ready to ask out his first crush. What if she said no, or worse, what if she was seeing someone?
He grimaced. He’d never before concerned himself with details.
“So, I’m glad you stopped by. It’s interesting to compare the myth to the reality.” Her eyes sparkled.
Noah fisted his hands. For some inexplicable reason, he hated that she knew of his exploits. “Funny how reality can sprout into such tall tales.” His voice ground out rougher than he’d meant, but she smiled, nodding thoughtfully.
A moment of silence fell. She glanced over her shoulder as a new customer entered. “I guess I’d better get back to work.”
He gritted his teeth. His tongue felt too thick for his mouth. When had he ever had trouble asking a woman out?
She turned toward the counter, stopped, then faced him again. His gut tightened. Her cheeks flushed. “Maybe we could get together sometime,” she said.
“Friday night…” He shook his head, then tried again. “Could I take you to dinner…Friday, this Friday night?” His heart pounded. “I mean, I just thought that since you’re Cliff’s sister and all, and with the upcoming wedding, it wouldn’t hurt for us to get to know each other…” He snapped his mouth shut. Why was he babbling?
“Okay.”
“Okay?” His heart lifted and he wanted to smack himself for the relief flowing through him.
“Yes.” She raised her chin. Her eyes gleamed. “I’ll go out with you Friday night.”
“Great. About seven then?”
“Seven’s good. Here, I’ll give you my address.” She moved to the counter, scribbled something on a piece of paper, then handed it to him. “My phone number, too, in case you need it.” A spark lit her eyes. “I’ll be looking forward to Friday.”
Her voice held a sultry tone. As he grabbed the paper her fingers drifted over his. He swallowed hard and crammed the paper and his fist into his pocket. With supreme effort, he kept from turning tail and running. What in God’s name was wrong with him?
With a mumbled farewell, he stepped back, then strode toward the door. He forced himself not to look back, but the weight of her intense gaze followed him all the way to the sidewalk.
Once out of sight, he stopped to wipe the sweat from his brow. He hadn’t had much exposure to virgins. It made sense that he’d suffer some adverse reaction. That sense of happily-ever-after and white picket fences that seemed to hover around them just didn’t sit well with him. He was allergic, that was all. He blew out a breath and relaxed. Surely in the three days to come he’d regain his composure.
One evening, a few short hours. He could manage that long with Cliff’s sister. Once he got her to the party, he’d be done with her.
Then he’d claim his prize.
He smiled, forcing Darcy’s image to replace Sabrina’s in his mind. Dinner with Sabrina would be a walk in the park. He just had to remember to avoid her eyes and not touch her. A dark cloud passed over the sun. He frowned and hurried to his car.
2
MUSIC PLAYED SOFTLY overhead as Sabrina fingered the price tag of a clingy black dress. She sighed and glanced at Bess, her shopping companion. Thank goodness her friend had come along to help. Nothing in Sabrina’s assortment of flowing skirts and dresses would do for her date with Noah. She needed Bess’s discerning eye to pick just the right outfit.
She pulled the black dress from the rack, then draped it over her front. “Sexy. That’s what I want. No flowers, no pastels and no ruffles.”
“Well, I never thought I’d see the day.” Bess laughed. She held up a wine-colored sheath for Sabrina’s inspection. “Sexy I can help you with.”
Sabrina nodded. Bess added the dress to the pile on her arm. “So, tell me more about Mr. Tall, Dark and Gorgeous,” Bess said, shaking her head. “I still can’t believe you’re considering taking the big leap. You are going to get to know him first, make sure you like him, right?”
“Oh, I like him all right.” Sabrina drew in a long breath. Her gaze drifted over the colorful racks. “He has these dark eyes. They’re so intense, like he’s looking into my soul, and his voice sent shivers up my spine. And that mouth of his—”
“Listen to you. I’ve never seen you like this.”
Sabrina met Bess’s gaze. “I think he’s The One.”
A small crinkle formed between Bess’s brows. “Oh, hon, I hope so. No one deserves to be happy more than you, I just…”
“You just don’t want me over-romanticizing this.” Sabrina laughed. “Just because you don’t believe in love at first sight doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist. Plenty of studies have documented the physiological changes associated with love. All it takes is the right mixture of pheromones and bang!”
She smiled at her friend’s wry expression. “Don’t give me that look. This could be it. This could be the real thing.”
Bess gave her a worried glance, then held up a pantsuit, turning it to reveal a nonexistent back. “How’s this?”
“Definitely sexy, but I’m betting Noah’s a leg man.” Sabrina added one more dress to her stack, then glanced over the number Bess held. “This should do for starters. We’ll be here all night at this rate.”
“No problem.” Bess sighed. “When I left, the girls were fighting, and Tom was glued to the TV, oblivious!” She frowned. “I wonder if they’ve noticed I’m gone.”
An all-too-familiar empathy filled Sabrina. Shaking her head, she followed her friend past a row of faceless mannequins to the dressing area. Though motherhood had proven a blessing for Bess, who loved her children, a certain wistfulness sometimes filled her eyes. That look tore at Sabrina.
“I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” Bess handed her several items from her pile as they reached the changing area. “It’s about time you decided to dress like a woman.”
“What does that mean?” Sabrina hung up the garments. “I dress like a woman.”
“Yes, everything you own is feminine, in a flowing kind of way, but in this…” She picked up a plum-colored dress with a plunging neckline. “In this you’ll be all woman.”
Sabrina snatched the dress, then closed the dressing room door.
She turned to the full-length mirror gracing one wall. Frowning, she surveyed her long, loose blouse and black leggings. Bess was right. One dress wouldn’t be enough. Sabrina’s wardrobe needed an overhaul. She sighed. Her life needed an overhaul.
She slipped out of the blouse and leggings. She’d had to dig deep into her drawer to find the matching black panties and demi-bra she now wore. The satiny fabric caressed her as she reached for the plum-colored dress. She slid one hand over the curve of her breast, rounded by the push-up bra. Tingles of sexual awareness shot through her and she sighed. Her cotton underthings had never made her feel this sexy. It was as though her encounter
