She hopped onto a stool at the counter and tugged me along with her. Aarav walked into the kitchen, a loose white shirt hanging off his body. “Would you ladies like some dinner?”

“Just something light, hun.”

Aarav threw some burgers on the skillet and leaned against the counter. “I heard what happened with Trevon,” he said. Kasey narrowed her eyes at him. He raised his arms in defense. “What? I just wanted to tell her how well she took it. Not everyone can get over a breakup in a few days, and she’s already going on another date.”

My brows furrowed together. “I don’t have a date.”

Kasey grabbed my hand, a guilty look on her face. “Actually, I kind of told someone that you’d go on a date with them tonight.”

“What? Why would you do that?”

“Because you need to get back out there, and I know the perfect guy for you!”

“Kase, I’m not ready to go out on a date. I just got off work, have had no time to freshen up, and I’m not meeting a guy for the first time looking like this.” And I didn’t want to go so soon after the breakup. It was still so fresh, and I was so scared that I would fall for another guy that would break my heart just like Trevon did.

Another pretty face. Another book of lies. Another problem.

A wicked grin stretched across her face. “Well, I’m going to help you get ready. You’re going to look hot as Wrat—Hell. Hot as hell.”

“No,” I said. “I’m not going. I probably won’t even like the guy.” There was only one guy that I’d consider seeing, and he had disappeared from my life a few days ago.

“Oh, you’ll like him. Don’t you think so, Aarav?” she asked.

He flipped the burgers and nodded.

“See! Nothing to worry about!”

“There’s everything to worry about! What if he turns out to be a pervert? What if I get awkward and do something stupid—like have a heart attack?”

Kasey burst out laughing. She rested her forehead on my shoulder, shaking from laughter. “Dani, calm down.”

But I couldn’t. I was still getting over Trevon and didn’t know if I was ready to date again. I hadn’t flirted with another guy in years, except Eros but he didn’t count. And, anyway, I couldn’t go. I needed time for myself, time to make sure that this was going to make me happy.

“He’s not a pervert.” She wiped tears from her cheeks, still giggling. “And, I assure you that he doesn’t care if you do something stupid. I can’t promise you about the heart attack thing because if you two…” She wiggled her brows at me. “… you know, have sex, then you might.”

I wrinkled my nose. “There will be no sex on the first date, and…” I raised my brow at her. “How do you know the sex will be that good? Is he one of your ex-boyfriends?”

She made a face. “Oh, Heavens, no.”

The burgers sizzled on the skillet, and Aarav chuckled as he shook spices over them.

“Well, who is he?”

“I can’t tell you that. It’s a blind date.”

“Then, I’m not going.”

“Please, just this once, and if you hate him, then I’ll never make you go on another date again.”

I sighed and pushed a hand through my hair. It was a win-win situation for me. If I had a good time, then I might go out with this guy again. I’d be able to get my mind off of Trevon and Eros for a few hours. If I had a bad time, then I didn’t have to go out on another date again. I could pick up Project Hermit right where I left off, and I was completely fine with that.

“Just this once, and then never again,” I said, giving her the hardest eyes I could.

Kasey pulled me off of the stool. “Deal, let’s get you ready.”

“Oh, come on,” Aarav said. He turned around with two burgers on a plate, each with a smiley face drawn in ketchup on it. “You’re not going to eat?”

Kasey placed a kiss on his cheek, leaving a red stain. “I’ll eat it later, hun.” She winked back at him and dragged me to her room.

Crimson’s Nouveau was buzzing with people when I arrived for the date. The last time I was here was with Trevon, Eros, and Maria. Trevon was chatting up Javier so much that night, I should’ve realized that something was going on.

Men, dressed in suits, were sitting around the bar with beers in their hands. Some watched me walk by in the plunging navy-blue sweater dress that Kasey had forced me to wear. I found an open seat and scooted onto the stool. “A white sangria please,” I said to the petite woman behind the counter.

One man gazed at me from the opposite side of the bar, eyebrow cocked ever so slightly. His eyes were a dark brown—black, even, but maybe it was just this dim light. I gazed down at the table, cheeks flaming. God, I hope this wasn’t the guy Kasey set me up with. I was hoping for someone less attractive, someone I’d be able to say goodbye to at the end of the night and not feel bad when I didn’t call him back.

When I looked back up, he was suddenly next to me—standing a bit too close. He brushed his fingers against my slim wrist. “What’s a pretty, little angel like you doing in a bar like this?” His voice was deep and melodic, and his eyes… I swear they really were black.

That same easy feeling I got with Eros filled me, and I found myself leaning closer to him. He smelt so good, like the beach, a salty aroma of shore and sea. Even his hair was a sandy brown.

“I’m… uh…” I moved my lips, failing to form words. “Waiting for someone.”

He was so mesmerizing that I almost missed a woman storming straight toward us with a bitter look on her face. She grabbed the man’s wrists and pulled it away from me. “I leave you alone for one minute and you’re already flirting with—” She looked me up and down in pure disgust, green eyes glistening. “—someone like her.”

She pointed a slender finger at me. “Don’t you ever look at him like that again, or I’ll take you right to Satan’s kingdom and watch you burn.” And, without another word, she dragged the handsome man right to one of the dark back doorways.

I sat there, staring at the almost glistening door that they disappeared behind and raised my brows. The bartender placed a drink on the bar in front of me, and I looked away. “White sangria.”

Well, that guy was definitely not the man Kasey set me up with. I drew my finger across the wooden bar, thinking about how my first date I had after Trevon was already going to shit. A handsome, taken guy flirting with me. His girlfriend threatening to take me to Hell herself. The night was bound to get worse.

I was going to stumble over my words, spill my drink on myself. Maybe even spill it on whoever my lucky date was. He’d say it was alright, but it wouldn’t really be alright. Then he’d tell me that he was going to wipe it off in the bathroom and would just never come back out.

I fiddled with my necklace as the heat crawled up my neck. Calm down, Dani. It’s just a date.

Why did I agree to this again? Why was I even here?

“Kasey, this is the last time I’m doing this for you. I told you last time I didn’t want to go on any more dates,” someone said.

My eyes widened, and I stared down at my sangria. He was here.

Someone leaned over the bar next to me, shirt sleeves rolled up with forearms. “Apple cider with Fireball,” he said to the bartender. He sounded familiar, but I didn’t dare look over. “I told you that I’m done dating dem—”

Oh, God. He didn’t even want to be here.

“Kase, I have to go.” He shut off his phone and paused for too long. “Dani.”

My heart nearly stopped. Just by the way he said my name—so slow and sensual—I knew who he was. And when I lifted my gaze to meet Eros’s dark one, I was more nervous than I was a few minutes ago.

He stared down at me, brows creased. “What’re you doing here?”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at him, wide-eyed. “Um…” I took another sip of my drink. Kasey set me up with Eros. My hot next-door neighbor Eros.