She didn't have the time for fake kindness.

She didn't want to be his distraction when he was bored, and the last thing she wanted was to find herself falling for him again.

Taking a deep breath, she steadied her emotions and got ready to leave the room.

But after just a couple of steps, a wave of dizziness washed over her

She stopped in her tracks and clung to the bathroom sink for support.

Heat!

A sudden surge of warmth enveloped her, coupled with an unsettling urge.

Gasping for air, Karina gripped the sink and stared at her reflection in the mirror.

Her eyes seemed to narrow, her face flushed. She looked Like a woman ripe for romance.

Though she'd never had intimate encounters, her years in the entertainment world had taught her a few things.

She knew about the tricks some men used, lacing drinks with substances to induce arousal, especially targeting unsuspecting actresses.

She knew it all too well. She wasn't as naive as those women that fell victim to these tricks where they would suddenly become too confident after taking a few sips.

Had Donn set her up?

She'd been careful. She'd watched the waiter open a new bottle of wine, and even made Donn take the first sip just to be extra sure he hadn't tampered with it.

So why did she feel this way?

Karina's head spun.

Heat pulsed through her. Gritting her teeth, she pinched her thigh hard to ground herself.

First things first, she had to get out of here.

The sharp sting kept her mind clear enough. Taking a shallow breath as if mustering courage, she opened the bathroom door and stepped out.

“Mr. Boyd, I apologize for the delay. A friend just called, saying he's arrived to meet me. I need to go out and guide him in."

Whether or not Donn had tampered with the wine, Karina needed to make it clear that someone was coming to meet her, so he couldn't try anything.

At this moment, Donn's face flushed an unnatural shade of red, and his hazy eyes fixed on Karina.