Nice to meet you...or not.

I was somewhere between confused and smitten as I stood there staring long and hard into the strange man's strikingly handsome face, as if he was some kind of difficult math equation, and I was trying to figure out a solution. I was destabilized, and it wasn't just because he wasn't the person I had been expecting to find in the tent. No! I was more disconcerted and disorganized because his excessive charm and impeccable beauty was making it difficult for me to concentrate on anything. I wasn't thinking straight at all. My attention kept getting drawn to his beautiful eyes, I couldn't get over the elegance and flair in his carelessly styled hair and how moist it looked, as if he had just come out of a steamed bath. My eyes found themselves wandering back to the dip of his suit, where his bare skin was revealed, almost down to his midriff, and his lips. God, his lips! How could one man look so beautiful. I had never been so attracted to a man from the very first sight, that just wasn't my style. I always took my time before I allowed myself to have or acknowledge any kind of feeling towards the men I had met so far in my life. But with this mysterious man who was seating before me, staring into me with those gorgeous grey eyes, it was totally different. It wasn't love at first sight. God, no! But the attraction I felt towards him was so powerful, I knew it from the moment I set my eyes on him. There was something compelling about him, something captivating, something enchanting that had me raptured, like a siren song.

I think he knew what he was doing to me, he saw the effect he was having on me clearly. I don't think I hid it well, I couldn't. He didn't seem surprised or uncomfortable that I was ogling at him so much, it looked like it felt very natural to him. He was probably used to this, having women drool over him. He probably had the same effect on every woman that crossed his path. He flashed me a knowing smile as I kept gawking at him, and a hot blush of embarrassment crept up my neck and face. I quickly looked away and heaved a heavy sigh. I didn't even realize that I had been holding my breath. My throat felt dry and I swallowed hard, running my tongue over my lips as they too suddenly felt dry.

"Uhm...uhm..." I stuttered. I wanted to speak but I was still too flustered to make up any words in my head. "Uhm, I..." I tried again, but failed. I groaned in frustration. I didn't dare to look up. I didn't think I could stand the embarrassment if I looked into that man's eyes again. I wasn't even looking up, and yet I could feel the stranger smiling. His grin was so big that I could literally feel it! I wanted to turn around and run away as quickly as I could.

I heaved a heavy sigh and made another attempt at speaking.

"I'm sorry, but I'm supposed to be meeting my fiance here." I said, finally succeeding in getting the words out. "I think you are supposed to be meeting someone else too. It seems our informants probably got the messages mixed up. Sorry, I'll just leave." I turned around again and made to leave, but once again, his voice stopped me.

"I told you, my love. You are in the right place." He said.

I turned around again, and for the first time, I wasn't so distracted while staring into his face. I was a little annoyed, and a little confused. Why did he keep insisting that I was in the right place when I had clearly explained to him that I was supposed to be meeting someone else? Was he convinced in his confusion, or was he just willingly trying to get on my nerves? But why would he do that? He didn't even know me! And why did he keep calling me "my love"? I didn't know him from nowhere!

"Sir, you must have had me confused." I said, as gently as I could manage. "I told you, I'm supposed to be meeting my fiance here, not you..." I was still trying to explain, when he interrupted me.

"You are supposed to be here. The person you are supposed to be meeting is me." He said confidently. "I am the fiancee you are supposed to be meeting."

"What?" I asked, totally confused. Was this man straight out of his mind, or was all this some kind of elaborate and very funny prank the producers were pulling on me? "What are you talking about?" I asked again.

The strange man's grin broadened even more, and if I wasn't so confused and annoyed in that moment, I would have appreciated how dashing he looked smiling like that. But I couldn't. I needed explanations, and I needed them fast.

"Well, my love. You see..." He said as he got on his feet and began to walk towards me. His height almost made me swoon! I couldn't guess how tall he was sitting behind that desk. He looked so well built and muscled out that I didn't think he could be tall with all that body. But he was tall, and his balance was perfect. His legs and thighs were so strong, I could see it even through the pants of his suit. The amount of maleness and charm and sex appeal he exuded now that I could see him in full view, was so overwhelming. He walked with a clean swag, his steps were light against the ground, but sure. His confidence was glaring, it made my legs wobble, and I had to take a few steps backwards as he came to stand in front of me. Up close, he looked bigger, his shoulders looked broader and his scent was so strong, it filled me completely. When I dared to look up into his eyes, my heart stopped beating for a moment. His eyes were even more beautiful than I had thought. They weren't just grey, they were a greyish blue, and they looked so angelic. I couldn't take my eyes off them. His face was so close to mine, but I didn't flinch. I could feel his warm breath against my face, and I didn't turn away. I wanted to, I tried to, but his eyes held me compelled. He smirked wickedly, and I knew that once again, he knew what he was doing.

"...as it stands now, you and I are betrothed, and as I speak to you, preparations for our wedding are ongoing." He said. "You don't need to trouble your pretty little head about anything. I got it all covered. And besides, it's not like it's going to be big or loud. It's just a small wedding, only family are invited. I don't plan on raising any dust." His voice was so smooth and soothing. I could feel it caressing me like a finger as he spoke. It was literally lulling me into a trance.

"I don't understand. How can that be? I don't even know you, we've never met before. How can you be my fiance when we only just met?" I asked, speaking as if out of a trance.

"Why? Are you disappointed? You don't like me as your fiance?" He asked, then the smile suddenly vanished from his face, and his beautiful eyes hardened into a wicked glare. Even his voice and tone suddenly went cutting cold. "Or were you expecting someone else? Daren perhaps?"

I was immediately pulled out of my trance at the mention of Daren, and I quickly stepped farther away from him. Silly me! How did I not guess that sooner? I had been so distracted and carried by the handsome man that I didn't guess the obvious. Like every other time, Daren had sent him as a messenger. He always made use of messengers in the past. Of course, it always had something to do with Daren, or his haughty mother, or the entire cursed Rockshire family. My life was completely entangled in theirs, how could I forget that so easily? Why did I let myself loose focus, and let this messenger mess with me so recklessly?

I began to get annoyed, and it wasn't because this strange man was from Daren. I was angry because I had let myself get played so completely by the con artist. I didn't even hold back, I didn't hide anything! I let this man play me completely.

"Who are you?" I asked furiously. "What do you want from me? Why did Daren send you here? Who are you?" I cried in frustration.

The man's face broke into a cold, insincere smile that looked so sinister. Funny how only moments ago I had been basking in the sexual appeal he exuded, and now, I was shivering with fear at the coldness in his eyes. He looked so dangerous, and not in the sexy way I had seen him earlier. He was just plain out dangerous, as if he was determined to hurt me if he had to.

"Forgive my poor manners, my love. I should have introduced myself first." He said sarcastically, putting his hand out in an offer of a handshake. "Hi, I'm Jordan, Daren's uncle and your soon to be groom."