The linen covered tables held only the finest dinnerware and the candles were creating a soft glow from the centerpieces. The room had the added appeal of strategically placed tall shrubs, offering privacy if a couple chose to sneak behind one.

Jessica was feeling more positive about the evening ahead. It was a beautiful night and the organization she often donated to, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC), was going to receive a substantial amount of money. She’d already decided to enjoy herself. Later she could return to her boring life.

She sat down at one of the tables and before she knew it, her dinner was finished and she found she was having a delightful time speaking with a few of the other guests. When an older gentleman asked her to dance she gladly accepted. They weren’t on the dance floor for long when they were interrupted.

“May I cut in?”

Even though the words came out a question, Jessica had no doubt they were a command. The gentleman she was dancing with heard it as well and stepped aside without a word. Jessica didn’t like men who were so overconfident that they felt they deserved anything they wanted. She wouldn’t cause a scene though. Besides, the man was intriguing, so she allowed him to take her into his arms.

As she placed one of her hands in his and the other on his shoulder, she could feel the raw power of his hold. He had the most piercing beautiful blue eyes she’d ever seen. They were the kind of eyes that could penetrate straight into your soul. She would have to be on her guard with him.

Suddenly it clicked who the man was; Alex Anderson. Their fathers did a lot of business together. This man with the entrancing eyes, kissable mouth and sexy body, was a playboy unlike any other.

He was known to be ‘uncatchable’, as the single ladies put it. He dated many women but made it clear he wouldn’t settle down. His grin had graced hundreds of magazine covers, making women both young and old, lose a bit of sleep at night over erotic thoughts of him.

Her heart was racing as they played a game of cat and mouse. He kept attempting to pull her body intimately into his, while she was concentrating on keeping the proper amount of distance between them. If she wasn’t on a self-imposed leave of men she could easily consider a night of flirting with him. She shook her head to clear it and decided to just get through the dance so she could move on as quickly as possible.

His smoldering blue eyes flashed into hers, as his perfectly sculpted lips turned up into a sexy as sin smile. He knew he was hard to resist and he seemed to be treating her to his full arsenal of charms.

He slowly brought her fingers to his mouth and ran his lips across her knuckles. She felt a shudder ripple through her body. He then flicked his tongue across the same spot and desire pooled deep inside of her. “I’m Alex Anderson, and you’re intriguing,” he finally whispered to her.

“Jessica Sanders but I’m assuming you already know that,” she replied.

The hotel was everything she could’ve ever imagined but it dimmed in comparison to the man holding her. While she was in his arms, the rest of the people and even the room itself seemed to disappear. She knew he was dangerous and she was playing a game with him she couldn’t possibly win but for some reason she wasn’t able to pull away.

The man was intoxicating. As he spun her around the barely lit dance floor, she was sinking further into his spell. She could feel the solid muscles beneath her fingertips and his scent was spell-binding. It was a combination of his masculinity, enhanced by expensive cologne.

“I haven’t had someone cut in on a dance since I was in high school. Don’t you see that as a little overzealous?” she asked, raising her brow. “Perhaps I didn’t wish to dance with you but didn’t want to cause a scene,” she added sweetly.

“Not at all,” he answered.

Jessica raised her eyebrows at him questioningly and waited.

“I don’t think it was at all presumptuous to cut in on the dance. You were barely keeping your eyes open; the boredom of your partner was so overwhelming. So you see, I should be thanked for saving you from the tediousness of a boring partner,” Alex said with a grin, which left her speechless.

He spun her around the dance floor, undressing her with his eyes. She was shouting to herself to end the dance but she couldn’t seem to pull away from him. He was too compelling. Besides, she thought to herself, they were in a room full of people. What could possibly happen? She decided to enjoy the flirtation.

“You’re so unbelievably stunning. We can leave this dance now and head up to my suite,” he offered with the confidence of a man used to being told yes.

She laughed nervously before replying, “I don’t think so.”

He rubbed his hand from the center of her back, dangerously low, then back up again, causing a rush of heat to flash through the center of her body. He was challenging her to take a chance, from the brush of his hands, to the look in his eyes. She was surprised by how badly she wanted to take him up on the offer. If nothing else, she was enjoying the sexual play.

“I think we should end this dance now,” she stated a bit breathlessly. She didn’t know how much more she could take before caving in to him.

“But our song hasn’t ended yet,” he said as he pushed the small of her back, bringing her hips into contact with his obvious arousal. He then brought his head down to the exposed skin of her neck, running kisses, along with some gentle nips, across her pounding pulse.

