When I walk out of the studio a few hours later, my body feels more relaxed than it has in a while. I look down at my phone and am not watching where I am going and walk smack into someone. When firm hands grab my waist and his smell hits me right away, I know it is a man. I even know what this man looks like. It isn’t the first time I get his smell all over me.

“I’m so sorry.” I look up into his dark green eyes that light up when they see it’s me.

“Well, well, well.” His voice comes out smooth. “Would you look at the luck I’m having,” he says, his mouth widening to a full smile. I step out of his touch so I can think clearly.

“Look at you,” I tell him, looking at him up and down. He’s wearing navy blue shorts and a baby blue button-down linen shirt open at the collar showing his smooth, tanned neck. A white baseball cap on his head covers his thick black hair. “You are so tanned. Were you jet-setting around the world?”

“Oh, yeah,” he says, putting his hands in his pockets and making his shirt pull across his chest. “I was down in Greece for a couple of weeks just enjoying the sun.”

“Well, it definitely suits you,” I say, looking down and thinking of ways to walk away from him.

“I was just going to get something to eat. Would you like to join me?” he says, and everything in my head tells me to run the other way. When I hesitate, he adds, “It’s just dinner, Vivienne, nothing more.”

“Ah,” I say. “But what if I wanted the something more?” I walk closer to him. “What if all I wanted was dessert?” He shakes his head.

“It’s all coming back now,” he says, laughing. “Let’s go get something to eat, and we can talk about the dessert.”

I roll my eyes. “Fine. I have to eat anyway.” He puts his hand on the lower part of my back, and I feel his heat through the silk shirt.

“This way,” he says and walks me around the corner to a little restaurant. His hand remains on my back, and the only thing I can concentrate on is not tripping over my heels. My heart echoing in my ears blocks out whatever he is saying, and when I finally sit down, I say a little prayer for the strength not to give into him.

Chapter Four

Mark