Love at Stake (Entangled Covet)(14)
That was, if he ever showed up.
She kicked off on her eleventh rotation on her swivel chair. They’d agreed to meet before his date tonight so she could brief him about the woman he was seeing, but at this rate, she’d have to deliver him straight to the restaurant and let him fend for himself.
The office spun before her eyes as she slowly came to a stop. The dossier on her desk contained all the information Lucian needed to make a perfect first impression. Not that the man needed much help in that department. Still, it was all part and parcel of the Fated Match package.
“Round twelve,” she muttered, pushing off from the desk. She was just swinging back around when a knock sounded on her door.
“Client to see you,” Chloe said with a wink. Lucian stepped past her and suddenly the room felt very small.
“Thanks, Chloe,” Abbey said, her throat feeling tight.
Lucian crossed the office and dropped into the waiting chair.
“My apologies. Melissa required my attention.”
Not a word about last night. No heated glances. Fine. She could play it cool as well. Tapping the file in front of her, she said, “I have a succubus in here who does too.”
His eyes lit with an interest Abbey tried to ignore. “Really?”
“Tonight you are meeting Janine Scott at Celeste’s,” she said as she handed the file over. “She’s a succubus from the Davish tribe and very popular among our members. Your match rating was a respectable 93 percent.”
He flipped open the dossier, pausing at the photograph of the beautiful blonde. Abbey gritted her teeth and told herself she was prepared for this. She’d known last night was her one chance to enjoy his attention before he met women from his own world. There was no way a human could compete with the dates he had lined up this week. Especially not a mortal with more curves than all five women combined.
“Her interests are dancing, adventure sports, and, of course, sex. Janine hates mushrooms so make sure you don’t order them. Her sexual feeding schedule usually falls on a five-day rotation but if you pursue things with her, you’ll have to come to an agreement that works with both your schedules. She’s a corporate attorney so timing might be an issue.”
“Fine,” he said, tossing the file back onto the desk.
No hesitation, no denial that a feeding schedule wouldn’t be needed because he had no intention of sleeping with the sex demon. She clenched her fists under the table. “Have you prepared a gift?”
Lucian arched a brow. “Gift?”
“It’s customary among Fated Match’s clients. It shows you’re approaching the encounter in good faith with hopes of pursuing a relationship.”
The vampire looked less than impressed. “Do men give you gifts on a first date?”
She laughed at the notion. “No, but I’m not part of the supernatural world. Here, let’s see what I have on hand.” Abbey pulled open her bottom desk drawer before sorting through the small pink boxes within.
“No,” she muttered, looking inside one. “Not quite right.”
Lucian peered over the desk edge. “You are well stocked.”
“Most of our clients prefer to buy their welcome gifts through us. We stock suitable items for every species.”
“There are options?”
“Of course,” she said absently as she continued to search. “Silver, for example, is fantastic for a witch but deadly for a werewolf or vampire. Honey is a lovely gift for a dryad but an insult for a harpy. The list goes on. Ah, this should do it.”
She held out a pink box. Lucian accepted it gingerly before removing the lid.
“Succubi have a love for all things sparkly. That bracelet will do just the trick.”
He eyed the glittery piece of jewelry before shrugging and pocketing the box.
“If you prefer, I can arrange for gifts beforehand and you’ll be charged a flat fee to your account.”
“Good,” he said, waving the details away. “Take care of it however you feel best.”
She nodded, wondering at his cavalier attitude. He’d promised to take his trial weeks seriously. If he didn’t uphold his end of the bargain, then they had a problem.
“Do you have any questions about Janine before we leave?”
“Hates mushrooms, loves sparkle, has a thing for adrenaline. I’m all set.”
She frowned. “All right. Let’s head to the restaurant.”
Grabbing her purse, she switched off her computer for the night before following Lucian from her office.
Fated Match had a very strict policy for first dates. Each pair would be introduced by a relationship rep to help ease any initial tension. After that, she had the night off. A night destined to be filled with wondering how Lucian fared on his date and what exactly he was doing with the lovely succubus.