Knox stood tall and broad-shouldered with military-erect bearing. He commanded attention. And if I wasn’t imagining it, two women at a nearby table looked disappointed by my arrival.
Come see me, ladies. I’ll coach you on how to approach a man. There’s no reason to lose even one golden opportunity like this. You could have had him around your little finger long before I arrived.
Their loss was my opportunity for earning my fee. I pulled away from Knox. “You beat me here. You know that’s cheating.”
He grinned. “I learned punctuality in the military. It’s a hard habit to break.”
“And I suppose the ferry didn’t run into construction and heavy traffic in the sound like I did in the city.” I winked at him.
“No,” he said. “The trip was pretty calm. No construction in open waters or at the pier.”
He already had coffee. I reluctantly ordered herbal tea to save me from further jitters. It was better than decaf coffee. We settled in to discuss his love life.
“This is your meeting, soldier.” I hung my purse on the back of my chair and focused on him. “Give it to me straight.” It was a silly command—Knox didn’t know any other way. He’d never learned the art of beating around the bush.
He shrugged. “Nicole is not the one. I ended it last night.”
I stifled a sigh. I’d been expecting this and was already bracing for bad news. Call it a sixth sense. Neither one had telegraphed that anything was wrong, but I knew things weren’t humming.
I forced myself to reset my expectations. This was part of the find-a-mate game. If a couple wasn’t right for each other, could you really call a breakup bad news?
“I knew it,” I said. “I suspected when you texted me. But the moment I saw you as I walked in, I knew for sure. You have the look of a free man about you.”
He grinned. “I’m that obvious?”
“You’re an open book, my friend. You always have been.” My tea arrived.
I waited for the waitress to refill Knox’s coffee and move to the next table. “What went wrong?” I reached for the sugar between us at the same time he did.
Our fingers accidentally brushed. I felt that uncomfortable, involuntary zing of attraction that I certainly hadn’t asked for and didn’t understand. I’d never been a believer in love triangles and I wasn’t now. I was desperately in love with Lazer. But there was no denying that there was natural chemistry between Knox and me. It was an inconvenient simmer now. If anything ever happened to Lazer and we dropped our guards, it could become a flame.
Neither of us moved our hands away. I rarely flinched. If he wanted to play a game of cat and mouse, I was going to see where it was going. See how he flirted. It was part experiment for me, part knowing my client inside and out, and part dangerous game. He finally withdrew his hand, running his fingers against mine as he retreated and stirred his sugar into his cup.
“Nothing went wrong.” He set his spoon on his saucer.
I lifted an eyebrow. “You ended it with Nicole just short of the five dates or two-month timeframe for going exclusive. This is the second”—I made some mental calculations—“or is it third time since we started working together last fall that we’ve found ourselves in this situation? I’m beginning to think you have commitment issues.”
He laughed. “Me?” He shook his head. “You’re kidding. Nicole was the one with issues. I asked her to let me talk to you first so you’d get a more objective view. She was pretty pissed when I ended things. Don’t give me that look. I was gentle and as kind as I could be, given the circumstances.”
“But you were honest, I assume? And straightforward?”
He nodded.
“And that hurt her feelings,” I said. “She wanted you to let her down gently.”
“I thought I was.”
“You told her it wasn’t her, it was you?” I teased.
He laughed. “I did not. It wasn’t either of us. It was us together. I wasn’t feeling it. There was nothing wrong and nothing exactly right. She was sweet, but bland. Like artificial vanilla.”
“And you want what, bitchy but exciting?”
“You know me better than that.”
“You want a woman who’s a little bit dangerous. The kind you can take home to Mom, but has a secret sassy side.”
“No one wants boring. She was the one who was unsure about where things were going with us. I don’t like indecision. I don’t stand for it. If she couldn’t be sure, then she wasn’t the one.”
