Another installment of this FF is up, thanks for reading and for the feedback!

As she drove to the restaurant, C.J had decided that she had really chickened out when it came to picking out her wardrobe for the evening. As she had gotten dressed in her current outfit, Chris' words had rung in her mind. And she had asked herself the question that had been her mantra as of late, what would Carly do?

Now wait a minute here, she was asking herself what one of her own creations would do in a particular situation, if that were the case…but maybe she should have gone with the new dress she had bought at Saks last week when she had been out shopping with Maureen, a crack attorney and one of her former sorority sisters. Maureen had been shopping for her honeymoon in Hawaii after her wedding later this month to a plastic surgeon who flew to developing countries to donate his skills. After being targetted by a pair of eccentric hitmen, she like C.J. and another sister named Carol had depended on Matt to help them find out who had put them on an execution list. After that prince charming turned bad boy Jonathan Renfield had been carted off to jail somewhat the worse for wear, Carol had made a serious play for Matt but for whatever reason he hadn't taken up the beautiful doctor's invitation to check out her chalet in Santa Barbara.

And that woman had a body for sin, C.J. had always thought, in fact there had been a doctor in an earlier draft of her fictitious rendition of that whole Laurel and Hardy caper that had mercifully ended up in the trashcan, after she decided it just wouldn't work as a flashback during Carly's soak in the hot tub while she waited for Royal to arrive at the office.

Her writing group had though the scene a riot which hadn't really been the response she had been going for when she crafted it.

He had instead chosen to go to a seminar with Maureen in the romantic city of San Francisco and then they had taken a road trip through the Napa country checking out wineries. But that affair hadn't lasted that long either. When C.J. had asked Matt if he wanted to meet any of her other surviving sorority sisters to take them out for a spin, he had just looked at her before heading back to his office.

She turned her mercedes convertible onto PCH, loving this part of the drive as long as it wasn't jammed with traffic and mercifully today, few vehicles traveled the popular highway. She loved this model of car and currently was on her third one after crashing her first one in that remote desert in Arizona which had given her an awful headache and amnesia and the second, blown up by an evil extortionist. This one had survived for nearly a year so far and still going strong after several road trips with Maureen and Carol.

Her phone rang and she looked at it. Speak of the devil…

"Maureen…how's it going?"

Her friend sighed on the other end.

"Oh this wedding's turning into a nightmare," she said, "My mother's frantic with the preparations…the caterers are driving us crazy…the muscians have artistic temperments and…you don't mind sea foam colored dresses do you?"

"You mean for the bridesmaids?"

"Well…yeah…the lavender just doesn't look right with the floral motif."

C.J. frowned, remembering how complicated this ritual which legally bound individuals into couples could be, not that she knew from her personal experience but from what her married friends told her over cappacinos and home spa treatments when they got together.

"I'm sure it will work out Maureen," she said, "These things usually do."

"Yeah well…it better because it's too late to cancel it…"

Say what? C.J. nearly ran a red light but braked for it just in time. She looked over at the white buildings which designated a private beach club where she and Matt had gone undercover as beach volleyball players running around in their swimsuits hitting a ball around for several days. All to draw out a serial thief who had been breaking into the cabanas. Not her favorite case, given that she didn't like volleyball but watching Matt in his swimsuit go for the setup had been diverting enough to keep her going until they nabbed the guilty man one night after the summer ending luau. It wasn't long after that when she had picked up the new hobby of creative writing.

"Don't cancel it…besides if you do, then we'll have to cancel the bachelor party and Carol and I have been planning that for weeks."

Well not really but they had been thinking about it.

Maureen hedged.

"I don't know…"

"Don't you dare back out," C.J. said, "even if you do cancel the wedding…if it's the pressure, you know that the two of you can always elope and then throw a party. That's what I'd do…"

Oh Maureen, as sharp an attorney as she was, knew an opening when she saw one.

"C.J… is there something you haven't been telling me?"

"No…I am not eloping with anyone…I'm not even getting married…not anytime soon anyway."

Maureen sighed on the other end of the line.

