“Relax your shoulders,” he whispers, and I do, letting him take over the sway, the lift, the turn. His body is confident, skilled, and I am raw, unpracticed, every nerve alight with sensation. I can’t stop the shiver that travels up my spine when his hand glides along my side, daring, patient, as though he knows exactly how far he can push.
Closing my eyes for a moment, I let the music and his touch guide me. This is forbidden, intoxicating, and utterly new. And somehow… I’m not scared. Not yet.
“Good girl,” he murmurs near my ear, the words grazing my skin like fire. “You’re… perfect tonight.”
And just like that, the world narrows to this—his hands, the rhythm, the heat, the spark of something I’ve never been allowed to feel.
“Princess, you ignoring me over here?” Maria’s voice slices through the club like a flare, full of mock outrage. She’s on the other side of the dance floor, hands on her hips, eyes sparkling with mischief.
I bite back a laugh, and for a moment, the intimacy of his touch feels almost… wrong. Almost. I give him a small, apologetic smile, the one that saysthis isn’t over, and step back, letting his hands fall away.
Maria’s grin widens as I slip into her side. “There she is! I thought you were going to leave me lonely out here, huh?”
“I’m here,” I say, laughing, and she pulls me into a spin. The candy-bucket costume flares around her, bright and ridiculous, and I can’t help but smile, feeling the ease of her friendship like a lifeline.
“You’re glowing tonight, Princess,” Maria teases, leaning in so only I can hear. “But you’re making the poor masked stranger over there sweat bullets.”
I glance over my shoulder, and yes—he’s still watching, his mask tilted slightly, the tilt of his head and the way his eyes narrow making my pulse skip. My stomach flutters with a delicious mix of thrill and nerves.
Maria tugs me toward the bar. “Come on, Princess, let’s get another drink before you melt on me.”
Snorting, I say, “I don’t need to be handled. I just… I can’t help myself.”
She laughs and loops her arm through mine. “Then don’t. Just have fun. Tonight, nothing else matters.”
And I do. I let myself fall into the chaos of the party, the laughter, the music, the freedom of being with Maria. But even in the midst of the fun, even with my mask-smudged smile and candy-bucket friend beside me, I can’t stop the pull toward him.
I know before this night is over, I’ll find him again.
***
The clock in my mind screams almost one, and reality crashes in—I have to get home before someone notices I’m missing. Maria, oblivious as always, is still laughing, waving her hands to the music. Grabbing her hand, I weave us through the crowd to the club’s entrance. The cool night air outside hits me like a breath of freedom, crisp and sharp against my flushed skin.
Maria spins toward me, grin wide, but freezes mid-step. Her dark eyes flick to the street. “Uh-oh,” she murmurs.
V stands there, jaw tight, eyes narrowing like only a disapproving older brother can. “Maria,” he says—not a greeting, just her name, low and serious. “We need to talk.”
I glance at Maria, who shoots me a quick, conspiratorial shrug. She’s used to this. I nod, letting her lead the way a few steps ahead. “Go on,” she murmurs. “I’ll catch up.”
Maria flashes me a reassuring smile, then turns to face her brother. I slip past them, heading down the stairs toward her car.
I’m nearly at the car when a hand clamps over my wrist. My breath catches. I’m spun back against a wall, chest pressing into a solid, impossibly firm body. The masked stranger from the club looms close, hands bracketing me against the brick. My heart stutters—fear swirling with something far more dangerous.
“Princess,” he murmurs, low and teasing, the mask hiding his expression but not the intent in his voice. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I… I’m just—” I falter, my voice thin. My inexperience with men, with this, withhim, tangles with the thrill surging through me.
His hands move, tracing lightly along my arms, sending shivers I can’t control through my body. He doesn’t rush, doesn’t demand—I want to run, but the warmth and strength of him keep me pinned, caught somewhere between fear and longing.
“You shouldn’t disappear,” he whispers, his breath brushing my ear. One hand slides up, fingers lingering near my neck, close enough to feel the heat radiating from him. “Not when I’ve been waiting all night.”
I press my palms against his chest, tiny against the solid muscle beneath his shirt. “I—I’m not… I’m not…” Inexperienced, sheltered… unprepared. Words fail me.
A soft chuckle rumbles from him, vibrating through the wall behind us. “Not used to being wanted?” His fingers trace slowly along my jawline, teasing me.
My knees threaten to buckle. My pulse hammers in my ears. “I—I don’t know what you mean,” I whisper, voice barely audible.
He tilts his head, masking a smile I can feel more than see. “Then let me show you,” he murmurs, leaning closer, and the scent of him—warm, dangerous, intoxicating—fills my senses.
