Indiscretion – Excerpt

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

© 2014 by Elisabeth Grace

Cover design and photo by: Regina Wamba of www.MaeIDesign.com

Developmental Editor: Angela Smith

Line Editor: Megan Hand

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

Indiscretion: Volume One

By Elisabeth Grace

Fuck and chuck. Pump and dump. Hit it and quit it. One night stand. Didn’t matter how I branded it—that’s all she had wanted it to be. That much was clear when she left me with my pants down and my dick still out.

What she hadn’t counted on was fate intervening and our worlds colliding—again.

The day I showed back up in the life of Chloe Griffins, I knew I had to have her again. My body was hungry for another taste. Like an addict, I’d been craving another hit for months, and there she was—flesh and bone, tits and ass.

The fact that she worked for the competition should’ve been reason enough for me to leave her alone. I had a job to do that summer and fucking Chloe wasn’t part of it. But I was like a man possessed.

I’d do whatever it took to have her again.

Elisabeth Grace masterfully unfolds a story unlike any other. Fully of everything you want, love, lust, and turns at every point. – USA Today Bestselling Author, Corinne Michaels

I have been totally obsessed with this series. It’s sweet, loving, it has mystery and suspense, and hot as hell! My heart just goes out to this couple. I was in tears at the end of this book. I hated to see it end, but the ending was so amazing I couldn’t help but cry. This is the first books from this author I have read, but she now has a fan for life! SB Morales, SBM Book Obsession

If you are looking for a quick, hot, and satisfying read that does not skimp on characterization, development and details, look no further than the Indiscretion series. Elisabeth Grace knows how to write great characters and great chemistry. I was happy, I was sad, I was frustrated and I whooped for joy. You get it all. – Michelle from Book Briefs

Yuanfen (Chinese):

(n.) a relationship by fate or destiny; the binding force between two people

CHAPTER ONE

CHLOE

“If you don’t find a man soon, you’re going to die a born-again virgin.”

I directed an exasperated sigh at my best friend Jackie. “Well, it’s a good thing I’m feeling adventurous then. Maybe we should find someone for me to flirt with tonight.”

I set my half-empty martini down on the expensive chrome-and-glass VIP table I’d been able to secure at On The Rocks, New York City’s newest high-end celebrity hangout. Tonight we were here to celebrate Jackie’s upcoming nuptials. Glancing around, I took in the carrera marble floors, black fabric-draped walls, and large circular banquettes running along the perimeter of the room. I was a long way from small-town Bar Harbor, Maine.

Jackie rubbed her hands together in obvious anticipation. “Ooooh, I like the sound of this. Let’s pick one. Or should we wait for the rest of the girls to stop flirting with the bartender and get back here with the drinks?” I glanced over to the bar and sure enough the rest of the bridal party was there laughing it up with one of the workers. Before I could say anything, Jackie pointed across the room. “What about that guy over there?”

I looked across the dim bar to the wine-colored, velvet banquettes, where an attractive man sat pondering the wine list. “You know I’m not into blonds. Two blonds together, can you imagine? How would we ever figure out what body parts go where?” I batted my eyes feigning innocence.

Jackie chuckled at my lame attempt at a joke, while I continued my inspection of our fellow patrons. Not much to choose from, which was disappointing. On the one night I’d decided to let loose a little, there wasn’t anyone worth letting loose with. I certainly wasn’t interested in the middle-aged man with the small paunch and a wedding ring, trolling for women at the bar. Or the work-obsessed Wall Street type with the suspenders over his dress shirt who didn’t seem to be letting his friends get a word in edgewise. And the artsy guy was too outside the box. His bright red jeans, painted on his ass, looked like they’d been dragged behind a bus. But this was New York City—they probably cost a small fortune.

I scrunched my face up in distaste then turned in the other direction and locked gazes with a set of piercing blue eyes. The wall sconces and the lighted glass behind the bar offered the only illumination in the room, but it didn’t matter. I could see from here—this guy was smokin’. And not like a ‘let’s cook some marshmallows over the fire’ kind of smokin’. He was three-alarm blaze, call-in-the-water-bombers smokin’.

I swallowed, my lips parting while my eyes took in his wholly male presence. He was standing beside a table, and his tailored grey suit hugged his body—a body that sure as hell had spent a lot of time at the gym. His dark hair had a slight wave to it and brushed the top of his back collar.

