Excerpt from:

Pop-Up Dating
By Natalie Stenzel
Harlequin Flipside
March 2004
ISBN: 0-373-44186-X

Step 2
The Party Trawl
We come to believe in the wiles of a girlfriend with
more romance savvy than ourselves.

"Cas-san-dra! How super that you could make it!" Becky sparkled and bubbled away as Cassie suppressed a wince. It was hard to take the woman seriously when everything she said could be punctuated with exclamation points. Becky was only two years younger than Robyn and Cassie, but she had the disposition and curvy body of a cliquish high school cheerleader.

"Becky. How are you? You look great." Cassie smiled as the woman hugged her and then stepped back for a quick appraisal.

"You look wonderful! And I heard you're making just oodles of money with your new Web design business!"

Cassie blinked. Oodles? Of money? Maybe in Cassie's wildest, most cherished dreams, perhaps. Obviously, someone had been spinning lovely fantasies on Cassie's behalf. She peeked over her shoulder and encountered Robyn's carefully innocent face. Ah. The fantasizer. How could you not love her?

Touched, she cast a grateful look at Robyn and murmured to Becky. "Well, I'm not sure I'd call it oodles, but business is decent."

Sure, Robyn struggled with a really twisted case of co-dependence when it came to her love life. As a friend, however, she was a complete rock -- and, given the smug little smile on Robyn's face, she'd obviously been bragging on Cassie behind her back. Probably at the gym, Cassie speculated, and probably, knowing Becky, not without provocation. If Becky dared to imply anything against Cassie, Robyn would sling verbal bricks on Cassie's behalf.

"Oh, that's just so-- so interesting." Becky's fluttering lashes conveyed questionable sincerity. "James -- he's my husband, you know --" Everyone knew. Becky wouldn't let them forget. "-- was telling me how even his business relies more and more on internet commerce. It's a good thing he found an absolute genius of a designer to build a Web site for his company."

Ah. A genius. As opposed to Cassie's interesting incompetence. Becky hadn't changed a bit. But Cassie's smile didn't waver. "Well, he did the right thing, then. I'm glad it's working out for him."

Becky tossed fashionably straightened hair and gave them a blinding white smile. "Great! Oh, and Robyn! How are you? Come in, come in. Please. Help yourself to a drink."

Fighting regrets already, Cassie stepped inside. She surveyed the expensively appointed living room and glanced at Robyn. Robyn had her chin up. That was good. Determination was good. And she was, after all, doing this for Robyn.

Goal firmly in mind, Cassie followed Robyn to the makeshift bar for a glass of wine. Once they'd staked out a spot by the wall, Cassie turned to evaluate their prospects.

She saw a sexy, muscular-looking blonde in the corner . . . but tagged by a possessive red-haired female. Right. She remembered now. The girl genius from econ class, sophomore year. Which made the blonde very taken, if not married. Such a shame. Who else . . . three other guys, talking and laughing by the makeshift bar. Very cute. She raised an eyebrow. Definite possibilities there. She scanned over, saw a mixed group -- more guys than girls -- talking over Becky's CD collection. Nice. She continued surveying the rest of the room, more than pleased with the male-to-female ratio. Looked like Robyn would--

No way. Halting in mid-scan, Cassie stared at a familiar figure near the couch. Nick. Could it be? No. Well, sure, it could be him in the technical sense, but . . . Nick? Ranger? Cassie blinked in a futile attempt to clear her vision of what she shouldn't be seeing. And still the image remained. It really was him.

Good grief, it was almost as though she'd conjured him up herself, just by thinking about him and letting those thoughts, ever so briefly, work her hormones into a lather. Damn, if that wasn't some kind of sign, she didn't know what was. Nick, right here, right now, just out of the blue like that--

Oh, but wow, was that man hot. A man more tempting than sin, and seven years ago, shortsighted and fuzz-brained Cassie had come this close to, ho, boy, embracing the bad life completely. And now, here he was, in the flesh . . . What if . . .

She ran a hungry gaze over solid shoulders, powerful back, tight, tight butt. He turned slightly, glancing over his shoulder, and her gaze locked with his. Damn. The eyes. Everything else was delicious as hell . . . but those heavy-lidded brown eyes, with that sexy, sleepy quality to them . . . like dark creamy chocolate, softly melting and knowledgeable and so evil in such a good, bad way. A woman would want to come back for more and more.

Breathe, Cassie. Breathe.

Fainting would be bad. But imagine fainting at Nick Ranger's feet, in the hopes that he'd take advantage of her while she faked unconsciousness. Guilt-free, repercussion-free thrills. Wow. Kinky, no doubt, but wow. A girl could spin that fantasy for hours. Although, if the fantasy went as well as hoped, she probably couldn't help but "wake up" eventually . . .

When his lips quirked slightly, Cassie realized her quick glance had lengthened into a stare. Even worse, she watched as Nick, whose gaze never veered from hers, spoke briefly to three women who seemed to be vying for his attention. Then he turned and started walking her way, his strides long and sure. The closer he came, the more Cassie had to tilt her head back to meet his eyes. Tall. Very tall. She really liked tall.

"Oh." Becky bubbled from behind. "It's Nick!" She beamed at Nick, who responded casually, his gaze only briefly leaving Cassie's.

Oh, shit. 

"Hey, I'll bet you remember this guy!" Becky smiled coyly at Cassie as Nick joined them.

"Um. Sure." Cassie heard the words and could only assume they'd come from her own mouth, since no one else's was moving at the time.

"I thought so." Becky sounded smug. "Wasn't there some talk about you two--"

"Just rumor and innuendo." Nick gave a generalized grin, but his gaze still hadn't released Cassie's. "How's it going, Cassie? I haven't seen you in . . . seven years, maybe? A fraternity party or something."

Or something was right. Cassie felt her lips tremble and raised her chin slightly. "Sounds about right. How have you been, Nick?"

"Good." Thick lashes just a shade darker than his brown, almost black hair swept lower. His expression grew even more speculative. "Better now."

Before Cassie could lose herself in dazed mumblings, Becky, of all people, rescued her. No doubt it was unintentional. "Oh, better is right! Nick here owns a flying school. He flies planes! He's a pilot! Isn't that exciting?"

Nick laughed -- a little uncomfortably, or so it sounded to Cassie. "Actually, my buddies and I own it. We're partners. And it's not as exciting as it sounds. I give a lot of flying lessons, mostly to teenagers and the occasional retiree. Take on odd jobs here and there."

Becky giggled. "I heard."

"Right." Nick's grin faded. "So what have you been up to, Cassie? Did I hear something about Web design?"

Cassie mentally shook herself. "Right. Web design. That's what I do." Wow, such wit, Cass.   

Becky blinked with near-innocence. "And I hear she makes just oodles of money at it, too."

Oh, good Lord.

From the book: Pop-Up Dating
By Natalie Stenzel
Imprint and Series: Harlequin Flipside
Publication Date: 3/04
ISBN: 0-373-44186-X
Copyright: © 2004 By: Natale Nogosek Stenzel
® and TM are trademarks of the publisher.
The edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books, S.A.
For more romance information surf to: http://www.eHarlequin.com

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