Chapter 124

Several hours later, after Anna had passed Cameron’s dress screening, they were in a taxi on their way to the club. Cameron knew the security guards, and they bypassed the line and walked right in.

“I’ll make sure you get a good guy, Katrina,” Cameron shouted over the music as he took her hand. They sat down at a table near the dance floor. “What do you want to drink?”

“I don’t know.” She looked around and smiled as she sucked in a deep breath. Maybe Aaron had been right. Maybe she needed this. “Surprise me.”

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?”

“Yes.” He smiled, showing perfectly even white teeth. He glanced around and then returned his gaze to Anna. He didn’t look down her shirt or at her legs, which Anna thought was very odd for someone in a club. “I will get straight to the point, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure . . .” Strange way to approach a woman.

“To put it succinctly, my employer is new in town and when you walked into the building, you caught his attention.” A smile played at his lips. “Your friend here mentioned that you were—how shall we put it delicately—looking for companionship for the evening?”

She frowned at Cameron and punched him in the arm. “Cameron!”

“Ouch!” He winced and pouted. “I was just trying to help.”

“Is it true?”

Anna bit her lip. After dancing with all those men, she wanted a man. Badly. She was almost to the point she would fuck the next guy who walked up to her, if only to get some semblance of release. “Y-yes, I suppose it’s true.” She winced, anticipating his reaction, but he merely nodded, as if checking something off his mental list.

“My employer is also desiring companionship tonight, although because of circumstances beyond his control, his need for anonymity overrides his ability to approach you himself.”

Anna frowned. Anonymity? “He wants me to have sex with him without knowing who he is?” She felt like she should be indignant, but she couldn’t muster the energy. “How is that possible?”

“You would be blindfolded and he would remain silent.” Simon looked straight into her eyes. “I assure you, complete discretion is assured. Your reputation would be unharmed, unlike if you were to openly leave with a man you met here.”

“Why do you think I would worry about my reputation?”

Simon looked down at her hand. “That is an exquisite ring. Not something purchased at the local jewelry store.”

She bit her lip again. An anonymous encounter. Her body filled with heat at the idea. “How do I know I’d be safe?”

The man smiled as if she asked the right question. “Although his name remains hidden, he is quickly becoming well known in the city. He is the ‘mystery European’ the gossip papers have been writing about all week.”

“Ooh, Katrina!” Cameron bounced up and down in his seat. “You should go! And that whole privacy thing will be taken care of too.”

“Privacy thing?” Simon arched a brow.

“My fiancé told me he didn’t care what I did, as long as I kept it private.” She looked at her hands and blinked. Crying would make her look foolish and ruin her makeup. Besides, Kurt didn’t deserve her tears.

But that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt to think about.

Simon smiled. “Then perhaps this is the perfect situation for both you and my employer. If you two... get along well, there may be more opportunities in the future. Physical needs can be demanding, yes?”

Anna laughed, almost in relief. “You have no idea.”

“Then you will meet with him?”

She glanced at Cameron who was nodding so hard Anna worried he’d get dizzy and fall off his chair. She looked back at Simon. “Okay.”

Cameron clapped his hands with glee as Simon continued. “There will be a limousine outside in fifteen minutes. It will take you to a hotel and I will await your arrival in the lobby. I will give you further instructions at that time.” He stood and took her hand. “I will see you soon.” He kissed the back of her hand and strolled away in that confident manner of his.

Anna glanced back at Cameron, eyes wide. “What did I just get myself into?”

Cameron giggled. “Hopefully a night of great sex.”