I held his gaze for a long moment as the rest of the people milling about the room seemed to fade away. The reality that I was blatantly staring at the stranger floated into my consciousness, and I cleared my throat as I diverted my gaze. But not before seeing his sexy, lopsided grin, complete with dimple and a perfect set of pearly whites.

Heat rose up my neck, and I traced the condensation pattern of a cup no longer there.

“Wow. He’s something else.”

I turned my attention back to my friend and gave her a weak smile. “He sure is.”

With a suspicious smile, Jackie said, “I haven’t seen this side of you in a while. I have to say, I like it.”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not that bad, am I?”

“Well, not at my bachelorette party, you’re not,” she said, sliding a shot in front of me. “I still can’t believe you got us in this place.”

It hadn’t been easy. The group of us were only in town for the weekend, but luckily one of my past clients had a connection with the owner, who’d agreed to let us use the table without the usual bottle service requirement. Five hundred a bottle was too rich for my blood—and my bank account. In exchange for the table, I’d committed the ultimate sin and agreed to sell his oceanfront home at a reduced commission when the time came. Tit for tat, that was always the way. But a maid of honor couldn’t put a price on keeping her nearest and dearest friend happy, now could she?

“Bottoms up,” Jackie said, picking her shot up off the table.

I fidgeted in my seat, pulling down the too-short hem of my dress. How I’d let Jackie talk me into wearing this thing I’d never know. “I think I’ve had enough for now,” I said and looked over at my friend.

“Come on,” Jackie whined and placed the shot back on the table. “You’ve finally let loose. It’s my bachelorette party…please?”

“Don’t bat those eyes at me.”

Jackie continued to give me her best version of a puppy-dog face, which in her inebriated state more closely resembled a botched Botox job.

I laughed. “You were always the noceur not me.”

She rolled her eyes. “Alright word nerd, none of that tonight. I plan to have way too many drinks in me to try and figure out what the hell you’re saying.”

I shook my head and gave her a cheeky grin, knowing I’d used the word purposely just to bait her. I’d had a thing for words as long as I could remember.  I loved discovering rarely used words, but my absolute favorite was finding words in other languages that had no English equivalent.

Jackie didn’t share my love for all things literary. But it was just like my free-spirited friend to want to crank the party up a notch. We’d met twenty-eight years earlier when we were babies and both our moms had sent us to the same babysitter. I couldn’t remember a time in our lives when we hadn’t been there for each other.

“Fine, pass it over.” I reached for the shot, sure it would be my undoing. “But I can’t be held responsible for my actions.” I laughed. Jackie always did have a way of talking me into things.

I sprinkled some salt on my wrist, licked it off, and tossed back the tequila. Grimacing, I grabbed a lime off the table, put it in my mouth, and sucked. The tequila burned my throat all the way down to my stomach. It was awful stuff, but a welcome distraction from the feeling of loneliness that seemed to have taken permanent residence inside me.

The idea of Jackie settling down still seemed so strange to me. “How is it that after all the sleeping around you did, you ended up being the one to find Prince Charming?” I asked.

Jackie laughed. “I keep telling you, Chloe, all work and no play won’t make you happy. And it definitely won’t get you laid.” Her face turned serious and she bumped my shoulder with her own. “Come on, what gives? You haven’t seemed yourself the past few weeks. It’s almost been radio silence unless I call you. I love that you’re having fun tonight, but I can tell something’s been on your mind. Is it because you haven’t been out with anyone in a while?”

I looked across the room and saw the rest of the girls were now sidled up to some guy at the bar who looked to be buying them a round of drinks. “God, no,” I muttered. “I haven’t been out with anyone because there’s no one worth going out with. We can’t all be as lucky as you and have Prince Charming rescue us from the side of the road when we get a flat tire.”

Jackie’s eyes narrowed. “And you don’t stand a chance of meeting Prince Charming unless he up and falls on your windshield while you’re driving around town showing houses,” Jackie countered. “I think you deliberately avoid situations where you might meet him.”

“I don’t need to meet Prince Charming…I’m perfectly fine with the way my life is now.” The conviction in my voice almost made me believe it myself—almost. Attempting to lighten the mood, I added, “Maybe I’ll become a nun, be celibate, and live happily ever after.”

