Just Dare Me...

Just Dare Me...
Stephanie Bond

Marketing exec Gabrielle Flannery isn't what you'd call the outdoorsy type.But after an embarrassing incident with a potted plant leaves Gabrielle revealing more leg than a Thanksgiving turkey, she decides it's time to reassert herself. Even if it means going head-to-head with marketing golden boy and the office Hottie McHot, Dell Kingston, over an outdoor gear account. . .That is, until Gabrielle and Dell find themselves competing against each other for the account at a wilderness survival weekend. Since he's in touch with the great outdoors, Dell figures that naturally extends to Gabrielle and those sexy legs of hers. . . . But Gabrielle has a few tricks up her sleeve.And nothing stimulates a sexual appetite like a little fresh air, a tiny little tent and a whole lot of libido!

STEPHANIE BOND

Just Dare Me…

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

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.

Contents

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

1

“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.”