If he hadn’t been holding her so closely, her knees would’ve buckled, melting her into a pool at his feet. He moved his mouth over her ear and whispered, “When you’re lying beneath me, I’ll have you trembling as my hands and mouth turn your body into liquid fire. You’ll be calling out my name, begging me to finish this.”

Jessica gasped, as his words made her tremble uncontrollably. She’d never been seduced like this before, let alone in a crowded room. If they’d been alone, she would’ve let him take her right then and there, giving up on her vow of waiting until marriage. She tried to gather her wits about her.

“Have you been told before how arrogant you are?” she tried to make her voice stern but was bellied by the fact that it was choked with arousal.

“No, just how good I am,” Alex answered, with that same arrogance.

The comment was able to bring her a little closer to reality. “You need to stop this. People are beginning to stare at us,” she whispered self-consciously.

“Let them stare. They’re only wishing they could trade places with me,” he said, while running his lips back up her neck and across her cheek, to the corner of her mouth, where he flicked his tongue out along her bottom lip.

She allowed herself to run her fingers through his hair, neck and finally shoulder, before she took a step back. “Thank you for the dance Mr. Anderson,” she said politely, as if they hadn’t almost been making love on the dance floor in front of a crowd.

“The pleasure was all mine Jessica and after what we just shared don’t you think it’s a little formal to be calling me by my last name,” he said with mockery.

“Mr. Anderson,” she emphasized, “there are plenty of women here who would be more than willing to play a game or two with you tonight. I’m not one of them.” She turned and walked away, though it took all of her will-power not to glance back around to drink him in one last time.

Alex stood there, enjoying the sway of her hips as she walked away. Damn she was hot and he wouldn’t mind a night with her. Her body had responded eagerly to his touches and he knew she was just as bothered as him. He wasn’t done with Jessica Sanders; she just didn’t realize yet when he decided he wanted something, he always got it. Her denial was like a red flag to a bull. By the end of the evening she would be in his bed. He needed a drink right then though, or the entire room would know how badly he wanted her.

Jessica ordered a martini and guzzled it down, trying desperately to calm her nerves. The man should have a danger sign attached to him. Her legs were still weak with arousal and her breathing still hadn’t normalized. She was getting out of there as soon as it was politely acceptable.

She stepped out from the patio doors and was almost lifted up by the strong wind. It was blowing so hard it actually took her breath away. She stood there for a few minutes and watched as lightening slashed across the sky.

She loved adverse weather. Her family thought she was crazy because as everyone else was running for cover, she would grab a chair to watch the show. She delighted in the smells, sights, sounds and excitement of a great storm.

After a few minutes, the wind got even stronger and she decided she’d better head in before she looked like she’d taken a ride in a tornado. She stepped back through the doors, unaware Alex had watched both her exit and return.

If she hadn’t come in when she did, he would’ve gone out after her. When she walked through the doors, he had eyes for her alone. She looked more gorgeous than ever before. Some of her hair had escaped the tight confines of her bun and her cheeks were flushed red. She looked as if she’d just crawled out of his bed after a night of lovemaking.

He tried not to think about her or look for her but his gaze kept seeking her out. He rejected several women, who made it more than clear they’d be willing to warm his bed that night. He only wanted one woman to do that and the rest of the women in the room paled in comparison to her.

Jessica made small talk with several people, only half listening, for the next couple of hours. Her head was starting to get fuzzy from the number of drinks she was consuming. She normally only had one or two at most. She didn’t like to alter her reality but tonight was different and she needed some liquid courage to make it through the evening.

Alex seemed to find her no matter where she was and their eyes connected throughout the evening. She noticed many women trying to gain his attention but he brushed them off, one after the other. Finally with about a half hour to go, he took a woman out on the dance floor and then stayed with her. Jessica was surprised by the slight jealousy she felt as the other woman tossed her head back in laughter.

Jessica tried to tell herself it was a good thing. She wasn’t into one night stands and Alex wasn’t the type to enter into a long term commitment. She wasn’t looking for that anyway. Someday she would settle down but it would be a battle to find someone who wanted her and not what her father could give him.

She finally had enough and decided to head for her room. She headed towards the elevators. It was time to sleep the night off and then get out of the hotel and as far from Alex Anderson as she possibly could.

The doors on the elevator were just about to shut. She picked up her pace and called, “please hold the doors.” She was relieved to see a hand stop them from shutting.

“Thank you,” she said a bit breathlessly.

She slipped inside, looking towards the ground so she wouldn’t trip on her long dress. When the doors closed, she finally looked up, noticing who the other occupant was.

She moved away from him quickly, into the furthest corner of the elevator. The ride would only last a moment and then she’d be blessedly alone in her room. He kept his eyes on her, making her start to feel uncomfortably aware they were alone in a very small space.