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As I removed my tie, shoes, and socks, I processed the possibility that she could turn me down. If she did, then the infatuation wouldn’t end tonight. Thanks to her friend Jay, I’d figure out who she was. It would only take one call to Brandon Campbell and I’d have her name.

Forest wasn’t my usual type. I had never met a woman who would admit to shopping at a thrift store or telling me she borrowed someone else’s shoes. Honesty didn’t seem to be a priority to the women I spent time with. They were always too busy trying to figure out how they were going to dethrone me of my richest eligible bachelor status.

Perhaps that was why I had been so taken with Forest. Her refreshing honesty amused me. Her clumsiness drew me in. But the most attractive quality about her was how she managed to escape me twice. First when Ellie approached us, and then when Angelica interrupted us.

I left her at the bar because I wanted to be the one to walk away this time. If my proposition piqued her interest, she would come to me. If she made me chase her, I’d accept the challenge.

As I undid the first few buttons on my shirt, a soft knock at the door changed the course of the evening. No more running, mysterious woman. Once I opened the door, she belonged to me for the night.

The sexy holiday gift I was about to give myself stood in the hallway, rubbing the back of her neck in a clear, nervous tic.

She inched forward but then stopped just at the threshold, threading her bottom lip between her teeth. The mask still covered her face, but the obstruction didn’t hide her beauty.

“Are you coming in?” I asked. “Because I wouldn’t advise doing what I want to do next in the hallway.”

“It’s what you want to do next that scares me.”

“If that’s true, then why did you come to my suite?”

“I wanted to take a chance.”

“Come inside.” I extended my hand for her. “We can take that chance together.”

I hadn’t expected her to be so shy. She had no problem telling me exactly what she thought downstairs. Her candor intrigued me. Had I misjudged?

“If you want to forget about this,” I said, “we can⁠—”

“No!” She took my hand. “I want to be here.”

I led her into the suite, shutting the door behind us. She jumped when it latched, looking back at it.

“You took your mask off.” She faced me. “You’re really handsome.”

“Thank you.” I suppressed a smirk. “Am I going to get to see your face tonight?”

“Oh.” She reached behind her head. “I can take it off.”

“Don’t.” I clasped her wrist in my hand. “I’ll do it when I take your clothes off.”

“You’re direct.”

“I find that’s the best approach,” I replied.

“I can’t believe I’m doing this.”

“Doing what?” I let go of her hand.

“Meeting a stranger in his hotel room so we can have sex.”

“Weren’t you the one who didn’t want to know my name?” I swiped her hair behind her shoulder. “Would you like a proper introduction?”

“I’ve given you a name.”

“Have you?”

“Silver.” She smiled so hard it reached her cheeks and spread to her eyes. “Like your hair.”

“Alright, Forest, you can call me Silver.” As if granting her permission was going to determine what she called me.