Silas was a great dancer.

It was easy to relax against him and allow his body to lead mine. Rubbing against him just made the heat washing through me worse. The fact that my mind just kept wondering over to all the orgasms he gave me, was even worse. My panties were soaked, and judging by the bulge pressing against my stomach, Silas wasn't as unaffected as he appeared to be.

He spun me around and dipped me low for a few seconds before pulling me back up against him. Instead of leaning my head against his shoulder, I tilted my head back to stare up at him. He gave me a small smile.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked softly.

My eyes darted over his left shoulder to the other couples. Andrea caught my eyes and wiggled her eyebrows at me before focusing her attention back on Brian. I sighed and lowered my head to his shoulder. Silas guided my hand up to his shoulder before wrapping his arm around my waist. Slipping my hand up the side of his neck, I played with the strands of the hair at his nape.

"You said that you're here on business," I started softly. "It must be almost finished, right? When are you heading back to wherever you live?"

"Tomorrow."

My eyes snapped up to his in surprise. He was leaving tomorrow. Tears suddenly filled my eyes. He was leaving and he hadn't said a thing to me. My hands slid from around his neck and to his chest. I glanced down when a tear dripped down my cheek. Any second now I was going to burst out in tear and I couldn't allow him to see how much him leaving hurt me.

Pushing him away, I hurried past the other dancing couples towards the house. Silas called after me but I ignored him. I risked a glance over my shoulder just in time to see Andrea stepping in front of Silas. It would give me enough time to escape.

My purse was locked in his car. I needed my keys and phone to call a cab but I didn't want to go back in there to face Silas. I'd walk back to my apartment. It wasn't that far and I could ask the landlord to unlock my apartment for me.

I passed the parked cars and hurried across the street. Confusion hit me when I made it across. Which way was the way back? I've never been in to this side of town because there had never been a reason to travel this way. Left or right?

"Lara!"

A whimper fell from my lips and panic hit. I turned to the left and started running. Only I never made it too far. I cried out when I stepped on something which made my ankle twist sharply to the right. Pain shot up my leg, knees and hands when I hit the ground on my hands and knees. Sitting back, I pulled my knees up to my chest. My ankle was starting to throb.

I squeezed my eyes closed when more tears started to fall. Everything was falling apart. Couldn't I have met him another time? Why had I followed Andrea's encouragements? Why had I allowed myself to fall in love with a man like him? I knew he was going to leave at one point. I knew that I was going to run away from him.

But I never expected it to hurt so much.

"Sweetheart." Silas kneeled next to me. "Where are you hurt?"

I had to swallow a few times before I could answer him. "M-my ankle. I t-twisted it."

Silas moved down and gently gripped my calve. He raised my leg and placed my foot against his thigh before loosening the strap. I hissed when he suddenly pressed his fingers against my throbbing ankle. It was too dark to see his face.

"It doesn't seem broken," he muttered. "Just a very bad twist."

One less worry. Reaching up, I wiped the tears from my cheeks. Crying never did anyone any good. Silas reached for my other leg and pulled off my shoe. He slipped an arm underneath my knees and his other around my back. A gasp fell from my lips when he suddenly stood with me in his arms. My arm instantly wrapped around his neck to keep my balance.

"What happened? Is she okay?" Andrea called as she hurried toward us.

"She twisted her ankle." He walked past her towards his car. "I'm taking her home."

"What?"

"It's unlocked. Open the door, Lara."

"You're not leaving with her!"

"Open the door Lara."

"Listen you creep!" Andrea gripped his arm and tried to turn him towards her. "You're not taking her with you! I'm calling the police."

Silas's chest rumbled against my side. My eyes snapped up to his face when he sneered at Andrea. Colour flooded his cheeks and his lips were pursed, but his hold on me stayed gentle. Any second now he was going to snap at her and that was the last thing I wanted.

"It's okay Andrea," I spoke up before Silas could utter a word. "He's taking me home. I'm tired and I just want to go home. Please don't make a scene. You're leaving in half an hour anyway."

