by E. L. Todd
Her eyes widened slightly when she looked at me. They scanned my shoulders and my jaw, studying the features all the girls were attracted to. My chest seemed to catch her attention the most because she stared at it for a while.
“Begin,” the woman announced as she hit the timer.
The girl stared at me, waiting for me to speak first.
Ugh, what do I say? “Conrad—that’s my name.”
“Cindy,” she said in a squeaky voice. It was high-pitched and strained, like she was nervous or afraid. This girl didn’t strike me as the kind that got out often. “Cindy Mathers.”
I didn’t see why her last name was important. “Conrad Preston.”
Her eyes dilated slightly. “Preston—as in Pixel Software?” Only wealthy people recognized my last name.
I nodded.
Now she was more interested. “Are you at Harvard?”
“Yeah. Are you?”
“I’m a history major.”
“Cool,” I said. “I’m in business.”
“I like your jacket,” she said nervously.
“Thanks. I like your…shirt.” Not really. It was just a black blouse.
“Thanks…” She dropped her gaze, obviously nervous.
“What are your hobbies?”
“I like to vacation at our summer villa in North Carolina.”
I nodded. “Cool. I like basketball.”
“Cool…” She shifted her weight several times, clearly unsure how to act.
This girl was extremely boring. Maybe she was just nervous, but either way, I was trying not to fall asleep. “What year of school are you in?”
“Sophomore.”
That was awfully young to search for a serious boyfriend. But a lot of girls were trying to land husbands in college, not concerned about getting a real education. “I’m a senior.”
“Are you going to take over the company?”
No. But that wasn’t the smart thing to say. “Yeah.”
“That’s exciting.”
Was it? Running a huge company with Skye sounded like nothing but a pain in the ass. “Yeah.” Was the ten minutes up yet? “Seen any good movies?”
“I just saw Kissing in the Rain. It was so good.”
Sounded like a chick flick. “Haven’t had a chance to see it.”
“I’d watch it again…”
No way in hell was I going to see that movie. “What are your plans for life?”
She shrugged. “I’ll probably be a housewife.”
That was it? That’s all she wanted to do? “Then why are you getting a degree in history?”
“It was the easiest major.”
Easiest? History was fucking hard. “Why are you going to college at all?”
She shrugged. “Daddy made me.”
I hated it when girls referred to their dad like that. It sounded so bratty it hurt my ears.
“Time’s up,” the host announced. “Move to the table to your right.”
I practically jumped to my feet. “Nice to meet you.”
She stared at my full body. “You too… Hopefully we can talk later.”
“Uh, sure.” I moved to the next table, hoping this woman would be more pleasant.
She wore a silver mask covered in feathers. Why did all these masks have feathers? What was that about? I felt bad for all those birds.
“Hi…” She gave me a bright smile, clearly liking what she saw.
“Hi.” I crossed my ankle at the knee and tried to look normal.
“You’re really cute. I had my eye on you since the moment you walked inside.”
“Thanks…” She was forward. I wasn’t sure if I liked that or not. “But my mask is hiding a lot.”
“I can still tell you’re good-looking.”
“So…do you go to college in Cambridge?”
She laughed. “No. I’m done with school.”
I didn’t know what that meant, but now I had a strong suspicion she was older than me. But how old? “You finished college?”
“Yeah. Now I’m a marketing director for a sports company.”
Yep. She was too old. With my luck, she probably had kids. “Well, I’m still in school. Pretty young.”
“I like young men.” She leaned forward, giving me a smile.
I was clearly eye-candy to her. “Cool…” What else did you say to that?
“Looking to get married right after college?”
This was the longest ten minutes of my life. “I’m not sure… I’m just going with the flow.”
She nodded like she was pleased by that answer. “What do you do for fun?”
“I—”
“Switch!”
Thank god. “See ya.”
“Wait, I—”
I was already at the next table.
The next thirty minutes were dreadful. The girls were either insanely boring or clingy. They all wanted to settle down and get married. I guess I expected that, but they were so forward about it.
I’d given up on this stupid idea. Cameron was an idiot. I’d just have to get through the rest of it and forget all the time I wasted. When I turned to Theo, he seemed to hate this as much as I did. A girl was talking his ear off and he looked like he was fighting to stay awake.
Would this night just end already?
“Switch!”
I moved to the next table then plopped down, just wanting to get this next interview over with. I wasn’t going to hook up with anyone since they were all so damn annoying. It wasn’t going to happen.
The girl wore a black mask that, miraculously, didn’t have any feathers. It covered most of her face and only showed her lips and eyes. Her mouth was slightly pink and her face was fair. Long brown hair was over her shoulder, showing one side of her slender neck. She wore a strapless dress, showing her rounded shoulders and noticeable chest. I was sure she’d be annoying like all the others.
“Barbaric, isn’t it?”
Huh? What did she say? “Sorry?”
