Rory glanced at the clock.

He’d be here in a few minutes. Will was always on time.

She checked herself in the full-length mirror again and adjusted her knee-length red dress that exposed one shoulder. Her hair put up on one side, dangly rhinestone earrings, eyes done up like an Egyptian princess. And her only pair of red shoes, the platforms he’d noticed with her Dorothy costume. She wasn’t in Savannah’s league, but she’d never looked better.

She moved to the dining room, the table already set and candles lit under dimmed light. Soft music played in the background. She pulled a bottle of wine from the ice bucket and poured herself a glass.

The doorbell rang and she moved to answer it. She stopped at the door, took a deep breath, and looked at her cat. “Here goes, tiger. Hope I turn his head. Wish me luck.” She drank a little wine, hoping it would calm her down, but her heart rate spiked as she opened the door.

What she saw answered her question.

Will, eyes wide, jaw hanging slightly open. “Whoa.”

“Hi, Will. C’mon in.”

He slowly entered the house, staring at her. “Damn, Rory, you look absolutely phenomenal.”

“Why thank you.”

She headed toward the dining room, wanting him to notice the candlelight. “Would you like a glass of wine?”

“Uh... yeah, sure. Looks like you’ve got plans. Sure you don’t want me to come back another time?”

“Nope. Everything’s on schedule.” She grabbed the bottle, poured a glass, and handed it to him. “Cheers.” She clinked his glass.

He took in the scene. “Looks like you’ve got a hot date.”

“I hope so. I sure could use one.”

“You hope so?”

“Depends on if he materializes.”

“Huh. The guy who stands you up is an idiot.”

“Awww, aren’t you sweet. And any guy who stands me up gets paid back in spades.” She walked toward Skylar’s drafting table. “Anyway, let me show you what we’ve been working on. Like I said, we’re stuck and really need a man’s point of view on this.”

“You sure I’m not interrupting something? I could come by tomorrow.”

“I told you seven o’clock, and it’s seven. You’re not interrupting anything.”

“Okay.”

She stopped in front of the drafting table, filled with a bunch of storyboard panels. “Skylar’s done some preliminary work on this, but I’m stuck... maybe you can help me finish this, you’re so clever.”

“So who’s the client?”

“It’s a matchmaking service.”

“Geez, there are already a ton of those online. Does the world really need another one?”

“Well, this one’s a little different.”

“What’s it called?”

She pointed at the first panel. “Misjudged.”

“Huh?”

“The woman in the commercial. Her name is Miss Judged. Get it?”

“Oh, okay. Clever play on words.”

“Anyway, the basic premise is that sometimes people misjudge prospective dates based on a first impression. That in our instant gratification society, single people aren’t willing to spend enough time to get to know others. And very often, they miss out on someone who might be their soul mate.”

He nodded. “Okay.” He pointed to the storyboard. “So what is... Miss Judged... doing here?”

“The commercial starts with her meeting a guy. There’s physical attraction, she thinks he’s really cute, but they get off on the wrong foot when he says something she takes the wrong way. She immediately dismisses him without getting to know him.”

“And we’re supposed to show how this service will help her realize he’s right for her.”

“He might be right for her, but without a first date Miss Judged will never know if she blew off Mister Right. So the object is to get to that first date. Like any matchmaking service, the idea is to get the relationship started, then it’s up to the couple.” She turned back to the storyboards. “Anyway, she figures he’s a jerk but in the next shot she sees him doing something nice, so she’s beginning to wonder about him. But by this time he already thinks she doesn’t like him so he’s never going to approach her.”

“Okay. So now the service gets involved?”

“Not yet.” She pointed at the next panel. “Next shot, she’s daydreaming about him. While that’s happening she sees him again, but he’s having dinner with this gorgeous woman and she figures he’s got a girlfriend. So she thinks she’s got no shot.”

He furrowed his brow. “I’m getting a little confused already about how this spot is going to promote the matchmaker. Can I see the copy?”

