Darn it. I couldn’t hear what the woman said, but even though she was wearing a blue, feathery mask, I could tell she was annoyed. She tried to yank her arm free.

I set my glass down and swept toward them. Spotting a server nearby, I leaned in. “Grace, there’s a man who’s had a few too many drinks and making a nuisance of himself. Get one of the security guards here to handle it. Discreetly.”

The woman glanced at the man and nodded. “Sure thing, Tessa. By the way, I love your skirt.”

“Thanks.” Right, now to distract and defuse things.

I came up behind the woman. “There you are.” I gently tugged her away from the man and put my body between them. “Trish was looking for you. Over there.” I pointed deeper into the crowd.

Relief crossed the woman’s face. “Oh, right. Trish. I’d better go and find her.”

“Hey, but we were dancing,” Mr. Casanova complained, sloshing some drink over himself.

The woman mouthed “thank you” and disappeared into the crowd.

Casanova focused on me. “Hey, do you want to dance?”

“Not really.”

He stepped closer and I smelled the fumes coming off him.

“But I just want to have some fun.” He tilted precariously to the side.

I grabbed his arm, taking some of his weight, and scanned for that guard. “Don’t we all. Honestly, it’s more fun if you have fewer drinks.”

“You might be right.” His cheeks paled. “I don’t feel so great.”

“Buddy, I am not surprised.” Don’t vomit on me.

He suddenly wrapped an arm around me, and knocked us both off balance. Oh, crap. We were going to fall, and I was going to be on the bottom.

A strong arm slid around my back, saving me from a tumble. Casanova managed to step on my toe before I shoved him away. My rescuer tugged me back against a firm chest, while Casanova teetered, but managed to stay upright.

Then I looked up… into a masculine face with a sharp jaw, full, perfectly shaped lips, and a bronze mask.

It was him.

“That would have been a nasty tumble.” His voice was a low, deep drawl.

Finally, a security guard appeared. He grabbed the drunk by the arm. “Sir, we have a seat for you over here.”

“Really?” Casanova smiled. “Are there drinks?”

“Sure.” The guard nodded at me and led Casanova away.

The firm arm holding me dropped away, and I turned.

My rescuer’s gaze was on me. With the mask and the low lights, it was hard to tell what color his eyes were.

“Looks like you’ve earned a drink,” he said.