Determined not to let anyone see that she was a little upset she decided that it was more than time that the hostess mingled with her guests. With that thought in mind she took a deep breath, and then almost choked as a husky voice whispered in her left ear. "You want me."

She spun around, and would have fallen in her ridiculously high heels if he hadn’t thrown out an arm to steady her. She looked up ready to splutter some inane comment at whoever had startled her, and was immediately struck dumb when her eyes made contact with Eric’s. "Oh! I thought you'd gone...I mean, you were with..."

Her voice trailed off as the warmth in his eyes matched that of his arm which was still around her waist. He smiled lazily down at her as his fingers started to slowly rub her hip. "Yes?" He murmured, in a voice that was as unlike him as his outfit was. "I was...?"

"W-what I m-meant to say,” Stacey stuttered, "was that I t-thought you'd gone outside."

He looked down at her and said nothing. His hand still continued to rub slowly over her hip, but seemingly with an added pressure. Or was that just her overactive imagination? She watched his eyes narrow slightly and once again his nostrils flared. "What?" She asked in a shaky voice. With his continuous stare he was really starting to unnerve her now.

"You're hot. I can smell how much you want me," he finally uttered. "Don't deny it."

All Stacey could think to say was "Smell? Are you saying I smell?" She could feel her colour rising again in embarrassment, and tore her gaze away from his eyes.

"Yes. You smell of the sweet scent of arousal."

"Shhh. It's perfectly alright. In fact it's quite delightful," he told her, in that unfamiliar throaty voice. "You want me," he repeated what he had said a few moments ago. "But it's ok, because I want you too."

Her eyes once again flew to his, and took in his hooded stare. Then, to her chagrin, she realised that her own stare had lowered, to his crotch! Her eyes widened and she heard herself gasp as she noticed the bulge that was there. His own arousal was blatantly obvious, and unwittingly she licked her lips. He let out a low, almost inaudible growl that she seemed to feel through his fingertips as they tightened imperceptibly over her hip. She tore her stare away from the tantalising sight before her and once again looked up into his eyes. They seemed to have gotten darker, or was that because his pupils had grown so big?

"Come." Just the one word was said and she felt his hand move away from her hip. She felt an instant sense of loss as the warmth was removed. And then her hand was engulfed in his and he pulled. Wordlessly she allowed herself to be manoevered, while thinking that she couldn't remember his hands being quite so big! They worked their way through the throngs of people who seemed to just step aside to allow them easy passageway. Stacey couldn't help but notice that some of the women smiled with what seemed like reassurance at her, while others scowled