She patted his arm. “Patience, grasshopper.” She pointed to his glass. “You like the wine?”

“It’s excellent. Actually it’s my favorite kind.”

“Good. Okay, back to our story. So first Miss Judged has crossed the guy off her prospects list and now she thinks he’s unavailable. As it turns out, the gorgeous woman is not his girlfriend, but simply a platonic friend, and in this case, she represents the matchmaking service. She notices Miss Judged keeps staring at the guy and realizes they might be good together. So she gets together with Miss Judged and tells her she’s not his girlfriend, they’re just good friends. Miss Judged is impressed that the guy can be a platonic friend with a woman who is absolutely stunning. She learns stuff about him which shows him to be a truly decent man.”

“So basically the gorgeous woman is the matchmaker and she’s knocking some sense into Miss Judged.”

“Right.” Rory went to the last storyboard. “So now Miss Judged realizes he’s not only a good guy but he’s also available.” Rory turned to him and smiled.

He looked at the storyboard. “But you need an end to the commercial.”

“Right.”

“So, you wanna show them getting married, a standard happily ever after?”

“No, the point of the matchmaking service is to get Miss Judged to the first date because now she has a chance to find out if he’s her soul mate. He might not be, but without a first date, she will never know. So what I need is something that tells her he’s receptive, even though she’s blown him off and been rude to him. Like some sort of signal he gives her that he’s interested.”

“Hmmm. I might have to think about that. When do you need this?”

She shrugged. “Yesterday. Let me ask you this.” She turned to face him and moved close. “How would a man react if a woman had been rude to him all along and then all of a sudden she seems interested?”

“I, uh... well...”

She moved even closer, close enough to get a hint of his cologne. She took a sip of wine. “Well, what would you think if you were the guy in the commercial?”

His eyes widened a bit and he backed up half a step. “I would wonder... why the sudden change in Miss Judged?”

“Remember, this is a TV commercial. Think visually. We need to see how he feels, now how he thinks. Show, don’t tell. Let’s say she gets all gussied up and he’s never seen her look so good. She’s not a traffic stopper by any means, but she’s bringing her A game and going all out to impress him. Of course, she’s still not sure he’s interested in her.” She took a half step toward him, then ran a finger down his cheek. She rested her hand on his chest, getting a good feel of his pecs. “How would Will Prescott react in that situation? Does he feel some attraction to a woman who has been rather cold to him?”

“I, uh... Rory, how much have you had to drink?”

She held up her wine. “This is my first glass. Why? You worried I was going to drive somewhere? I’m in for the night.” She cocked her head toward the dining room table. “My hot date who I hope will materialize, remember? If all goes well, I don’t plan on letting him leave.” She downed the rest of the glass in one gulp, put it on a table, took his, drank it all and set the glass aside. “But I appreciate your concern. I assure you, I am in complete control of my faculties.” She took his shoulders and started to push him back toward the wall. “Complete. Control.”

“So you’re expecting someone for dinner?”

“Yep.”

“I don’t want to get you in trouble—”

“You’ve also misjudged me, Will. Like the girl in the commercial. Sometimes I’m a bad girl and I like getting in trouble. I am way overdue to misbehave. Hey! Maybe we should change the name of the woman in the commercial to Miss Behave!”

“Rory—”

She put one finger on his lips. “Didn’t Savannah teach you not to interrupt a woman when she’s talking? Now, back to our story since this commercial still needs an ending.” She looked up at the ceiling for a moment. “Perhaps I’m looking at it backwards... we don’t need the man’s point of view. The woman is the one in control. Yeah, that’s it. Miss Judged is the one taking charge. Why didn’t I think of that earlier? She’s the one who needs to let him know she’s interested.” She pushed him back a little more, finally reached the wall and pressed her body against his. “So, what do you think? Or, what does the guy in the commercial do at this point?”

He swallowed hard as he locked eyes with her. “He certainly doesn’t stop her because he is beyond attracted to her and has been for a long time. But he’s wondering how this is going to end.”

