This is just an idea that popped into my head a while back. I stopped working on it so I could finish A Cliche in Training. Let me know if you guys like it and I'll post the next chapter. Just as a warning, I have not yet sent this to my beta, but I will and after I shall replace it. This is just to get feedback on the idea. So review and let me know what you guys think!

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Jessica

Why did I even let Leigh talk me into coming to this stupid party? “Small, intimate, formal gathering” my ass! There were over a hundred people in her apartment (not that it was crowded or anything). I closed her door behind me and scanned the faces anxiously for her. She was going to get an earful this time. I hated it when she did this to me. Yes, she may be my oldest and best friend, but that didn’t mean she could do this to me all the time. Why I continued to believe her, I had no idea. At least I wasn’t overdressed. I looked down at my silky, floor length sapphire blue dress, then at everyone else’s clothes. I almost felt underdressed. Wandering around the huge apartment, I finally found her, talking to a young man, probably about our age.

“Leigh!” I exclaimed, walking up to her. Her blue eyes lifted to meet mine, and she grinned.

“Jess!” She cried, and scurried over to me in her high heels and threw her arms around my neck. “You came! I don’t believe it!” I rolled my eyes, sighing as I pushed her off.

“I always come to these ‘intimate gatherings,’ you know that.” I made air quotes with my fingers. Very mature. I know. So sue me. Leigh mock glared at me.

“But it is small!” She protested. “There’s barely a hundred people here!” I shook my head.

“Leigh, has it occurred to you that I feel awkward here? Everyone but me is a big time designer, producer or something like that. I’m not.” Leigh smirked.

“Yeah, you’re only one of the best selling authors in history Jess.” Her voice was dripping with sarcasm. I just shook my head.

“Not that great.” I said. “I still haven’t beaten-” Before I could launch into my full rant, which she just knew I would, she grabbed the arm of the man she’d been talking with, and dragged him over.

“Jess, this is Harry’s friend Brian.” I eyed Brian. I could tell that he was well built, he’d probably been a football player in high school, and possibly college. “Brian, this is Jessica Warner.” I gave him a sheepish smile.

“You mean like that romance novelist?” He asked. Leigh grinned broadly at him.

“I didn’t know you read her books!” She exclaimed. Brian shook his head.

“I don’t. My sister does. I don’t like reading.” Leigh took one look at me, and grabbed my arm.

“Oh look!” She exclaimed brightly. “There’s Harry!” She dragged me off before I could lecture Brian on the wonders of reading. Which I surely would have. As we stopped to talk with Leigh’s lover, husband, and financial support when her art failed to sell, I glanced around the room. I only saw a few people I knew. There was Mr. Ware, my publisher, and his wife, talking to a big-name film producer, whose name I couldn’t remember. Over in the back I saw Leigh’s older sister, chatting up a very good looking guy. Then my eyes fell on a face over on the other side of the room. He wasn’t handsome, that word would pale in comparison to the word that would fit this man. He was absolutely stunning. His black hair was long, and kept falling in his eyes, no matter how often he brushed it away. His eyes, well from this distance I couldn’t really tell, but they were bound to be some gorgeous and unique color. He had some long stubble on his face, but it didn’t look bad. It gave his model-like appearance a normal pull. He was gazing around the room, just like I was.

“. . . What do you think Jess?” I heard Leigh say. “Jess?” I tore my eyes away from the man on the other side of the room before she yelled at me. Too late. “Jess!” The room quieted for a moment, and I put my hand on my face, ducking as half the guests turned to look at us.

“What Leigh?” I asked. I was already tired, and I just wanted to go home, and collapse.

“I asked what you thought!” She exclaimed. I shushed her, and so did Harry, though he was grinning.

“I don’t know why I married such a loudmouth.” He told me, and Leigh swatted his arm playfully.

“I bet I could remind you. . .” She said, sliding her hand up his arm and moving into his embrace. He shot me a look that clearly said ‘I’ve got her distracted, so escape! Now!’ I did just that. Quickly, as I am known to do at these parties, I vanished into the crowd. After getting a glass of champagne, I headed over to where my publisher was standing, talking to the big film producer.

“Ah! Jessica.” Joseph Ware said, waving me over. “This is Fraser Truman.” He said. “Fraser, this is the author I was telling you about. Jessica Warner.” Fraser eyed me, his eyes sliding down lower than I was comfortable with.

“Well.” He said, his eyes finally coming back up to mine. “You’re certainly not what I expected.” I forced a smile.

“A compliment, I’m sure Jessica.” Joseph told me. I nodded, still forcing that same smile. “Fraser here read over your novel, When No One Else was Looking, and he said it would make an amazing motion picture.” Why couldn’t he just say ‘movie’ like everyone else? It would make things so much simpler. I turned my attention to Fraser, who had started talking to me.