Jackie flicked her long, black hair off her shoulder and pressed her lips together, her green eyes unblinking as she stared impatiently at me. “Sounds like a lot of fun,” she said dryly. “Can I make a suggestion? Try having fun for the time being. Find some hot guy, have lots of hot sex, and don’t worry about whether he checks all the boxes on your extensive list of items meant to weed out any man with a pulse. Seriously, what’s the worst that could happen?”

I twisted my lips to the side and pretended to think about it. “Hmm…I fall madly in love with said hot guy, not be able to live without him, and turn into Glenn Close’s character in Fatal Attraction?” I laughed.

“Okay, smartass. Ever the optimist,” Jackie quipped, sarcasm evident in her voice. “We all have needs. And you haven’t gotten laid in forever. Hellooo—it’s called sexual frustration.”

I could always trust Jackie to put it all out there without softening the edges. “I’m not sexually frustrated. They make stuff to take care of that sort of thing,” I teased.

“It’s not the same and you know it. A vibrator isn’t going to kiss you like it can’t get enough. You can’t feel the heat of its skin against you or gaze into its eyes when it’s on top of you, just before it

I raised my hand up to stop her from continuing. “Okay, I get your point.”

I had that familiar pang in my chest, a lonely ache coupled with another ache brewing further down as I imagined what it would be like to be with a man again. Having that intimacy with someone would be nice, but some things just weren’t worth taking the risk for. Life had thrown a lot at me, and I’d learned that being that dependent on another person for my happiness wasn’t worth the pain left behind in their absence. My sister was all I had left now.

“I understand.” Jackie looked at me sadly. “After what happened with Jeff, I get it. But that was forever ago. Maybe you could keep it casual? You’re gorgeous. You’ve never had a shortage of male attention.”

I sighed. I was no fool. I knew exactly what Jackie’s end game was. She hoped that if I put myself out there, I’d magically stumble into Mr. Right like she had. Never. Going. To. Happen. I just wasn’t that girl who had everything fall into place for her. My past was proof enough.

Jackie’s hand came down on top of mine. “I want you to be happy. I worry about you. What are you going to do once your sister’s moved halfway across the country? I’m concerned about where that’s going to leave you. Ever since Jeff, you’ve kept every guy at arm’s length. And that was years ago. You need a man in your life.”

I gulped. Jackie’s concern was genuine, and none of what she’d said was news to me. I’d had those same thoughts plenty of times, but I kept pushing them away, telling myself I’d deal with them later. Well, later was fast approaching.

Hearing it from Jackie’s mouth brought home the realization that I couldn’t continue to put off dealing with the inevitable—my sister was leaving for college. Dread formed in the pit of my stomach as I tried to picture how I’d fill my days once she was gone. The person who had been my primary focus for the past ten years would soon no longer be a part of my daily routine. I’d taken a chance on Jeff and after how that turned out, well, I’d thought it was better to focus on raising my sister and securing my own future. My love life could wait.

“If you’d walked in on your boyfriend banging his secretary on his desk, you wouldn’t be keen on dating either,” I deadpanned. “But that’s not it…I’ve been stressed out with work. I’m not sure I’m going to meet my sales quota by the deadline. I need that bonus,” I said, massaging my temple. Impending loneliness had been the least of my concerns over the past few weeks. Ever since my Broker’s offer to buy into the firm, I’d been working like mad to make every sale I could at the new condo building.

“Sales aren’t going well?” Jackie asked.

“Well enough.” I shrugged. “Still, I’d feel better if I’d reached my goal already, or if I was only a handful of sales away. That’s the only way I’m ever going to have enough money to buy into the brokerage.”

Months ago, the broker in my office approached me with the deal of a lifetime. To semi-retire, he was going to need a partner to keep the brokerage afloat on a day-to-day basis. He’d offered me first dibs on the buy-in, saying he’d always admired my ‘grit and determination.’ I was ecstatic, of course. I needed this. I had no college education to fall back on, and years ago I’d grown tired of chasing the next deal.

God, if I could make this happen, it would change my life. It would mean that even after losing my mother so young, I’d have the stability and security I’d always sought.

“You’re a great agent,” Jackie assured me with an encouraging smile. “I’m sure it’ll all come together.”

