“I wasn’t sure if you’d show,” he said as he picked up his glass.

“I wanted to thank you for the sushi and cheese trays you sent to my room. That was very nice of you, but you didn’t have to do that.”

“I know I didn’t, but I thought you and your female companions would enjoy it. Did you enjoy it?” he asked as he stared into my eyes.

“Yes, very much. Thank you,” I replied as my heart felt like it was going to jump out of my chest.”

“Would you like a drink?”

“No, thank you. I have to meet my friends in the limo in about ten minutes.”

“Would you object if I told you how stunning you look?”

“Thank you,” I said as I looked down.

“I see you’re married,” he said as he looked at my ring.

“Yes, I am, and I have a baby at home.”

I glanced over at his hand to see if he was wearing a ring and he was. “I see you’re married as well.”

He looked at me as the corners of his mouth curved slightly upwards. “Yes, I am. But that doesn’t stop me from looking at beautiful women. Apparently, it doesn’t stop you either because you’re sitting here with me.”

I gulped as I got up from the stool. He reached over and placed his hand on mine as an electrical shock shot through my body. “Thank you for coming down and meeting me.”

“I have to go. Thank you again for the trays,” I said as I walked out of there as fast as I could.

Everyone was waiting for me in the limo. As the driver opened the door for me, I slid in next to Mason.

“Are you all right? You look flushed,” he said.

“I’m fine. Now let’s go and have a good time.”

We arrived at the first club and had dinner up on the rooftop. I couldn’t stop thinking about the man from the elevator and how it had felt when he touched me. Needing to see if I had any missed calls or text messages, I pulled my phone from my clutch and saw nothing. I wondered what Connor was doing and I felt like I needed to text him.

“Hi, babe. I just want to make sure you’re having a good time.”

A few minutes later, a reply from him came through.

“Hey, baby. We’re having a great time. How about you?”

“Yeah, I am. I just wanted to tell you that I love you,” I typed with guilt.

“I love you too. Remember to stay safe.”

“I will.”

As I put my phone back in my clutch, I grabbed my glass of wine and drank it as fast as I could. I put all thoughts of the man from the elevator out of my mind so I could enjoy the evening that I had spent months planning. We ate, drank, and had a good time. But the fun didn’t really start until we walked into the club called X. It was a high-class strip club that was divided in half. One side of the club was male strippers and the other half was female strippers.

We sat at the table, waiting for the show to start. Peyton was already drunk and so were a few of the girls. I needed a drink and didn’t want to wait for the waitress, so I excused myself and walked up to the large bar that was shared by both sides of the club. As the bartender approached me, I ordered a shot of Jack. He put the shot glass down in front of me and I threw it back, allowing the burning sensation to coat my throat. Suddenly, I was startled by a voice in my ear.

“Well, isn’t this a coincidence seeing you here. It must be fate,” the deep voice whispered as his scent captured me and his hot breath warmed my neck.

Once again, my heart started beating rapidly as the lower half of me started to ache. “Are you following me?” I asked without turning around.

“I was just about to ask you the same question. Do you always come to strip clubs?”

“No. I told you before that it’s my best friend’s bachelorette party.”

“Ah, that’s right,” he said as he traced little circles on my shoulder with his finger.

My skin started to heat up at his touch. There wasn’t anywhere I could go. He had me trapped between the bar and the stool. “Am I making you uncomfortable?” he asked.

“Just a bit,” I answered nervously.

“I apologize. You better get back to your friends,” he whispered as he leaned in closer to me and I felt his lips slightly touch my neck.

I flinched and he moved his arm so I could get by. As I walked away, I turned around, even though every part of me said not to. But I did, because I could feel his burning eyes all over me. I sat back at the table just in time for the show to start.

“Where were you?” Landon asked. “We were going to start a search party.”

“The bar was packed. It took forever to get the bartender’s attention.”

The show started and one male stripper walked onto the stage. Peyton started going crazy and yelling. I looked over at her and laughed because she was standing on the chair. I needed to use the bathroom, so I got up from my seat and told the group that I’d be right back. I was feeling a little tipsy from the Jack and coke I was drinking and then the champagne I had earlier. I couldn’t find the bathrooms, so I had to ask one of the waitresses. She pointed down the long hallway and said they were on the left. After peeing, what seemed like forever, I washed my hands and, when I opened the door, I was startled to see the line of people down the narrow hallway. When I stepped out of the bathroom and tried to make my way through the crowd of people, I felt two hands grab my waist. I turned around and it was him.

“It’s okay; let me guide you out of here,” he said.

As we were reaching the end of the hallway, two drunken girls stumbled and pushed us up against the wall.

“Hold on. Let them pass,” he whispered in my ear.

I gulped as the ache down below came back and my senses were heightened by his tantalizing scent; an unfamiliar scent to me. Once the girls passed by, he grabbed my waist and led me out of the hallway.

“Don’t turn around, but hold out your hand,” he instructed.

I did what he asked and I held my hand out in front of me. He put a piece of white paper in it and then he closed my hand.

“Don’t let anybody see that. It’s only for you,” he whispered and then walked away in the opposite direction.

I opened my hand and unfolded the piece of paper. It read:

My room, tonight, after your party.

Room 4709

I’ll be there, waiting for you.

As I stood there staring at the note, I heard someone call my name. I looked up and closed my hand tightly as Mason walked towards me.

“What’s taking you so long?” he asked.

“Look at the line,” I said as I took his hand and we walked back to our table.

Our time at the strip club was finished and we needed to move on to the last club. As I helped Peyton into the limo, she wouldn’t stop talking about the lap dance she received from the stripper. Everyone was cracking jokes and having a good time. I was starting to get a bit worried that Peyton was too drunk to go to the next club, but she insisted she was fine. When I opened my clutch to pull out my phone, the white piece of paper fell onto the floor.

“Oops, you dropped something,” Landon said as he reached down and picked it up.

“No! I can get it,” I said in a sharp tone.

Mason picked up the paper and handed it to me. “Wow, calm down, Elle, it’s only a piece of paper. “

“I’m sorry,” I said.

The club was packed. The music was blaring, and the floor was thumping. I tried to get my mind off of him, but I couldn’t. His tall stature and assurance were startling, but in a way that was to be desired. To distract myself from the thoughts of him that seemed to consume me, I lost myself in the music, dancing, drinking, and having a good time. When it was time to leave, Landon had to carry Peyton to the limo as the girls and I stumbled behind, laughing and practically falling on our asses. I pulled my phone from my clutch and there were no messages or missed calls from anyone. Not too long after we left the club, we were back at the Waldorf. Landon carried Peyton to the room and collapsed on the couch. I pulled the white piece of paper from my clutch and stared at the room number. It wasn’t the same room he had gone into earlier in the day. This room was on the top floor of the hotel.