Michaela Ware crossed her arms beneath her generous breasts and tapped her foot. Someday she'd learn to say no when Jax invited her to a party. He partied hearty while she sipped a plain Coke because she always volunteered to be the designated driver. That didn't bother hr since alcohol held little appeal to her anyway. What did bother her was always having to wait until her friend decided it was time to go.

She wouldn't have anything to do with him if she didn't love him so much.

Sometimes the heart could be so stupid. Mike knew she had a better chance of being struck by lightning than developing a relationship with Jaxon Greene. Six-two, shoulder-length dark brown hair, a thick mustache, piercing silver eyes, an incredible body...they all combined to make him a gorgeous male specimen. Someone that handsome, that confident of himself, should be disgustingly conceited. Instead, he was a wonderful person as well as good looking.

Life simply wasn't fair.

She watched Jax talking to a willowy blonde with a flat chest. He always went for tall, slim women with no breasts, usually blondes. Mike fingered a curl of her long red hair. With her frizzy hair, plain looks, and full-figured body, she would never be more than Jax's friend. She'd accepted that months ago.

She wished it didn't hurt so much.

Jax took a slip of paper from the blonde and slipped it in his shirt pocket. Probably her phone number or e-mail address. The Great Stud scores again.

Unable to stand around and watch him flirt with other women any longer, Mike squared her shoulders and strode toward him. Ignoring the blonde standing next to Jax, she looked up into his face. "Jax, I'm leaving."

"Sure, Mike, no problem," he said, his gaze still on the blonde's face. "In a few minutes."

"No, not in a few minutes. Now."

Jax turned his head and looked at Mike. A slight frown drew his eyebrows together. "What's wrong?"

"I'm ready to go. If you want me to take you home, you'd better get your jacket."

The blonde touched Jax's arm. "I can give you a ride."

I'll bet you can. "Fine. Whatever. See you around, Jax."

She didn't wait to see whether or not he took the blonde up on her offer. Digging her car keys from the front pocket of her jeans, Mike headed for the front door.

The wind hit her face and made her shiver. One week from Halloween usually meant mild, comfortable temperatures in North Texas. Not this year. A cold front had barreled down from Canada, dropping the temperatures to below-record levels. The heavy sweater she wore had been fine in the warm house, but sadly lacking outside. Mike hurried to her small sports car, slipped inside, and started the motor. Blessed heat poured from the vents in only moments.

Mike glanced at the house as she shifted into reverse. Jax came out the front door, stuffing his arms into his heavy denim jacket.

A tiny part of her rejoiced that he hadn't accepted the blonde's offer.

He slid into the passenger seat with a frown. "What's eating you?"

Mike maneuvered her car between two SUVs and backed into the street. "Nothing's eating me. I was ready to go, that's all."

Jax barely got his seat belt fastened before Mike shifted into drive. She hit the gas harder than necessary. The car shot forward with a squeal of tires, throwing Jax back in his seat.

"Jesus, Mike, take it easy! This isn't the Indy 500."

"You don't like the way I drive, let the blonde bimbo take you home."

"Is that why you're pissed, because I was talking to Tiffany?"

Mike rolled her eyes. Tiffany. A stereotypical name for a blonde bimbo. "Don't be stupid."

"Well, something's pissed you off. This isn't like you."

"Oh? And what am I usually like?"

"You're sweet and good-natured. You don't lose your temper."

"In other words, I'm boring."

"I didn't say that. Don't put words in my mouth."

"Hey, if you want to waste your time on another show pony, that's your business."

He chuckled. "Show pony?"

Mike glared at him for daring to laugh at her choice of words. "You think that's funny?"

Jax fingered his mustache. She figured he did that to hide his grin. "I've been in Texas less than a year, Mike. I haven't figured out all the native terms yet. You want to explain what you mean by 'show pony'?"

Mike pressed the accelerator when an upcoming signal light turned yellow. She made it through the intersection as the light turned red. "You get involved with a woman--usually a blonde--who is all beauty and no brains. You parade her around like a pony at a horse show. When you get tired of her because you can't carry on an intelligent conversation for more than thirty seconds, you find another one and repeat the cycle. It's pretty stupid, Jaxon."

"And I suppose you have the perfect solution for me?"

"You might try getting involved with a woman who's intelligent and easy to talk to, not just an easy lay. Date a woman who isn't blonde. Date one with breasts, for Pete's sake!"

"Like you, Michaela?"

His use of her full name in that low, husky voice made shivers dance down her spine. She whipped her head toward him. He leaned against th door, stroking his mustache, and studied her intently.

Tightening her hands around the steering wheel, Mike turned her attention back to the road. "You're being stupid again."

"Why?"

"Because we're friends."

"Friends can be lovers, too."

He pushed her hair behind her shoulder and cradled her nape. The slow caress of his thumb against her jaw made Mike's eyes cross. He'd never touched her, not like this...the way a man touches his lover.

She could become addicted to his touch in a heartbeat.

Mentally chastising herself for indulging in a silly fantasy, Mike opened her mouth to tell him to stop teasing her. A strange light in the sky made her stop before uttering a word. It looked like a bright star, except the sky was overcast tonight and no stars were visible. The light seemed to pulsate, going from yellow to red to green and back, repeating the cycle of colors. "Look at that."

Jax leaned forward and looked out the windshield. "Look at what?"

"That light. What is it?"

"I don't know, but it looks like it's coming right at us."

Mike gasped as the light brightened and seemed to engulf her car. A second later, the light disappeared.

Shaking her head, Mike silently continued toward Jax's house. She felt...different, but didn't know why.

"You okay, Michaela?" Jax asked softly.

"Yeah, I think so. That was weird, wasn't it?"

"Very weird." He tugged on a curl by her ear. "Maybe it was a UFO."

"Ha-ha."

Mike pulled into Jax's driveway. She left the motor running while he unfastened his seat belt.

"You wanna come in for coffee?" he asked.

It wasn't unusual for him to offer an invitation into his home, or for her to accept that invitation. For a reason she didn't understand, she felt uncomfortable at the thought of being alone with Jax tonight. She shook her head. "I'd better get home."

"Hey, it's still early. It's only..." He stopped a she looked at the clock on the dash. "What the... Is that time right?"

"Of course it is." Mike gazed at the clock. Her eyes widened in shock. It read 5:48.

"It can't be, Mike. We left Tim's house about eleven. It's only a twenty-minute drive from his place here." Jax shifted in his seat to face her. "Your clock must be wrong. I can't see my watch. Turn on the radio."

His serious expression made Mike shiver. Her hand shaking slightly, she twisted the volume dial.

"...high today of forty-four with winds out of the north at fifteen to twenty miles per hour. It's currently thirty-three degrees at 5:49."

The music of "Hotel California" began while Mike tried to grasp what she'd just heard. Seven hours had simply vanished. It wasn't possible. Her palms began to sweat. "I don't understand," she whispered.

"Michaela, come inside with me."

Mike shook her head. "I need to go home."

"You need to stay with me so we can figure out what happened," Jax said, his voice firm.

"No. I want to go home. Get out, Jax."

He hesitated for several moments before releasing a heavy breath and climbing out of the car. With his hand on top of the door, he leaned down and looked at her. "I'll call you later."

Not wanting to argue with him, Mike nodded. As soon as Jax shut his door, she shifted into reverse and peeled out of the driveway.

a