I returned the smile though I didn’t really feel it. “Thanks, but you’re my best friend. You have to say that.” I let out a heavy sigh, wishing I shared my friend’s confidence, and pushed the feeling down. Now was not the time to reflect on life. I was here to have a good time and celebrate Jackie’s happiness—to hell with my own issues. Tonight was all about my best friend, and I’d be damned if my own problems were going to bring my friend down. Jackie loved a good time, and as maid of honor it was my job to make sure I delivered.

“Enough talk about the heavy stuff. Let’s get back to finding a guy for me to flirt with tonight.”

“I thought we’d already found one.” She nodded mischievously toward the insanely hot guy with the blue eyes.

“Yeah, right,” I scoffed. “A little out of my league, I think.”

“Oh, please,” Jackie frowned. “For all we know, he could be covered in back hair and have a small dick.”

I burst out laughing and gave my friend a light smack across the arm. It took me a minute to catch my breath. “You’re horrible.” I grinned at her. “Do you know how long it’s been since I flirted with someone? Maybe I should start with more of an average Joe.”

I was in the mood for some innocent fun tonight. Being away from home and all the memories and responsibilities it held seemed to have had that affect. Even so, I had a feeling any conversation with the blue-eyed stranger had the potential to turn into something not entirely innocent.

“Alright then.” Jackie leaned in to give me a hug as the rest of the bridal party returned from the bar and placed down a variety of drinks and shots. In the spirit of the evening, I picked up a shot of God-knows-what neon concoction and held it in the air. The other girls followed suit.

Smiling at my friend, I shoved down the lump of nostalgia. “I’d like to propose a toast to Jackie and her upcoming nuptials. May she and Jamie have a long and happy life together, full of nothing but love, trust, joy…and because it’s Jackie, a whole lot of mind-blowing sex.”

All the girls cheered and clinked the assortment of drinks and shots before tossing them back. Jackie beamed. Whether a result of alcohol, love, or the fact that I was looking to have a little fun, I couldn’t be sure. I hoped it wasn’t the latter or my friend would end up disappointed. Despite what I’d said, I had no intention of pursuing anything beyond a mild flirtation with anyone—blue-eyed stranger included.

Ninety minutes, one drink, and two shots later, I stood in front of the gilded bathroom mirror, mulling over my earlier conversation with Jackie.

It was hard to admit she was right, but I knew it wasn’t normal for a twenty-eight-year-old single female to put as much effort into avoiding a relationship as most others put into finding one. Even so, I wasn’t interested in opening up my heart to be hurt again. My father, my mother, and my ex—all gone. My sister would be added to that list soon.  All for different reasons, but gone just the same.

I had no illusions of a happily-ever-after for myself, but there was no denying that a little sexual satisfaction would be a welcome addition to my life. I’d never considered casual sex before, but I hadn’t thought I’d be alone at this age either.

I smoothed the material down on the front of my dress. Focus, Chloe. No more thoughts about sex.

But my mind kept wandering.

Maybe if the sex came with no strings attached…and with someone who looked like that guy I’d noticed earlier in the bar. Spending a night between the sheets with a guy like that certainly wouldn’t be a hardship.

Shit, I’d lasted all of five seconds not thinking about sex. I had the mind of a thirteen-year-old boy tonight. Had to be the booze talking—I sounded nothing like myself.

Whatever. It wasn’t like I had to make a decision on the spot. For tonight, I’d have fun at my bestie’s bachelorette party and see how I felt in the morningafter the effects of the alcohol wore off.

My arms were heavy as I fished a small comb out of my purse and ran it through my long blonde strands. Some hairspray would be good, but there was no sign of the usual assortment of beauty products on the expansive granite counter. Too bad, especially since there hadn’t been enough room to fit any in the microscopic cocktail bag I was carrying.

I returned the comb to my purse and straightened the pale yellow dress Jackie had talked me into wearing. Apparently hems that reached only mid-thigh were for streetwalkers and the trendy alike. As satisfied as I was going to get, I headed toward the bathroom door to re-join the girls. My legs felt leaden, like I’d spent hours in a hot tub, as my stilettos clicked on the marble floor.

With my hand on the door, I glanced back to make sure I hadn’t left anything on the counter when I noticed…urinals?