“That’s the point, and why I need your point of view as to what should happen next. The man in the commercial doesn’t know and Miss Judged doesn’t know because it’s a first date. There could be a series of commercials. This is just the beginning of the relationship, remember? The question is, do the woman’s actions get the message across that she is in control and doesn’t have to wait for the man to make a move?”

“I, uh, think that’s pretty clear.”

Rory leaned back a bit and started to unbutton his shirt.

“Rory—”

“Hey, remember when I gave you those cuff links and you had a problem getting them on? Savannah said she helps you get dressed. So I thought you might need a woman in your life to help you get un-dressed.” She slid her hands inside his shirt, across his chest and down to his abs.

His eyes became saucers as she stole his breath.

“Oh, one more thing, Will. How do you think the guy would react now since Miss Judged has been so rude to him but now she’s coming on to him?” She ran one finger under his waistband.

He closed his eyes as his jaw slowly dropped. “Oh, God...”

“Guess that answers my question.”

“Rory, I’m wondering...”

“Yeah?”

“About that hot date you have coming for dinner. Won’t your boyfriend get upset finding us in this position?”

“What boyfriend are you referring to?”

“The guy I saw you with in a restaurant. Huge guy, incredibly good looking.”

“Him? Pffft. He’s not my boyfriend. We didn’t even make it through one date. I left the restaurant alone and took a cab. But the question is, why are you wanting to discuss a man who isn’t half as attractive to me as you are?”

“When you said you were expecting a hot date, I assumed it was him.”

“Damn, Will, Savannah was right. You really are clueless about women sometimes. My hot date is already here.” She took his face in her hands and kissed him, long and hard. She took his wrists and pinned them against the wall. Her passion shot through the roof. Their lips parted and she leaned her head back but didn’t let him go, instead pressing him against the wall even harder. “My, what a predicament you’re in. You seem to be trapped with no means of escape.”

“I feel like I’ve been in this situation before, Rory. This might need a new ending. You gonna finish what you started this time? Or start apologizing?”

She smiled at him. “I’m not sorry for what I’m about to do to you. So, do you like it when the woman is the aggressor?”

“I’m not trying to get away, am I?”

“You’d have no chance if you did. Right now you’re the irresistible force but I’m the immovable object. Admit you’re powerless against me, and let me take you.”

“You’re the boss.”

“And don’t you forget it.” She kissed him again, with a passion she’d never felt before. Finally she came up for air. “Savannah said you like strong women.”

“I do.”

“Well, in that case...” She stepped back, took one hand and led him toward the bedroom.

“Doesn’t a first date usually start with dinner?”

“It does. You’re the main course.”

***

RORY PROPPED HERSELF up on one elbow and looked down at her conquest, who lay there totally spent. “You okay? You’re breathing awfully hard.”

“Good God, Rory. When you said you were going to take me, you weren’t kidding.”

“I actually got the idea from something you said at the first cat food presentation.”

“Huh?”

“You mentioned that Savannah had been riding you pretty hard. Of course I found out you meant that she was working overtime making you a better person. Anyway, I thought you might enjoy having it taken literally. I sure as hell enjoyed it, especially considering not everything about you is proportional. Good God, what do you feed that thing?”

“Copywriters.”

“Funny.”

“You really do like being in charge, don’t you?”

“Very much. Do you have a problem being physically dominated by a woman?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Good. You’d better obey, or I’ll bend you across my knee and give you a good spanking.”

He laughed a bit. “Actually, that sounds like fun. Maybe I won’t behave at some point in the future.”

“I’ll file that away for future reference.”

“I do like you on top, Rory.”

“I like being there. If I’m on top I can control you and focus on those incredible abs of yours.” She ran one hand across his stomach.

He pointed at his face. “Uh, my eyes are up here.”

She slid her hands up to his chest. “I’ll deal with those when you have a shirt on.”

“You know, your being on top is an advantage for me as well, as the view from down here was equally impressive. It was a very nice surprise, considering you don’t dress in revealing outfits.”

