She ducked her head, then said, “I went to Saks and had my makeup done, and your sister recommended her hairstylist and I had a full salon day.”

He took in her gorgeous, expressive features, the makeup that defined her brown eyes, and the lips he wanted to devour and appreciated the effort she’d made. He would have liked to compliment her but knew how inappropriate anything he said would be, so he remained silent.

“But I’m not all about the frilly, girly stuff,” she went on to assure him. “I’m honestly interested in your business and what kind of security you’re doing at the stadium. I’d love to know more about why you feel this school is the right place for me and discuss my future,” she said, clearly nervous about the fact that she’d revealed her more frivolous side.

As a normal rule, he wouldn’t be interested in anything she’d had to say. He’d expected conversation to be forced and stilted, but he had a hunch this woman could discuss nail polish color and he’d be listening and drooling as she spoke.

He glanced at the open terrace, where people had congregated. “Let’s go outside,” he said, needing some fresh air that might dissipate her scent and its effect on his body.

“Sure. It’s a beautiful night,” she said, as he gestured for her to walk ahead of him.

Big mistake, he thought, his stare on her long legs and high heels that he imagined wrapping his hips while he fucked her.

So he lifted his gaze to her trim waist. She was thinner than the women he usually went for, her body more delicate, and yet that didn’t stop him from imagining the things he could do as he pounded into her.

Yeah. This was a fucking bad situation. “So tell me about yourself,” he said when they finally reached the balcony and he could breathe in the outside air, free of her scent.

“I graduated summa cum laude in management and business from Florida State University.”

She rolled her shoulders as if it were no big deal. He knew for a fact just how hard she’d had to work to accomplish those things.

“I’m just tired of studying,” she admitted, leaning in as if telling him a secret.

Too close and her fragrance was back in his nostrils, filling his body, making him harder. “But you have an offer for a full scholarship to attend Columbia’s exclusive Digital Business Strategy program. It’s elite, you know.”

She blew out a breath from those lips. “I do. Which is why I feel guilty considering turning it down. And I realize that no matter what business you’re in, a big part of any strategy is digital. You want to be able to reach consumers and businesses online where they live and observe their behaviors and figure how to tap into their market.” She sighed. “But I’d rather live it than learn it, if that makes any sense.”

He admired that she understood things about herself most people struggled to discover. She was also clearly bright, something that everyone in this room could claim, but she was enchanting, as well.