Page 3 of Midnight Heat

My eyes roam the crowd, and then I see him. He has to be who they were talking about. He was a god amongst men. A tall, dark, and strong man. And there's forearm candy! He's got his sleeves rolled up and I can see the tattoos running down both arms. He's talking to a couple of men and there are several women in his periphery that are trying to get his attention.

Good luck, ladies, he doesn't seem interested. I sigh but keep watching his every move from the bar. Then, as if my stare calls out to him, he turns to look my way, and our eyes meet. A shiver goes through me at the intensity of his gaze. He can't really be looking at me like that, can he? He says something to the men around him and leaves them.

Is he coming down here? To talk to me? I don't think so, but my heart is nonetheless beating fast, and my palms are getting sweaty. What the heck are you doing, Annette? You can't handle a man like that. I need to be braver. When I notice him head down the last set of stairs, I get the urge to flee. He sees me and makes a beeline toward me. My eyes open wide at the determination on his face, and I bolt towards the entrance and head out into the night.

I had noticed a Chinese restaurant next door earlier, so I move fast towards it. I can hear someone calling out behind me, but I don't slow down. Once I enter the restaurant, I tell the hostess I need a table. She seats me and I try to catch my breath. During my hasty escape, I made a decision. Maybe not a wise one, but a decision nonetheless.

The urge to change myself once and for all overcomes me, and I sit straighter in my seat. There's a new resolve that's filling my psyche, and I know I must act on it. This man could be the door into my much-needed sexual discovery. Then I feel it, his gaze on me. He's standing with the hostess and seems to be talking to her.

You can do this, Annette. You're a strong and independent woman, and you can do this. This is what you want for your new, exciting life here in Miami. So when he waves to me, I wave back as if I have been waiting for him all along.

Who knows, maybe I have.

Chapter 2

Maxwell

Ican't get comfortable on this couch. I try to lie on my side without any success whatsoever. I turn to the other side, and now I'm watching the wall, and my ass is hanging off the edge. I should have shopped for comfort instead of what looked good in my office. Oh, right, I didn't shop for this; the 'designer' got it all for me.

Turning again so that I'm resting on my back, I try to put my arms behind my head, and that's when I slip off the couch and fall to the floor. I would have laughed if I could find humor in the situation. But I do hear someone laughing and look up to find my business partner Erik standing at the door. I shoot daggers at him from where I am on the floor, but it does nothing to shut him the fuck up.

"Is there something you wanted, Erik?"

He's wiping tears from his eyes. That's how much he's laughing at me.

"I…I came to see how you were doing. I didn't expect this. What the hell happened?"

"This thing is slippery as oil, and I don't fit on it, no matter what position I get into."

"Still restless? You're never over here this early."

"I tried to relax at home, but it's impossible. It's so quiet there."

"You need a vacation."

"Honestly? I don't know what I'd do with myself if I went on a vacation."

"Then go out and get laid."

I look at him, trying to gauge if this is a real suggestion or if he's trying to put one over me. His face shows he's serious about this.

"Sex therapy?"

"I know you have this thing. But it's not unbreakable, is it?"

"My vow of celibacy, you mean?"

"How long has it been?"

"Ten years this week. I guess that's part of what's been keeping me up at night."

I get up and move to the chair behind my desk. I feel more in control when I'm sitting there and not as vulnerable. This is not a conversation I want to be having right now.

"Let's just say no woman has made enough of an impression to tempt me to break my vow."

"I know you don't like to talk about it…"

"And I'm not going to now, either."

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