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hostess wearing a period costume seated them immediately. A waitress dressed as a medieval serving girl brought menus, then asked if they would care for a glass of wine or an appetizer.
    At Sky’s request, Thorne ordered a bottle of Kendall-Jackson Merlot and a plate of pâté de fois gras.
    “I’ve never been here before,” Sky said, admiring the decor. “It’s lovely.”
    “I’m glad you like it.” Thorne picked up his menu. “So, what are you in the mood for? Chicken? Fish? Steak? Lobster?”
    “I don’t know.” She glanced at the bill of fare. The prices were outrageous. She would have loved to order the lobster, but it was over forty dollars.
    “Don’t worry about the price,” Thorne said, noting her hesitation. “Order anything you like.”
    “Are you sure?”
    “I can afford it, Sky Blue. Why not have the lobster? It’s excellent.”
    “You must have been reading my mind.”
    He didn’t say anything, just looked at her and smiled when she ordered the lobster.
    Kaiden Thorne proved to be a fantastic dinner companion. He was knowledgeable on a wide range of subjects, everything from the life and times of Abraham Lincoln to the latest James Bond movie. They discussed books and movies and the current world situation, but wisely avoided politics and religion.
    By the time they ordered dessert, Sky’s schoolgirl crush had reasserted itself. She loved the way Kaiden smiled, the hypnotic sound of his voice, the fact that, unlike most men, he loved chocolate almost as much as she did.
    Sky leaned back in her chair, stuffed to the brim with lobster and chocolate fudge cake. “I could die happy right now,” she murmured with a smile.
    He grinned at her, his eyes crinkling at the corners. “Could you wait a few hours? I thought maybe we could go dancing, or take in a late movie.”
    “Dancing! I haven’t been dancing in, gosh, I don’t remember the last time.”
    “Then we should remedy that right away.”
    “It’s not a disease.”
    “No,” he agreed, reaching for the check. “But it will give me the perfect excuse to hold you in my arms.”
    He took her to a high-class nightclub located on a moonlit lake. Sky had never been there before, since membership was required, and only the elite could afford the dues.
    She couldn’t help feeling like one of the ugly stepsisters as Kaiden escorted her into the club. The women inside wore designer gowns accented by glittering diamonds and rubies. The men wore Armani. The room itself was exquisite, with parquet floors, crystal chandeliers, and tables covered in rich, cream-colored damask. Floor-to-ceiling mirrors adorned two of the walls opposite each other, making it appear as if the dancers went on and on, into infinity.
    A tall, slender woman in an elegant black dress welcomed Thorne by name, then escorted them to a booth. Thorne slid in beside Sky. His thigh brushed hers, sending a tingle of awareness through her from head to heel.
    After ordering a good bottle of Chardonnay, he looked at her and asked if she wanted to dance.
    “Isn’t that why we’re here?” she replied with a saucy grin.
    “Indeed.” Rising, he offered Sky his hand and led her onto the dance floor.
    Excitement thrummed through every fiber of her being when Kaiden drew her into his arms. She had always loved to dance. At seventeen, she had fantasized about dancing with Kaiden at the junior prom, but she wasn’t a teenager any longer and the reality of being this close to him was far more exhilarating than any daydream she’d ever had.
    Kaiden’s breath fanned her ear as he whispered, “Relax.”
    Relax? Was he kidding? How could she relax with his big body pressed so intimately against hers? When he was looking at her like that, as if he was a starving man and she was the last meal on the planet? When he smelled so good? When all she could think about was pressing her mouth to his to see if he tasted as good as he looked?
    Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to