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walked by, even more dismissive than the first guy.
    The male walked by again and delivered the drinks to the two supermodels at the end of the bar. This time she was ready. She leaned over, hoping that maybe he hadn’t heard her the first two times.
    “Hello, could I get a glass of . . .”
    He started to stride past her again, but a large hand zipped out beside her and over the bar, stopping him in his tracks. “I believe the lady needs a drink. I’d appreciate it if you would help her now.”
    That was the deepest, sexiest voice she’d ever heard in her life. It was attached to a really masculine-looking hand.
    The bartender’s eyes widened. “Of course, sir.” He finally turned his attention to her. “What can I get you, ma’am?”
    At the moment, Everly wasn’t interested in wine.
    She glanced over her shoulder at her rescuer. The sexiness didn’t end with his voice. Vaguely, she noted that while she’d had to shove her way through the crowd, the mass of humanity had seemingly parted for him. He stood alone, though closer to her than strictly necessary. Tall and broad, with close-cropped golden brown hair and the bluest eyes she’d ever seen, her Good Samaritan stared down at her with a bit of a smile. Her tummy knotted.
    “He needs to know what kind of wine you’d like. Let me guess.” He gave her a considering stare. “A sweet red?”
    She shook her head. “No. Um, a sauvignon blanc. I prefer white wine. Red tends to upset my reflux.”
    Way to go, Everly.
That was a super sexy comeback to the hottest man she’d ever met. Of course he wanted to know about her digestive issues.
    “Well, we wouldn’t want that.” A hint of amusement lurked in his voice. “The lady will take a sauvignon blanc, and I’ll have a Scotch. The Glenlivet twenty-five.”
    The bartender immediately went to work.
    “Thanks.” She felt herself blushing. She probably looked like an idiot schoolgirl to him and could only hope she hadn’t drooled. She’d never seen him before, but she would bet he belonged in the VIP room. Maybe he was an actor. He certainly looked good enough to be on the screen. “I couldn’t seem to get him to hear me.”
    Mr. Gorgeous’s lips curved up as he leaned against the bar. “I don’t think his ears are the problem. The man seems a bit blind to me.”
    Everly wasn’t sure what he meant, but she found it impossible to look away from him. “I guess he’s really busy tonight. The place is packed. I even heard the strangest rumor that the president is here.”
    The man laughed and sidled closer. “I’m sure the leader of the free world can get better booze at the White House.” He held out that big hand of his. “Name’s Gabriel.”
    Like the archangel except in a really well-cut suit. His name was fitting. She put her hand in his, and he immediately covered it with his other. His palms swallowed her hand, the heat from his skin warming her own.
    “I’m, um . . . Eve. I-it’s nice to meet you.”
    She didn’t like the idea of this man calling her the same thing as all her business associates. Only her family had ever called her Eve. Tonight, she didn’t want to be the woman worrying about her job and how she was going to afford her loft. She’d rather be someone whose only pressing concern was to flirt with a hot guy. This conversation was likely to go nowhere, but she could fantasize about the handsome stranger.
    Everly knew she was something of a wunderkind computer geek, but maybe Eve could be a flirty seductress. Eve could drink her wine and pretend that the gorgeous man beside her saw her as an irresistible woman.
    Yes, she would like to be Eve tonight.
    “It’s nice to meet you, Eve. You live around here?”
    She shook her head. “No, I have a place in Brooklyn. How about you?”
    “I was born on the Upper East Side, but I get out as often as possible.”
    The bartender put the drinks in front of them. “Here you go, sir.”
    Gabriel passed him what looked like