What. The. Hell.

Shit. Say it isn’t so. No, no. I did not go into the men’s room. No freaking way. But with one more panicked glance, I realized I most definitely did. Definitely blaming this one on the booze. Either that or the artsy signage outside the door that left anyone guessing as to whether the figure resembled a man or a woman.

Turning quickly to make my escape, I whirled around and took a step forward, only to run straight into the opening bathroom door. Pain exploded in my nose and tears immediately pricked my eyes. Someone was entering the bathroom and pushing in the door.

Stunned, I took a step backward and shook my head. Warm hands settled on my upper arms and steadied me. I looked up and was speechless. The hands belonged to the man with the memorable blue eyes I’d spotted earlier. Of course, why go for slight mortification when you could really out-do yourself?

Sex on legs—that was my only coherent thought at that moment. And I was pretty sure from the grin on his face and the seduction in his eyes that I’d made his hit list.

CHAPTER TWO

CHLOE

“I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Sex on legs said.

I didn’t respond. Just stood there, taking in the fine specimen of a man—gaping at him with a dropped jaw. I’m surprised there wasn’t drool making its way down my chin. Dark stubble covering chiseled features led down to an even more defined body. The black shirt under his suit jacket stretched across his muscular frame. It was open at the collar, highlighting his golden skin. I wondered if the expanse of his muscled chest had that same golden glow. The suit looked expensive, certainly custom-made. There was no way he’d pulled it off a sales rack at J.C. Penney. It fit too well. He smelled of expensive cologne mixed with expensive cognac.

I blinked a few times and came back to myself. God, how long had I been standing here, gaping at him like an idiot?

“I’m fine.” It was mostly true. My nose was tender but it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I moved to get free of his grip. It wasn’t that I didn’t like the feel of his large hands. I liked it too much. What I really wanted to do was close my eyes and memorize the sensation of his hands on my bare skin.

“I’ve had women fall all over me before, but this is taking it to a new level,” he said with a hint of amusement.

I gave a small smirk, hoping I indicated that I didn’t find his remark humorous.

He took me in slowly from head to toe. “I’m pretty sure I’m in the right place…but there’s certainly nothing masculine about you.”

I felt his gaze travel up my body. My skin heated under his close examination of what I was now certain was a dress with too little material. My face burned red hot, and I pulled at the hem of my skirt. “My mistake—obviously.”

A slow grin spread across his face, showcasing a killer smile. “Well, it looks like your mistake is my good fortune. I was hoping to connect with you at some point this evening. You’ve saved me the discomfort of approaching a table full of women.”

“You were? I mean, you saw me out there?” I motioned with my hand to the main room.

“You’re a difficult woman not to notice.”

“Oh.” If bumping into the door with my face hadn’t been sobering, this statement certainly was. My eyes widened in surprise. I wouldn’t have thought a man like him would look twice at me.

He laughed, probably because I was still stupidly standing inside the men’s restroom having a conversation with him. Smooth, Chloe.

“Give me a minute and we’ll continue this conversation. Wait for me in the hall.”

It didn’t sound like a request. This man was used to giving orders that were obeyed. Embarrassment told me to flee far and fast, but an impulsive desire to run my hands over his body won out. There was something about him, beyond the insanely hot exterior. Like a spark seeking shelter in the rain, I felt drawn to him. I had no doubt that underneath him, that spark would ignite into a blazing inferno given the chance.

“Okay.” My response tumbled out weakly. I hated myself for agreeing so easily, as he’d obviously expected me to. I probably came off like a lovesick puppy starved for attention, happy to get whatever meager scraps I could. The fact was though, I did want to talk to him. Maybe flirt a little. Perhaps steal a kiss or two. Was there really any harm in that? I was a grown woman, single, and yes, maybe a little sexually frustrated. If I wanted to talk to an attractive man, what was there to stop me? For the first time in ten years, I didn’t have to consider what example I was setting for my little sister.

I stepped into the darkened hallway. Unable to stand still, I began pacing. A tall, dark-skinned man headed down the hall and went into the men’s room. I leaned against the wall and took a deep breath just as Sex on legs exited. I really needed to find out his name before I accidentally verbalized my little nickname to him.

As if reading my mind, he gave me a smile full of charm and character and held out his hand to me. “I’m Max. And you are…” His brow lifted.

