"Pretty," Steph said, eyeing the flowers as she entered the kitchen Friday morning. Her nursing duties had taken precedence lately and Dana was so happy for the company she grabbed the other woman in an effusive hug. Dealing with AJ's perfidy all week had been difficult. Without Stephanie, she'd been utterly miserable.

"Hey. . ." Stephanie backed up, holding Dana at arm's length for inspection. "Black clouds still on the horizon? I didn't mean to desert you, but I had a critical patient on my hands and was pulling twelve-hour shifts." She took a can of Diet Pepsi from the refrigerator and popped the tab. "Is your guest still around?"

"He left Monday."

"Too bad. I was hoping you were having fun in my absence. Flowers from anyone I know?"

"Alex. A thank you for the hospitality."

"You must have been very hospitable. That's an exquisite bouquet." She eyeballed Dana suspiciously.

"Uh, did you remember to put gas in the van?" Dana hedged.

"Yes, I did, oh evasive one," Stephanie replied good-humoredly.

Dana was glad Steph had taken no offense. While she was the dearest of friends, Dana knew better than to share too much while she harbored such confusion over AJ. Steph was the type to wax ecstatic about a possible match, to jump to all the wrong conclusions.

"Whatever his motives, they're very cheery," Stephanie continued, undeterred.

"It would take more then flowers than to cheer me up. I'm too far down in the doldrums," Dana said. "After tonight's ceremony, there are only ten weddings left."

"Another couple reneged?"

Dana nodded. "But only one, so maybe everything is quieting down."

"I'm sure it is. Now tell me one more thing about Alex. How did you manage to evict him?"

"Didn't have to. He left on his own. Said Kevin and the other guys needed him." Dana could sense that Stephanie wanted details, that she wasn't satisfied with her abridged version, but for once Steph didn't press her and the hours passed pleasantly as the two bustled about getting ready for the approaching festivities.

The Friday evening rites were complete and the reception in full swing when Stephanie whispered to Dana, "Look who's here," and motioned across the room to AJ standing under a bower of greenery. He held a beer in his hands, an arm casually arced around Jenna Peters's shoulder.

Dana felt a stab of jealousy, which was quickly matched by fury. So much for his promised to call. The rat. Evidently, Dana Evans hadn't been top priority on his list of contacts when he returned from his business trip. How long had he been back, anyway? She had no way of knowing.

Not only was AJ beguiling Jenna, but several other women had formed a circle and were hanging on his every word. "The man seems to bounce between women faster than a tennis ball at Wimbledon," she muttered to Stephanie.

"Those vultures. Someone ought to race over there and yanked him out of their clutches. Someone like you."

"You're certainly aggressive with my behavior." Dana was amazed her voice was so calm when she was seething inside.

"Okay, then just go say hello."

"It's bad form to mingle with guests," Dana replied, her eyes still on AJ. Furthermore, I intend to avoid this particular guest like an open flame. She'd already been seared once.

During the last year she'd done several high-profile Houston weddings, but Dana didn't recall AJ at any of them. It was just like him to show up now – the proverbial bad penny. She could only hope he'd be too busy flirting with Jenna and the others who wanted to comfort him in his hour of need to notice her.

Just at that instant, his head turned in her direction and Dana knew he saw her. Somehow she knew he was there even before he'd spoke. "Hello," he said. "I didn't realize you'd be here tonight. No wonder you weren't home when I called."

"You called?" Dana replied coolly, glancing up at him.

"About five. You must have been on your way here. I left a message."

"Then promptly dialed the next one on your list? Does Jenna know she wasn't number one?"

Nonchalantly AJ leaned against the refrigerator, hands in pockets of his suit pants. "Looks as through business is recovering," he responded, sidestepping her impertinent question. "Is hard work the reason for your testiness?"

"Business is booming," Dana answered. "Almost too good to be true." In fact not true at all, but she felt the need to maintain as upbeat an illusion as possible. It hardly seemed fair that he could be so fit and so happy, in stark contrast to her state of total distress.

"If things are so good, then why do I detect a mountain of tension in you – like nitro about to blow? If it's not business, then missing me must be the cause of your anxiety." He came up to her and started massaging the knotted muscles at the base of her neck.

"I wouldn't waste an ounce of energy missing a man so fickle he probably need a scorecard to remember who's in his arms."

AJ turned her around and eased her into an embrace. "Want to test me? Right now, I'm holding the only woman I have any desire to hold." His words and the magic of his eyes made her forget both her rancor and the dwindling buffet table. She snuggled closer. For days she needed a shoulder to lean on and here it was, broad and inviting.

Then she remembered herself and jerked away from the temptation before her. If it weren't for AJ and the chaos he'd created, she wouldn't need any shoulders but her own.

"It just strain from all the new demands," she said. Demands like the housecleaning and doing double duty to replace the maid she ordinarily hired for functions such as tonight's reception. To say nothing of wrestling with the confusion caused by the man who was a breath away.

"I'm a master at strains." He took her face in his palms and brushed his lips across hers.