“Maybe you were sending her signals that made her unsure.” I lifted my cup and gently blew on it. “Maybe that’s why she seemed unsure. If she was upset that you broke things off, she wasn’t eager to be rid of you.” I took a sip of tea and felt it burn all the way down. “If the three of us had talked, maybe we could have worked it out.”
“No.” He was vehement. “There was no talking it out. We don’t start out in therapy—”
“I’m not therapy.”
“You know what I mean,” he said. “If a relationship is rocky so early in, what chance does it have in the long run? I’m not signing up for a lifetime of drama, not that kind. If a smooth relationship blows up later, years down the road, that’s on us. But I’m sure as hell not struggling from the beginning. I want something comfortable.” His gaze held mine. “Like you and I have.”
His words were simple and straightforward. The emotion behind them was not. It danced around the edges of what we’d both been feeling since he’d come to me for matchmaking last fall, and since way back.
“You and I are friends. Friends and lovers are different animals.” I set my cup down.
“Do they have to be?” His gaze was dark. “I want a woman who’s my best friend, a partner, a woman with a backbone who knows what she wants.” He scooted closer to the small table, close enough that our knees brushed as he leaned toward me. “Someone with passion. Friendship and loyalty are what matter down the road when we’re old and gray. They matter now.”
My breath caught. We’d veered into dangerous territory again. He had a way of commanding situations that was unnerving. “And here I always thought you were a romantic.”
He laughed. “And I always thought you were practical and wanted a family, a man who would commit. I’m looking for a wife.”
The challenge and the offer were there, not quite in the open, but not terribly camouflaged, either.
“I’ll find you a wife,” I said, ignoring the inference. “I promised I would.”
He nodded, his jaw set. He leaned back, retreating for now, but I got the impression this was a tactical move, not an admission of defeat. “Fair enough. That’s why I’m paying you.”
He paused. “Enough about me. We don’t need any more analysis on why Nicole isn’t for me. She looked great on paper. Finding the future Mrs. Emerson comes down to feeling the spark. It’s fascinating watching you match me. You’re like a human AI. I can see you learning and calibrating, making adjustments to the kind of woman you set me up with.”
“Human artificial intelligence?” I shook my head. “You mean real intelligence?”
“You’re getting closer with each match. You know me well enough to know the woman I want.”
Knox was direct and savvy enough to convey he hadn’t made a slip of the tongue. He hadn’t meant “the kind” of woman. He was looking at me.
I chose to ignore his innuendo. “I do. She’s out there.”
His grin deepened. His foot brushed mine beneath the table. “Enough about me. When’s your billionaire going to set a date?”
“This is a professional consultation. We’re not talking about my love life.”
“The professional consultation is over now. Now it’s just you and me, two old friends talking.” He took a sip of coffee, staring at me over his cup. “Remind me—how long did it take Ruck to set a date?”
He knew good and well that Ruck had decided I was the one for him almost from the first moment we met, and wanted to get married
as soon as possible after I accepted his proposal.
“Every relationship is different. Lazer isn’t Ruck. And I’m not the same girl I was when Ruck met me.” I moved my knees away from Knox’s.
“No?” he said. “I’d say you aren’t. You’re much surer of yourself. Much more a woman of the world. If Ruck were still here, he’d only be deeper in love with you.”
“For a single man, you claim to know a lot about love.”
“I knew a lot about Ruck,” he said. “And what he wanted for you after his death.”
“He wanted me to be happy.”
Knox nodded. “The question is—with whom?”
Why did I have the feeling he was holding something back?
*
Ashley
After a long day of running around the Seattle metro area meeting with clients and screening potential members, I headed to Lazer’s downtown condo. It was the least fancy and smallest of his “homes,” but it had sentimental value—we’d had fantastic sex there the first night we met. And it was “ours” in the sense of being neutral territory—not his main home nor mine. We didn’t live together. Not officially, anyway. I wanted to maintain my independence, in case I ever needed it again.
