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CHAPTER 1

Nerves shoot throughhard to keep fro, I walk into the swank restaurant alone Millie,after we left the doruy that wants to double-date tonight My initial response was Hell no

Last time she tried to set me up, I ended up on a date with a twitchy klepto Let’s just say things didn’t go well He picked up everything, except the check The ti I ht with a face full of pepper spray

Okay,The thing is, once so bad happens, there’s no way to undo it There’s no erase button on life I can’t just click the delete key and start over No ht froo Most days, my past follows , loo I touch But, once in a while, that beast rears up and ht and it’s all I can do to not screa provokes my past It’s al on the pave too fast My palet past this I need to It’s been too long My life is livingaround ht ht That’s why I try If I don’tthe past I’e

I want to et over the fear that’s choking uy

Determined to be different, I stand in front of the restaurant and try to work up ed somewhere deep inside I yank it out and plaster it across my face It feels like plastic, stiff fro fake I hate this My pulse pounds harder I reach for the handle and finally look at the doors They are ht iron pulls The metal feels cold in my hand I yank the massive door open and step inside

A wood carved hostess station is in front ofblonde behind it She s on padded benches, but it’s not too busy right now

I step forward and say, "I’ up with someone Can I see if they’re already here?"

She nods and I walk past The lighting is dim The plaster walls are washed in rich war from oversized doorways, and a massive fireplace is in the center of the rooh into the copper ceiling

I haven’t been to this place before Millie said she’d get there after me, but that Brent’s friend, Dustin-- at a table for four that’s about e I walk slowly around the room and no one fits the bill I stand there for aif I’ve been stood up, when I feel the hairs on the back of aze on my back I turn slowly and scan the rooleam back at me My stomach flutters Oh, holy hell, he’s hot I walk slowly toward his table, barely breathing

His eyes slowly slide over my body and he drinks me in The way he does it is so sexual, so carnal, that my stomach twists Butterflies fillswiftly to bat-sized with every step I take The closer I get, the more nervous I feel Is it possible that Millie set me up with someone this hot? I can’t believe it A soft smile lines my lips It’s not fake anymore Our eyes are locked and I can’t look away My heels click in ti in front of hie to say, still looking into his eyes They’re so vibrant It’s as if someone painted him He’s perfect If his voice matches his looks, I’ll melt into a puddle on the floor Dustin’s quite the looker

The corner of his mouth lifts and I’m treated to a sorthy sht There’s a richness to the tone Add in the s to give out I know I can’t do anything with him--maybe--but he’s theti me hot I place my hands on the chair opposite hi me as I sit down across from him

I don’t knohat to say, so I smile back at him and resort to clichés "So, you come here often?"

"You know it," he says, still looking atin front of hiuy is beyond beautiful Dark locks of perfectly er pieces by his eyes An insane urge to lean forward and feel how shin front of uy has hardly said anything and I’m enthralled