Matchmaker

by Lauren Landish

  Meredith rolls her eyes. “Look, not every guy is your match. Everyone knows that, including them, so I need some footage of what might make them a match and what might not. It’s not personal. It’s just how the game works. Trust me, they’re confessing their thoughts on the dates too.”

  Her words give me pause. I just hadn’t thought about them all sitting around and talking about me with each other, on and off camera. It makes me slightly uncomfortable, and I’m more than a little curious about what they’ve said about me.

  With those troubling thoughts running through my head, I film for over an hour, doing snippets about each suitor, recalling moments with them and what I felt and thought at the time. It actually helps me focus and process a little as Meredith asks me leading questions, getting me to talk more than I’d planned on initially. At the end, Meredith and I go through the procedure for the card matches the next day. After spending the day with all four men, my choices on who stays and who goes is a no-brainer.

  Meredith even agrees that Dean and Cody should go and that Lee and Hayden should stay.

  “We’ve already been showing early scenes to test audiences and those two are the definite favorites,” Meredith says. “So I’m not surprised they’re your favorites too. Hayden seems a little growly sometimes, but hot enough, I guess. From this side of the camera, you really have sparks with Lee though. When y’all kiss, it’s Hollywood magic with little fireworks popping all around you.”

  I arch an eyebrow in surprise. I’ve been trying not to seem biased but I would think my true choice would be obvious to anyone watching. “Really? I kinda feel just the opposite. I think I’ve got a real connection with Hayden. Maybe even a match!” I laugh nervously at my own joke, but Meredith’s lips barely tilt into a smile.

  “Hmm, I don’t know,” she says quietly. “Think about it, but I’d pick Lee if I were you.” She doesn’t say it directly, but it almost feels like he’s who she wants the winner to be. With that said, she walks off, Nate trailing behind, her making notes as she spouts off about tomorrow’s scenes.

  I stare at them walking away for a moment, thinking about what she said, and then remember with a flush that it’s gotta be close to midnight and I need to hustle inside for some “sleepwalking”.

  An hour later, I’m closing the fifth door on the third floor behind me in the dark, whispering, “Hayden?”

  I breathe a sigh of relief when I hear Hayden’s voice. “Right here. I thought you’d never get here. Come here, woman.”

  He wraps me up in his arms, pulling me in tight to his body as he takes my mouth with a hot kiss. He’s ravenous, and I kiss him back just as hard, my body demanding satisfaction. He groans, murmuring, “God, I was so close to coming in my shorts today just from your straddling me, your hot pussy pressing up against my cock.”

  “You had me the same way,” I admit, reaching down and grabbing his ass. “I’ve been on overload all day because of you.”

  “Well, that’s something I can take care of,” Hayden says, moving down and pulling the hem of my sleepshirt up and off, leaving me bare. Taking a nipple into his mouth, he teases me until they’re hard and aching before looking up into my eyes. “I wanted to lick these pretty pink nipples, have the taste of your salty skin on my tongue.”

  We move together, me almost ripping his shirt off so I can be skin to skin with him, our tongues tangling the whole time. I pause the kiss, and he pulls back, looking at me questioningly. With a smirk, I drop to my knees. “I want your taste on my tongue too. You going to let me suck you?”

  Hayden groans, running his hand through my hair and grabbing a fistful as he looks at me in wonder. “Fuck, Em. I might come just from your words and how fucking good you look on your knees in front of my cock.”

  Hearing no argument, I pull his shorts and boxer briefs down, sitting back on my heels for a moment to take him in, seeing him bathed in silvery moonlight. He’s beautiful. “Wow,” I murmur, and even without looking up, I know he’s smiling. I move in, licking and kissing and sucking his cock down my throat as he fists my hair. He’s holding back, letting me have control but showing me the pace he wants. I oblige, but suddenly, he pulls his hips back. I pout, licking my lips as I look up at him. “I wasn’t done . . .”

  “You have me so fucking horny I’m about to come, and while I’d love to come deep down your throat, I want your pussy tonight.” Pulling me to my feet, he turns me, and I bend over a nearby table, thrusting my ass out toward him. “Call me a liar if that isn’t the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  “Liar,” I tease, looking over my shoulder, “because you are the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.”

