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Ali let the dashing pirate lead her off the dance floor. They wound their way through the dense crowd until they came to the patio bar. She kept thinking of her companion as “the pirate” and realized she didn’t even know his name. Then again, he didn’t ask her for hers either. Oh well, she thought. It didn’t matter, nothing would come from this. Charming and fun as he might be, Ali wasn’t interested in getting involved with anyone new. The timing was bad. Period. She was still in love with Trey and until she put him in the past, it wasn’t fair for her to lead this or any other man on until she settled things in her heart.

It still didn’t mean she couldn’t have fun tonight. It had been a long time since she’d felt this relaxed. She swore her cheeks literally hurt from smiling. Maybe it was time to move on, she thought. But Trey’s face flicked through her mind’s eye and a stab of guilt streaked through her belly. No, tonight was not a night to make rash decisions. If the pirate wanted to date her, she’d get his number and when the time was right, she’d call him. Regardless, she would keep the ball in her court and take the lead. Not that it was ever like that with Trey. She considered them both equals in their relationship. The problem was she’d wanted more than he was willing to give.

Ali crammed her despondent thoughts away and told herself to let it go for tonight. Tonight was about her. What she wanted. And right now she wanted to enjoy the pirate’s company, how much was the million-dollar question.

She watched as the pirate stood in line at the bar and waited to give the bartender their drink order. Ali took the opportunity to check him out from behind. His swarthy good looks were enough to make any woman notice him, but his body…

She knew he was rock solid. He’d held her close when they danced and she felt the slabs of muscle across his chest through the soft, billowy, cotton button-down he wore as part of his costume. She loved how he’d unbuttoned it enough to show the mat of dark fur dusting his chest.

Ali subconsciously licked her lips as she eyed his lower half. The black trousers clung to his muscular thighs and taut rear. He wore some sort of belted sash, which hung loosely around his lean hips, and had hooked a faux saber to the belt. Oh yeah, she wouldn’t mind being captured on the high seas by this sexy pirate.

He turned with their drinks and Ali knew she’d been busted. Her face turned hot and she adjusted her satin mask. So what, she raised her chin to meet his gaze. A girl could look and if she wasn’t mistaken, he seemed rather pleased she had.

The pirate swaggered over to where she stood, a little extra strut to his step, and handed Ali her drink. She couldn’t read his eyes, but noticed the smug smile playing across his lips. Her breath caught. There was something strangely familiar about him. She’d felt it a few times throughout the night, especially the way he held her when they slow danced. Maybe she was experiencing some sort of weird deja vu. Maybe they’d met before. She tried to think back then shook the thought away. Maybe he was simply a total stranger.

“Would you like to walk through the maze? I hear it’s a-mazing.” The pirate’s husky tone snapped her back to attention. He started to laugh at his own joke then stopped when she didn’t respond. “Sorry, bad joke.”

“No it wasn’t…well…yes it was. Sorry.” Ali smiled, sipped her drink and tried to stifle the giggles bubbling in her throat. His lame joke charmed her to her toes and she decided then and there to give the guy a chance.