“Glad I measure up. Since you sure do.”

He started to laugh. “You know, it was funny when you brought me in here and I saw that lump under the comforter. I was wondering if maybe you kept a can of loose change under the mattress.”

“Hemingway is very cold natured. He tunnels in every night, especially this time of year. It’s like having a bed warmer. He has things nice and toasty by the time I turn in.”

“Thankfully he didn’t interrupt us.”

“Hey, he knows who the provider of treats is.”

“You know, Rory, we’re doing this backwards. Usually the guy takes a girl out on a few dates first. And it’s a candlelight dinner before sex.”

“I’m not the average girl.”

“No, you’re certainly not.”

“You want me to dress up like Dorothy and we can go again?”

“Didn’t I satisfy you?”

“Oh absolutely. I’m just a greedy little thing. And it’s been a while.”

“It’s been forever for me but I think you’ve already drained me of all bodily fluids. Save that costume for later, okay? But keep the shoes.”

“Sure. Since we’re doing things backwards, you ready for dinner now?”

“Starved, but I might need help getting to the table.”

“By the way, one thing you should know about me as far as dinners go.”

“What’s that?”

“If you don’t wanna go broke, I suggest when we go out you should take me to a buffet. I eat like a horse.” She started to get up but he grabbed her hand.

“Hey.”

“What, Will?”

He pulled her back to the bed and gave her an incredibly soulful look, then started to stroke her hair. He didn’t say anything.

“What, Will?”

“That commercial for your... new client.”

“Yeah?”

“You wrote a perfect script tonight. Can’t wait to see the next one.”

***

SOMETHING TICKLED RORY awake. She cracked one eye open and saw Hemingway inches away from her face, his whiskers on her chin. “Morning, tiger.” She stroked his head and he gave her a lick. She started to turn toward the other side of the bed. “And good morning—”

But Will was gone.

“Oh, you gotta be kidding me. And just when I thought he was different.” She shook her head in disgust, threw back the covers and started to get up but stopped as Will walked into the bedroom wearing nothing but a pair of boxers and carrying a tray.

“Ah, Rory, you’re up.”

“Oh, you’re still here.”

He furrowed his brow. “Where else would I be?”

“That, Sir, is the perfect answer.” She pushed herself up and rested her back on the headboard. “What’s all this?”

He placed a tray in front of her with orange juice, coffee, a bagel, bacon and eggs. “Considering how well you took care of me last night I figured you deserved room service. I assumed you might be hungry. You know, considering all the calories you burned taking advantage of me.”

“Hey, I need my cardio. But you’re right, I’m starving. And you’re incredibly nice. A guy has never done this for me.”

“Oh, so guys spend the night here often?”

“Damn, I should wait till I’m fully awake until speaking. Anyway, when I woke up and didn’t see you I thought—”

“You aren’t getting rid of me that easy. I’m not just some cheap one-night stand you can use and throw away. What kind of a guy do you think I am?”

She patted the bed. “C’mon, have breakfast with me. I’ll share.”

He grabbed the bagel and took a bite. “I’m still blown away by what you did last night.”

“Poor choice of words.”

“What did I say?”

“Blown away.”

“Very funny. Anyway, I never expected to end up here this morning when you asked me to drop by. Talk about a wonderful surprise.”

“Well, after Savannah cleared things up and told me you were interested but that you’d never make a move, it was up to me. I had to know.”

“Know what?”

She shoveled a forkful of eggs into her mouth, then washed it down with some coffee. “If the incredible electricity I felt when I kissed you at the Halloween party was real. And it was.”

“So it wasn’t the booze?”

“Nope. It was you, looking beyond cute, helping me on with my jacket, carrying me into the house when I couldn’t stand up. Taking care of me and my cat. And of course, something I had never felt before when I kissed you. A girl doesn’t forget stuff like that.”

“I guy doesn’t forget the best kiss he ever had either. You have no idea how hard it was to see you and work with you after that happened and not do anything about it.”

