The older slim blonde waitress behind the receptionist podium eyed him up and down, taking in his black dress pants, blue shirt, and black tie. He hadn’t known what to wear on a blind date, so he went with something less authoritative than his usual power suits.
“Yes.” He scanned the crowded dining room, the hearty scent of garlic and baking bread making him want to inhale deeply. “A date. I’m afraid I don’t know her name or what she looks like.”
“Ah, yes.” She stood up straight, her eyes sparkling. “This way, young man.”
He followed her through the tables and into a dark corner where a small table, just big enough for two, stood lit with a tea candle in a glass votive. A vase with a single rose lay next to it. He paused when he saw that his date had already arrived.
Sitting at the table was Emily Sevenson in a pair of pale blue jeans and a tight black turtleneck. She’d pulled her curly hair back from her delicate cheekbones and into a low bun. It was a far cry from the sweaty, frustrated woman he’d met just a couple days ago.
“Your date is here, my dear.” The waitress pointed to the opposite chair. “Have a seat, young man.”
Emily tore her gaze from the menu in front of her to look up at him. Her eyes opened wide as shock coursed over her face. A pink blush formed in her cheeks and Michael had a hard time not laughing at the comical sight. Clearly, she hadn’t been expecting him, either.
“Mr. Knight.” She slammed the menu on the table. “I...I didn’t know...”
“Do you often date your clients, Ms. Sevenson?”
He took the seat opposite her and tried not to grin as she stuttered her reply.
“Absolutely not. I haven’t been on a date in over a year.” Her blush turned beet red and she waved her hands in front of her face. “Not that I don’t date. I mean, I date. Well, I used to. It’s just that lately I haven’t found the time.” She huffed and crossed her arms. “This is all Lydia’s fault. She set me up.”
“Yes, your secretary.” The waitress dropped off two glasses of ice water and he smiled at her before raising the glass to his lips for a sip. “She’s an interesting character.”
“She’s my best friend, but that isn’t going to stop me from killing her,” she muttered as she picked up her own glass.
Michael threw his head back and laughed. It felt good after a long, tedious day at the office.
Emily blushed again and tugged uncomfortably at her turtleneck. It was a strange thing to see a woman wearing a turtleneck in the late August heat. Michael had the sneaking suspicion it had been for her date’s benefit. A subtle sign that she had been forced into coming here and would reject any physical intimacy with a hard no.
He couldn’t help but be intrigued. This was not the kind of date he’d expected. There was no denying that Emily Sevenson was a beautiful and intelligent woman. Add to that the chance to really get to know the insides of Sevenson Selective’s matchmaking process, and this was quite the opportunity. He wouldn’t squander it.
They spent the next few moments immersed in awkward small talk about traffic and the weather. Emily kept glancing at the exit as if planning to bolt for it. He kept his answers light and cheery, not wanting to scare her away. She had a quick wit and a ready sense of humor. Even small talk with her was entertaining.
“Ah, Miss Emily.” A short, round man with a thick Italian accent came rushing toward them, interrupting the conversation. He grabbed Emily’s hand and kissed it swiftly on the top. “What can I get for you this evening?” He beamed down at her as if she were his own daughter.
“Lorenzo, you didn’t have to come out here to wait on us.” Emily smiled up at him, her blue eyes softening. “I know you’re a busy man.”
“I always have a minute to spare for my best customer.” Lorenzo crossed his thick arms across his round belly and over his black suit. “And your mama would be disappointed in me if I didn’t get a good look at your date. He is very handsome, no?”
Her eyes darted in Michael’s direction and she squirmed in her seat. Michael tried not to grin at her discomfort. He could feel their immediate attraction as much as her reluctance to admit it. It almost felt like a challenge. See who gave in first.
“Yes, I suppose you could say that. This is Michael Knight.”
Lorenzo shook his hand warmly. “Welcome to my restaurant. Anything this pretty lady wants, she gets.” He leaned in close, smelling of red wine and aftershave. “Including my protection. You hurt her, you answer to me and my boys.”
