Pencil Him In

After busting her butt as an ad exec -- and forsaking everything but peanut-butter cups -- workaholic Anna Simmons finds herself out of a job. It's only for six months, of course, and the forced sabbatical should teach Anna work/life balance (as in less work, more life).

But Anna can't take it. She plots the most important campaign of her career -- the pretend balanced life. And she'll enlist her oh-so-hot neighbor Sam Drynan to play her fake boyfriend -- it's the perfect way to convince her boss she's ready to get back in the boardroom ahead of schedule!

So what happens when the make-believe make-out sessions start to feel anything but fake? And instead of sneaking into the office -- she's counting the hours till she's free?

Harlequin Flipside #15, May, 2004.