Sleepless in Savannah

Sleepless in Savannah

by

Rita Herron

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

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Copyright © 2003, 2011 by Rita Herron. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

Originally published by: Dorchester Publishing/Lovespell, September 2003

Cover and eBook design by eBook Prep
www.ebookprep.com

Thank You
.

Dedication

To all the fans of Marry Me, Maddie, who requested Lance and Reid's story—this one is for you. Hope you enjoy and that Lance suffered enough!

And also to Andy for giving Emily the real deal—the Diet Cokes with the balloons!

Chapter 1

"Listen, Sophie, just follow the seven sacred rules for trapping a man." Maddie Summers-Holloway quirked an eyebrow, a hint of mischief in her sparkling brown eyes. "Then you'll snag Lance and we'll be sisters-in-law."

Sophie Lane laughed, squinting at her reflection in the mirror of the green room. Now that Maddie had been married an entire month, she was the expert. "Right. I'm sure he'll fall for those old tricks."

Not that she wanted to trick anyone into marriage. She didn't. She simply wanted Lance to fall in love with her the way she had fallen for him. And she had caught glimpses of moments when she knew he was attracted to her. That kind of chemistry she couldn't have misread.

But he'd blown her off with as much gusto as she would blow out her birthday candles a few days from now; anything to make the flaming evidence of aging disappear.

Thirty and still single.

At least she had a few good eggs left, or so her doctor had said at her last physical.
That
had made her feel
sooo
much better.

Maddie gave her a sympathetic look. "Hey, they might work. Lance is attracted to you. He just has some commitment issues to resolve. I swear, he still feels compelled to uphold that stupid bachelor pact Chase and my brothers made when they were kids."

Sophie sighed and sipped her diet Coke. She could understand young boys making an agreement never to get married, even writing it down, but to renew it as men? Even though they were worried romance might interfere with their work schedules and newly founded business, the pact was ridiculous. "At least Chase tore his up for you."

"Yeah, tearing up that pact was a beautiful thing." A dreamy glow settled into Maddie's eyes—the elated, happy look only newly married women possessed.

The look Sophie wanted for herself.

She leaned forward, searching for laugh lines in the mirror, but discovered frown ones instead, then pivoted the chair toward Arial, her makeup artist. "Do you think I need more powder around the eyes?"

Arial shook her head, her carrot-colored hair bobbing. "Too much, and it settles, uh..." Arial's expression turned to horror as she realized her faux pas. "It makes you look too made-up."

In other words—old.

Sophie winced. She didn't need a reminder. The ominous onset of the big three-oh had precipitated her willingness to trick Maddie's brother Lance into this date. After all, nothing else had worked so far.

Desperate desires called for desperate measures.

She was
not
desperate, she reminded herself. And this would be the very
last
time she offered her heart up to be broken by Lance.

After all, he'd only agreed to appear today on the "Dating Game" episode out of guilt for treating her so poorly a few weeks ago. Why, the insufferable man had accused her of digging up sordid secrets about his family to air on TV just to spike her ratings. As if she would do such a thing.

Although she had conceded to a little minor manipulation today—the dating game was rigged so Lance would take home the prize.

Her.

Once he won, they'd embark on a romantic weekend getaway to Cancun. She hoped to dance her way into his heart on the beach, into his bed in the bungalow, and maybe into his life forever before the return flight home.

Maddie's wedding ring glittered as she finger-combed her auburn hair, and envy curled in Sophie's belly. "Rule number one:" Maddie chirped, "Bait the hook with a juicy worm."

"You mean I'm fish bait?"

"Right, translation—dress and act like a sex siren."

Sophie fluffed her own short black spiked hairdo, wondering if she should let her hair grow. Or dye it red, or let it go blond the way she used to wear it in Vegas.

A shudder gripped her.

No. Someone might recognize her from her past, and that could mean trouble: the kiss of death for
the Sophie Knows
show and the decent reputation she'd built for herself. Short and black would have to do. And if Lance didn't like it...

"Rule number two: Dangle the bait."

"Translation?"

"Shake your booty in his face and tease him mercilessly." Maddie tapped her metallic blue fingernails on the arm of the chair. "You won't have any problems there. Once Lance sees how fabulous you look in that string bikini, he'll be so tongue-tied he won't be able to resist you."

Sophie eyed her derriere in the mirror. Those extra five pounds she'd gained from pigging out on chocolate kisses would not help her case. "I'm not counting on it."

"Then move on to rule number three: Give him a nibble, then yank the line."

"Let me guess. A little kissing is allowed, even a little tongue, but no heavy petting."

"You're getting the hang of it."

Sophie chewed her nail. "Where did you get all this sage advice anyway?"

"Cosmo,
of course."

Sophie pursed her lips. Of course,
Cosmo
knew everything about dating, sex, and relationships. "Okay, what's rule number four?"

"Make him swim in circles to catch the bait." Maddie wiggled her hips. "See, wiggle your butt and prance around with your boobs half falling out, but don't let him touch them... yet."