Mai has attended the annual South Shore Masquerade Ball every Halloween for the past five years. It wasn't until two years ago that she started to enjoy going. Her best friend Kylie went nuts for it and insisted on dragging her along every year despite her initial protests.

Mai's feelings about the ball changed when she met a mysteriously sexy guy two years ago.

Mai nursed a glass of champagne near the outskirts of the room. Kylie, as always, was getting shit-faced and humping any guy she could find on the dance floor.

His ocean-blue eyes peeked through the holes of his golden mask. He was tall, with raven black hair that cascaded in curls around his head. His refined nose and defined square jaw, made him look like the embodiment of a Greek god. He strolled up to Mai confidently and stood next to her.

"Hi," he said. "Don't take this the wrong way, but I've been watching you all night long."

"Is that so?" Mai replied, "And what conclusion have you come to?"

"Well, I've concluded you're not like all the other girls here." He looked down at Mai with his piercing blue eyes. He towered above her by at least six inches.

"How could you possibly know that by just looking at me?" She looked up at him with her torrential grey orbs. Her metallic silver mask sparkled in the light.

"For starters, you're standing under your own volition and second, you aren't throwing yourself at every guy that glances your way," Mr. Mystery observed.

Mai took a glance at Kylie on the dance floor and stifled a laugh.

"There aren't many looking, to begin with," she commented.

"Hm, I beg to differ. I've seen plenty of guys checking you out. They're just intimidated by you because not only are you beautiful, you also seem to have self-respect, and they don't know how to handle that combination in a woman."

"Oh, I see, but you do?" She played hard to get, but that he thought she was beautiful, secretly flattered her. Mr. Mystery was gorgeous, but he was also a smooth talker. In her experience, that hadn't always turned out well for her.

"Perhaps not, but I'm bold enough to try. Does that count for anything?" he asked.

"Maybe," Mai said as she tried to stay as aloof as possible.

"Can we continue our conversation at the bar, over a drink?"

Mai hesitated. She wasn't sure what to make of Mr. Mystery yet. After a long pause of silence, she replied, "Okay."

He gently took her hand in his and guided her through the crowd to the bar. Mai ordered a glass of Rosé and he ordered a scotch on the rocks.

They continued their conversation well into the evening, and Mr. Mystery remained a gentleman the entire night.

Mr. Mystery glanced across the room. He paused as an older gentleman locked eyes with him and waved.

"It's been a pleasure talking with you tonight. Could I have the honor of knowing your name?" he asked before he stood up to leave.

"Mai, and yours?" she asked in return.

"Andrew. It was lovely to meet you." He took her hand and brushed his lips against her knuckles. "Perhaps we'll be fortunate enough to meet again one day."

With a smile, he said goodbye, and made his way across the room towards the older gentleman. He took a parting glance at Mai and followed the gentleman out the ballroom doors.

Mai collected Kylie and took her barely conscious friend back home. She couldn't stop thinking about the charming and handsome Andrew. She had gotten nothing but his name. She hadn't even seen his face. "Why didn't I get his phone number?" she thought in frustration.

She spent all year fantasizing about him. When Halloween came around the following year, she couldn't contain her excitement for the South Shore Masquerade Ball.

Mai spent almost the entire night trying to see if she could spot crystal clear blue eyes and dark black hair, out of the sea of people at the ball. Just when she'd given up hope she would see him again; she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"Good evening. You look even prettier than last year," Andrew said with a bright white smile.

Mai's heart skipped a beat as he leaned in and whispered in her ear, "May I have this dance?" he asked.

She lightly placed her hand in his, and he led her out onto the dance floor. Kylie was already pounding back the drinks, and she jumped up and down in excitement when she saw Mai and Andrew hit the dance floor together. Mai smiled in response.

Like a dream come true, she and Andrew glided across the floor to the music. He was a fantastic dancer.

"You're exceedingly good at this." Mai giggled, as he held her close, never missing a beat or a step.

"My parents forced me to take lessons almost my entire life." His brilliant smile crinkled the corners of his eyes.

"Ah! So, you're a good boy, I take it. You do whatever mommy and daddy say?" she lightly teased.

"Hardly." He laughed. "But perhaps more so lately, than in the past."

When the song ended, Andrew led Mai outside to the gardens. The city was experiencing an Indian summer, and that October night was a mild sixty-five degrees. They walked and made small talk. Andrew told Mai about his charity work at the children's hospital. He spoke of it so passionately that Mai knew he genuinely enjoyed it.

Mai told him about her work with inner-city underprivileged children at a local community center. It seemed they both really enjoyed helping children.