  Hayden slides behind me, pulling my body to him as he caresses me with his hands, the hot, heavy thickness of his cock pressing against my ass. Reaching around, his right hand cups my breast, kneading and pulling on my nipple while his other hand cups my pussy, rubbing and sliding his fingers between my lips until I’m trembling. Hayden rains kisses on my neck and shoulders, my skin burning with his passion, and I reach back, grabbing his hair and turning to kiss him hard. Hayden slips two fingers inside me, but it’s not enough, and I break our kiss, shaking my head and letting him know what I need by bending over more.

  He slips a condom over his cock, giving me a light smack to my ass cheek as he lines up with my pussy. “You ready for me?” he asks, running the tip of his cock through my slippery folds.

  He can damn well feel that I’m more than ready, so I just groan, barely choking out, “Hayden. Please.” And he fills me with one deep, almost savage thrust, bottoming out balls deep, and we both cry out, needing a moment to adjust. He holds my hips steady, slowly starting to move in and out, both of us panting.

  After the almost feral nature of his first thrust and the fiery harshness of everything leading up to this, I’m shocked as Hayden seems to take his time, his strokes not hard but still fast, the lack of impact startling and electric. I’m caught, nothing but pleasure shaking my body from top to bottom. I squeeze him, desperate to make him feel as good as what he’s doing to me, and Hayden moans, encouraging me.

  Faster than either of us would like, we’re falling off the edge together, muffling our cries as Hayden kisses my neck. He covers my mouth with his hand, and I totally give in, shaking as he holds me close. He pulls out to turn me around and wraps his arms around me to carry me to a couch.

  We sit next to the window, my head nestled on his chest, watching the beautiful lights from the city below us. Suddenly curious, I look around. “What is this room?”

  Hayden glances around, humming. “Seems to be storage for now. I guess they had to move furniture around downstairs for filming?”

  “Filming . . . this is so strange. I still can’t believe I’m on a fucking love connection game show. And that I might’ve actually met a love connection . . .” Shit, I didn’t mean to say it like that. Right now, it’s just lust, but maybe . . . I glance up at Hayden, expecting him to be shocked or horrified or laughing at me.

  Instead, he has a bright smile on his face, truly looking happy. “Me either, and I don’t know what comes after all of this, but I know that I want to figure it out with you.” He pulls me closer, and I nestle against him, knowing that we’ll have to go back to our rooms soon . . . but not yet.

  Chapter 18

  Hayden

  “Cody, I’m sorry, but we’re not a match.”

  I swallow, knowing that means another one of the ‘good guys’ is gone. Damn, we’d just had a pleasant breakfast too, sitting around and enjoying a gourmet spread. The camera crew got in the way a little, but it was fun to chill with the guys. Cody and Dean, at least. It sucks that just minutes later, just as the sun’s really coming up and most people would be getting ready to go to work, Emily has cut another, and it wasn’t Lee. But that’s the way it is, and I knew as soon as Meredith came storming onto the patio what was up.

  “Will Hayden and Dean please come forward?” Emily asks, and I take a moment. With to
day’s cut, Meredith decided to do it in twos. Lee and Cody were up first, flipping their cards along with Emily. Cody took his loss well, shaking hands with me and Dean before giving Emily a hug.

  Lee, of course, looks cocky as fuck as Dean and I step forward. He doesn’t have anything to worry about now. And in his mind, this show is already wrapped up.

  Dean and I stand side by side, but before Emily can start her lines about the cards, Dean steps forward. “Dean?” Emily asks, confused.

  I can see it in his eyes. He knows he’s been cut. I’d be stupid to say I don’t agree with him, and it hits me right in the gut to know that a guy I consider a friend is going to lose. But it’s me or him. There’s more than that in Dean’s eyes, though, as he looks back at me, then at Emily.

  “Emily, I have a pretty good idea what’s under my card,” he says, waving his hand when Meredith goes to protest. “But for the past few days, I’ve had fun here. I thought, when I came here, that I’d hate everyone. Hell, I figured we’d be at each other’s throats and ready to fight over you.”

