Flames of Passion

“You think he wants more?” Nya asked, panicked. “Is that what he told Mason?”

Sabrina didn’t answer right away, and again Nya felt a sense of panic. Did she see something mischievous in Sabrina’s eyes? Did Sabrina know something and was now trying to gauge her attitude before revealing it?

“Is that what he told Mason?” Nya repeated.

“Relax,” Sabrina told her. “Tyler didn’t say that. At least that’s not what Mason said to me.”

“Oh.” Nya shuffled uncomfortably in her seat. “Well, that’s good.” She wondered why she felt the slightest hint of disappointment.

Did she really have to wonder? Obviously, Tyler was hot. She had taken a self-imposed vow of no dating, but that didn’t mean that her attraction to men had died. It just meant that she was making sure to watch her behavior, as opposed to reacting spontaneously.

“I don’t know, Nya. You’re different. It’s hard to figure you out. A guy like Tyler... I figured he would be right up your alley.”

And he was. Which was the problem. What worried Nya about going out with him was the fact that Tyler was the type of man who could make her forget her vow. And she didn’t want to be sidetracked.

“What’s to figure out?” Nya asked. “Like I said, I’m taking a break from dating.”

“Mason did tell me to tell you that Tyler is one of the good guys.”

Nya swallowed. The words intrigued her...and yet she didn’t want to be intrigued. “You’re not telling me that Mason’s trying to play matchmaker now?”

“Just passing along a message. Something to think about.”

“Damn, I shouldn’t have kissed Tyler. He seriously expects me to go on the date Friday night? Not a date. You know what I mean.”

Sabrina gave her another amused look, which irritated Nya. Sabrina was the one who had told her that she needed to slow down when it came to dating. Now it appeared that, just because Sabrina had been bitten by the love bug, she had suddenly lost her objectivity.

“Mason was adamant. He said that Tyler’s not letting you out of it. Obviously, no one can force you to go. But why not go?”

“Looks like I don’t really have a choice,” Nya said glumly. “I used him—shamelessly—so it seems I have to deal with the consequences of my own behavior.”

“It’s just one evening. And who knows...?”

Nya gaped at Sabrina. “I can’t believe you’re saying that. You, of all people. You’re the one who was forever telling me that I needed to slow down when it came to relationships.”

“What can I say? I guess I have a bit of a soft spot for firefighters these days.”

A dreamy expression came over Sabrina’s face, and Nya knew that her mind had gone to the land of love where she and Mason lived. It was good to see her friend all gushy over a man.

“In fact, Mason and I have a solution to make Friday night not so awkward, if you’re concerned about going out with Tyler when you don’t really know him.”

“What’s that?”

“Mason was wondering if you could get two more tickets to the premiere. For us.”

Nya’s stomach lurched, and she thought she might be sick. “You want me to call Russell and ask him for two more tickets to the event?”

“I’d love to see the film. And hey, if Mason and I are there at the event with you and Tyler, it’ll be like four friends getting together.”

“Or a double date.” The idea mortified her. “You really want to see the film?”

“I was always interested in it when you first started working on it with Russell. So yeah, I’m curious. Besides, it’ll be an excuse to dress up and hang out with my man. Get him hot and bothered and then take him home...”

At least Sabrina’s words made Nya chuckle. “Wow, Mason really did unleash your inner sex goddess, didn’t he?”

“I have to say, I’m happier than I’ve ever been.”

“I believe it.”

Sabrina’s happy expression morphed into frustration when her stomach grumbled. “And I’m also hungrier than I’ve ever been,” she said. “This has been a crazy morning, but I’ve got half an hour before my next appointment. I’m gonna run out and get a bite to eat. Think about what I said, okay? Mason and I would love to go to the premiere. If it’s not too much trouble for you to contact Russell.”

Nya watched her friend disappear through the front door, wondering how things had escalated so much.

The ringing phone distracted Nya from her thoughts, and she got back to work.

Fifteen minutes later, the phone had stopped ringing, so Nya opened up her email. She still knew Russell’s email address, as it hadn’t been hard to forget. She logged on and typed it in.

Then she paused, not sure what to write.

As the minutes ticked by, she wondered why this was such a hard task. “Get a grip, and get over it.”

She drafted Russell an email, asking if two more tickets were available for the event. And as she did, she started to feel better about things. Instead of seeing Friday night as a double date, she started to see it as an opportunity to be with her best friend. Having Sabrina there would lessen the pressure and make it less like a date between her and Tyler. She certainly didn’t have to stick by Tyler’s side when there were more people there. Tyler could hang with Mason, and she could hang with Sabrina. If Russell was nearby, Nya would make sure to play lovey-dovey with Tyler, but otherwise she could hang with Sabrina.

Yes, it was a great idea to have Sabrina and Mason go along with them. Plus, if she was asking Russell for more tickets, he certainly couldn’t believe she was still hung up on him. It was more proof—she hoped, anyway—that she was firmly over him.

Nya sent the message off to Russell as Sabrina breezed back in. She looked harried.

“You really ought to take an hour for yourself. Have a proper lunch, unwind a bit.”

Sabrina shook her head as she sipped the last bit of orange juice from a plastic cup. “I don’t have the time.”

“You know you have to slow down sooner or later. You don’t want to disappoint Mason.”

Sabrina, who had already passed the reception desk en route to her studio, paused to look over her shoulder. “Oh, Mason’s far from disappointed.” She winked.

As her friend disappeared, Nya couldn’t help feeling a slight sense of wistfulness. Not since Russell had she felt a true electric charge for someone, that sense of excitement and fulfillment that Sabrina was experiencing now.

And despite Nya’s resolve to say single, there was a small part of her that still craved that sense of belonging to someone.

There was still a part of her that craved finding Mr. Right.

Chapter 5 (#ulink_2fe39860-ccde-5b99-b806-2b0992ed814f)

“Sabrina Crawford Photography,” Nya said into the receiver.

“Nya?” came the male voice.

Nya’s heart spasmed at the sound of the deep, sexy voice on the other end of the line. “Speaking.”