A jolt went through Michael and he gazed up at the bubbly man to see if he was serious.
His smile didn’t falter. “What shall I bring the two love birds tonight? Maybe our special?”
“That would be lovely.” Emily handed over her menu and looked at Michael expectantly.
“Um, yes, the same for me.” He also handed over his menu, still trying to make sense of what had happened. Surely, Emily Sevenson wasn’t connected to the Italian mob in some way. That would really be the cherry on top of this latest investment project.
“Sorry about that,” Emily said as Lorenzo walked away. She watched the man go, fondness clear in her eyes. “I’ve been coming to this restaurant since I was in pigtails. Lorenzo is like a father to me. My mom and I ate here every week until she got sick.”
“He’s protective of you.” Michael cocked his head to one side and studied her. “It’s nice to have people like that surrounding you. And I’m sorry to hear about your mother.”
“Thank you.” Her eyes misted over and she blinked rapidly. “She passed six months ago. I’m afraid I’m learning how to live all over again. It’s strange, picking up the phone to call her and realizing she’s no longer there. I’m in the middle of going through her stuff and getting her house ready to sell. I never realized how badly it was going to hurt. Like I’m losing her all over again.”
He wanted to reach across the table and cover her hand with his own. There was so much pain in her voice, he couldn’t stand it. But he had to remind himself not to get too invested. This was just a business transaction, after all.
“I’m so sorry.” She dabbed at her eyes with a linen napkin and gave him a sad smile. “I barely know you. You don’t need to hear my sob story. Lydia would kill me if she knew I was talking about this on a first date. You’re probably already thinking of your escape plan.”
“That was the last thing on my mind,” he said. And strangely, that was the truth. He leaned forward, his gaze intense. “You have no idea how refreshing it is to talk about real things with a woman. I am tired of the superficial. Life is full of ups and downs. We should be free to talk about them. And I am very sorry for your loss. It’s obvious your mother meant a great deal to you.”
Surprise lit up her eyes. She returned his gaze, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths. “Thank you. You have no idea how nervous I was about tonight. When I’m nervous, I tend to ramble, as you witnessed since the beginning of our date. I really had no idea I was so passionate about the weather.”
He regarded her with a frown. “There does seem to be a lot of pressure in a situation like this, doesn’t it? I’ll admit, it’s been a while since I last did this.”
“Now, I find that surprising.” The left side of her mouth pulled into a teasing grin. “I imagine a guy like you never lacks in dates. The women must line up down the street.”
“Yes, it’s all very tiresome,” he replied, his frown deepening. “My landlord nearly kicked me out of my last apartment for disrupting traffic. The ladies just won’t leave me alone.”
It was Emily’s turn to throw her head back and laugh. A thrill went through him as he watched her flash her white teeth. She had a lovely laugh.
“In all seriousness, though,” he took the napkin from the table and twisted in his hands, “finding love isn’t easy no matter who you are or what you do. Not in an age where commitment is considered scary and people lose interest faster than they flip through TV channels. We all need a little help so
metimes.”
He looked up to see Emily studying him, her lips forming a firm line. Just as he was wondering if he’d said too much, she leaned closer to the table and exhaled slowly.
“Want to get out of here?”
He raised an eyebrow. That was the last thing he’d expected her to say. He wasn’t sure how to respond to such a forward request.
“I didn’t mean...” She seemed to pick up on what he was thinking and as a result, her face turned bright red. “I didn’t mean how that sounded. But, how about we take a stroll in the park just down the street? Take off some of the pressure of this blind date situation. I think it could help us both shake off some nerves.”
His lips curled into a relieved smile. “I’ve never heard a better idea.”
“Perfect.”
She bit her bottom lip and his gaze went straight to her shapely mouth, sending a jolt of warmth through him. She twisted in her seat and spotted Lorenzo weaving through the tables. Flagging him down, she gave him a bashful smile and glanced quickly at Michael.
“Lorenzo, can we change our order to-go?”