"You—"

"Let them go, Andrea," Brian suddenly appeared. "She wants to go with him and there's nothing you can do about it."

"I'll call the police!"

"And tell them what?" Silas asked her. "That my girlfriend got hurt and I'm taking her home? Lara is coming with me willingly. Don't be stupid Andrea."

Brian was the one who opened the car door for Silas.

He lowered me to the seat and pulled the seatbelt across my chest before straightening. Andrea was yelling at Silas. A gasp fell from my lips when she suddenly slapped him. His head snapped to the side from the force of the slap. My hands were already reaching for the seatbelt but Brian stepped forward. He wrapped and arm around her waist and pulled her away.

I held my breath when Silas glanced back at Andrea. If looks could kill she would be six feet under. What the hell happened between them to make them dislike each other so much? If Andrea felt that way about him, why had she encouraged me to go for him?

Thankfully Silas said nothing. He ignored her and walked around the car to climb in behind the wheel. He didn't even glance my way as he started the car and reversed it. My eyes dropped to his hands on the steering wheel. He was gripping it tightly so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

"I'm sorry about Andrea," I said softly to break the silence. "We've been friends for years. She's just protective—"

"I would never hurt you," Silas interrupted me. "Hurting you has never crossed my mind. I'm not like that other bastard you dated, Lara. I will never be like him."

"I know that. You've never given me any reason to believe that you're like him." I paused and debated on how much to tell him. "Andrea has been through some shit in the past. You know how easy it is for someone to fool you into believing that they're the person you believe them to be. She's just afraid that you'll end up being someone you're not."

"I'm me, Lara. I've never pretended to be anyone other than myself."

He parked the car in front of my apartment building and switched off the ignition. My eyes fell down to my hands in my lap when Silas made no move to climb out of the car. He sighed loudly and then turned to face me. I couldn't bring myself to look up at him.

"Look at me Lara."

I shook my head.

"Please look at me."

I slowly turned my head to glance up at him. Silas leaned towards me and cupped my cheek. For a few minutes he only stared down at me. It looked like he was thinking things over. He seemed to have made up his mind about it.

"Come with me."

I blinked at him. "W-what?"

"Come with me. You have nothing here. Don't think I haven't noticed the fact that you've been selling off your furniture. Your excuse that you're getting new furniture isn't a good one. I also noticed the suitcase you were busy packing. Where are you planning on going?"

"I don't know," I told him honestly. "I'm used to moving around a lot."

His hand slipped to my nape. "Come with me, baby."

"I can't."

"Why not?"

Licking my lips, I glanced away from him. The best way to explain things to him was just to be honest. Jump straight to the point—no soft-soaping things.

"I'm scared," I admitted softly. "What if I leave with you and things between us don't work out? What if this was just some fling for you? What if I go with you and you suddenly realize that I'm not the woman you really want? What if there's some mistress waiting for you at home? What if I'm—?"

Silas leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine to cut off my words. The kiss was soft and short. Pulling away, he pressed his forehead against mine.

"That's a long list of what ifs."

"But it's all the things that worry me."

"Lara, I'm not a cheater. If there was a woman waiting for me at home, I would never have entered a relationship with you. You're not just a fling for me. I don't have a mistress either and I'm pretty confident that things between us will work out. You were made for me."

"Don't say things like that."

"I told you that I never say things I don't mean." He pulled away slightly. "I'm really, really serious about us."

"How much is 'really'?"

Instead of answering me, Silas climbed out of the car and made his way around the front to open my door. I unclipped my seatbelt and turned, ready to climb out of the car, but before I could Silas kneeled by the open doorway. He placed his hand on my knee and gave it a squeeze.

"What are you doing?"

"You asked me how serious I am." He reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled something out of his pocket. "Does this answer your question?"

Shock washed through me as I stared down at the small jewellery box he held in the palm of his hand.

"Marry me Lara."