"I know what Robert did to you was really downright awful but you have to move on…there are other fish in the sea than that lowlife psychopath."

"Oh I've gone out since then…when I haven't been busy at the office and in the courts."

Maureen harrumphed.

"Oh come on, this is me you're talking to, not Carol, we've got to find you a man…you know Rick's got some pretty gorgeous looking ushers and some of them are single."

C.J. sighed, listening to one of her friend's attempts to set her up again as she continued heading down PCH to the restaurant.

Matt left the flowers shop with the boquet of roses in his hand, orange roses which happened to be the favorite of a certain woman that he knew and would be seeing soon. He had decided to go with a more casual look as the restaurant they would be eating at wasn't that formal.

He wondered what C.J. would be wearing.

The spin out in the speedboat had helped clear his head but then after he had sat reading her latest excerpts in his car, he had marveled once again at her imagination and her descriptive form of writing that made him almost know what they were thinking. But then again, for Royal that shouldn't have been so hard because he was…wasn't he? Damn he still didn't know what happened after Carly had left her cowboy lover in tears and gone into the tackroom and he sure wasn't going to ask the writer about what had happened next. He had spent some time online looking for any small publishing companies that might be up for sale or looking to be bought out by a larger company. He had been serious when he had said he might be thinking about getting into this line of business because even during difficult economic periods, people still turned to reading.

And his best friend could certainly write.

He continued down Sunset and turned on the road through the canyon which would lead him to PCH, where hopefully he wouldn't hit too much traffic. Looking over at the bouquet of flowers that lay on the seat next to him, he wondered what her reaction would be, probably not much in the way of anything because he had certainly given her flowers before on different occasions.

But somehow this felt different. Very different. Because he had been introduced to the side of her he hadn't know existed and that part of her had some rather interesting feelings towards him, clearly by what he had been reading.

The drive down PCH went smoothly, the traffic had been light and he turned into the parking lot of the restaurant and parked his car. He checked his watch before getting out of the car, ten minutes to wait. He sat back relaxing as the sun set over the ocean, casting out a plethora of different colors, from reddish-orange to pinkish blue. Not a cloud marred the sky and some sailboats continued to coast over the waves as they headed back to shore.

Then some movement flashed through his peripheal vision and he saw the man rip off an old lady's purse. On instinct, he hopped out of his porche converitble and took off after the man who ran out down the sidewalk lining that section of PCH.

"I'm just not interested in going out with just anyone," C.J. insisted as she finally hit a traffic jam near the restaurant. Malibu was a hot spot this time of year particularly in the evenings.

"C.J. you want a date for the wedding don't you," she said, "Josh is the main usher second to Rick's best man who's already taken and you two could hook up for coffee before the rehearsals start."

"Rehearsals…I thought you were just having the traditional one on the night before the wedding…you know the one before the rehearsal dinner."

Maureen sighed.

"My mother again…she wants every detail just right, ever cue by every performer on this stage perfected…that means that I'll be emailing a rehearsal schedule out to you and the other bridesmaids'."

"Okay…that will work as long as it doesn't conflict with my writers' group…"

Maureen chuckled.

"You're really into this writing gig aren't you," she said, "and I have to say from what you've emailed me, it's hot stuff…the chemistry between your main characters Carly and Royal just sizzles right off the page."

"I'm still trying…"

"Trying, please how much of this is based on real life anyway," Maureen said, "I know you grew up on a ranch."

"Well…it's fiction after all so none of it?"

Now Maureen just broke into laughter and C.J. didn't get what was so funny about what she had just said but her sorority sister had always been a little on the offbeat side when it came to her sense of humor and a few other things.

"Oh come off it, this is me you're talking to now," Maureen said, "So has Matt read your novel yet?"

"Yeah… he found a few chapters of it."

"What did he think about it?"

"About what?"

Maureen sighed as if she were losing patience.

"About reading about the two of you getting it on of course in every square foot of Royal's ranch."

C.J. almost dropped her phone. She looked up but the traffic still hadn't moved yet.