“Oh yes!” He said brightly, and my smile became less forced. “I would absolutely love it if you could mold it into a screenplay.” My smile became even less forced. This way no one could screw up my story. “And I’ve already got the perfect man all set to play Alexander.”

“Xander.” I corrected him on impulse. “Sorry, it’s a natural reaction. Everyone is supposed to call him Xander, not Alex, or Alexander.” I explained quickly, not wanting to offend the man who was going to produce my film.

“Ah. My apologies.” Fraser said. “Well, he’s around here somewhere. But no worries.” He waved his hand, as though to take away the thought. “I’ll have my people call your people-” He laughed as if it were the funniest thing in the world, “-And we’ll set up a time for you to come in and talk with him, all right?” He asked. I just smiled and nodded.

“Jess!” Leigh latched herself onto my arm again. I sighed heavily. She was my best friend, but she could be so annoying. Really. “I wondered where you’d gotten off to!” She exclaimed, and smiled at my publisher and probable producer. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to borrow Jess here for a while.” The two men nodded, and Leigh dragged me off. As I turned so my arm wouldn’t get pulled out of it’s socket, my eyes landed on the man I’d seen earlier, except now he was only about ten feet away. His eyes were traveling the crowd, even as he was talking with a young actress Leigh knew. They locked with mine for a brief second, and then Leigh jerked me away.

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I was still there when the guests started to leave. Usually this is the time when I try to escape, but Leigh kept talking to me, and I didn’t want to leave her on her own in her current condition. She’d had six too many glasses, and I needed to make sure that she didn’t drink any more, or she was in danger of passing out. And that would not be good. I couldn’t let my attention slip for even one second.

I saw him again, and my attention was drawn away from Leigh. It wasn’t until thirty seconds later when I noticed she wasn’t clinging to my arm for support that I realized she’d picked up another glass of wine. I felt my eyes widen so fast it must have been comical, and I ran over to her through the rapidly thinning crowd, and snatched the glass out of her hand.

“Leigh!” I exclaimed. She grinned drunkenly at me.

“You know what Jess?” She asked, throwing her arm around my shoulders.

“You’re going to have one killer hangover tomorrow, and be extraordinarily quiet at lunch?” She stared at me. “Never mind. What?”

“You’re pretty.” And then she became a dead weight against me. I groaned, and slid my arm around her waist, grabbing onto her other arm. I spotted Harry across the room, and desperately tried to get his attention. I did, after a few minutes, and he raised an eyebrow at me. I pointed to Leigh, who was snoring lightly on my shoulder, and tipped my hand toward my mouth, and rolled my eyes, silently telling him she’d drank too much. He excused himself from whoever he was talking to, and hurried over.

“How many did she have?” He asked. I shrugged.

“I don’t know. Too many would be my guess.” I replied. “Give me a hand?” He nodded, and threw her other arm over his shoulder, and together we helped her into their bedroom. I deposited her on the bed, and turned to Harry.

“You want to change her, or should I?”

“Well, I’ve got to see the guests off, but if you don’t want to, then-”

“Go!” I said, shaking my head. “Shoo!” He grinned, shaking his head.

“Just let me know when you leave, okay?” I nodded, and shooed him out the door. After making sure that Leigh was comfortable in her pajamas, I escaped back into the main room to find only a few people left. I headed over to Harry. He waved as I approached.

“Hi Jess.”

“Hey.”

“You heading home?” I nodded.

“Yeah.”

“You sober enough? I don’t need to call a cab?” I smirked at him.

“Leigh’s the drinker, not me.” He held up his hands in defense.

“I’m not accusing you, just wondering how many you had.”

“Two glasses of champagne.” I replied. “I’ll make it home just fine.” He nodded.

“Well, make sure you tell Leigh I did try, okay?” I grinned, and gave him a quick hug.

“No problem.” I said, and headed to the room where we stashed the coats. As I was pulling on my coat, the man I’d been glimpsing all night strode in, pausing when he saw me. I gave him a swift nod, and started to leave.

“I’m Gabriel.” He said. I raised an eyebrow at him.

“Okay.”

“It’s customary to tell me your name.” I smirked.

“Well, I defy customs.” I told him, and walked out of the room. After I did that, I smacked myself several times with my purse, and got a weird glance from Harry. I have him a reassuring smile, and slipped out the front door.

Parking in the city is just horrendous. I had to walk nearly two blocks before I got to my car. I got home in one piece, stripped and changed into my pajamas. I was asleep before my head hit the pillow.