My nipples pebbled at the sound of his deep, smooth voice. I took his hand and cleared my throat. “Chloe.”

His hand was large and warm. He held on to mine a little longer than necessary, brought it up to his mouth, and placed a soft kiss on my knuckles. A tingling sensation ran up my arm from our point of contact. I looked up into his eyes when he released my hand and gulped. The butterflies in my stomach were working overtime. I’d never really understood what those romance novels I read meant when they said a person could get lost in someone’s eyes. But at this moment it all made perfect sense. It was like we were having a conversation without speaking.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Chloe. Would you be comfortable heading down to one of the VIP rooms to talk? It’d be quieter. Private.”

Private. Oh, God. Should I?

He seemed harmless enough, but I was more concerned with myself at the moment. So what if I wanted to claw his clothes right off of him? I wasn’t an animal. Surely, I could control myself.

“Um, sure.” I shrugged feigning nonchalance. “Just let me go and tell my friends where I am. It’s your turn to wait in the hall. I’ll be right back.”

He laughed, and I pushed off the wall. It took me a moment to fully get my balance. I headed toward the bar area. My limbs felt wooden and my movements stilted under his watchful eye.

When I reached the main room, my pace quickened until I stopped short of the table and motioned Jackie over. She got up, which took some doing. I grabbed her arm to steady her wobbly stance and turned my head to the side when I got a whiff of her vodka-infused breath.

“What’s up?” she asked and cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes. “Where have you been?”

I pressed a hand to my racing heart. “You’re never going to believe who I just met. That guy we were talking about earlier, the one across the room.”

Jackie’s eyes widened. “That hot piece of eye candy in the suit?”

“Yeah. He’s asked me to go with him to one of the private rooms in the back so we can talk, but…I don’t know.”

She craned her neck back, looking at me like I was crazy. “Oh, come on. Are you serious? The hottest guy in this place wants to chat you up and you’re thinking of turning him down?”

“What if that’s not all he wants to do?” I asked with a meaningful look.

“Let’s hope it’s not. Did you see that guy?” She wagged her eyebrows up and down. I couldn’t help the small smile that escaped my lips.

“I don’t know anything about him. He could be a serial killer for all I know.”

Jackie had a give-me-a-break look plastered on her face.

“We’re here for your bachelorette party,” I pointed out. “Not for me to pick up some random guy. It’s your day.”

Not having it, Jackie grabbed both of my shoulders and gave me a small shake. “Have you been tuning me out all night? Nothing would make me happier than seeing you pick up that beautiful piece of man candy tonight. Think of it as an early wedding gift to yours truly.” She winked.

I laughed. “You don’t mind?”

“Go!” She shooed me away. “Seriously. Have fun for once. You’re allowed. Your sister will be leaving for school soon to start her own life, and besides—she isn’t here anyway. You don’t have to spend every waking moment taking care of everyone else. You didn’t have a choice before, but you do now. Have fun. No one here is going to judge you.” Her face was serious and her words heartfelt.

Suddenly, I found myself wanting that freedom that Jackie had been trying to shove on me all night. I felt almost…giddy. I hugged my best friend, and Jackie said in my ear, “Keep your phone on you. Don’t you dare leave this place with him, and if you’re not back in an hour, I’m coming after your ass.”

I laughed at her comment and nodded before heading back to where I’d left Max. His gaze never wavered as I made my way closer to him.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“I reassured my friends that you didn’t seem like the serial killer type, but if I’m not back in an hour they’ll send out the search party.”

“Let’s not waste any time then. I have a feeling an hour won’t nearly be long enough.”

Need shot through me fast and fierce, concentrating in my core, and images of the two of us in all sorts of sexual positions came to mind. I wasn’t even sure they were all anatomically possible. It was all I could do not to fan myself.

He led me down the darkened hallway away from the main room, his hand on my lower back. It was an intimate gesture, and I revelled in the feeling.

With giddy anticipation that I hadn’t experienced in a lifetime, it occurred to me that I’d never done anything like this before—go off to a private room with a complete stranger. That sounded more like Jackie than the responsible and driven woman I’d had to be these past ten years. But I was in the mood for some fun, flirting, and maybe a make-out session.

What’s the worst that could happen?