“Speed dating. It’s barbaric.” She scanned the other tables then turned back to me. Her green eyes were bright in intensity. Her back was perfectly straight while she sat, and her voice had the air of aristocracy. Her voice was low and beautiful, hypnotizing. I wondered if she was a singer. Her voice indicated it.
“I admit it’s a little weird.”
She rested her hands in her lap then nodded to the table to our left. “That guy just asked if I’d be down for anal.”
I glanced to my side and saw Theo beside me. I tried not to laugh. “That sounds like an interesting conversation.”
“Interesting, yes. Appetizing, no.” She ran her fingers through her hair then returned her hand to her lap. “Even if I was, it’s not something I’d admit to a stranger.”
“I’m sure he wouldn’t judge you.” I tried not to smile.
“Of course. I’m sure he’d be thrilled.” She watched him for a moment before she turned her gaze back to me. Every time she turned her green eyes on me, I thought of the forest. They were deep green, alluring and hypnotic.
“And I wouldn’t judge you either.” I gave her a smirk. “You can tell me.”
Instead of being offended, she chuckled lightly. “You guys are friends, aren’t you?”
“Maybe…”
She shook her head slightly. “I should have known.”
“But I’m a gentleman, so I won’t ask you.”
She smiled. “Thank you.”
I rested one hand on the table while I looked into her eyes. “Are you into bondage?”
She had the grace to laugh. “I’ll never tell.”
Finally, I was talking to someone who wasn’t boring. “If you think this is barbaric, why are you here?”
“The usual story, my friend dragged me along.”
“Which one is she?”
She nodded to the table where Theo sat. “The one in the blue mask.”
I glanced to her, seeing her talk to Theo like she had a million things to say. �
�She seems to be having a good time.”
“She’s in her element. Talking comes easy for her. And having her pick of any handsome guy is her dream.”
“Any pick?” I asked.
She nodded. “Well, she’s gorgeous. And she’s also a pretty cool chick.”
“You’re pretty cool,” I blurted.
“You don’t know anything about me.”
“I know you might possibly be into anal.”
She laughed. “Let me clear the air; the answer to that is no.”
“Which means you’ve tried it…” I leaned forward to listen to her response.
I knew she was blushing even though I couldn’t see her face. “No, I haven’t.”
“Then how do you know?” I asked. “Maybe you should give it a shot.”
She shrugged. “Maybe someday…with the right guy.”
I immediately knew she wasn’t the one-night stand type of girl. She was conservative and respected herself. And that made me respect her. “Let me know if you want me to be that right guy.”
She chuckled again. “You don’t know what I look like. I could be hideous.”
“I have a feeling you aren’t.”
“Why?” She stared me down and didn’t look away. Her confidence was evident. Most of the time, girls dropped their gaze because they were uncomfortable by my stare. They didn’t have the courage to hold my gaze. But she wasn’t like that.
“I can just tell.”
“How?” she questioned.
“A girl can’t have beautiful eyes like that and not be beautiful everywhere else.” Whoa, where did that come from? I just blurted that without thinking.
Her eyes softened. “You have pretty eyes too.”
“Thanks.” I held her gaze and didn’t look away. “Appearance is only a small fraction of you are anyway.”
Her eyes softened for a moment before they returned to normal. “Since we’re both bored and sick of this, why don’t we just talk about something else instead of each other?”
“Who said I was bored?” I asked.
“I could tell the moment you sat down.”
She could read people pretty well. “I was. I’m not anymore.”
She ignored my response. “What’s your favorite movie?”
I took a moment to form a response. “The Sopranos.”
“Not a movie.”
“It’s still my favorite.”
“I like that show too.”
Really? I didn’t know any girl who’d seen it. “What’s your favorite?”
“Star Wars.”
Did I hear her right? “Huh?”
“Star Wars.” She said it slowly this time, like I was mentally disabled.
“Are you sure?” I blurted.
She smirked slightly. “I’m pretty sure…”
“Sorry, I’ve just never heard a girl say that before.”
“What’s not to like about it?” she asked. “It was far ahead of its time, and it was executed so well. The story was wonderful and the effects were amazing. It’s a classic and always be. I understand why it has such a cult following.”
I realized my jaw was hanging so I closed my mouth. “That’s cool.”
“Do you like Star Wars?” she asked.
“Duh.” I laughed.
“My dad and I used to watch it every Christmas break. It was a tradition.”
“Do you have a brother?” I asked.
“Yeah. Why?”
“He doesn’t share that tradition with you guys?” I asked.
She shrugged. “No. He’s never liked it.”
That was a paradox. She liked an American classic but her brother didn’t.
“Do you have a brother?” she asked.
“An older sister.”
“Are you close?”
“No. She’s annoying.”
She smirked. “I think she’s supposed to be, by definition.”
“She says I’m annoying too so the feeling is mutual.”
She nodded her head then looked at the timer.
That hurt a little bit. I wasn’t sure why. “Which guy has been the most annoying so far?”
She glanced at Theo then turned to me. “Hmm…”
“Someone is worse than Theo?” I asked with a laugh.
