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tables. Ryan and I exchanged a few words but nothing of significance was sa id. I was feeling more awkward by the moment.
    “Please excuse me for a moment,” Ryan said. “I need to use the restroom.”
    “Okay,” I said.
    He left the table, leaving me sitting alone. I stared at my hands in my lap, wondering what the hell I was doing. I was on a date with a guy that I knew I didn’t like. We just didn’t click. He was handsome but I wasn’t attracted to him. I thought spending time with him would change everything but it clearly hadn’t. Maybe I would just die alone after all.
    “You don’t look like you’re having fun.”
    I turned, seeing Scott sitting beside me.
    He was sitting upright in his chair, his hands resting on his thighs. His eyes were more beautiful than they were a few minutes ago. When he breathed, his chest rose and fell. I watched it, wondering what it looked like shirtless. “Is he bothering you?”
    “Who?”
    “Your date.”
    “No,” I said as I shook my head.
    “Then why do you look so miserable?”
    I sighed. “Is it that obvious?”
    He nodded. “A little.”
    I looked away.
    “Wanna talk about it?”
    “No , thank you.”
    He leaned closer to me. “I really like the way that dress looks on you.”
    I blushed, not expecting him to compliment me twice.
    “Dance with me.”
    I looked at him, not expecting the request.
    “I’m not one for dancing.”
    He grabbed my hand and pulled me to my feet. “I’ll make you one.”
    I stiffened at the command in his voice. His hand was gentle as it touched mine, sending electricity through me. I was aware of the callous on his fingers, the rough patches of skin. He pulled m e to the dance floor then placed his hand on my lower back, swaying with me gently. The classical music played and the couples moved across the floor.
    The smell of his cologne wafted into my nostrils. It was light, almost unnoticeable. It smelled like he just showered before he arrived. His body soap and his natural scent were soothing. He smelled purely masculine.
    The fabric of his suit touched my arm. It was light and soft, indicating its obvious worth. I never bought a suit or researched the price, but I knew the nice ones could be pricey. Scott was obviously well off. Since he was a lawyer, that made sense.
    I didn’t look at his face for a moment, letting him guide me across the floor. I felt his stare on my face, powerful and unyielding. Being so close to him made me feel more nervous than I ever had. I suddenly feared that my breath stank or I had something in my teeth.
    “So, are you into him?”
    I looked into his eyes. “Who?”
    He smirked. “Your date. Is he a boyfriend?”
    “No,” I said quietly.
    “Is he going to be?”
    “No.”
    He seemed pleased by that response. His eyes changed subtly. “Why didn’t you call me?”
    “Call you?”
    He held my hand and spun me around before he pulled me back. “I gave you my card.”
    “Oh…I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
    Scott stared at me. “Why would I have given you my card unless I wanted you to?”
    I fell silent, not knowing how to respond.
    “You’re impossible to read.”
    “Excuse me?”
    His hand tightened on my waist, feeling the fabric in his fingers. “I just can’t tell what you want.”
    “I’m not difficult to understand.”
    His hand squeezed mine. “You’re here with a guy you don’t even like, at an event you don’t want to attend, and you took a guy’s number but never called him. That’s extremely confusing.”
    “Well, life isn’t always what you want it to be.”
    “Mine is.”
    I stared into his eyes, seeing the confidence behind his irises. “Aren’t you lucky?”
    “Why didn’t you call me?” he asked again. His voice was aggressive.
    “Like I said, I didn’t know you wanted me to.”
    “So you would have?”
    “Uh, I don’t know…”
    “You don’t know?” He stared into my face, the displeasure forming on his lips.
    “Why does that bother