was charged with energy.
They moved in rhythm. She’d never felt this in tune—this in sync—with someone else. To the
point where she wasn’t sure who was leading whom. By the slow rock of his hips, Justus defined
himself as a man of experience.
Of course he was. With his fat pockets, expensive clothes, angled jaw, and a confident attitude
that many women would have fallen in bed with. He smelled better than any man she’d met,
wearing expensive cologne imported by Adonis himself.
Here she was, drunk and ogling Mr. De Gradi, her client. Page reluctantly pushed him away.
Justus remained motionless, staring at her in such a way that made her touch the back of her
sweaty neck with embarrassment. Then he did something unexpected. He lifted his left hand for
her to take it. Confused, Page lifted her right hand, and he slowly closed his fingers.
“Now what?” she said with a short laugh. His right hand came around to her upper back,
leaving a distance between them of several inches.
In the middle of a modern club, where couples were rubbing against one another like dogs in
heat, Mr. De Gradi began to waltz.
Page clumsily followed his moves as he stepped forward, to the side, and back. She had never
waltzed before but had seen it on television. Maybe it was the Green Dragon, or the magnetic look
in his eyes, but Page danced and laughed, forgetting everything and completely letting go.
Until the heavy tread of her snow boot squashed on his shoe and she stumbled, almost falling
on her back. But he caught her, and they stopped dancing.
Justus bent forward, lifted her off the ground, and threw her over his shoulder. She stared at
the floor where he left his jacket behind.
“Let me down!” she yelled, slapping his back.
And without hesitation, he did. Justus set her down and she slid against his chest. The smell of
his dark and wonderful cologne ended up all over her.
“I’m not a concubine,” she huffed, straightening out her blouse. “Handle me that way again,
Mr. De Gradi, and I’m afraid I’ll have to deny you any further services.”
His brows quirked and she noticed the crooked bow tie coming undone. “My apologies if I’ve
offended you,” he said. “Join us and I’ll order you a meal.”
“I can afford to pay for my own dinner, and aside from that, I don’t think I could eat anything
after all those drinks.”
His lips pressed into a thin line and Page walked around the flustered Mage who held the
attention of every woman in that club.
***
I stayed at the Red Door for hours and had the privilege of watching Levi doing a few illegal
dance moves, trying to bait Logan onto the floor. Logan had no interest in that style of dance, but
I teased him endlessly to give it a whirl. Page stayed long enough to call a cab and unfortunately,
girls’ night out was cut short because her happy hour had begun hours before mine. According to
Levi, there had been drama on the dance floor. I missed out because Sunny and I were visiting the
ladies’ room. Levi didn’t elaborate; it just became a private joke between him and Knox.
Page’s phone kept ringing and she finally answered, yelling at someone on the other end as
she left the club.
Sunny and Knox shared a slow dance in a dark corner, and Novis watched them for a while
before heading out. Since Novis had left his car at Logan’s, Levi drove him home and I shared a
passionate kiss with Logan as we said our goodbyes near the front door.
I talked with Sunny and Knox for an hour, sending Adam a few text messages. He kept in
touch with me a little more and wanted to know how things were going, even if he didn’t feel
ready to hang out with us. I was just glad we were getting on better terms again.
Eventually, the party wound down just after one in the morning. On the drive home, Justus
shifted gears and made a right turn where he should have made a left.
The trucks had shoveled and sanded the streets until they had become
They moved in rhythm. She’d never felt this in tune—this in sync—with someone else. To the
point where she wasn’t sure who was leading whom. By the slow rock of his hips, Justus defined
himself as a man of experience.
Of course he was. With his fat pockets, expensive clothes, angled jaw, and a confident attitude
that many women would have fallen in bed with. He smelled better than any man she’d met,
wearing expensive cologne imported by Adonis himself.
Here she was, drunk and ogling Mr. De Gradi, her client. Page reluctantly pushed him away.
Justus remained motionless, staring at her in such a way that made her touch the back of her
sweaty neck with embarrassment. Then he did something unexpected. He lifted his left hand for
her to take it. Confused, Page lifted her right hand, and he slowly closed his fingers.
“Now what?” she said with a short laugh. His right hand came around to her upper back,
leaving a distance between them of several inches.
In the middle of a modern club, where couples were rubbing against one another like dogs in
heat, Mr. De Gradi began to waltz.
Page clumsily followed his moves as he stepped forward, to the side, and back. She had never
waltzed before but had seen it on television. Maybe it was the Green Dragon, or the magnetic look
in his eyes, but Page danced and laughed, forgetting everything and completely letting go.
Until the heavy tread of her snow boot squashed on his shoe and she stumbled, almost falling
on her back. But he caught her, and they stopped dancing.
Justus bent forward, lifted her off the ground, and threw her over his shoulder. She stared at
the floor where he left his jacket behind.
“Let me down!” she yelled, slapping his back.
And without hesitation, he did. Justus set her down and she slid against his chest. The smell of
his dark and wonderful cologne ended up all over her.
“I’m not a concubine,” she huffed, straightening out her blouse. “Handle me that way again,
Mr. De Gradi, and I’m afraid I’ll have to deny you any further services.”
His brows quirked and she noticed the crooked bow tie coming undone. “My apologies if I’ve
offended you,” he said. “Join us and I’ll order you a meal.”
“I can afford to pay for my own dinner, and aside from that, I don’t think I could eat anything
after all those drinks.”
His lips pressed into a thin line and Page walked around the flustered Mage who held the
attention of every woman in that club.
***
I stayed at the Red Door for hours and had the privilege of watching Levi doing a few illegal
dance moves, trying to bait Logan onto the floor. Logan had no interest in that style of dance, but
I teased him endlessly to give it a whirl. Page stayed long enough to call a cab and unfortunately,
girls’ night out was cut short because her happy hour had begun hours before mine. According to
Levi, there had been drama on the dance floor. I missed out because Sunny and I were visiting the
ladies’ room. Levi didn’t elaborate; it just became a private joke between him and Knox.
Page’s phone kept ringing and she finally answered, yelling at someone on the other end as
she left the club.
Sunny and Knox shared a slow dance in a dark corner, and Novis watched them for a while
before heading out. Since Novis had left his car at Logan’s, Levi drove him home and I shared a
passionate kiss with Logan as we said our goodbyes near the front door.
I talked with Sunny and Knox for an hour, sending Adam a few text messages. He kept in
touch with me a little more and wanted to know how things were going, even if he didn’t feel
ready to hang out with us. I was just glad we were getting on better terms again.
Eventually, the party wound down just after one in the morning. On the drive home, Justus
shifted gears and made a right turn where he should have made a left.
The trucks had shoveled and sanded the streets until they had become
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