“Ah.” His small dark eyes darted toward Michael and back to her face. He grinned, winking salaciously. “The date is that good, huh? Can’t even make it through the meal?”
Bright red splotches formed on Emily’s face. Her mouth opened to speak, but it seemed her voice had left her.
“We’re going to stroll in the park,” Michael said, coming to her rescue. He was desperately trying not to laugh at her contorted facial expressions. “It’s a beautiful evening. We don’t want to waste it.”
“Very good, very good.” Lorenzo patted him heavily on the shoulder. “I’ll have it bagged and throw in a slice of raspberry cheesecake for the lovers. My treat.”
“Lorenzo...” Emily held up her hand in protest.
“No, no, no.” He began to walk away. “This is a special occasion. My restaurant, my rules. And we Italians love nothing better than to celebrate love.”
Chapter Five
Emily led them across the street toward a small park filled with tall, leafy trees and sprawling green grass. A live five-piece band played music from the quaint white-washed gazebo in the middle. A crowd had gathered to watch, so Emily and Michael joined in, standing silently side-by-side.
This was much more comfortable than staring across a table at a stranger, no matter how good looking he might be. She could feel the tension leaving her shoulders. Eventually, she began to sway along with the beat, closing her eyes to listen to the expert plucking of the guitar.
A dozen or so couples began to dance in front of the gazebo as the band struck up a slow song. Michael shifted, the bag of carry-out swinging in his hand, and dropped it to the ground.
“Dance with me.”
Her eyes snapped opened and she stared up at him, a jolt of panic going through her chest. It had been ages since she’d danced with a man. She’d probably tread all over his fancy shiny shoes. But he stared at her with such expectation that, despite her worries, her hand found its way into his. He led her confidently out onto the dance floor, swinging her into his arms.
As it turned out, there wasn’t much to worry about in Michael Knight’s embrace. He had no problem leading her through the steps, his left hand firmly grasping hers and his other splayed across her lower back. She gulped at the sudden closeness, feeling his muscular chest against hers, and inhaling the slight tang of his aftershave.
She looked up at her date, feeling nervous once again. He was staring over her shoulder, his expression brooding. From this distance, she could see the tiniest scar in the middle of his forehead. It made her wonder what his story was.
“I think we need to start over,” she said, pursing her lips. “I was such a mess in there. Do you mind?”
He glanced down at her, the corner of his mouth twitching as he expertly spun her around. “Sure. How do you propose we manage that?”
She chewed on her bottom lip, thinking for a moment. “How about an elevator pitch of each of our lives? Quick and dirty.”
“Elevator pitch, huh?” He pulled her closer, a teasing glint in his eyes. “Are you sure this isn’t a business meeting?”
“Hey, I’m supposed to be the dating expert.” She laughed and tried to dispel the nerves making her voice quiver. “Just go with it, okay?”
“All right, Ms. Dating Expert. You go first.”
She inhaled through her nose and sighed. “I’m twenty-eight. Went to college here in San Jose. Never been married. It’s always just been my mom and me. She passed down the family business to me. I adore kittens, although I’m allergic. And I can’t stand clowns. They give me the creeps.”
He chuckled at her confession and then tensed his jaw. She could sense a bit of hesitation in his silence, although he stared over her shoulder with all the confidence of someone used to holding the floor. Finally, he snuck a sideways glance down at her.
“I’m thirty. Never married. My parents would’ve disowned me if I didn’t go to Harvard. I work for my dad, although he plans to retire in a few years and leave me the business. I’m more of a dog person myself, but I can’t stand Chihuahuas. They’re nasty little brutes that bite surprisingly hard. My old neighbor’s Chihuahua hates me. His name is Sweetie, strangely enough.”
Emily smiled. She liked his subtle sense of humor and the way his dark eyes twinkled when he made a joke. “So, we’ve established that you’re a dog person and I’m a cat person. This will never work out.”
“Yes, that is the most basic of all human laws.” His lips twitched again. “I guess your matchmaking system is flawed after all.”