  “I heard that,” Cody, who’s walked off set but is still next to Joe the cameraman, says.

  “But as the competition continued, I found that not only have I enjoyed each and every second that I’ve gotten to spend with you, but I’ve also met a few guys who, back home, I wouldn’t mind sharing a beer with and calling my friends. That includes you, Hayden.”

  “Bro,” I whisper, and Dean turns to me.

  “If I’m wrong, and I’m just talking out of my ass and you’re the one cut while I go on, it still doesn’t change the fact that I’ve made a good friend.”

  “You too,” I agree. “For damn sure, we’re gonna stay in touch after this. No matter what.”

  Dean offers me his hand, and I shake before getting pulled into a bro hug with him. He pats me on the shoulder, and I can tell by the look in his eyes that he’s got something on his mind.

  He turns back to Emily and clears his throat. “Emily, regardless of what’s under my card, I think you’re a beautiful woman. The sort of woman who deserves happiness. So no matter what, choose wisely. Think about who’s going to be there for you, who’s going to try and be someone real . . . and who’s just here to get a little bit of publicity and his fifteen minutes of fame.”

  Emily looks shaken, and I can tell Meredith isn’t liking this. According to the contracts we signed, we’re not allowed to directly talk shit about the other contestants to Emily, so it’s likely no one has told her what a fake fucking douchebag Lee is. But Dean just damn-near stomped on that contract, and while I’m glad for Emily to get a bit of the truth, I hope it doesn’t put Dean in a bad spot with the producers. As it is, the editors are going to have a hell of a time chipping that up for the audience.

  Finally, Emily speaks, though she still looks confused. “Thank you, Dean.”

  Knowing that anything I want to say would just pile on with Dean’s comments, I simply give Emily a nod, hoping she understands, and step forward next to Dean.

  Fifteen seconds later, seeing the match on my card, I’m torn. Of course, most of me is happy, but there’s a shadow inside that says it’s not fair that Lee is here and Dean’s not. If she knew who he really was, he would’ve been gone a long time ago. But I shake Dean’s hand one more time for the cameras, and he whispers in my ear, “Take that fucking snake down, okay? For Emily’s sake, even if you two aren’t long-term material.”

  “You can count on it,” I promise him. Dean turns and gives Emily a hug and kiss on the cheek, then walks off set. Meredith gives it a few seconds for the cameras to get their departing shots before clapping her hands again. I swear she treats us like a class of kindergarteners.

  “All right, people . . . last two standing. You know what that means.” She waggles her eyebrows at us. We all stare blankly, not knowing what she’s talking about. Meredith sighs. Maybe we are kindergarteners to her. “Fantasy suite dates!”

  She says it like we’re supposed to start jumping around in excitement. A crew member sets up the spinning wheel and button for Emily to push, and as the cameras roll, locations start to scroll across the screen. Obviously, by now, we know that the destination is already set up and the button push is just for show. But the flashing cities do build excitement. Emily plays it up, yelling cheerfully. "No whammies!" as she presses the button and the screen stops on . . . Las Vegas!

  It’s hard not to smile at that, each of us hollering, “Vegas, Baby!” on cue. Everyone is excited, even the crew, for a trip away, it seems. A night in a fantasy suite with Emily sounds pretty fucking sweet too . . . I just have to remember the cameras are going to be right in our faces, though, but I’ll figure out something. They damn sure can’t see under the covers. I glance at Emily, who looks back with a slight blush in her cheeks, and I swear she’s thinking the same thing.

  Meredith lets the cheers die down before continuing. “Okay, Emily, get packed. Guys, I’d like to have meetings with each of you in the office.”

  We follow Meredith and Nate to the front of the house, and Lee goes in first with them while I hang in a chair in the hallway. I keep hoping to get a glance of Emily, but no dice, although Cody comes by with his bags over his shoulder. He gives me a nod and a little salute, his broad shoulders unbowed by getting cut. Fifteen minutes after that, Lee walks out with a big-ass grin from ear to ear and it’s my turn. I close the door behind me, sitting down in a chair next to Meredith, Nate behind the desk clicking on the laptop and ignoring us.

