Maria looked up at the man standing beside her in the club.

 

'Sorry, I didn't hear what you said, the place is just too noisy tonight.'

 

The stranger laughed and nodded, before indicating the empty chair at the table across from her.

 

Maria knew it wouldn't be long until her friend Allison would return from the rest room but quickly she decided that there was something appealing about this stranger. He was tall, he had to be over 6ft and Maria had a thing for tall men. His hair was blond, and quite long, while his eyes were piercingly blue and they seemed to search deep inside you.

 

He dragged the heavy chair from the table and sat down, leading forward in the hope that they would be able to hear each other's voice against the noisy background.

 

'Hi there, my name is Martin, what's yours?'

 

Maria laughed at his straight forwardness. 'It's Maria but you may call me Miss Maria.' she joked.

 

His eyes seemed to flash as she spoke, and he stretched out his hand until it rested in front of her on the table. 'Then I apologise Miss Maria for being so forward and I accept a telling off.' His smile couldn't help but break through the 'put on' hangdog look on his face as he offered his hand to her.

 

Without a moment's hesitation Maria brought her hand down hard on his, making a slapping noise as it hit his skin and bounced it down against the glass table top.

 

'Now I have been fully reprimanded, can I get you a drink Miss Maria?' He smiled across at her.

 

The last thing she had planned that evening was picking someone up, or allowing herself to be picked up for that matter. But she couldn't resist this strong looking man sitting opposite her.