Whiskey warms my veins, and the fact that I am so thoroughly smashing all my own rules makes me dizzy with excitement. But still, I retain enough presence of mind not to fuck the beautiful stranger right there in front of the bar.

  Reluctantly, I pull back, taking a step away.

  "Feel like heading somewhere else?" I suggest with a grin. I've made my point at Heavenly Earthborn, but now I want some anonymity.

  His brown-green eyes are glassy, and his lips hold a blush from our kiss that only makes me want to kiss him harder. "Where do you have in mind?" he asks.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I hold up a finger. A thrill of anticipation runs through me. Could it be Jianhua? Owning half of this club, I'm sure he has eyes. But that would mean he cares who I'm with, and he's made it abundantly clear he doesn't.

  I wrinkle my nose when I see the caller ID. "Sorry, I need to take this," I tell the guy, whose name I haven't even bothered to learn.

  Answering the call, I brought my phone to my ear. "What?" I snap, irritated that I am being interrupted.

  A long-suffering sigh echoes through the phone. "You know what.”

  "Save it," I reply, turning to the nearest security camera and staring directly into the lens. "We're heading over to Vics anyway." I turn away from my new friend to glare at the all-seeing eye, and he slips his arms around my waist in a forward but surprisingly welcome gesture.

  My employee on the other end falls silent for a beat, then blurts out, "Paparazzi. Three o'clock!"

  I glance to my right. A man immediately flinches, hastily shoving his phone into his pocket.

  Hotels are out of the question now. But I refuse to be intimidated by a bunch of vultures. I have a small apartment nearby, within walking distance.

  Sensing my defiance, another sigh comes through the phone. “Shut it,” I bit out, cutting him off. "I'm a grown-ass woman, and right now I want to take this pretty man somewhere and probably let him fuck my brains out."

  The guy behind me jolts with shock, clearly having heard what I just said, then his grip on my hips tightens with enthusiasm. He sways to the dance music, his hips moving against mine and his crotch grinding against my ass. Yeah, he’s got moves... moves I'd rather experience somewhere a whole lot less public.

  I end the call before Xuetao can launch into a lecture. I know this is stupid. But I also have no intention of this becoming anything more than what it is.

  So who fucking cares?

  "Come on," I tell my new friend, linking my fingers with his to pull him through the crowd, just in case Xuetao decide to really rain on my parade and turn up in person.

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  "Wait, we need to fix the bill," he protests, but I just shoot him a grin over my shoulder.

  "It's fine," I tell him. "They'll just add it to my tab."

  He frowns slightly but lets me hurry him out of the bar. From the outside, the club looks like a warehouse, but taxi drivers know to linger nearby, ready to ferry drunken patrons home.

  "That wasn't my point," he murmurs as I practically shove him into a waiting cab and jump in beside him. "I was buying you a drink. Remember?"

  I smile, amused by the whole lawful-good thing he has going on. Most guys I've met wouldn't blink twice at getting free drinks from a chick who'd just openly announced she wanted to fuck them.

  "Yeah, but I wanted to get out of there," I reply, vague as fuck. I give the driver an address and ask him to lose the paparazzi, who hurried into a cab behind us, then turn my attention back to pretty-boy. "What's your name?" I ask on a whim, then immediately give myself a mental slap. So much for a nameless hook-up.

  The guy grins. "I wondered if you were going to ask." He runs his thumb over his lower lip, and I can't help but follow the movement with my eyes. Fucking hell, everything about him is mesmerizing me. "It's Dapeng," he tells me after a beat.

  "Dapeng," I repeat, savoring the way the name rolls off my tongue. It fits him perfectly.

  "What's yours?" he asks me back, and I can't stop the grin spreading over my face.

  "Snow," I blurt out, shocking myself. I never give anyone my real name. No one. Even the English version. So what the fuck possessed me to tell a random hook-up?

  He doesn't even bat an eyelash, though. He really has no clue who I am, and it is totally adorable.

  "Snow." he repeats like I've done to his name. "Can I ask you a question?"

  "You just did," I tease. Where the hell that comes from, I have no idea. I don't tease. I barely even joke. What the fuck have gotten into me?

  Dapeng smiles. "I meant another question." When I nod, he runs a hand through his hair, a nervous gesture. Why would he be nervous? I've made it pretty damn clear I am interested. "What you said on the phone to your friend..."

  About letting you fuck my brains out?

  The cab rolls to a stop outside the packed nightclub, cutting short our conversation. I quickly hand over about three times the cab fare and push Dapeng out before he can object to me paying. But seriously, he's just admitted he is broke enough to consider a job at Hard Rod's. I am not going to let him pay for anything.

  I link our fingers together and lead him straight past the huge line of people waiting to get in and up to the broad-shouldered bouncer guarding the door. Vics is a flashy DJ-driven megaclub, grungy and chaotic, but a favorite among visiting celebrities. The queue often stretches down the block, and many don't even make it inside.

  "Ma'am," the bouncer greets me with a respectful nod as he unhooks the barrier rope for us to pass through.

  I don't respond. I'm not obligated to, and I have a reputation to maintain, whether Dapeng knows it or not.

  "Are you some kind of big deal I'm supposed to know about?" My sexy companion jokes as we navigate the crowd. The inside of Vics is packed to the rafters, and Dapeng’s hands find their way to my hips as I lead the way.

  I give a hollow laugh and shake my head. "Nah," I lie, "just a regular."

  Music booms all around us, conversations reduced to shouted fragments. Dapeng moves effortlessly to the beat, but dancing isn't on my agenda. All I want is to get rid of the paparazzi, who are likely still waiting outside, unless the bouncer's already spotted him and driven him away.

  "You weren't lying about being a dancer, huh?" I shout over the din, pulling him towards a hidden exit.

  Dapeng flashes a smirk. "I think I'd do well if anyone gave me the opportunity."

  I can't agree more. I also can't wait to see what other moves he has. I break into a run, pulling him along behind me.