"Was Connor here?"
"Yeah, my family grew up near Westchester so it was a chance for us to get back in the same state. I missed my brother. He's the only family I have left."
She nodded. "I always wished I had a sibling. That's why I'm so close with Kate and Arilyn. We met in college and bonded and they became my family."
"What about your mom and dad?"
Darkness stole over her face, momentarily capturing the jubilance that had come from her earlier success at the game. "We don't talk much. It's better that way." He nodded, not digging any further. The gentle whirr of the cart's wheels broke the silence. "I know you study propulsion, but what exactly are you trying to find? Are you hired to build a certain rocket?"
"No. We're looking for more efficient ways to create spacecraft. I'm working on new formulas to challenge our current ideas. Something called the thrust equation."
"The thrust equation depends on the mass flow through the engine and the exit velocity, right?"
He narrowed his gaze. She acted like she'd just told him she liked the color red. "Exchanging Vogue for Science Today?" he asked casually. He was afraid to scare her off after the other night, but dear God, she was trying to kill him.
"I looked up your company on the net to get some info on your job."
His heart shifted. There wasn't one person in his entire life who cared enough even to figure out what he did all day. His throat closed up. "Why?"
"I wanted to get an idea of who you were. To match you with the right woman, of course. Career is an important part of your life and expectations for your future wife."
He pushed down the strange mix of emotions that tore through him. "I'm just the nerdy guy behind the notepad."
"Nate?"
He pulled into the main area and parked. "Yeah?"
"Nerds are underrated."
Their connection slammed through him and punched out his breath. Damn her. Every time he tried to get his footing, she knocked him back on his ass. Her face softened, and she was staring at him as if she wanted him, but didn't want to want him, and his head swam and his dick ached. Suddenly, he didn't care about right, wrong, or reason. He leaned in, got a whiff of her heady scent, and cupped her cheeks.
"You can't say that and expect me not to kiss you, Ken."
His lips covered hers, and she gave that little hitched moan he bet she uttered during an orgasm. She opened for him and he slipped his tongue deep, drinking in her essence, thrusting in and out like he longed to do between her thighs. The sun beat down, the birds sang, golf balls flew, people chattered, and nothing else mattered except the touch and taste and smell of her.
She kissed him back. Stroked his tongue with hers. Gave it all back to him.
Too soon, she drew back and stared. Her lower lip was slightly swollen and gleamed with wetness. "Don't do that."
He wanted to laugh at her admonition, but he was too painfully turned on. "Sorry. But I don't regret it."
"I'm throwing you a mixer, dammit. To hopefully meet your wife. Let's pretend this never happened, because I promise you, Nate, it will never happen again. Got it?"
Those amber eyes sparked with temper and a passion he craved to tap into, but he did the right thing and nodded. "Got it."
She slid out of the cart in a flash of white fabric and bare skin. "See you Friday. At the mixer."
He didn't answer. Just watched her walk away and wondered if he'd ever meet someone who would match her.
THAT FRIDAY EVENING, NATE walked into Cosmos like he was about to face a firing squad.
The small group of women hung in the corner, drinking wine and chatting like they were friends and not about to compete for his attention. Not that he felt like a prize. In fact, his stomach lurched at the thought of having to conduct not only safe but sparkling conversation with strangers and then pick one to date. He must've been crazy to agree to this. His gaze swung to the object of his thoughts, dreams, and lately his fantasy world. She was dressed in a yellow tweed suit that looked custom fit with a super-short skirt accented by her matching yellow sandals. Her gold ankle bracelet winked at him, and her gorgeous hair streamed down in streaks of blond and brown. She moved around the room like a firefly, bright and quick and impossible to ignore.
Since the golf outing, Nate had focused on the upcoming event and targeted his energy into his real future. With a woman he'd marry, have children with, and love till death do they part. His head was now wrapped tight around one rule: Kennedy Ashe was only his matchmaker.
If only he could wrap his dick around the rule, too.
Nate walked up to her. "Hey."
She smiled. "How are you doing?"
"Just peachy."
She laughed. The deep, husky tone stroked him everywhere and set off an explosion of heat. "Don't freak out on me. These women were handpicked. They're easy to get along with and really looking forward to meeting with you. I'll introduce you to everyone first, and then escort each of them to a private table so you can have some alone time. You look great."
"Thanks." The charcoal pants and silk shirt had an easy elegance he liked. And the shoes were pretty damn awesome. He'd never thought of Italian leather as the bomb, but now he didn't know if he'd ever go back. "So do you."