  “So Hayden, how do you think this is all going? What’s your take on everything?” Meredith asks, sitting in her chair like queen of the fucking world.

  “Uh, it seems to be going great. Emily and I have hit it off, and I think she’s gonna pick me.”

  Meredith looks a bit shocked, but it seems forced somehow, then she switches to a pitying look, picking up a tablet computer and tapping at it. “Look, Hayden. This is all smoke and mirrors, a setup, if you will, much like your photography work. I’m sure you understand. Here’s the deal . . . you seem like such a great guy. In fact, we’ve done some test screening with preview audiences and they love you. A lot. But I’m afraid you’re getting a little lost in the magic here.”

  I’m confused by what she’s saying, although the test audiences liking me sounds like a good thing, right? “You lost me. What are you saying?”

  Meredith hands her tablet to Nate, who runs off like the good little minion that he is before coming back and going back to work with his computer. “Well, here’s the thing. We knew a while back that Emily is going to match with Lee. She’s practically said as much in her confessionals, although she does say sweet things about you too.”

  “Practically?” I ask, raising an eyebrow. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

  Meredith shakes her head, and I can tell she’s trying to talk her way around something difficult. “Listen, there’s just so much chemistry between them. The test audiences are saying Lee’s the betting man’s favorite. And . . . ” She pauses, but I can’t say anything as my mind is racing. Chemistry with Lee? She’s picking him? What the fuck?

  Seeing my expression, Meredith continues. “Well, that’s not important right now. Hayden, the thing is, you test so well with the preview audiences, so we have an idea. It’ll get you lots of continued exposure that’d be great for your career. Your agent already said you’d be interested.”

  I blink, still feeling like I’ve been punched in the gut with a large padded fist. “Jay? You talked to Jay? About what?”

  Meredith smiles, and while it looks friendly, I can’t help but think she looks a little predatory. “Matchmaker, Season Two . . . it’s you.” I look at her blankly, obviously not the reaction she expected. She waves her hand, as if trying to conjure magic or something. “You’ll be the runner-up when Emily and Lee match, and then you’ll be the star of next season with a cast of ladies trying to match with you. It’s brilliant, if I do say so myself, if a bit used. But like they say, if it isn’t broke,
don’t fix it. I’ll need a bit of confessional about you two being hot but maybe not all it seems, and probably a bit of on-screen coolness. Nothing major, just help make it obvious you two aren’t relationship material so you don’t have rebound baggage for Season Two coverage. We want you to be likeable still, just not the fairytale prince . . . of this season, anyway.”

  She’s rambling, talking like this is a done deal, but I don’t know what to think . . . I’m still stuck on Emily and Lee. I clear my throat until I get her attention. “Uh, that sounds interesting . . . but I think I’ve got a shot with Emily still. I could still be her Match.”

  Meredith tsks at me, obviously getting frustrated. “Romantic till the end, huh? So dreamy . . . the girls are gonna eat that shit up. Look, you’ve got a contract to take direction, follow a script as needed, and I’m not throwing you under the bus here. I’m offering you something bigger, a shot at your dream. I need you to get on board here or you could jeopardize what we’ve got planned.”

  I shake my head. There’s contracts, and then there’s the right damn thing to do. “Even if she picks Lee, and I don’t think she will, I’m not saying shitty things about Emily because of it.”

  Meredith gives me a look of almost pitying compassion and turns to Nate. “Nate . . . can you roll the scenes of Lee and Emily yesterday, please?” She looks at me, her eyes soulfully sad. “Sorry, but sometimes, it’s easier if you just see it with your own eyes.”

  Nate turns his laptop around, and I see Emily and Lee joking around during their photo shoot. She’s smiling and laughing at him as he grabs her around the waist, whispering in her ear, but the mic doesn’t catch what he says. Nate fast-forwards to the hidden camera footage in the cabin of the yacht. I knew there were cameras, those sneaky fucks! My gratification at being right is immediately squashed when I see Lee and Emily basically making out. He’s kissing her, pressing her back to the couch, and her hands are pressed to his chest. I look up at Meredith, shocked at what I’m seeing. Nate is going to let it play, but Meredith gives him a cutting off gesture.