’m tired and cold. I just want to go home.”

Blank stare.

Okay.

Swallowing her hurt, she opened her app again. Driver less than five minutes away. “So, I’m calling a car now.”

He watched her navigate through the settings to complete the request.

Anger mixed with hurt. “Why are you still here?”

His lips parted.

“You can go home.”

A long beat passed. His mouth closed. He turned away, hunched his shoulders, and stepped out into the pouring rain.