“Asking if I’m into anal isn’t annoying,” she said. She looked past my shoulder toward the guy in the rear. “That guy collects Barbies.”
I raised both eyebrows then snuck a peek. “He told you that?”
She nodded. “And the sad part? He said it like it was something I should be impressed by.”
“Any guy who collects dolls, other than Santa, is creepy.”
“No, even Santa is creepy. That guy breaks into your house through the chimney, eats your food and drinks milk that’s been sitting out for who knows how long, and then puts presents made by elves, A. K. A. slave labor, under a tree that probably as several spiders living in it.”
I tried not to laugh. “Not a fan of Christmas, I take it?”
“Actually, no. But that’s beside the point.”
“Why do you hate Christmas, other than all those compelling reasons?”
Her smile suddenly vanished and so did her humor. “I just do.”
I knew there was more to her story than that but I didn’t press her on it. “Who else is weird?” I asked. “Just so I know who to steer clear of.”
She looked around again. “The guy in the long-sleeve shirt is married.”
“Why does that make him annoying?” I blurted.
Both of her eyes widened. “I don’t mess with married men, and I’d judge any woman that does.”
I didn’t mean to get into a moral debate with her. “How do you know he’s married?”
“My family knows his wife—distantly. He has no idea I know.”
“Are you going to tell her?”
She shook her head. “It’s not my place.”
“So, you judge him for cheating but you won’t do anything to stop it?” I asked incredulously. “That makes a lot of sense.”
Her eyes burned a darker shade of green. “If she married him, then she probably is in denial or she’s foolish enough to believe what he says. What difference will my revelation make?”
I shrugged. “If my best friend’s wife was cheating on him, I’d call him up immediately and tell him the truth.”
“Well, this woman isn’t my best friend—completely different situation.”
“So, if a guy messed around on your friend over there…” I glanced at the blonde then turned back to her. “You’d do something?”
She leaned over the table, keeping her voice low. “If I saw a guy messing around on my friend, I’d kick his balls so hard he wouldn’t be able to reproduce.” She said it with threat in her eyes. “Then I’d make him tell her himself.”
I liked her spunk. She was a fearless woman. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
She narrowed her eyes at me. “You have a thing for my friend?”
“No,” I blurted. “I’m having a good time with you.” I shouldn’t say that since I hardly knew her, but she was really cool. “And I have a feeling you’re a lot more beautiful than she is, despite the praise you give her.”
“I’m not,” she said firmly.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
She stared at me then opened her mouth to say something but she suddenly changed her mind.
“Are you going home with anyone tonight?” I asked bluntly.
“Just my purse.”
Judging by her words and attitude, it seemed like she hated male attention. She was constantly trying to get out of the spotlight. She was only in social situations because she was forced to. The only explanation of that was astounding beauty. She was one of a kind, I could tell just from talking to her. Even without looking at her face, I was attracted to her. I pictured how she looked, beautiful full lips and a fair face. Her blue blouse and the table hid her curves but I imagined how they look
ed in my mind’s eye.
“Whom are you going home with?” she asked. “Met anyone you like?”
The normal way I’d get a girl is by hunting her down. I relied on my looks and charm. But my biggest weapon wasn’t at my disposal, hidden by a mask. I’d have to take a different approach with her. I had to be different than all the other guys that gawked at her as she passed. “No, I haven’t.”
Her pupils dilated then returned to normal quickly. Judging her small reaction, she expected a different answer to come out of my mouth. She knew I was into her, that I wanted to see her again.
Well, think again.
“What’s your name?” I asked. “You never told me.”
She tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear. “Beatrice.”
She came from money. I could tell just by hearing that name. “And your last name?”
“Satini.”
She was Italian. “Any relation to the Satini family of winemakers?”
She smirked slightly. “You already know the answer, I can tell. What’s your name?”
“Conrad.”
“Interesting name,” she said. “What are its origins?”
“Heart of Darkness. Have you read it?” I knew her answer would be no.
“Yes. One of my favorites.”
She surprised me at every turn.
“Your father named you after the Congo, the deadliest place on earth? Full of marauders and murderers?”
Her intellect was sexy as hell. Most of the girls I spoke to were just plain dumb. “My father wanted to give me a strong name, knowing I would be a man strong enough to survive a heart of darkness.”
She nodded her head slowly. “He sounds like an interesting guy.”
“He’s annoying.”
She laughed lightly. “Both your sister and father are annoying?” she asked incredulously.
“And my mom too,” I said. “I forgot about her.”
She laughed again.
“Switch!”
No! I didn’t want to leave her. I wasn’t sure if I would talk to her again.
Beatrice stared at me, waiting for me to get up.
I tried to seem indifferent that our time together was over. I rose slowly, dreading an uneventful conversation with a boring chick.
“Come on, hurry up.” The host grabbed my arm, ready to drag me to the next table.
“Actually, I want him to stay.” Beatrice stood up and looked at the host.
What did she just say? Was she allowed to do that?
