own skin. And to Petra that had meant jogging pants and T-shirts instead of jeans and skirts. An event like this put her so far out of her element her parents would have laughed had they seen her.
Screw it. Five minutes is up. Time to get out of here.
“Well, isn’t this a surprise.”
Petra snapped her head around, ignoring the pulse of want in her pussy when she spotted her caffeinated mystery man. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He stood three feet away, hands in his pockets, suit jacket unbuttoned to reveal a formfitting navy blue shirt and black tie. Holy crap he cleans up nice. Not that he doesn’t look good all the time...but damn.
“I was about to ask you the same thing.” He came closer, snatching up a glass of white wine when one of the servers strolled past. “It took me a minute to recognize you. That’s a much different look than the denim and tank top.”
She should be freaking out being this close to him, but if nothing else her mystery man was a friendly face in a hostile environment. God, Alice would be laughing her head off if she could see Petra now. Squeezing the stem of her wine glass, she tried to relax, ignoring the way his gaze dipped down to her cleavage.
“I didn’t think they would appreciate shorts in a place like this. Alice took me shopping.”
“Alice is your friend from the coffee shop?” He sipped his wine, but his gaze drifted to her left ear. “You seem to have lost an earring.”
Shit , not again. “Yes, the one with a sense of fashion.” She took off her lone earring and shoved it in her purse.
Petra forgot how to breathe as he reached out and freed a curl from behind her ear. “That’s better,” he said as a lazy smile stretched his full lips. “Are you here as a nominee or as part of the committee?”
“Nominee.” Petra swallowed and hoped her lips didn’t shake as she tried to smile. The skin where his fingers had brushed against her tingled from the brief contact. “You?”
“Nominee.” He held up his wine glass and clinked it against hers. “Congratulations.”
“Thanks. You too.” They both took a sip, giving Petra several precious seconds to beat down her rapidly growing lustful thoughts.
Like what he’d look like without his shirt.
Picturing how big his cock would be.
Whether or not he’d let her tie him up. Or the other way around.
She wasn’t picky.
Shit. Back to reality , Pet.
She looked around the crowd, trying to determine what group he’d abandoned to save her from her solitude. No one seemed to be glaring at her, and she hoped that meant there wasn’t an annoyed date who would come rushing over to beat her about the head with a shoe. When she looked back, Petra realized he’d been staring at her the entire time.
Ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, she seized the chance to ask the one question she’d been dying to ask for months now. “This is a bit silly. I see you all the time at the coffee shop and yet I still don’t know your name.”
He cocked his head to the side, took a step back and held out his free hand. “I’m Darcy.”
A shiver traveled up her arm. “Petra. Nice to meet you, Darcy.”
“Likewise.” Darcy held her hand a few moments longer than was strictly necessary, giving it a gentle squeeze before finally releasing her. “And for the record, while the shorts and T-shirts are a good look on you, you’re absolutely stunning in this dress.”
Her pale face was probably deep red by this point. “Thank you. I feel naked in it.”
“Trust me, you’re amazing.” His smirk should have warned her. “No breasts or vaginas showing.”
Petra straightened. “There’s no reason to make fun. I feel enough of an idiot.”
Darcy held up his hand. “Sorry. But it was really cute. It kept me smiling all day.”
Okay...so he didn’t think she was an idiot. Smiling was a good thing. “It did?”
“I’d had the crappiest day at the office. That’s why I was at the coffee shop in the first