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“Forest is close to my real name.” I rested my chin on my knuckles. “Or at least it has something to do with the forest.”

“I’m intrigued.”

“Doesn’t that make me in control?”

“You’d be surprised how quickly I could find out your name if I really wanted to know,” he said. “But I’m going to respect your wishes.”

I could just tell him my name, but now that I’d made such a production of not revealing it, I might as well stick to it.

“I need a name for you.” He didn’t look like a Jim or a Bob or a Joe. Something more sophisticated. Like Blake or Cameron.

“I’ll tell you my name.”

When he trailed his fingers along my arm, I leaned into him and breathed in the warmth of his scent. Woodsy, cedar, masculine. Bad decisions…

“Don’t tell me your name,” I said. “Not knowing adds to the theme of the night. The masks, the holiday spirit, pretending to be someone else.”

“I don’t think you’re pretending to be anything other than who you really are.”

“I came here to forget who I am.” I spun my stool around, giving him room to close the gap. He took the hint. “For one night.”

“What are you trying to forget?” He rested his hand on my thigh. “I give good amnesia.”

“If I told you, then it would defeat the purpose of why I’m here.”

“Let me help you forget.”

“And the method?” I lost myself in his blue eyes. Why am I traveling down this path? Because even your good girl self knows it will be one hell of a ride.

“I have a suite upstairs.” He glided his hand higher, stopping where the slit of the dress ended. “I propose we take this conversation there and see what happens.”

“I don’t… I’ve never done anything like that before.”

“You haven’t,” he said. “But maybe Forest will. Do you want to pretend you’re someone else?”

I dropped my gaze to his hand on my inner thigh, sensing the urge to have him touch other places. I didn’t understand the game we played, but my body responded with a sizzling hum that shot right between my legs.

“One night,” he whispered into my ear. “No names, no strings, just us.”

Sex with an irresistible, older stranger in a five-star hotel was not how I had envisioned the night going. When Jay asked me to join him, I thought I’d have a delicious meal and a few drinks, and then I’d go back to my problems.

“I’m in room 7628.” He caressed my cheek. “No pressure. If you want to have a drink or just talk, I’ll be there.”

“What if I don’t want to talk?” That was my vagina speaking, but I liked what she said. God! Now all I could think about was my vagina with a voice, and I had to suppress a giggle.

“I’ll be there for that too.” When he winked, my stomach fluttered. “7628.”

He strode out of the bar area and to the elevator, leaving me to make a quick decision. Do I follow him? Do I forget this ever happened?

“Ivy.” Jay slid back onto the barstool next to me, holding a fresh glass of champagne. “What did he say?”

“He wants me to go to his suite.” I boosted his glass faster than a thief in a jewelry shop and chugged the bubbly. “To have sex.”

“Well, I didn’t think he wanted to play cards.” He took the empty glass from me and set it on the bar. “What did you say?”

“Nothing.” I shrugged. “He’s leaving it up to me.”

“What are you going to do?”