Page 243 of The Life of Anna-Tenth Anniversary Edition: Act 2

Cameron winked and sauntered away toward the bar.

It was a classy place, decorated in dark woods with white accents. The music was loud, and people ground themselves against each other on the dance floor, but it wasn’t like the clubs she’d been to in California. The men were dressed nicely, although the women wore clothing that made Anna feel overdressed, even with her breasts practically exposed.

A man approached and asked her to dance. She wasn’t ready to dance yet, so she shook her head and offered him an apologetic smile. He asked a second time, but she shook her head again, and he walked away.

Cameron returned a few minutes later with shots and martinis. He handed her one of the shot glasses. “For bravery!”

Anna laughed. They clinked their glasses and she poured the alcohol down her throat. “Oh, God, that burns!” She wiped her mouth and coughed, but within a few minutes, she felt herself relaxing. She sipped her martini and watched people dance.

“Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!” Cameron shook her arm. “He’s here!”

“Who’s here?”

“The mystery man. The one who bought the condo!”

Without thinking, Anna found herself looking around for a handsome European. “Where?”

Cameron motioned to a curtained archway in the wall on the other side of the dance floor. “There. He’s watching!” His eyes sparkled as he spoke, making Anna laugh.

“Can he not dance?” She squinted at the sheer red fabric that only allowed a glimpse of several dark silhouettes.

Cameron shrugged. “Maybe he’s just getting the lay of the town.”

Another man approached her a while later. He looked Italian, with thick black hair and dark eyes. Anna glanced at Cameron, who grinned and nodded, and Anna took the man’s hand, letting him escort her the few steps it took to get onto the dance floor.

He pulled her close, putting his hands on her lower back, and swayed with the music. “I’m Rob,” he shouted close to her ear. She felt his warm breath on her ear and she shivered. She hadn’t been held this close to a man in a really long time. Ballet rehearsals didn’t count.

“Katrina,” she shouted back.

He flashed her a boyish smile. “Very glad to meet you.”

“Likewise.” She grinned back.

The floor was crowded, and even if she’d wanted to, there was no room to back away. He pushed his thigh between her legs and she gasped. God, she hadn’t been touched in ages and was feeling it. She studied his face, trying to decide if he would be worth sleeping with, and gave him a seductive smile as she put her arms around his neck. Yes, he would do nicely. But when his hand slipped down and his fingers started caressing the skin at the top of her thighs, she pulled away.

She shook her head. “No. I’m sorry. I can’t.” She turned to walk away, but the man tried to pull her back. Her heart pounded with anger as she turned back and glared at him. He yanked his hand away from her wrist and hurried away.

She sank back into her seat next to Cameron.

He held out her martini to her. “What happened?”

She took it and took a big gulp, then coughed as it burned her throat. “I just... can’t, I don’t know. It felt wrong.”

“That’s okay, darling. There are plenty of fish in the sea.”

Anna danced with several other men, the music pulsating through her body, but the moment their hands grew too bold, she felt the need to flee. Maybe she was nervous about being caught. Maybe she just felt guilty. Whatever the reason, she was beginning to accept that she would be going home alone tonight.

Cameron, on the other hand, was having a fabulous time flirting and talking with old friends. There was an eclectic mix of people in this place, which made it very interesting for people-watching, though if Anna sat for too long, Cameron went and found someone for her to dance with.

She had just sat down after leaving another guy on the dance floor when she spotted a man in a dark suit walking along the side of the room in her direction, looking like he’d just stepped out of GQ magazine. His perfectly cut and styled light brown hair perfectly matched the obviously expensive suit that perfectly fit his broad shoulders. Anna stared as he confidently approached their table and stopped in front of Anna. Even Cameron stopped and stared.

“Hello, my name is Simon.” He had an accent, but Anna couldn’t place it over the loud music. “May I sit?” He didn’t appear to be coming on to her. In fact, he looked like he was coming to discuss business with her.

Anna nodded and scooted over, curious about what he wanted. She smiled and extended her hand. “I’m?—‍”

“Katrina. Yes, I know.” He shook her hand and then released it. All business. Okay...

Anna blinked nervously. “H-how can I help you... Simon?”

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