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glanced at all the guests. “How many people did you invite?”
    Elaine chuckled. “Honestly, I lost track. Paul kept adding his cop friends and guys from his security company to my list, and I don’t know half of them.”
    “But isn’t that what’s fun about a masked ball, not knowing who the mystery person is you’re talking to? What’s better yet, you can do and say things you’d never consider doing or saying because they also don’t know who you are. As the saying goes, laissez les bons temps rouler .”
    Elaine coughed, almost choking on her champagne. “Wait a minute. Back up. Did I just hear you say, let the good times roll ?”
    Caterine nodded. “I can’t get what happened with Jonathan out of my mind, and I’ve decided that tonight the old Caterine doesn’t exist. Since I’m in disguise, this is the perfect opportunity to prove to myself that Jonathan and those other men are wrong.”
    Elaine cocked her head. “Okay, what exactly do you have in mind?”
    Caterine grinned. “If I meet someone who makes my pulse quicken and my toes curl . . .” She shrugged. “Who knows? Tonight the ice princess may melt away.”
    A wide smile spread across Elaine’s face. “Good for you. If I’m not mistaken, your chance might be coming this way. Good luck.”

Chapter Four

    Before Caterine could respond, Elaine disappeared into the crowd. She turned in the direction Elaine had been looking and caught her breath. The man dressed entirely in black coming toward her reminded her of a dangerous outlaw from a past century. Lean and muscular, he stood close to six foot. He wore a loose, long-sleeved, V-necked shirt, snug pants, and low boots. As he walked, his body language exuded confidence, power, and incredible sex appeal.
    The closer he got, the harder her heart pounded. Okay, take a deep breath. You can do this. He doesn’t know who you are; if you make an idiot out of yourself, it won’t matter.
    “Hello, Princess. I believe this dance is ours,” he said, his bayou cadence low and sultry.
    Bereft of speech, she could only stare into the thick-lashed, deep blue eyes behind the handsome stranger’s black bandit mask.
    He flashed white teeth in a sensuous grin. “I’m not mistaken am I, cher ? You looked so beautiful standing there glittering, I assumed you must be a fairy princess.”
    She swallowed hard, hoping her voice was steady. “I’m sorry to disappoint you, monsieur , but I’m not a fairy princess. I’m known as an ice princess. But who knows, I still might be able to grant you a wish.”
    “No, cher .” He stepped closer. Gently placing his fingers under her chin, he tilted her head back to gaze directly into her eyes. “Whoever said you were an ice princess wasn’t man enough to release your heat. Grant me my wish and I’ll do just that.”
    When the meaning of his words managed to pierce her addled brain, her face flushed with embarrassment. How was she supposed to respond? This kind of flirtatious banter was way out of her league.
    As their eyes locked and held, a gasp lodged in her throat. It couldn’t be. It had to be her imagination. But as a remembered thrill of excitement shot through her, she knew he was the same man who’d come to her rescue earlier. By the surprise in his eyes, clearly he’d recognized her as well. My God, had Elaine actually gone back and found him? Best friend or not, this was too much.
    A slow smile spread across his face. “Well, it seems we meet again.”
    Mortified from her head to her toes, Caterine opened and closed her mouth but nothing came out.
    He chuckled. “This is one helluva coincidence.”
    Caterine blinked. Could this truly be an incredible coincidence and Elaine had nothing to do with it? She had to know. She licked dry lips and asked, “Did you come on your own or did my friend from this morning invite you?” As she watched, confusion, then annoyance, filled his eyes.
    “I’m not crashing the party, Princess. And I’ve never