An hour and a half later, I arrived at Valhalla.

By a stroke of coincidence, Vivian had to leave our movie night early because Josie couldn’t go to sleep without her. Then a very drunk Isabella had tried to take The Fish out of his aquarium and pet him, which was when Alessandra took her firmly by the hand and escorted her home.

“You know how to keep a guy waiting,” Xavier drawled as I approached. I wasn’t a club member, so he had to meet me at the entrance and bring me inside.

He leaned against a marble column, the picture of casual devastation in a white cashmere sweater and jeans. Despite the fall chill, he was coatless, and his sweater contrasted sharply with the richness of his tan.

As I approached, Xavier’s eyes swept over my black coat dress, tights, and boots and back up again, where they lingered on my face just long enough to make my cheeks heat.

“I told you I would be late,” I said as a passing breeze ruffled his hair in the most distracting manner. “Though I don’t understand why you insisted on updating me in person when texts, phone calls, and emails exist.”

I fell into step beside him and deliberately focused on the impressive foyer instead of the man beside me.

I’d visited Valhalla as a guest a few times, but its splendor never failed to amaze. Gourmet restaurants, a Regency-worthy ballroom, a world-class spa, a helipad in case a member was arriving by air, and an exclusive slip at Chelsea Piers in case they were arriving by water—no detail went unchecked.

“True, but then I wouldn’t get to see you.” Xavier’s dimples made a dazzling appearance.

The heat spread from my cheeks to my neck. I’d never had a problem thinking clearly when he was around, but a dangerous haze permeated my brain as we ascended the staircase to the second floor.

I blamed my friends. They’d put the stupid idea of a kiss in my head, and now I couldn’t stop picturing the press of his lush, sensual mouth against mine and the—

No, stop it. This is deeply inappropriate behavior.

“Stop flirting and get to the point,” I snapped for my benefit as much as his. I deliberately kept a foot of distance between us, but my nerve endings sparked and sizzled like live wires in the rain. “What are the quote unquote ‘important updates’?”

God, I shouldn’t have worn this stupid dress. I was roasting in cashmere.

“I’ve decided what I want to do.” We stopped in front of carved-oak double doors. Xavier turned the knobs, the lean muscles of his arms flexing at the movement. Stop noticing his arms. “I’m opening a nightclub.”

The doors swung open noiselessly, revealing a gorgeous library that put the one from Beauty and the Beast to shame. Normally, it’d be heaven, but my feet remained rooted to the hall.

A line etched between Xavier’s brows. “Sloane?”

“A nightclub,” I repeated. My heart beat double time. “That’s brilliant.”

If there was one thing he knew and knew well, it was parties. Entertainment. And his bar-design sketches…the answer had been obvious all along.

“Yeah? You think so?” Vulnerability touched his face for a moment before retreating behind a smile. “It’s actually a mixed concept. Kind of like Legends except less sports oriented.”

Legends was a well-known nightspot owned by former college football star and Heisman winner Blake Ryan, and it was the preferred watering hole for many top athletes.

“I love that,” I said honestly. As an unapologetic multitasker, I appreciated anything that served multiple functions.

“Come on. I want to show you something.” Xavier led me deeper into the library, which was nearly empty this late at night. On any other day, I would’ve been enraptured by the forest of leather-bound books and rare stained-glass windows, but I was too intrigued by Xavier’s plan.

We stopped at a massive table anchoring the center of the room. A spill of papers scattered across the mahogany surface, and I recognized Xavier’s distinctive scrawl from several feet away. “I’ve been here since the afternoon,” he said. “I ran into Kai at the bar, and our conversation got me thinking…” He handed me a printout of the top ten clubs in the world. “What do these have in common?”

“Music and alcohol?”

Xavier fixed me with a wry stare. “Besides that.”

“I have no idea.” I knew enough to do my job, but I wasn’t a nightlife aficionado.