When we first met, the condo had had the sterile feel of a fancy hotel. Fortunately, Lazer had been mellow about letting me add personal touches to it. Now he joked that it was the most feminine of his residences. I could handle his teasing, especially since I had what I wanted—a place that felt like our home, with just enough inconvenience to let him know I wanted a signed marriage license before I moved into one of the mansions with him.
And I had ulterior motives as well as comfort. In his playboy days, the condo had been the place he crashed after long hours at his downtown office and where he had most of his assignations. I trusted Lazer and had no indication he’d fallen back to his old ways, but I was happy enough to disable his bachelor pad and make my presence in it clear. The downside of being in a relationship with a billionaire was that women wanted them and threw themselves at them all the time, often ruthlessly. You had to have a strong sense of self and a lot of faith in your partner. I had both. But I also wasn’t stupid or careless. I locked my doors, so to speak.
When I pulled up to the front of the building, the valet parked my car. As I walked through the door, the light was on in the condo. The table was set for two and Lazer was relaxing on the sofa with his laptop.
“Something smells delicious.” I set my purse down and slid out of my coat.
Lazer’s eyes lit up. “Someone looks delicious.”
One of the things I loved about Lazer was the way he could make me feel beautiful and desirable with something as inconsequential as a glance or a flip comment. He knew exactly how to voice a compliment in a way that made even the corniest curl my toes and flatter me.
He set the laptop aside and slid off the couch. I slid into his arms and lifted my face for a kiss. Lazer was the most sensuous, experienced kisser I’d ever had. Kissing was an art to him, an art he studied to master. Back in his arms, all thoughts of Knox disappeared. There was only Lazer and the scent of his heady cologne, which had only recent, passionate memories associated with it.
I finally forced myself to pull away. “How was your day?”
“Mine was fine,” he said in an amused tone. “I take it yours didn’t go as well.”
I had a momentary jolt of guilt. “Why do you say that?”
He laughed. “Dylan called to gloat. He told me about Laura. He bet me that Laura turned him down cold and you were putting off telling him.”
“What?” I shook my head. “Why would I put off telling him? Dylan doesn’t scare me.”
Lazer slid his hands down my back and cupped my butt. “No, of course not. That’s not what I’m implying. You don’t give up, is what I’m trying to subtly imply, especially when you think two people belong together and can’t see it.”
“That makes me sound pigheaded.”
“It makes you sound determined to do the right thing for people because you care about their happiness.”
“You always know how to spin things toward flattery.” I kissed him lightly, wishing for more but not wanting to be accused of trying to distract him from the issue at hand. “Do you know Laura?”
Lazer shook his head. “I met Dylan in college. Laura had moved out of town, and out of his life, by then. She certainly did something to get under his skin. Listening to him talk about her made that clear. He seemed amused by the thought that of all the women in this city, you picked her to pair him with. I think he had a crush on her when he was young.”
I nodded. “I do, too. And she rebuffed him. I love Dylan, you know I do. But when I met him, physically, anyway, he didn’t present himself in the best possible light. I can see how he wasn’t a young girl’s fantasy in high school. But Laura’s perfect for him now. She really is.”
Lazer looked deep into my eyes. “I believe you. I trust your instincts.”
“In Dylan’s case, my instincts have been out on vacation. Until now.” I fought hard to keep from smiling. “And Dylan is wrong—Laura didn’t say no to him.”
Lazer’s brow shot up. “She didn’t?”
I almost laughed at his look of surprise. “Dylan has no confidence in himself. He should realize that mature people, good people like Laura, can grow up and laugh at silly childhood prejudices and attitudes.”
Lazer grinned. “You sound like you’re teasing.”
“Not teasing.”
“Then why haven’t you called Dylan to give him ‘the good news’?”
The oven timer dinged. Lazer held up a finger. “One minute. I have to rotate our dinner. Cook’s instructions.” He returned a few minutes later with two glasses and an open bottle of wine. He set the glasses down, poured us each one, and handed me one.
