LITMIR.BIZ

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      Cassandra sighed. She couldn’t compete. Not that Cassandra couldn’t get men. Then again, she wasn’t foolish enough to challenge Lilly either.

      Lilly tilted her head. “He keeps looking over here.”

      He leaned back on his chair and boldly held her gaze, not appearing the least bit embarrassed she caught him. A sinking pint of disappointment weighed heavy in Cassandra’s gut. Lilly’s charms must have captured him. She’d already lost. “Then go talk to him.” Her voice came out sharper than she’d intended.

      Lilly put her elbows on the table and rested her chin on her folded hands. “He really resembles the guy from your dreams?”

      “Just forget it.”

      “Cassandra, for months, all I’ve ever heard about is this man in your dreams and now he’s here, you’re ready to toss him into a dung heap like you’ve done with every other guy.”

      Too shaken to combat Lilly’s lawyer needling, Cassandra mumbled, “I haven’t tossed them.” She was too busy sorting out her feelings about mystery man. Did she have a chance with him? Could she talk to him without stuttering like a fool?

      “Yes, you have. Left a long line of piled broken hearts, including Luke’s.”

      “Give me a break? Luke?”

      “He told me he slept with Diana, because you wouldn’t. He’s never had anyone turn him down before except you.”

      “So, you want me to feel sorry for him?”

      “No, just understand him. He said he still cares about you.”

      Glaring, Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. “And you believed him?”

      “I don’t know. He’s such a player who could tell. But players do have feelings.”

      Was she talking about Luke or herself? Cassandra tapped her foot nervously on the floor, trying to decide whether she had led Luke on.

      Lilly. Lilly grew bored with the men she dated and was always on the lookout for some new conquest. “Look Cassandra. You and I have never competed for a guy for a reason.”

      “Yeah, I’d lose.”

      “No, honey. We’re friends. Besides, what makes you think you’d lose? You got Luke didn’t you?”

      “You wanted Luke?”

      Lilly shrugged. “Your friendship means a lot to me. If you want this guy…”

      Fear pooled in her stomach. Dreaming about the man was one thing. She had control in the dream, free to do what she wanted, but this, this was real. What could she say to the man? “Lilly, I don’t…”

      “You’re a liar. Now, go get him.”

      She froze. What if dream man didn’t want her? Luke would laugh, telling her she deserved it. “Excuse me?”

      “Come on, go on.”

      He was sitting reading the paper. No way was she going to interrupt him. Lilly would have no problem sliding into the empty chair next to him and getting his attention, but Cassandra broke out in a cold sweat just thinking about it. Her stomach growled.

      “I’m hungry.” She darted from the table.

      “Chicken.”

      Ignoring Lilly, she hurried to the buffet table, filled her plate with homemade waffles, fresh blueberries and syrup.

      He still sat in his seat. Alone. Good. She couldn’t stand to see him flirt with another woman. Even if she was too chicken to talk with him.

      She returned to her table and bit into the blueberries, relishing their tart, sweet, juicy flavor. Definitely her favorite fruit. She shoveled three more bites.

      “You’re eating the way a death row inmate eats his last meal.”

      Damn Lilly. Mr. Hottie was glued to his paper. God, the man dwarfed his chair. Why did Lilly have to point out every little thing she did wrong? When did she become Ms. Manners. “Well, I, uh, wanted to hit the slopes.”

      Lilly leaned closer. “Do I appear stupid to you? You’re the Queen of Avoiders.”

      “What? No, I’m not.”

      “Look, I know you want him. Get him before someone else does. Your beautiful, Cassandra. He’d be a damn fool to let you go.”

      Easy for Lilly to say. She didn’t turn into a stuttering buffoon around good-looking men. “Lilly, we’re not in seventh grade anymore.”

      “You’re the one who’s in love with a dream guy and now his twin is sitting over there, you’re going to blow him off?”

      “I’m not blowing him off. He’s interested in you.”

      Lilly rolled her eyes. “Cassandra, you don’t know that. Now, go say something. Anything. Rather than sitting here like a shivering snowwoman.”

      “Lilly, stop.”

      “You’re chickening out again. He’s getting coffee.” Lilly glanced at Cassandra’s cup. “You’re out. Go get some.”

      “Lilly, I don’t—”

      Lilly patted Cassandra’s thigh. “If you don’t go over there and, at least, introduce yourself and ask him his name, I’m inviting him here for breakfast.”

      Cassandra couldn’t face him. Not after the dream. He was way out of her league. “You wouldn’t.” The dream man’s words haunted her. He’d promised she would find out his name and—no this was a coincidence. It was a dream. Just a dream.

      Her eyes twinkling, Lilly started to get up.

      “Fine, I’ll go.” Forcing her wobbly legs to move, Cassandra clutched her mug, her nails digging into her palm, and headed to the coffee table. Pain would keep her mind straight. Hopefully.

      Heart pounding and hands sweaty, she brushed up next to him and inhaled his cinnamony scent. Crap, her hormones were going into over drive.

       Concentrate. Concentrate. Concentrate.

      She ached to grab his shoulders, whirl him around and kiss him. What if he did? It would be too much, too real, too terrifying.

      He poured cream into his mug and stirred.

      “Hi,” Cassandra said too loudly. Why had she let Lilly goad her?

       Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

      He cocked an eyebrow. “Do you always say ‘hi’ so angrily?”

      “What do you mean? You don’t know me, and, for your information, I’m not angry.”

      “Then why do you have a scowl on your face?”

      She was so not good at this. “No, I don’t.”

      “Ah, so your idea of a smile is to furrow your eyebrows together, push out your upper lip and narrow your eyes?”

      “I’m not mad.” Her cheeks heated and she had no doubt she resembled a cherry tomato. Her hand shaking, she refilled her cup and pretended that it was more fascinating than him Yeah, right. This wasn’t working. What was wrong with her? Why was she acting as if he just peed in her coffee?

      “So, are you a skier?”

      “No.”

      He lifted his eyebrow.

      “I mean yes. If you’ll excuse me, you’re in my way.”

      “I sure as shit wouldn’t want to see you when you are mad.”

      “I told you I’m not mad.”

      Before she could finish, he moseyed to his chair. She might as well hand him to Lilly on a silver platter. She hurried back

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