Dana backed away. "Don't play with me, Alex. I'm not an idiot. You were carrying on with a half of dozen admirers just minutes ago."

AJ grinned. "Was I?"

Dana didn't respond. In truth, the admirers were doing more of the carrying-on, but that was irrelevant.

"I assure you there was no carrying-on on my part," he said.

"Not even with your date?"

"I don't have a date, merely a personal obligation. You have those occasionally, too, I bet." He reached for her again.

"Forget the seduction bit," Dana said. "I'm not longer susceptible to your tactics of temptation."

"Did it ever occur to you that you're the temptress. . .and that I'm extremely susceptible?" He cradled the nape of her neck and gently drew her closer, his hands tantalizingly tracing her spine as they slid to her waist. "Let–"

"Oh, excuse me!" Stephanie burst into the kitchen, followed a couple of paces by Jenna and the hostess, Phyllis Wilcox. "I came for more deviled shrimp." Stephanie held up an empty bowl.

Dana was so embarrassed she could feel a hot rush all the way to her toes. It wouldn't take much imagination for Mrs. Wilcox to deduce that her caterer was neglecting her tasks to frolic in the kitchen with a male guest. Worse, the society matron would likely spread the word to all her friends, aided and abetted by Jenna. Another nail in the coffin of "Arrangements by Dana." Why did Alex have to come onto me while I was working? Once again, Dana's problems could be laid directly at AJ's feet.

"I was telling the caterer how much I enjoy your parties," AJ told Mrs. Wilcox, giving his hostess a beguiling smile. "The food is always sublime."

"Mrs. Wilcox's selections for the reception were wonderful, weren't they?" Dana said, grasping for any lifeline, even one thrown out by AJ.

AJ's ploy succeeded and Phyllis Wilcox beamed. Dana knew she barely avoided a devastating mishap, but that didn't make her feel one speck of appreciation for AJ's diverting her client's attention. She was still too furious over being in a compromising position in the first place. "Now I'm sure you all want to get back to the happy couple," she said, daring to exhale when the trio of AJ, Mrs. Wilcox and Jenna took the hint and left the kitchen, followed by Stephanie.

Dana's next two hours were spent suppressing thoughts of AJ, while trying to see to her duties. She was loading the last of the supplies in the company van, about to make her exit when he approached her in the driveway. "Have dinner with me tomorrow."

"I'm busy tomorrow."

"Sunday, then."

"Busy then, too. Go away before Mrs. Wilcox spots you."

"Phyllis is at the front door bidding her guests goodnight."

"I don't care." She wasn't going to be ensnared again. It might take a while to liberate her senses from AJ, but Dana was dead set on nipping temptation in the bud and never allowing it to reflower. "Leave me alone and go back to your date."

He laughed.

Dana was not amused. "Or has Jenna already been promoted to fiancée? You are awfully anxious to trot down the aisle." Dana knew she sounded petty, but she couldn't stop herself.

"What a poor opinion you have of me. Determined to think I'm so desperate for a wife that anyone in a skirt will do. Tsk, tsk. And after I've assured you that you're the bride for me."

"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not going to be your bride? I repeat, leave me alone."

"If it weren't so trite, I'd say how cute you look when you're angry." He brushed his knuckles down her cheek.

Dana swatted his hand away. She wasn't going to be seduced by his facile flattery or his coaxing caresses. Not anymore. She thrust her chin out. "Good night, Alex." Pulling her keys from the pocket of her skirt, Dana got into the van. Luck was without her tonight. Steph had already left in her own car and Dana was able to make a clean get-away, leaving AJ standing in the drive as she sped off.

When Dana arrived home, her answering machine was blinking with the earlier message from AJ. "I recognize your contempt for my money, however, I made loads of it in L.A. and need some help spending it. What do you say to Paris this weekend? Paris, France or Paris, Texas, your choice. Call me later tonight." He rattled off his home phone number. "By the way, I had wonderful dreams in L.A.. . . help me make them come true."

Over the next two days, Dana replayed the message often enough to nearly wear out the tape. It took all of her resolve not to phone AJ's number. Each time she began to weaken, she reminded herself that yes, he had called, but then proceeded to find someone else when she was busy. Hardly a picture of an enamored lover.

No one booked a wedding for the next week, but no one dropped one, either. Most important, the meeting planner of one of Houston's large oil corporations inquired about holding a series of small staff retreats at Torrence Place and invited Dana to submit a bid. Finally a ray of sunshine.

Business meetings were a superb source of income. Convention activities, too. If she hadn't been in such emotional turmoil over AJ, Dana would have already been beating the bushes of such events. A preference for weddings didn't preclude exploring other money-making avenues. Drastic times called for drastic measures. Resuscitating her wedding business might take a while but that didn't mean "Arrangements by Dana" had to go under in the interim.

She spotted Stephanie cutting flowers and ivy in the garden and went out to share the good news. As Stephanie made her floral selections and Dana held the flower basket, they chatted about developing the bid as well as a new brochure to send to other Houston companies. Once the basket was filled, they went inside, Stephanie carrying the overflowing cuttings and Dana gingerly holding the stems of an assortment of roses.

