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mirror,” he ordered Dana and Nikki. He beamed and winked at her. “I love this part.”
    He turned the mirror around and Casey’s brain misfired. There was no way that was her. No. Way.
    The dress played to her attributes, making the curves of her body more an asset than the bane of her existence. The makeup brought out her eyes and had turned her lips into luscious pouty things she didn’t recognize but had always wanted.
    Linc handed her a small, jeweled purse in the shape of a genie lamp. “Every girl needs a bit of whimsy to remind her that life is a game and it’s all about having fun.”
    Casey found her voice and gushed, “Oh my goodness. You guys. I feel like Cinderella times a thousand. I can’t believe what you’ve done. Thank you so much.”
    Everyone clapped, and she wondered where Nick was.
    “Wait until he sees you,” David said as if he’d read her mind. “He might be the one you’ll need to keep off with a stick tonight.”
    “Him?” Linc teased. “How about me? Don’t let the CEO steal every dance, I want you to save me at least two.”
    She loved that Nick’s friends were so kind to her. Nobody knew more than she that this was just for pretend, but they were trying so hard to make her feel like a real princess. She didn’t want to let them down.
    Everyone but David moved to the front of the store.
    “Own that dress, darlin’,” he ordered. “Lift that chin up and know you’re a powerful and strong woman. Gorgeous beyond belief, and I can tell you have a kind soul. You’re jumping into a den full of jackals that will try to eat you up, but you got more going for you than all of them put together. It shines through like nobody’s business.”
    She sniffed, feeling slightly teary from his kind words. “You’re so sweet. But it’s not like that. I’m only here to help poor Nick to scare away doting mothers who want to marry off their daughters. He’s one of my best friends.”
    David’s eyes narrowed. “Whatever you say, darlin’. But you need to fake it until you make it. Trust me, looking like you do right now, you will get the evil eye from the female population at the party. And that’s a very good thing. Now, let’s go see your friend ,” the stylist snarked.
    If she moved slowly she didn’t have to worry about tripping on her dress. That was advice one of the models had given her when helping her into the death shoes. So far so good.
    The other clothes had been taken out, and the salon was back in order. When she passed the reception desk, she heard a sharp intake of breath.
    She glanced to her left to find Nick staring at her with a hungry expression. The shock in his eyes was worth the small migraine building in her head from all the craziness she’d endured.
    She scrunched up her face. “Is it okay?” she held out her arms a little to show him the dress.
    “Stunning,” he whispered. Then he frowned. “So beautiful you take my breath away.”
    She snorted. “Oh, Nick. Now you’re taking it too far.”
    His frowned deepened.
    Jeez. What had she said this time?
    He lifted her chin with his finger. “If I say you are beautiful, you are,” he snarled so vehemently she stepped back.
    “Um, I think maybe you need to eat something. You’re getting kind of grumpy,” she playfully punched his arm and he stiffened.
    He closed his eyes, but not before she saw them flash black and then back to gray. Man, her head must be worse than she thought. She hoped there would at least be some hors d’oeuvres at this thing. She was clearly famished.
    Sad that consuming food and not tripping were her two main goals for the evening.
    That, and not fainting from sheer terror.

Chapter Four
     
    Crap! He’d really done it this time.
    Casey hadn’t just turned into a butterfly–she was an elegant swan that stole his breath. How the hell was he going to keep his hands off her? He could barely keep himself under control as it was. He wasn’t sure how he felt about men ogling