"This is your car?" I ask Hardin when we stop in front a black SUV, parked behind the building, there's a whole parking space here and if he hadn't brought me here I wouldn't have known. I find it strange that there's a parking space behind a building and much more that the building is in the middle of nowhere.

He shakes his head. "It's a rental."

"Hmm... Why park behind the building?"

It is a bit suspicious and if there's anything I've learned from reading fiction novels, this is how it starts and then everything will turn out to be a whole operation about some secret society that comes here to buy people, mostly girls. I made a joke about it earlier but I don't think it's funny anymore.

"Henry said it was a surprise party, the planner didn't want you suspecting anything," he answers and walks to driver's side to taps the window.

That makes sense, I would have known it was a surprise party if I saw cars parked out front, that would have made my exit quicker than this.

It wasn't as if I didn't know Nova would do this, I just wasn't expecting a party.

The tainted window rolls down and Hardin leans closer to speak to the driver, I can't hear what they're saying and it better not be a plot to kidnap me. Why am I even thinking about this? Don't blame me, I'm on edge. First, it was thought about Nova selling me into sex trafficking and now this. And if they do decide to kidnap me, it wouldn't be a kidnap because I agreed to follow him to his hotel. Does that mean it would be a consensual kidnap?

I guess this is the type of thoughts you have when you've been burned more times than you count by people you once considered your closest friends, and now you have trust issues.

Get out of your head, Dawn and just enjoy the nice with the handsome man. A voice in my head tries to convince me but I'm not totally convinced. Yeah, I will follow him but...

Hardin returns to me and apologize for making me stand, I want to remind him that I've been standing for almost half an hour inside before he came but it's pointless. He opens the door to the passenger side and steps away for me to enter while offering his hand.

I take his hand with a smile, it's rough but soft like the hand has known hardship but refuses to bend. Climbing inside the car, I shift to make space for him, he climbs in after me and closes the door. I catch the driver's eyes from the rear mirror for a brief second before he starts the ignition and pulls away from the parking space.

What was that look? Happy? Excited?

God, did I really just do this? Agree to follow a stranger. I never do this.

Pressing my hands together as I try to make myself look comfortable while I'm anything but, because the driver might be onto me and I don't want to slip up, so I try my hardest to enjoy the silence we're in. But why I do keep glancing his way and wanting to talk to him? It's no secret that I fancy him, I wouldn't have followed him if I hadn't felt the slightly bit of attraction towards but all things considered, it's best I just swallow my tongue.

"You said I shouldn't make a deal out of your birthday, why? You also didn't look like you were having fun, you don't like celebrating your birthday." The last part isn't a question, it doesn't sound like one, he's just making a conversation. One I don't want to have.

I can't be the only person in this world that hates celebrating their birthday.

I answer him though, nodding and face him the same time the car passes under a streetlight, I catch a glimpse of his eyes but still don't know the color. "Can we not talk about my birthday?"

"Sure, whatever you want but we're still celebrating when we get to hotel." I open my mouth to argue but he continues, apparently he isn't done talking. "We won't call it a birthday celebration, just celebration. You're twenty one and it's kind of a big deal, you're legal to do everything. Let's call it a..." He trails as his raises his head to think about what to call it.

"Graduation dinner?" I suggest.

He looks at me with a longing look I can't decipher. "When did you graduate?"

"Two months ago and before you say it's too long ago, let me remind you that–"

He places his hand on my bare knee because the dress I have on is short, and has ridden up to my thigh from sitting. I don't mind his hand on my knee, I just... It's way my body reacts to it like his touch awakens someone in me, something I didn't even know I had. The tingling feeling between legs and goosebumps erupts all over me.

"I don't care that it's two months ago, we'll celebrate your graduation dinner," he says with that smile again before pulling away. "What did you study?"

"I majored in fashion and minor in management."

His eyes widens in surprise. "Really? Wow, that's impressive."

I shrug and drum my hands on my thigh. "It is but I didn't do it for me," I tell him, something flashes in his eyes but changes before I can catch it. "I didn't want to go college but my parents didn't allow it, didn't want to hear of it, so I just did four years and graduated."

"What do you now that you're done with college, are you pursuing what you want?"

Well I did what I want in College, I just didn't want to go to college.

I nod. "I'm seamstress and I work freelance, you know. Although I have this boutique I supply to every now and then."

"Seamstress. That's amazing. So you work from home?" I nod. "How do you like it? You don't ever get bored?"

I shake my head. "Never. I prefer it actually. I have a routine that I follow and it been wonderful."

"You are an introvert," he tells me like it's something I need to know. "I should have known."

"There's nothing wrong with being an introvert, it just means I'm wired differently than you and I have a feeling you are too."

He chuckles and looks past me. "We're here, stay," he orders and gets out of the car in rush. I chuckle and look forward, my eyes meet the drivers in the rear mirror again, this time he doesn't look away. He's giving me some kind of look.

Weird.

The door to my side open, Hardin comes to view, offering me his hand. "So this is why you had to rush out after telling me to stay?" I take his hand and he helps me climb out, not like I needed any help. "I can open the door myself."

"And risk having a five star date?" He shakes his head dramatically and adds, "no."

I look at him with my eyebrows raised in question. "Date? We're on a date?"

