Stephanie Bond - Just Dare Me...

TORONTO • NEW YORK • LONDON AMSTERDAM • PARIS • SYDNEY • HAMBURG STOCKHOLM • ATHENS • TOKYO • MILAN • MADRID PRAGUE • WARSAW • BUDAPEST • AUCKLAND

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Many thanks to my editor, Brenda Chin,

for taking me on more than

one fun outdoor adventure!

And thanks to rugged outdoorsmen and

friends Steve Grantham and Phillip Giese

for giving me tips on various equipment.

Also, thanks to my dad for including me

in his paddling trips while I was growing up,

and for teaching me an appreciation

and respect for the outdoors.

Finally, this story is set in the gorgeous

Amicalola Falls area in the north Georgia

mountains. And although I’ve taken liberties

with the trail names and topography, I highly

recommend the area for hikers of all levels.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Coming Next Month

“SO WHO DO YOU think she slept with to get that promotion?”

Gabrielle Flannery tore her gaze away from the striking blonde in the front of the room, for whom the entire department had gathered for a send-off on a Friday afternoon, and frowned at her coworker, Tori. “Courtney has always been nice to me—and to you.”

Tori snorted. “Yeah, because we catered to her like the servants we are.”

Gabrielle shook her head at her friend and strained for a better view of the cake-cutting from where they stood behind a ficus tree in the crowded conference room. “Well, I, for one, am happy that Courtney is moving on to better things,” she said, keeping her voice lowered.

“Yeah,” Tori muttered. “A six-figure salary, a gargantuan expense account, a new company car and a corner office. Score another one for the cool kids, while we dweebs are still batting zero.”

Gabrielle shifted uncomfortably at being included in the dweeb reference. “You’re being unkind, Tori. We each contribute to the bottom line of this firm, we each have our own accounts.” Her pulse picked up a notch as devilishly handsome Dell Kingston stepped up to say a few parting words about Courtney.

“Right,” Tori said behind her hand. “Don’t you think it’s strange that all the high-profile, exciting products like sex-enhancement drugs and European cars go to people like Courtney Rodgers and Dell Kingston, and people like us get stuck with toilet paper and dog food?”

Gabrielle craned for a better view, although admittedly, the rugged profile of Dell Kingston was of more interest than the decorated sheet cake. “They have seniority,” she murmured absently.

Tori scoffed. “Both of them came in two lousy weeks before we did, Gabrielle, and their careers are light years ahead of ours. Look at us,” she said, swatting at a branch. “They’re in the spotlight, and we’re standing in a tree, spectators to their success.”

Gabrielle bit into her lip, watching Courtney and Dell, the Barbie and Ken of Noble Marketing of Atlanta, smiling at each other as if they shared an intimate secret.

“Now that Courtney is leaving, Dell’s going to be a free man,” Tori whispered in Gabrielle’s ear in a singsongy voice.

“Stop it.” But a flush heated Gabrielle’s neck and face—she wished she’d never shared her huge crush on Dell with Tori, and was glad she hadn’t shared the true extent of her feelings for him. As if Dell Kingston would ever be interested in her, except as the butt of a joke. The man teased her mercilessly about her red hair and freckles, often assuming an outrageous Irish accent for good measure.

“May I have your attention, please?” Dell asked, bestowing his trademark grin on the group assembled.

The room grew quiet, and Gabrielle could feel every cell in her body straining toward him. The man was absolutely magnetic, with big, brown eyes that tied her tongue in knots.

He turned toward the beautiful Courtney. “We’re gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses,” he began, then stopped. “No, wait—that’s only in my dreams.”

Everyone groaned, then laughed as Courtney punched him lightly in the arm.

Gabrielle joined in the laughter halfheartedly, but inside, she succumbed to a pang of envy toward Courtney Rodgers—a tall, golden-haired, voluptuous beauty queen with a distinguished Southern pedigree. She’d used all of those assets to achieve her status as a top-notch manager of some of the firm’s most prestigious accounts and parlayed them into a promotion to the New York office.

Although it was hard to fault the woman. Courtney put in long hours at Noble.

Then Gabrielle sighed inwardly—but not as many hours as she and Tori had put in.

“Seriously,” Dell continued, comfortable at the center of attention, “we’re all going to miss Courtney and we wish her only the best in her new adventure. Oh, and just so everyone knows—I have dibs on the CEG account.”

Everyone laughed at Dell’s good-natured arrogance.

“That account should be yours,” Tori whispered.

The CEG account—Cutting Edge Gear, a hot outdoor equipment account with an even hotter celebrity spokesman. The highlight of Gabrielle’s career had been acting as Courtney’s unofficial assistant on the account, hoping that someday she’d get to meet Nick Ocean, the movie-star spokesman. With Courtney leaving, Gabrielle had secretly entertained fantasies of their boss, Bruce Noble, offering her the account…but, of course, Dell would get it.

Dell said a few final words about Courtney and everyone applauded.

Courtney, who wasn’t just leaving for a new job, but embarking on a new adventure, Gabrielle mused. For some people, every move they made seemed more exciting, more exotic than that of the average person.

The average dweeb.

Dell gave Courtney a hug, leaving his arm slung around her shoulders. Gabrielle leaned forward, wondering how people reached that magical place where the world seemed to fall at their feet. She wished she was fearless, exuded charm, had the nerve to go after what she wanted. How lucky the woman was to orbit in Dell’s galaxy…to have him touching her…

Suddenly the potted tree in front of Gabrielle moved. No, she realized with horrific clarity—she was falling! Hugging the tree, she and the ficus both pitched forward and landed hard on the floor, soil spilling up her long skirt. Gasps sounded all around her, then laughter traveled around the room. Gabrielle rolled onto her back and closed her eyes, praying that everyone would ignore her—as usual—and that the festivities would continue.

“Gabrielle, for heaven’s sake, your skirt is up to your shoulders,” Tori hissed. “Mr. Noble is staring at you. Get up!”

The laughter gained momentum, although it sounded as if people were trying to muffle it with their hands. She lay there, eyes closed, limbs unresponsive, willing a blood clot to take her.