"What are you talking about," she said, "This is a novel I'm writing during my free time, it's not based nor does it have anything to do with real life."

Maureen snorted.

"Oh yeah right…come on you're saying that Carly the woman who roped Royal into that interlude in the life has nothing to do…"

"Of course not," C.J. said, "It's just a story after all like I said, completely imaginary in every way."

"Sounds like wish fulfillment to me," Maureen noted, "Maybe I don't have to set you up with one of the ushers…maybe by then nature would have taken its course on its own."

C.J. felt exasperated at that point both at Maureen and the fact that her car hadn't moved in a couple minutes despite the light turning green. Then she saw a man darting into traffic carrying a purse and behind him…no it couldn't be…

"Excuse me Maureen, something's going on here…"

"Is it Matt?"

"Well actually…yes…talk to you later."

"Oh definitely and tell me all the details."

C.J. clicked off her phone and saw what looked like a purse snatcher dart through traffic and Matt right on his tail dodging cars along with him. The sounds of horns honking filled the air and C.J. just watched the action unfold.

She pulled her car to the side of the street and after parking it, got out to help Matt who had followed the man straight into an alley. She hurried on over there just as the man had reached the dead end and had turned to fight Matt when his route to freedom had ended with a brick wall. Matt deftly avoided the man's flying punches and pulled his arm around, causing them both to wind up on the ground.

"Houston…"

Matt thought he heard someone calling for him and then he wrestled with the man some more finally pulling the purse out of his grip and tossing it aside while he tried to apprehend him. But the man managed to wiggle out of his grasp and took off running down the alley out into the street. C.J. ran over to Matt and helped him up.

"Are you okay?"

He nodded and went to pick up the purse.

"I've got to return this back at the restaurant."

"My car's just outside the alley, you can ride with me."

So they walked back to her car and got inside, driving the two blocks to the restaurant where he got out to see the woman still waiting there with her friends. He handed the purse to her and a smile lit up her face.

"Thank you so much young men," she said, "When that punk grabbed it, I thought I'd never see it again."

"Everything should still be inside it."

She shrugged.

"As long as he left the photos of my late husband, he can have everything else," she said, reaching into her purse.

Matt nodded and started to walk away and she grabbed his arm.

"Wait…I have something for you," she said, "It's not much but a token of my appreciation."

She pulled out a $10 dollar bill and handed it to him.

"I really can't…"

She winked at him.

"Yes you can," she said, "You can buy something for your lady friend."

Matt took the money and watched the woman and her friends walk away. C.J. just looked at him bemusedly.

"That was really nice what you did for her," she said, "you can tell me all about it when we go inside."

They started and then he remembered what he had left in his car.

"Wait…I've got something for you…just wait a sec."

She watched him stride quickly back to his car and get something out of it. He came back carrying a bouquet of her favorite flowers. When he handed them to her, she smiled at him.

"They're beautiful Houston…what's the occasion?"

He looked innocent.

"Where's it written that there has to be one?"

She tilted her head.

"No really what is it…did Murray call you with some good news about a merger?"

While she held on carefully to her flowers, he placed one of his hands on her shoulder and brushed her hair out of her face.

"What are you doing?"

"Saying hello to my favorite lady…"

With that pronouncement, he bent his head and brushed his lips against her own which sent tingling sensations from her mouth through her body. His mouth gently probed hers for just one second longer than it should have but she went with it, enjoying the jolt of something nice but slightly dangerous between them. What had just gotten into him, it had to be the adrenalin from his pursuit of the purse snatcher…shut up C.J. and just go with it because these kisses were way too few and too far between.

When he finally stopped, she looked at him, breathing just a little bit faster than she had been a moment ago. Wow…yeah it certainly was going to be an interesting evening.

"Hello to you too Houston…"

He linked his arm in hers and they walked into the restaurant.

