"I know of several," he replied with a daring crook of his eyebrow. He stroked his fingers over her warm skin as if he didn't know exactly what he was doing.

He followed her gaze without moving his head, his face turned completely toward her, as if she were the only girl in the room he wanted to look at tonight. "Would you be willing to skip out on the festivities with me? I mean of course, if I were actually thinking about it."