Chapter One

Cassie Grace checked her wristwatch again and continued pacing the room. Late for a necessary refitting, the maid-of-honor wasn’t answering her phone. Nor, for that matter, was the bride. With only a few hours left until the wedding march began, Cassie had let out the bodice seams, but she needed the body.

She dialed Amy, the maid-of-honor’s, room. Pick up, pick up!

The moment the hotel’s automatic message center began Cassie disconnected. She’d already left two messages.

The bride’s frantic call two days ago concerning an emergency appendectomy for one of the bridesmaids had forced Cassie to reschedule appointments and spend an entire day altering a dress to fit an eleventh hour replacement.

Then Amy had arrived and given Cassie another setback.

The model had made a grand entrance at last night’s rehearsal dinner and wowed the bridal party with her recently enhanced bosom. While everyone had admired the major development, Cassie had scrambled to move her Saturday appointments into next week. The model’s brand new double D’s hadn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of fitting into the bodice of her gown.

Cassie dialed Amy’s room again with no result. She should have insisted on a fitting last night before the entire wedding party went out on the town.

She called the bride’s room. Finally, Heather answered the phone.

“Amy didn’t show for her fitting.”

“What time is it?”

“Ten.”

“Ten! I need coffee.”

“I need a maid-of-honor. Amy’s not answering her phone.”

“She sleeps like a log. Bang on her door.”

Cassie rubbed her forehead to ward away the pain signaling a stress-generated headache. “I did. She’s not answering that either.”

“Uhh. Oh yeah. Try Jason’s room.”

“Jason. The best man?”

“Yeah. Tall. Dark hair. Blue eyes.”

The moment Cassie had laid eyes on the best man she’d understood the breathy exchange she’d overheard between the bridesmaids. The Seattle architect was tall, lean, movie star handsome with broad shoulders, a Southern California tan and a smile that promised passion.

“What’s his room number?”

“The guys are in the north wing of the fourteenth floor. Bang on doors at the end of the corridor, you’ll find him.”

Last night Cassie had hoped for an introduction, but an urgent call from another bride-to-be had demanded her attention. She’d finally get to meet Jason only to roust him out of bed with the maid-of-honor. “Thanks.”

Cassie hung up the phone, shouldered her large leather bag and rushed to the elevator. Standing before the groom’s suite, she chose a door and knocked. A blond man dressed in a pair of knit boxers opened the door. He peered at her between his fingers.

One of the ushers she’d met last night was blond. “Which room is Jason’s?”

He pointed to a door across the hall.

Cassie knocked on Jason’s door. When no one responded she fisted her hand and pounded until it hurt. At wit’s end, she spotted a maid’s cart at the far end of the hall.

Fabricating a story about leaving her key, she convinced the maid to open the best man’s door. Cassie closed the door carefully and tiptoed to the bed.

“Jason.”

Naked and lying face down on a blanket, the best man was stretched out on the floor. Sprawled on her back with her double D’s at attention, a snoring Amy slept in the bed.

Cassie’s gaze slid along Jason’s naked length. Fit to the point of zero fat, his wide shoulders tapered to narrow hips and a tight tush several shades lighter than his back and legs.

Remembering her mission, Cassie stepped over the best man and nudged Amy’s shoulder. The maid-of-honor snorted and resumed snoring. Cassie poked her again.

“Amy!”

In one shocking move, the best man awoke and jumped to his feet. Fierce arctic blue eyes confronted her as a CD player flew out of his hand and bounced on the carpet.

Earphones dangled down his heaving chest. Gaze drifting south, Cassie’s mouth went dry.

“What the hell?”

Cassie started to apologize, but began to garble her words at the sight of his morning erection. He snatched the blanket off the floor and wrapped it around his waist.

Looking her up and down, he yanked out the earphones. “Do I know you?”

She blinked, forcing the image of his impressive erection out of her mind, and met his penetrating gaze. “Uhhhh no.”