C.J. looked up from her salmon and she knew by now she was in serious trouble. Matt had been acting so…strange. He had been so attentive, asking her if the wine he had chosen for their dinner was to her liking…if their seating location was too warm or cool…no it wasn't either and besides if it were too cold, she didn't mind. If her food tasted great…which it did because this had been one of her favorite restaurants after all…what the hell was going on here anyway…

"The food's great…I heard the salmon catch was the best in years…"

He looked up from his steak.

"I heard the cattle drive went just as well," he said, "You know what would really make Carly light Royal's fire is if she…"

C.J. had nearly dropped her wine glass.

"What…you're really into that novel aren't you," she said, "I mean I thought your tastes ran more along the lines of Zane Grey."

He fingered his wine glass.

"They do…when I want to read about cowboys roping cattle and riding on the range…but when it comes to roping women…"

C.J. swallowed her wine and it burned her throat. She coughed suddenly and reached for some water.

"You doing okay over there?"

She nodded and sipped her water to calm the spasm, if only settling her nerves were so easy. Everytime he brought up her novel, she wondered if he had figured out the truth about its author. That he was sitting across from her right now. But no, he couldn't know could he, she had never betrayed any sign that she harbored any creative writing bent. As far as he knew, the only thing she wrote were legal briefs and trial motions.

"Royal didn't rope Carly, it was the other way around…"

"True but I was using a metaphor C.J…you do know what one of those is don't you?"

Well sure she did, she had even used a few herself in her novel during the scene when Carly and Magdaline had been talking in the kitchen about vegtables while whipping up the dish for the post-rodeo shinding at the Elk's Lodge.

"Sure do…I'm glad that you do too."

She picked up a dessert menu and Matt watched her eyes narrow as she checked out the items including some award winning pies and cupcakes.

"This all looks so good Houston…they even have Meringue pie, your favorite…"

Matt watched her amused, trying to divert attention away from the topic at hand which happened to be her novel.

"Royal's favorite too…"

Oh damn now she was busted…he wouldn't know that unless he had found the chapter where Carly had walked in on Eileen trying to plant one on Royal in the kitchen at the post calf branding barbecue to win him back and had picked up a freshly made pie and thrown it at him. It had all been a misunderstanding of course and she had made up with him after the party inside the gazebo where they had taken refuge from the hailstorm.

"Coincidence Houston…I think I'll try the dark chocolate cheesecake…rich and decadent…what about you?"

He followed her movement with his eyes while sitting there calmly sipping his wine.

"An awful lot of coincidences don't you think," he said, "Whoever wrote this novel must know me, it's got to be someone from the office…maybe one of the lower floors of Houston Inc."

C.J. shrugged.

"Could be…I don't know why it matters so much to you…I don't think it's even all that good."

He smiled.

"It's very…creative…I'd really like to meet this woman and give her some advice on how to handle Royal…"

She folded her arms.

"And how would that be…"

"Very gently at first…we can take it from there…"

Her mouth dropped open.

"Excuse me?"

He sighed, happily.

"I think I'll try the key lime tonight…"

She rolled her eyes and just sat back as the waiter came to take their order. He watched her hiding his smile, watching her react to what he had brought into this conversation. Maybe he should tell her that he knew her secret…but then again, he could play this out a little longer…if only to see how pretty she looked with her face blushed a darker pink.

The pie was delicious as was the cheesecake that melted in her mouth so sublimely. It made her forget the discomfort she had felt while they had talked about the novel. Matt had dropped that topic mercifully enough when the dessert arrived for their consumption. They had switched to talking about some new club that had opened up on the Sunset strip.

"We should check it out sometime."

She finished the remnants of her slice of heaven.

" I would have thought you'd want to take Stacey or Hermonie or Fredrica instead…you've got that list of women in your office you can look up."

He leaned forward resting his chin on his hand.

"I'd rather go with you…"

She looked at him crosseyed. Damn she didn't know what he had been eating or drinking lately or maybe he had just inhaled too much sea air when he had been out chasing down the purse thief but this night had to go down in the memory books as one of their most…unusual and most unsettling.

She thought she knew her best friend inside and out but she had discovered how wrong she had been about that.

And as she looked at him, she didn't know what might happen next.