"Of course we are. Shall we?" He asks, standing straight as he bends his hand in my direction.

"We shall." I walk closer and hook my hand with his. He leads me inside the hotel, the security standing outside the door greets us as we enter.

"Welcome back, Mr. Smith." The man standing behind the counter at the reception says as soon as he sees Hardin.

"Thanks, Ralph," he replies, sending a wink to the man. It's obvious that this isn't his first time because they know him by name and they're also familiar with each other.

I expect he turns towards the elevator but he doesn't, he keeps walking, turning at the corner and continue until we stop in front of a restaurant. "Hardin, what are we doing here?" I ask.

It safe to say that he isn't going to kidnap me or worse murder me.

There are so many hotels in this city and since I spend so much on my phone when I'm not working, I explore and part of my exploration is familiarizing myself with the hotels in the city in case my family ever comes to visit. There are lots of three and four stars hotel, but there's one three five stars hotel, one of them being The Continental. I don't know much about the place because I have no reason to come here but I hear it's the most expensive, and here I am with Hardin, who seem so comfortable waltzing around the place like he owns it.

"Your graduation dinner?" He reminds me like I've forgotten the conversation we just had in the car.

"I know but what are we doing in The Continental? Do you have any idea how expensive this place is? I shouldn't be here and how come you're here."

He's a stranger.

He chuckles and places his hand on my shoulder before shaking my body. "The company I work for, put me here and paid for everything, and I intend to use their money wisely. I've never eaten here before and I want the first time to be special."

When he says things like that, it's making me think sideways. I want the first time to be special, as if he's losing his virginity for the first time .

I don't like this, not the hotel or the restaurant. Both are nice, and me standing here is a dream come true but I don't like people spending money on. It makes me feel uneasy and I don't want to talk to him about it because we just met.

"You are an over thinker." He notices because he isn't asking, just pointing out. "You're overthinking it, what's the problem?" He asks in a concerning tone.

I sigh and look down. "I...I."

"Listen." He places his hand under my chin to make me look at him and the look on his face is full of worry, "if you don't want to go in, we won't. We can just go to my room, order room service and watch some movies or play some music and dance the night out but we are celebrating."

Where has he been my whole life? So considerate. He isn't even pushing for an explanation, he just wants me to be comfortable and happy.

"It's not as if I don't want to go in, I want to, it's just... I don't feel comfortable taking from people you know, I would suggest that I pay but I know I can't afford it." I look down in embarrassment. I don't normally feel like this but I really like Hardin and I don't want our first dinner together to be a disaster because I'm insecure.

I feel like this every time someone wants to do anything nice for me, I think that's part of the reason I'm still single and have never had a real boyfriend because I ruin it with my unspeakable behavior about not wanting them to buy me things and give me money. I was raised me to be independent but I can say that I also added a touch of my own, and sometimes other people find it annoying.

"But it's your graduation dinner, you are allowed to accept gifts. You spent four years enduring a course you didn't even like, you deserve this more than anyone," he tells me with a sweet smile.

He misheard me. I didn't ensure anything, I love what I did in college, I just hated being forced to go when I didn't want to go but I do like how he hasn't mentioned my birthday since I told him I didn't want to talk about it.

Taking a step forward, I wrap my arms around his neck, not sure why I'm hugging him but I know I want to, which is a first for me. I find lots of guys attractive but never have the courage to do anything about it but I can't stop myself with Hardin.

He stills for a second, not expecting it but I feel his relax before wrapping his arms around my waist, hugging me back. "Thank you."

"Oh, Dawn, you don't have to thank me. You never have to because I haven't even begun to spoil you," he whispers back.

I pull away from him and look past him to the restaurant. The place is packed with people but they're some empty table. I would be an idiot to pass on this.

"Let's go in, I think people are starting to notice us." No one is, everyone in there is doing their own thing.

"Then lead the way, newly college graduate." He throws his arm around my shoulder, the smell of cologne fills my nose as he walks us in. Hardin is a tall man, who's age I still don't know. He is lean but muscular, and having him walking so close to me is affecting me in places I didn't even know can be affected.

He leads us to a table at the end of the room, away from everyone else and prying eyes. I don't think that's why he chose this table but I'd like to believe it the reason. I also notice that no one questions us about entering without a reservation.

Hardin removes his hand and self away from me to pull the chair for me but I immediately feel empty from the loss. I loved having his body pressed against mine. I sit on the chair and he takes the sit opposite me.

I look around in fascination. It's fancy, too fancy for me to be sitting casually with a man I just met like two hours ago but I told myself I wouldn't think about that tonight.

A woman in a black uniform comes to us. "Welcome to The Continental, my name is Sophie and I will be your server tonight."

Sophie places the menu in front of us and wait to take our order. I look over at the menu and have a hard time choosing what to pick. Sighing after looking over it the fifth time, I drop it on the table and look at Hardin for help. Everything on the menu is fancy and half of what I haven't even eaten before.

"Order for me, I don't know what I'm in the mood for."

"Okay." He doesn't ask any further questions, he list off the orders, same thing for the both us. Sophie leaves after that.

"Tell me more about yourself, Dawn. I want to get to know you better."

Oh, Hardin. He has no idea how much I want to get to know him too.