She flashed a wicked grin. “Oh, it was hard when I was around?”

He blushed a bit. “I meant to say it was difficult. Damn, you have a dirty mind.”

“For what it’s worth, Will, I couldn’t get that night out of my head either. But Savannah had you well trained. By the way, what you did for her, splitting the prize... that speaks volumes about your character. Your generosity really made your stock go up. So I needed to make a move before some other girl scooped you up.”

“I’m flattered you would say that, but honestly, women aren’t exactly beating down my door, Rory.”

“They would have been now that you’ve been fixed.” Hemingway meowed from the foot of the bed and she turned to him. “Not that kind of fixed, kitty.” She grabbed a piece of bacon as she turned back to Will. “He’s a little sensitive about that subject since he’s been... you know... snipped.”

Will reached out and scratched the cat under the chin. “You think he’s jealous of me?”

“I guess we’ll find out. But he already likes you, so I think he’ll be okay if you get some of my attention.”

“So, you’re the kind of girl who can be shared?”

“Now you’re the one with the dirty mind.”

“Well, since you take everything literally I thought I’d give it a shot.”

Rory finished her cup of coffee. “Is there any more?”

“I made a big pot. I’ll get you another cup.”

“Normally I’d say you don’t have to wait on me, but I’m really enjoying this. Maybe later you can peel me a grape.”

“Certainly, your highness.” Will took the empty cup and headed for the kitchen.

And then Rory heard the lock turn on the front door, realized it was a weekday and Skylar had arrived. “Oh, shit!” She grabbed her robe, threw it on and headed out of the bedroom just in time to see Skylar smiling at Will, standing there in a pair of boxers behind the kitchen counter.

Skylar licked her lips. “Honey, if you’re the new receptionist, our business is going to skyrocket.”

Will dashed back to the bedroom, passing Rory, who blushed as she walked toward Skylar. “Skylar... I, uh—”

“Forgot it was a school night?”

“And that you’d be here this morning.”

Skylar folded her arms and started to laugh. “Obviously.”

“What?”

“I’ve never seen you do the walk of shame.”

“I’m not remotely ashamed of what happened last night, Skylar.”

“I take it things went well.”

She nodded and lowered her voice. “Let’s put it this way. If the cat food CEO calls, you can go out with him. Right now I’m off the market.”

“I would assume so, since you won’t sleep with one guy and date someone else.”

“Right. I’m a nice girl.”

Skylar snorted.

“Bite me.”

Will returned wearing a pair of slacks while buttoning his shirt. “Sorry you had to see me like that, Skylar.”

“I’m not. Hey, don’t put on a shirt on my account. The view I got was a nice way to wake up. Feel free to come by that way anytime.”

Now Will started to blush. “I, uh, I guess I need to get to my office. By the way, Skylar, nice storyboards. I know that wasn’t in your job description. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Will turned to Rory. “Call you later. And thanks for dinner.” He gave her a wink.

Skylar snorted again. “Right. Dinner.” Rory glared at her.

Rory walked him to the door. “I guess we’ll find out if you’re a guy who calls when he says he will.”

“I’m putting you on speed dial.” He kissed her on the cheek, grabbed his coat and headed out.

Skylar walked to the kitchen and poured herself a cup of coffee. “So, details.”

“He served me breakfast in bed.”

“Damn, you must have been a bad girl. Though not the kind of details I was looking for.”

“Let’s just say the Halloween scenario worked. And he’s an amazing lover. To be honest... best ever.”

“Well, I hope great sex won’t cloud your judgment.”

“Me? Of course not. Then again, I’m wondering if he’s free for lunch.”

“So, what now?”

“Guess I’ll find out if he’s still interested after spending the night. You know how men are after they get you in the sack.”

“I get the impression it was the other way around and you got him in the sack.”

“Yeah, whatever. It still applies.”

“What about your level of interest?”

“I sure hope he calls.”

“He will, Rory. Long as you don’t do the stuff on your list.”