“Interesting locations. Signature features. A tightly targeted clientele. And yes, great music and drinks.” Xavier tapped the printout, his eyes brightening the more he talked. “This is Manhattan. Nightspots come and go every week. To stand out, you need something that makes people talk. Something they haven’t seen before that they’ll automatically associate with you.” His voice lowered. “Picture it, Luna. A club that’s tucked away, hidden behind an unassuming door—the type you walk past every day without a second thought. But when you walk in… it’s a different world. You don’t just hear the thump of the bass; you feel it in your bones. The music, the rhythm, the laughter. The lights are low, and you can practically smell the pheromones in the air.” His words took on a hypnotic cadence, transforming the stately library around us into a den of hedonism—of sensual touches, insistent beats, and beautiful bodies grinding against each other amidst a backdrop of velvet and liquor.

My breath shortened. Blood rushed to the surface of my skin, warming it to an uncomfortable degree. I was suddenly hyperaware of Xavier’s proximity, and when he spoke again, the velvety timbre sent a shot of pure dopamine through my system.

“Everyone around you is lost in the intoxication of the moment,” he said softly. “There are no worries, only wants. Every corner is an opportunity for clandestine meetings; every drink is another step away from the real world. That’s the true secret to a memorable nightclub. The minute you step inside, you’re not in a club; you’re in a place where anything can happen with anyone.” His voice lowered even further. “Whatever your greatest desire, you have a chance to realize it. All you have to do is let go.”

All you have to do is let go.

Call me delusional, but I could’ve sworn he wasn’t talking about the club anymore.

His gaze rained embers on my face, dark and hot and knowing. My head swam like I’d downed half a dozen of the drinks he’d mentioned, and though we were still at Valhalla, surrounded by serious-looking men and women in suits, my senses ignited like we were somewhere else. Somewhere secluded, where we—

The library doors opened to a loud peal of laughter. Glares swung toward the entrance, where the newcomers quickly quieted, still grinning, but the interruption was enough to restore my rationality. It washed over me like a cold shower, wiping away the haze Xavier’s words had induced.

He was my client, and we were discussing business. That was all.

I took a tiny step back and forced a cool smile. “Spoken like a business graduate.” I examined the list again, hoping he hadn’t noticed my temporary loss of control. “Do you have a location idea and business plan in the works?”

Xavier’s eyes gleamed with amused knowledge, but he didn’t call me out. “Yes. The location will be tough to get, but Kai gave me some useful contacts.” He retrieved another paper from the table.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the list.

There were only eight names, but they were the only eight that mattered for his purposes.

“This is…impressive,” I said, for lack of a better word. “Have you spoken to any of them yet?”

“Only the first one. We have a meeting scheduled in two weeks.”

The first and arguably most intimidating one. God. Every entrepreneur in the country would kill for a team like this. I knew Kai would pull through.

He’d been skeptical about Xavier, but I’d finally convinced him after pointing out what a great profile it would make for Mode de Vie’s annual Movers and Shakers issue.

“Also, thank you for talking to Kai for me.” Xavier’s face softened. “You didn’t have to do that.”

Just like that, a soft hum buzzed to life in my veins again. “You don’t have to thank me.” I deliberately avoided his eyes as I set the papers down on the table. “That was the easy part. Opening a club in six months in Manhattan? That’s the hard part.” “Don’t I know it,” he said with a rueful laugh. “But I have a plan, which is more than I had a week ago.”

“I’m glad.” My smile formed of its own accord. His father had forced his hand, but Xavier appeared genuinely excited about the project. Okay, maybe excited was pushing it, but he was committed.

“Anyway, I wanted to show you since this was your idea.” Xavier gestured at the remaining documents, which contained notes, scribbles, and ideas for the club. “If it weren’t for you…” His face softened further. “I don’t know where I’d be.”

The hum in my blood intensified.

I attempted a witty reply, but a strange haze permeated the air and robbed me of speech. It was different from the one earlier, when he’d been talking about the club. It was thicker, more potent, and I was suddenly, painfully aware of how empty the library had gotten.