"I'm working as a paralegal right now while I finish law-school," Mai told Andrew. "But I hope to go into family law when I pass the bar."

"That's noble of you, there isn't a lot of fame or fortune in family law," he replied.

"That's true, but fame and fortune don't interest me. Knowing I've made a difference, does."

Andrew smiled and leaned in close, his hand reached out and his thumb traced the line of her jaw. His lips crept closer to hers causing her stomach to dance with butterflies. She closed her eyes as he placed a soft gentle kiss on her lips.

He pulled away and asked, "Was that okay?"

Mai nodded her head unable to speak.

"Do you mind if I do it again?"

Mai leaned into him in response. Andrew wrapped his arms around her slender waist and pulled her into his hard body. His mouth came down upon hers, this time with more force and need. Her lips parted, granting him access. His tongue massaged hers in a passionate, lustful kiss, that lasted what seemed like hours but was only mere minutes.

Andrew reluctantly pulled away, causing Mai to moan in disappointment.

He growled at her sound. "You drive me crazy. You're so sexy," he said into her neck.

"You're not half-bad yourself," Mai replied as she tried to remain cool while her sex throbbed between her legs.

He looked at his watch. "Shit! I have to go."

"What are you, Cinderella?" Mai teased.

"Something like that. I hate to leave you, but I really have to be on my way." He released her and backed away.

"Wait! Who are you? You can't just leave me after a kiss like that."

"I'd rather not say just yet," he replied.

"That's not fair! Can I get your phone number or at least see who's under the mask?" Mai asked desperately. It couldn't be her last interaction with the mysterious man whom she knew only as Andrew. A first name wasn't much to go on. What was he hiding?

He laughed. "Let's make a deal. If you're still interested in me by this time again next year, I'll meet you here. I'll rent a room upstairs in the hotel, and I'll tell you and show you who I am. What do you think?"

Mai hesitated. She was angry that he wouldn't just tell her. It had been two years in a row they'd met now, and he was asking her to wait one more year just to get a face to a name? She was unsure, but she agreed anyway.

Mai couldn't get Andrew out of her head. He continued to haunt her dreams. She saw his masked face in crowds. When October rolled around again, there was no doubt in her mind she would wait for him at the ball. She needed answers, but what if he was just playing her? What if he had a girlfriend, and that's why he only bothered with her one night out of the year?

There was only one way to find out.

Mai shivered as she waited for Andrew to show up in the spot, they had kissed the previous year. Suddenly, arms wrapped around her waist from behind and she felt his breath against her neck.

"You came," he said, "I didn't think you'd come."

He slipped a room key into her hand.

"Meet me in five minutes in room 802," he whispered before he released her and left.

Mai swiped the keycard in the door of the eighth-floor penthouse suite. She walked in, stunned at the fact it was the room Andrew had asked her to meet him in.

She took off her mask and placed it on a small table near the entrance. "Hello?" she called.

"Over this way," Andrew replied.

As she rounded the corner of the hall leading towards the living area, she saw him. Andrew's breath caught in his chest when she saw her face for the first time. "You're even more gorgeous than I could have imagined," he said as he inched closer to her.

Mai's cheeks grew hot with a blush. When he reached her, he slowly removed his mask and tossed it on a chair. Mai's mouth dropped.

"You're..." she stuttered.

"Yep!" Andrew smiled.

Not just any Andrew, but Andrew Silvers. Rich, handsome, heir to Silvers & Son Financial. The multi-billion-dollar financial firm that hosted the South Shore Masquerade Ball every year.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked, still in shock.

"I'm tired of women only liking me because of who my father is or how much money I have. I wanted someone who would like me for me. You've waited over two years to find out who I am, and it didn't seem to matter that you knew little about who I was on the surface. You still showed up, I'm hoping that's because you like me for who I am inside." He moved in and pulled her face to his.

Mai looked into his beautiful face for the first time, up close and unencumbered by a mask. He was right. She didn't care how much money he had or who his father was. She cared that he was kind and compassionate and that they seemed to share a love for helping children. She cared that he made her feel like the most special woman in the world.

He kissed her passionately, and she responded. Her hands came to his chest and unbuttoned his shirt. He stopped her and asked, "Are you sure?"

She was. It was what she had wanted since the first time they met; she needed him inside her because he had already buried his way into her heart.

They spent the night in the throes of passion, and in the morning, Andrew asked, "I know fame and fortune isn't your thing, but how do you feel about being with a guy that's madly in love with you and reluctantly, is rather fortunate and famous?"

"Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?"

"I'm asking you to be mine. Forever, hopefully?"

"Hm, I have to think about it for a while. I'll get back to you in two years." She smiled.

"Take your time." He chuckled.