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Chapter one
Emma
“Thisisyourfirstmixer?” My new boss, Susan, is trying to gauge exactly how much marketing experience I actually have. I’m only 21, and while I didn’t embellish my resumé, my experience is more management than marketing or sales.
“Oh, no, this is definitely not my first,” I lie, as we approach the mixer that Imayormay notbe qualified to represent her company at.
As we get out of the car, I become increasingly nervous.What am I doing? I don’t know how to network!Luckily, my new coworker Katie is already here to hold my hand through it. “You got this, Emma,” she whispers as she links her arm with mine. “Just walk in, grab a glass of wine, and keep to yourself this round. The goal is just to get to know everyone. People want to do business with someone they like—and they are going toloveyou! Watch what Susan and I do, you’ll be fine.”
I blow out a deep breath, only to stop dead in my tracks as we cross the threshold of the building.Is everyone here over 65?!Katie squeezes my arm once before unlinking it and heads to the open bar across the room. I follow a few steps behind her and pick up a glass of whatever white is being served. After a quick taste, I'm sure the varietal is just “white wine.” While I am no connoisseur, this is definitely something you get out of a box. I should be careful, I don’t want to be hungover tomorrow from a glass of cheap wine.
Katie wanders over to one of our existing clients who gives her a tight hug, then shakes the hand of the person next to them.Man, she is good at this.
Sipping my sad excuse for wine, I scan the room. After a minute or so, I spot a gorgeous tall man with dark hair and glasses, holding my gaze. He can’t be older than 25, which means we are two of the youngest people there. I have absolutely no game when it comes to men, but I do know that I shouldnotbe staring back at him for more than a few seconds, especially since he hasn’t taken his eyes off me.
I tear my eyes away, hoping to find Susan or Katie. They're both entertaining other attendees, so I head toward Katie in hopes she will introduce me to her new contact. I would never steal a client from her, but I can still feel the eyes of this mystery man on me and it’s making my heart race and stomach flip.
As I walk over, I try to sneak a quick glance, to see if he is still looking my way. He absolutely is. My cheeks are warm, maybe from the wine, but I am almost certain it’s because of the attention from the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. His ability to make my heart stop from just looking at me is too much to handle at a professional event.Get it together, Emma!
Once I reach her, hoping for a distraction, I interrupt as professionally as I can, “So sorry, can I steal Katie away for a few moments?” She looks at me with intrigue, and as we walk away after excusing ourselves, I lean in and whisper, “Hey, who's that man over there?”
She looks up and to our left. “The younger guy with glasses?” I nod. “I don’t know, I haven’t seen him before, butdamn, he can’t seem to take his eyes off you! Shoot, I wish I had a guy who looked at me like that.” In the corner of my eye, I double check, and his intense gaze is still focused our way. “Go over and introduce yourself! You’re single and by the way he’s checking you out—like he’s moments away from finding a dark corner and having his way with you—he’s probably single too.”
“No, I couldnever!That’s way too forward! Plus, we're here for business,” I tell her, matter of factly. Just as I'm about to head to the bar to escape this whole thing, I notice he's excusing himself from the two men he’s talking to, heading in the same direction.So much for escaping.I remain rooted in place.
“Oh my God, Emma! Yes, you can…oh wait, looks like he might beat you to it! Quick, tell me something funny!” Her eyes are twinkling with delight, which only makes me nervous. I am pretty sure I am her entertainment for the night and no good can come from this.
“Katie, what the heck! I am not funny, and what do you mean he might beat me to—” I swear I feel his presence before I hear him.
“Hi there, hope I'm not interrupting?” His voice is low, almost a purr. I feel a shiver up my spine and turn around. “Oh, hi. Um, of course not! We were just, uh…talking shop.”Who the hell says talking shop?! Come on, Emma, do better! Focus...How can I though? He is one of the most beautiful men I've ever met! Wait, how long have I been staring? Shit.
He continues, pulling me from my thoughts, as he hands us each a fresh glass of wine. “I noticed you both were running low.”
Katie declines, “Oh, I don’t accept drinks from anyone other than a bartender,butI am Emma’s ride so she can have mine. I will make sure she gets home safe.”
I smack her arm and turn back to him. “I, yeah, sure…thanks.” I can’t seem to get the words out, as he pours one glass into the other and hands it to me. As I take it, our fingers touch for just a moment.Does he feel that too? I sure as hell did.A simple innocent contact that caused goosebumps to erupt all over my body. Looking up from the glass he handed me, I'm met with the most incredible dimpled smile, dark blue eyes that are piercing my soul, and I'm wrapped in his scent of leather and embers.Or maybe that’s just the name of the candle that I bought on my last Target run?I blow out a deep breath. It's criminal how attractive this man is. “I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Emma and this is Katie. We work for a local magazine.”
He holds out his hand and I take it.There’s that zing again!“Dylan. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Emma. I haven’t seen you here before, is this your first?” His lack of acknowledgement of Katie is not lost on me—his focus is all on me.
“Yes, this is my first, but Katie has been once or twice.” His eyes never leave mine, even at the second mention of my coworker. The energy in the room is heavy, and I don’t know what it is about this guy, but I feel a pull toward him. I can’t look away.
Katie clears her throat, probably uncomfortable with whateverthisis. “Ok, right, so I need to check on a few people, it was great to meet you Dusty.”
“Dylan,” he corrects.
“Right, Dylan…Emma, I’ll find you later.” She winks at me.Actually winks at me!My hand briefly goes to my face, covering my eyes, I'm so embarrassed! Hopefully he didn’t catch that.Who the hell winks at people?
“I’m sorry, she’s…well, that’s Katie,” I say sheepishly. I’m not sure what to do now, but I know that I need to fill the silence. “So, Dylan, what brings you here tonight? What do you do?”
He brings his drink to his lips, his eyes still on me. “Investments.”That could mean literally anything, could he be any more vague?He takes out a card from his wallet and hands it to me. “My personal number is on the bottom. It was great to meet you, Emma.” He walks away, looking back at me over his shoulder with his dimpled grin. I place the card in my purse, set down my too full glass of wine, and find Katie to get the hell out of here before my cheeks get any redder.
"So, how did it go? Did he ask you out?"
"I don't want talk about it." He's easily the most handsome man I have ever met, but it's more than that. I feel a gravitational pull toward him that I can't explain.
Thenextday,beforeI even sit down at my desk, Katie greets me at the door with two cups of coffee. Bouncing with excitement, she hands me one and asks, “Did you call him?”
I set the coffee on my desk, shrug off my coat, and sit down to power up my computer. “No, I didn’t call him. I just met himlast night.”