Muscles bunched as he lifted his arm and shoved his fingers through his dark hair. “Did Heather put you up to this?”

Cassie shook her head. “Amy’s late for her fitting.”

“Her fitting? You could have knocked.”

“I did. I’m sorry to wake you, but I have to get those,” Cassie pointed at Amy’s breasts, “into a dress designed for a C cup.”

The best man glanced at the sleeping maid-of-honor then he gave her a movie star smile. His teeth were perfect. Either he was blessed or his parents had bought his orthodontist a yacht.

“You’re Cassie, the designer?”

“Yes. I apologize for disturbing you, but Amy wasn’t in her room and…”

The blanket slid down one hip as he bent and scooped the portable CD player off the floor. “And?”

“And I’ve been waiting for her since nine.” Lifting her gaze Cassie caught the slow curl of his lips.

He placed the CD player on the bedside table and hitched up the blanket. “I’m Jason. Jason Land.”

“Jason, I need your help. I’ve only a few hours and I’ve got to alter her gown.”

He glanced at the maid-of-honor. “She’s dead to the world.”

Things weren’t looking good. The young woman hadn’t moved a muscle.

“I could try to measure her as she is.”

“This I gotta see.” He made a circle with his index finger. “Turn around.”

Cassie spun on her heel. Turning her head, she started to peek.

“Order coffee for three while I shower.”

She snapped her head around, looking forward. The bathroom door slammed shut. Taking that as her cue to turn around, Cassie hooked her bag over the back of a chair and called room service. After giving Amy another couple of pokes, she gave up and covered the model with the blanket. The woman moaned and rolled into the fetal position.

A few minutes later Jason walked out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. He’d combed his hair but hadn’t shaved; still he managed to look sexy as sin.

Cassie caught the clean scent of man as Jason crossed the room and opened the closet. Her gaze was lingering over the muscled vee of his back when he made a circle with his index finger.

“I can wait outside,” Cassie said as she turned away.

Clothes rustled. “No need.”

Dressed in a pair of button-fly jeans and a black t-shirt, Jason perched on the edge of the bed next to Amy.

“Get a wet washcloth.”

Wondering how much experience he had with gorgeous, dead-to-the-world women in his bed, Cassie did as he asked.

Jason touched the wet cloth to Amy’s forehead and cheeks.

“Wake up. It’s Heather’s wedding day.”

Amy moved her head then moaned. “Tired, Jas.”

“She’s exhausted.”

Given the size of his erection Cassie would love to feel that kind of exhaustion. “Am I supposed to be impressed?”

Jason’s blue gaze locked with hers and his lips curved into a sexy grin. She imagined his mouth on her breast, sliding down her belly to her…Ohhh my.

As if he were reading her mind, his eyes narrowed.

Okay the guy was gorgeous, but fantasizing about him while the maid-of-honor was barely conscious wasn’t playing by the rules. Damn rules.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence, but I was referring to her modeling schedule. She was on a swimsuit shoot on the French Riviera. That’s why she barely made the dinner last night.”

He tickled Amy’s bare foot.

Amy kicked his hand, mumbled an obscenity and drifted off.

“She hates being tickled. And on any other day doing that would earn me a solid punch. Sorry, she’s in no condition to put on a dress.”

At the knock on the door, Jason rose. The hotel employee glanced at the sleeping woman as he placed a tray with a coffee pot and cups onto a small table by the window. The man thanked Jason for a generous tip and left.

“Join me.” Jason pulled out a chair and poured Cassie a cup of coffee. “We’ll let her sleep awhile before I try to get a little coffee down her.”

She added cream and asked Jason how long he’d known Art and Heather.

“All of us, the whole group in the wedding, met at college.” He sipped his coffee. “Art was my roommate during our freshman year. He met Heather during the first semester. The night of their first date he told me she was the one. They’ve been together ever since. They’re the glue that holds the group together.”

