“Is this okay?” she asked, her face so near he could feel her breath on his skin.
“Well, you went through my stuff and I kept secrets from you but we’ve both apologized now so I’d say we’re okay.” More than okay, judging from the arousal he could feel moving between them in waves.
“Except, I don’t think you actually apologized.” She tipped her head back to fake-glare.
“Oh, right. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, Jaylene. There are a great many people who assume”—he stressed the word on purpose—“that if you write erotic romance that you’re a pervert or less intelligent or—”
“—an oppressor of women?” It was cute how she poked at herself. Much as he was—okay, finish the conversation first, he reminded himself.
“Actually, you were the first who assumed that.” He rubbed his nose along the length of hers. “I don’t usually tell people because I don’t care what they think of me. I like what I do. I’m good at it. But, the reason I didn’t tell you was for just the opposite reason—I do care what you think about me. I like you.”
She drew in a soft breath.
“I mean, I really like you, Jaylene. And I knew how you felt about erotic romance books. And I was afraid that if you knew that I wrote them, then that would be the end of us.” Fuck too soon. He was going to lay all his cards on the table. It was time to be real.
“So you assumed? Is that okay?” She teased gently, nipping him on the neck. She was apparently going to take advantage of this brief respite in power play. He wasn’t at all upset.
“You got me,” he murmured. “Not okay, I know that now.”
“It’s understandable.” She pulled back to meet his eyes. “But actually I meant, is this okay that I’m touching you? Because you didn’t give me permission.” As if he hadn’t noticed.
“We aren’t in the bedroom.” As if he hadn’t noticed that either.
She fluttered her lids a couple of times and peered up at him.
Oh. He was sure slow sometimes. Maybe he hadn’t noticed. “Did you want to be in the bedroom?”
Her shrug was meant to be nonchalant, but he could read her like the blurb on the back of his bestselling novel.
“There was a mention of punishment earlier.…”
As he tossed her over his shoulder, he reminded himself he had meant to write a book about this. He was already plotting their happy ending as he slammed the bedroom door behind them.
Welcome to the sexy, crazy, wildly unpredictable world of modern matchmaking, where fixing up strangers is part of the job—but falling in love is an occupational hazard …
READ ON FOR A PREVIEW OF MISS MATCH!
Chapter One
Personal Concierge, to start ASAP (Boston Area)
I am a successful businessman looking for a wife. Due to a busy career and lack of energy or interest to devote to the process, I am seeking someone to assist me in my search. I am outsourcing the entire process, job to start immediately.
The perfect candidate will be assertive, with excellent computer skills and a knack for reading people. She—I am only seeking women to fill this position—will be expected to:
• Meet me, get to know me. Spend a week or so in my company to find out my interests, what makes me tick. During this time she will come to understand the type of woman I expect to fall in love with;
• Do all searching activities on my behalf, including online, in real life, on social media, networking, and so on;
• Once possible matches are identified, provide me with pictures and, upon my approval, arrange dates for us to meet.
I am attractive and financially secure. I do not have trouble finding women who are interested in me. It is finding women that I deem interesting beyond the physical that is the challenge.
While this job can be done at home, I’d prefer that several hours a week be spent in my company in order to keep a firm handle on what I expect in a love interest. I will have private space available in both my home and office for the right person to work.
Income will be determined initially by the experiences the candidate brings to this project. Additional income will depend on the quality of women found to date me as well as how far the relationship(s) progresses—both emotionally and physically. We can discuss a specific payment schedule during the interview process.
Serious inquiries only.
Andrea Dawson held the iPad and read the want ad three times before registering exactly what it was Lacy was suggesting by pointing it out. “No way.”
Lacy put on her best puppy-dog eyes—the ones that always seemed to get her out of speeding tickets. “Come on, it’s totally up your alley.”