“I’m not a member. I came with a friend.”

“A lucky friend,” he said nearly under his breath. He lifted his hand. “Eric Ma—”

I lifted a hand, cutting him off. I’d been right. Eric Maxwell, my boss’s son, stood before me with interest on his face. “Isn’t the whole idea of a masquerade not to let other know who you are?” I couldn’t let him find out who I was. I should run, giving him whatever excuse he needed to let me go.

Yet I couldn’t.

He smiled. “I suppose so. Can I at least have a first name to call you?”

I gave him the first one that popped into my head, the one Jesse had christened me with. “Abby.” I accepted his hand, which was strong and warm, fearful he would know who I was.

I watched as he brought my hand to his lips. Heat shot through my body when he pressed them to the back of my hand.

“A pleasure to meet you, Abby.”

My mouth grew dry again, and even more so when he closed the gap. He was nearly touching me, the heat from his body invading my space. I rather liked it, even if it scared me as well. He was too close, yet I was mesmerized.

I no longer felt like a man in a dress. Being near him, I felt feminine. My body hummed with sensual need, never expecting the night to progress as it had.

An errant thought filled my mind. What if he found out I who I was? What if he touched me and learned the truth? Fear made me step back.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” he whispered. “I won’t hurt you.”