“They do seem well matched.”

“They are.”

“Are you and Amy—? I’m sorry that’s none of my business.”

“We’re friends, we’re not… We were back in college. She went to New York and I went to Seattle.” He glanced at the maid-of-honor. “I know how it looks, but she passed out and my room was closer.”

Another fantasy featuring Jason played in Cassie’s head as he poured each of them another cup of coffee.

“Do you live in San Francisco?”

Cassie nodded. She told him about the industrial space she’d converted into a design studio and an apartment. He told her about his job. Cassie was pleased he too had an intense commitment to his career, and like her, he worked long hours to ensure success.

“Sometimes I envy my friends who have eight-to-five jobs, but I love having my own business.”

“Are wedding gowns your specialty?”

“My passion. I love meeting the bride and designing a gown just for her, but I also have a walk-in studio. Every bride deserves a beautiful gown, but not everyone can afford a one-of-a-kind.”

“How long have you been in business?”

“About five years. I started it while I was in design school.”

“How many gowns have you designed? Anyone famous?”

“Not yet.” Cassie set down her empty cup. “You’re really not that interested in wedding gowns, are you?”

“No, but I know how I feel when I design a building.”

“It feels good.”

Amy groaned and tried to sit up. The blanket slid down to her hips as she leaned on one elbow. She blinked several times. “Jas, I gotta pee.”

Jumping to his feet, Jason helped the naked maid-of-honor to her feet and walked her toward the bathroom. Amy looked at Cassie and smiled. “She’s pretty. Did we have a threesome?”

“No.” Jason cheeks pinked. “That’s Cassie. She has to find a way to get your new rack into your bridesmaid dress.”

Amy giggled. “Oh yeah. I got new boobs.”

“How about a shower?”

“Okay, but I gotta pee.”

Now it was Cassie’s turn to giggle. Jason glared at her. “How about a little help?”

Cassie rose and gave him her sweetest smile. “I thought you were doing fine.”

“Well, I’m not.” Jason settled Amy onto the toilet. “Cassie’s going to help you.”

While Cassie held Amy steady, Jason removed his shirt and turned on the shower. Although lean, Jason’s back and arms were strong. He lifted Amy as if she weighed nothing.

Beneath the spray, Amy sputtered and swore.

After a few minutes Jason turned off the water. “Grab a towel.”

He held Amy upright while Cassie wrapped her torso in a soft towel. Water dripped from her long blonde hair. Cassie grabbed another towel and covered her head.

Jason carried Amy out of the bathroom and planted her onto her feet. “You need to measure her, right?”

“I got new boobs,” Amy said. “Jas likes my new boobs. Do you like them, Cassie?”

Jason rolled his eyes.

Cassie dug her tape measure out of her leather bag. “I like them so much I’d like to measure them.”

Amy lifted her arms.

“Is she always so easy-going?”

“She let her hair down last night, but don’t be fooled. When she’s working, she’s all business. I’ll keep her steady.”

Cassie measured while Jason looked over Amy’s shoulder. His eyebrow shot up when he saw the number where the tape met.

Amy rocked on her heels. “My head hurts.”

“As soon as Cassie’s done, you’re going to drink a pot of coffee.”

“Give her water,” Cassie said. “Between the transatlantic flight and the liquor, she’s dehydrated.”

Cassie made the necessary measurements. “I’ll work on her dress. As soon as she’s mobile send her to my room.”

“You’re staying in the hotel?”

“After the last minute replacement for Karin and an accidental tear in the bridal veil, Heather’s mother rented a room for me on the eighteenth floor. Saves time and cab fare.”

She gave him the room number and paused at the door to wave goodbye to Amy. The maid-of-honor waved back and said to Jason “I like her.”

“So do I,” Jason replied before the door closed.

A delicious fantasy starring the best man played in Cassie’s head as she rode the elevator to her floor.