“You’re a lifesaver.” I sank onto the couch with one leg beneath me. As he sat next to me, I curled into him. I wanted to come home to Lazer for the rest of my life.
He held his glass up for a toast. “To my excellent lifesaving abilities and to good news for Dylan.”
We clinked and drank. He waited for me to elaborate.
I let the wine sit in my mouth, enjoying all the round, full-bodied flavor notes, tasting the deep oak of the barrel. “Laura didn’t say no, not exactly. But she is reluctant and concerned that it will be next to impossible to get over their past biases toward each other and start fresh. She’s thinking it over.”
“She could be right.” Lazer settled his arm around me. “You know how it is when you’re young.”
I nodded. “She made an offhand comment, wishing she could meet him as if it was the first time, unfettered by their young impressions of each other.” I swirled my wine, enjoying the warm feel of his hand on my shoulder. “I wish there was a way. As things stand, I don’t think they have much of a chance. Maybe I should stop pushing it.”
“Huh.” Lazer nodded. He had the vacant look that meant he was no longer listening. The wheels of his mind were turning as he tried to solve the problem.
“Huh? That’s it?” I said, uncertain whether to be amused or put out by his attitude. “It’s an impossible task.”
“Is it?”
“Isn’t it?” I studied him. “Don’t tell me you have a solution.”
“The solution is obvious, isn’t it?”
I frowned. “Not to me.”
He lifted his brow. “Role playing.”
My frown deepened. “Role playing.” It was impossible to keep the sarcasm out of my voice. “Hardly the way to get off on the right foot and get an honest start, is it?”
“Cosplaying!” He set his wine on the stand next to the sofa. “Dylan loves cosplaying. Two people ‘meet’ in costume and in character as if for the first time.” He nodded. “Genius.”
I paused, thinking his suggestion over. The idea had a certain merit, and a whole lot of pitfalls. “I don’t even know whether Laura cosplays. She didn’t men
tion it.”
“You could ask.”
“I could ask.” I was still frowning, and hesitant. “Comicon is coming up soon. You’re suggesting Dylan take her there for a first date?”
“That’s a good thought,” Lazer said. “But not the direction I was going. There’s no element of surprise, romance, and intrigue if they go out knowing who the other one is. Didn’t you tell me that when you first started matchmaking, you used to throw big singles parties for your clients?”
I nodded, cautious. “Yes.”
“That’s where I’m going with this. Pair Us is over a year old. Let’s throw a party to celebrate—a great, big find-your-love bash. We’ll put on a masquerade ball to end all masquerade balls, a real event, and invite our clients and members from Pair Us. Think of all the great PR we’ll get.”
I mulled the idea over. “I love masquerade balls. It would be fun…”
“Of course it would. We’ll hire the top party planner, the best caterer, and book the best venue. The owner of the Millennium Ballroom owes me a favor or two. We’ll be the talk of the town. Everyone will want an invitation.”
“Fortunately, Dylan and the guys have had dancing lessons.” I remembered how awkward they’d been before I’d made them over into charmers who could dance and woo women.
Lazer nodded. “Yeah. A few years ago, we’d have been courting trouble and embarrassment. I’d never have suggested dancing. Now? I think we’re playing to Dylan’s strength. For a big guy, he’s amazingly light on his feet.”
“He is, isn’t he.” I was in happy agreement there. Lazer might just be right. “Will we charge for this shindig?”
“Charge?” He looked taken aback by the mere suggestion. “For a party I’m throwing for a buddy and as a thank you to our clients who’ve made us the success we are?”
“My mistake,” I said. “Perish the suggestion.”
“I’ll foot the bill this time—clients and members attend free.” He was clearly excited by the idea. “We’ll serve dinner and drinks.” He paused, looking as if he was making mental calculations.
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