executives groaned, covering his ear. "I haven'

complaining about a little noise?" Clide shot

t. It was perfectly quiet a second ago. Shut the

oor, Beck's sharp ears picked up a woman's voice sc

able! I'm going to order eighteen male models for y

d out by the music, barely

ssion shifted imperceptibly. The

rting past the retreating waiter to

cutting off the noise and plunging the

ut the polished

ned locked on the door long after the waiter had left. His

re you thinking about? Drink up. I ordered the most

he glass, then suddenly stood up, his

tled. "Where a

," Beck s

oward the door, his movem

! You don't have to go out there!" Clide called afte

appearing through the doorway as he stepp

room exchanged

go out into that mess whe

ack. If anyone out there spots him, they'll be all

crowded. He's bound

" Clide mused, sipping his drink. "Most people probably don't e

.

hing bodies on the dance floor. The strobe lights flashed, making it difficult to se

d the person he

name. Or maybe it was just a coincidence

main floor twice, h

eadache, and people, mostly drunk, k

lastered with heavy makeup, grabbed his sleev

me dance with me!" she slurred,

t her a single, freezing glare-a look so devoid of warmth and so fu

e took off his leather jacket, draped it over his arm, and unbuttoned

him inexplicably anxious. He

to avoid looking completely aimless, he headed do

ng to the women's room, a woman ste

him, nearly collidin

dy her. The moment his hands touched her, a jolt went through him. He immediately

nated by the hallway sconces, a sharp lig

his voice low, resonant

ll man for two full seconds, her mind struggling to place the s

ping of the club music, seemed to instantly soothe his i

fragile, but her cheeks were flushed with a hint of alco

wn, because a single drop of water rested just below her righ

ereal, almost hear

cinched at her narrow waist. The hem fell just belo

, finding the pale skin almost blinding in the dim light, bef

oincidence to see you h

"I didn't expect to see you in New York. You're back i

staying," Beck replied,

s

h, to probe about the 'eighteen male models' c

ought you fell in or got lost!" De