She raised her head, her eyes widening slightly as they clashed with the fiery gaze of a man with striking features, his emerald eyes shining through a black and gold mask that matched his elegant attire.

"I apologize," Lucia stuttered "I was just looking for a place to get some fresh air" She paused, a flash of doubt crossing her mind. 'Why am I explaining myself to a stranger?'

He looked down at her. As he said, "If you intend to get some air, then going this way will be a wrong choice, unless you want to get some air in the bedroom," His voice was deep and smooth, like velvet and whiskey.

His eyes, blazing like molten silver, seemed to pierce her very core.

As he spoke, Lucia couldn't tear her eyes away from his lips, which were luscious and inviting, curving into a dazzling arch that could light up a room. His mask concealed half of his features, leaving the lower part exposed, revealing a hint of stubble on his strong jaw.

Noticing her silence, he asked again, "Are you still with me?"

Lucia snapped out of her trance and replied, "Yes."

She bit her lip, her voice faltering as she said, "I-I'm sorry, I was just… lost in thought."

"Lost in thought, hmm? Well, lucky for me, I found you." His voice was like a seductive melody, creeping into her ears

He studied her for a moment, his eyes roaming over her face hidden behind her mask. Then he asked, "Do you want to leave this place?"

Lucia sighed, knowing there was no use lying to him. She nodded her head meekly, like a little bird.

He was amused by her reaction, before saying "Why don't we make a deal? If you agree to dance with me, then I will show you the way out."

Lucia thought, "I better get out of here before I run into that half-naked man again. The image of the handsome stranger with his sculpted physique, still lingered in her mind."

She finally said, "Okay, just one dance, and that's it."

He nodded at her answer, then said, "Follow me." He turned and walked briskly, leaving her no choice but to follow. Lucia trailed behind him, feeling like a clueless sheep following its shepherd. She swore to never attend such parties again, even if Rose begged her on her knees. She hated being out of her element, surrounded by strangers.

They walked in silence, after a while she glanced around again, recognizing some of the paintings she had admired earlier. She realized they were nearing the main hall, where the music and laughter were louder.

A minute later, the man stopped and Lucia caught up with him. They were standing in the same spot where she stood earlier. She turned to face him and said, "Thank you. If it wasn't for you, I would have probably been stuck in there.

He gave her a simple reply, "You're welcome."

They stood there in silence for a moment, before he looked at her and extended his hand. He said, "The dance you owe me."

Lucia gasped, she hoped he had forgotten their deal.

He said, "You didn't think I would forget, did you?"

Lucia shook her head, did he hear my thought "No, it's not that. I'm just a terrible dancer."

He smiled slightly, "That's not a problem. All you have to do is follow my lead."

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. She told herself, "Come on, you can do this. Even if you have two left feet, this is just a dance. How bad can it be?"

The man said, "My hand is still waiting."

Lucia said, "Oh, right." She placed her hand in his. He smiled softly and led her towards the center of the hall, where the other couples were dancing.

She hoped he wouldn't notice how sweaty her palm was. She couldn't help but wonder if he was just bored and looking for some entertainment. She decided to stop overthinking and just enjoy the moment. After all, it was just a dance. What could possibly go wrong?