“Never!” Her jaw dropped and she faked an angry expression. “Be careful Mr. Knight, or I just might have to double your rates.”
He laughed, low and throaty, before leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Please, call me Michael.”
His warm breath on her neck made her shiver unexpectedly.
“And Emily, of course.”
The song ended and the next one began. Michael didn’t let go of her hand. He kept her pressed tight to him as they swayed to the next song. Emily could feel heat rising in her stomach. She swallowed hard, trying not to let herself get swept away by the romantic music or the brilliant sunset leaving red and orange streaks over the city.
In order to distract herself, she peppered him with questions about his childhood. He answered them all and eventually she forgot her reservations. As they continued dancing, once or twice, Emily snuck a glance at her date from beneath her eyelashes.
He really was good looking, if you liked the tall, dark, and handsome type. He had angular cheekbones and a strong chin that definitely made him worthy of a GQ magazine cover. And those thick, dark eyelashes were quite swoon-worthy.
Although he still seemed a bit uptight, he’d played along with her twenty questions during the evening. She’d even gotten a few rare smiles out of him. So far, her radar hadn’t picked up anything glaring.
Maybe he really was a unicorn.
“Last question before I should head home,” she said as the final song drew to an end. She squeezed his hand and gave him a teasing smile. “If you weren’t on this date tonight, where would you be?”
He thought about it for a moment and then shrugged his shoulders. “If I’m going to be honest, probably at the office, working late. My father’s really been on me lately to close some deals.”
She nodded, impressed at his honesty. At least he wasn’t a bum. She imagined Harvard grads had laziness practically beaten out of them. “Same here. That’s what it takes to keep a business afloat, unfortunately.”
They gazed at each other for a long moment before she felt her cheeks warm. This really wasn’t the date she’d expected. She couldn’t help but like Michael Knight’s quiet, strong demeanor. He seemed to actually listen to her when she spoke and wasn’t just ogling her shirt or talking about himself the entire time.
Finally, the music ended and he let go of her, step
ping back. She tried not to show her disappointment. She was the one who said she needed to go home, after all. Why did she suddenly feel like she’d made a mistake?
“May I give you a ride home?” Michael pointed at a sleek two-toned silver Bugatti Chiron parked on the street nearby. “My car’s just there.”
She stared slack-jawed at the luxurious vehicle. She’d figured his family had to be pretty wealthy to send him to Harvard, but this was something else. Apparently, his father’s business was quite a success.
“Thanks, but I drove my old beetle,” she said, motioning over her shoulder at the rusty yellow clunker just halfway down the block. It looked like a mess, but it had been good to her when everything else in her life seemed to be crumbling.
“I see.” There was no judgement in his eyes when he glanced at her car, just a slight hint of regret. He stepped closer, making her heart skip. “May I take you out again next week? This time, my treat?”
She bit her bottom lip and looked up at him. A flash of guilt went through her. It felt like she was using him. She wasn’t looking for love. She’d given up on that notion a long time ago. But, she had agreed to four dates in order to get Lydia’s apartment. If she wanted that place, she was going to have to follow this through.
They were just four, innocent dates.
“Sure.”
Part of her thrilled at the prospect of going out with Michael Knight again. A girl would have to be crazy not to. She tried to hush the unbidden thoughts, but they wouldn’t die. Traitors.
“Good night, Emily Sevenson.” He grabbed her hand and pressed a warm kiss to the top of it. “Until we meet again.”
A bolt of hot, liquid pleasure shot through her and her knees became weak.
There it was, the first sign of fatal attraction for her. Except, she’d always been attracted to jerks. How was she supposed to know for sure if Michael Knight was the exception to the rule?
“You, too.” She stumbled backwards and tried to maintain her cool. He tilted his head to one side and a slow smile crept on his face, as if he knew exactly how his touch had affected her. She tucked her loose curls behind her ears and gave him a wimpy wave. “Good night.”
The Billionaire and the Matchmaker Page 3