"I'll arrange these. You get to your office."

"As soon as I check the mail. Who knows what it'll bring – perhaps a notice that I won the sweepstakes." Dana opened the front door and fished her mail out of the box when AJ's car arrived at the curb. She wanted to scurry back inside and instruct Stephanie to tell him she wasn't home. It was too late for that, however, since AJ had already seen her.

"Hi," he said, walking up. "Am I disturbing you?"

You always disturb me was her silent response. "Why are you here?" she managed instead.

"To see you, of course. Since you were so 'busy' this weekend that you couldn't even return my phone call, I didn't chance being ignored again."

Dummy. You should have bolted after all. Yet Dana knew she could as easily have flown to the moon. All weekend, she'd longed for him, wondering if she'd let a siege of jealousy and false pride lead her down the wrong path. Then she remembered his dismal track record with women.

When Stephanie appeared out of nowhere and tapped her on the shoulder, Dana, now totally unhinged by her conflicting emotions, almost leapt into AJ's arms.

"Didn't mean to sneak up on you. Just wanted to let you know that the flowers are fixed," Steph said. "Hi, Alex. Sorry to run off, but I have, uh. . .laundry to do. Bye, Alex." She left.

Stephanie is as subtle as a runaway train, Dana thought. Uh. . .laundry, indeed. She looked at AJ. "You didn't tell me what you wanted." Her tone was no-nonsense, but AJ paid no attention, taking full advantage of the opening line.

"You," he growled suggestively. "I want you."

"All the other women in your life busy?"

"I've given up on other women."

"Since Friday night?" Dana deliberately added soft laughter to show AJ it meant nothing to her. "Considering all the attention I've received from you this weekend, it obvious how much you want me." Darn. She hadn't meant to say that.

"Which way do you want it, Dana?" He was leaning over her, his arm propped above her head. "Your parting shot in the Wilcox driveway was that I should leave you alone and you've given me no indication since that you've changed your mind. It took all the manly nerve I had to stop by and risk rejection again."

His soulful expression almost brought a giggle to Dana's lips, but he wasn't going to get around her so easily. "Do you particularly enjoy harassing me or can't you find anything better to do today?" she asked as a countermeasure.

"I didn't realize this was harassing you. Actually, I was wondering about lunch. Since I seemed to be drawn to your neighborhood for some reason, I decided to check out the shopping center, then see if I could talk you into a meal."

Having a shopping trip take precedence over her wasn't particularly complimentary, nevertheless, she was hungry, too. She'd breakfasted early and had forgotten all about lunch. No, she admonished. Dana knew it was in her best interests to rebuff him and spend the afternoon working on that bid. "You're out of luck on lunch. The cupboard's bare and the cook's busy. Afraid you'll just have to run to a McDonald's."

He laughed. "I wasn't asking you to feed me, just keep me company. The noon crowd at the Spanish Flower should have thinned out by now. Come be my guest for a change. It's one of my favorite places. What do you say?"

I say go away. That's what her head told her to answer, but Dana listened to her heart, which sent an entirely different message.

Less then fifteen minutes later, she was sitting across from AJ, sipping a margarita and laughing about his meeting with his bandmates that morning. Nick had fallen asleep and snored through the entire session. "We were all wondering if his snores should be recorded in the official transcript."

As the meal progressed, Dana couldn't resist boasting about her call from the meeting planner. AJ was appropriately enthusiastic, giving her a thumbs-up. "That's great," he said. "Only I'm chagrined I didn't suggest something like that myself. I'd like a retreat at Torrence Place, too. That is, if you think you can put up with me."

"I wasn't bucking for your business."

"Now you wouldn't turn me down, would you, Dana?" He took her hand.

"Experience had taught me to be very leery of business deals with you," she answered, trying to keep the conversation impersonal even through both of them understood that AJ had changed the subject and was no longer referring to his band or "Arrangements by Dana."

"Is marrying me a business deal?"

"We aren't talking marriage."

"Weren't we?" AJ's smile was potent, potent enough to reverse the Gulf tides.

"To be honest, the topic frightens me," she admitted.

"Dana Evans, the expert on weddings, terrified over her own? Incredible."

"Still, that's how I feel. How can you not be afraid? We met under bizarre circumstances and we don't know each other that well."

"Well enough. Or is there some sort of timetable I'm not aware of? Do a prescribed number of days need to pass between introduction and wedding day? Am I supposed to court you for a year, then steal a goodnight kiss, and after another year had elapsed, drum up the courage to ask your father for your hand? I thought you were the romantic, Dana. Can you honestly tell me that you don't believe in love at first sight?"

Dana shook her head in dismay. "This is from the man who claims not to believe in love at all? If I had an ounce of good sense, I'd run out of this restaurant like my hair was on fire."

"But you're not going to, are you?" He'd just brushed her hand with his lips when Sarah Martin walked into the restaurant.

Chapter 13
Chapter 11
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