She opened her mouth to respond, but a large guy swooped in on her and pulled her into a tight hug. His hands slid comfortably around to her backside. A violent impulse sputtered within him like a bad car engine refusing to turn over, and he barely held back from knocking the asshole's grip away from the full curve of her ass.
"Hey, babe. What time you done? Wanna hook up for a drink afterward?"
She tossed him a flirty look and shook her head. "Sorry, can't tonight."
"All work and no play makes for an unsatisfied woman, Ken."
"Speak for yourself, Ron."
He gave a big bear laugh that annoyed Nate. "I'll be in the kitchen if you get a break. Come visit." He winked. "I promise not to get dough all over your nice clothes this time."
"Promises, promises," she sang. The dude walked away with a stupid come-hither look on his face and pushed his way back into the crowd. His sheer height and weight cut an easy path through the throng of people, but his rudeness and ego were evident. Definitely a prior high school bully. She pulled her gaze away from his retreat and refocused. "Okay, are you ready to meet everyone?"
"Who's that?" he demanded.
She blinked. "Ron? Oh, he just works in the kitchen. We do a lot of mixers here."
Nate held on to his temper. "I don't like the way he just talked to you."
Astonishment widened her golden eyes. "He's harmless. Treats all women like that. Sound familiar?"
The arrow met its mark and pierced cleanly through. Nate shifted on his feet. All those awful comments he never thought of flickered through his mind. How many times had he treated women like objects under the misguided advice of his brother? But Connor wasn't to blame. Nate had never paused long enough to think about how someone would want to be treated. Maybe he was just as selfish.
"You don't deserve for any man to devalue you, Kennedy. Even me."
Her expression softened, and suddenly, it was if they were alone in a warm, floaty bubble. "Then it's a good thing I have my zapper."
They smiled at each other, and he forgot about the group of women awaiting him, one of whom might be his future wife. He wondered if she had forgotten, too.
She seemed to catch his thoughts and shook her head. "I already ordered you a Darth Maultini. The women you'll meet tonight are Mary, Sue, Vera, and Sally. They're all professionals with college degrees and good senses of humor. Two of them love golf. One has a physics background. Don't worry about assets or liabilities right now. Just talk, have some fun, and see if you feel any type of connection. Remember the rules?"
"No commenting on age or body parts, asking about the future, or judging before a longer conversation."
"Good. Ready?"
He gazed at the woman he wanted and lied
.
"Yes. Let's go."
He took a deep breath and plunged into the crowd.
KENNEDY SAT ON THE edge of the room, monitoring but giving Nate the privacy and support he needed. So far, so good. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves, and he was already involved with his third private date. She sensed that Mary was the best match and hoped Nate felt the same. Funny, she'd never had such a difficult time setting up a mixer. Every time she narrowed down the matches, something bothered her about a certain woman. She was probably so intent on success since she'd spent the last several weeks with intensified training. This would be good for both of them. They were probably getting a bit too attached, which caused weird feelings to surface. Sexual feelings, for instance.
A shiver raced over her skin. When Ron had left, she caught the primitive flare of masculine temper in Nate's intense green eyes. Almost like he was jealous and didn't like Ron touching her. But what disturbed her most was her own reaction. She'd liked it. The thought of him trying to teach her a lesson, and putting that fierce focus all on her pleasure lit her up like one of those rocket ships he worked on. And the image of her rational rocket scientist losing his temper completely turned her on.
Maybe it was time to focus on her own love life. Or lack of it. A round with Ron would take the edge off, but she needed a real date with possibilities. When was the last time she experienced that tiny flare of anticipation over a man? There was nothing as exciting as the first bite of sexual attraction, the dive into an initial kiss, the energy of falling into bed and hoping for something . . . more.
She sipped her Pinot Noir and watched Nate. He handled himself well. The moment he strolled into the restaurant, the women perked up, gazes roving hungrily over him. He was her perfect Eliza, transformed, transcended, and ready to find love. He moved with a predatory grace, his gaze focused on each woman he spoke with as if she were his universe and he had no need to go anywhere else.
He handled the one-on-ones even better. Open body language, and he was obviously speaking in more than one-word answers. Sue moved her chair a bit closer, and played with her hair, twisting a curl around her finger in the obvious flirtatious manner of a woman wanting to catch a man. He seemed a bit taken with her, too. His attention never strayed. She laughed and touched his upper arm. He seemed to like it.
Kennedy clucked her tongue against the roof of her mouth and pondered the match. Sue loved golf, and her father was a scientist, so it was a strong background of shared interests. Still, Sue had a prim and proper way about her and could be a bit of a snob. She wondered if one slip of Nate's tongue would throw her off. Or if she would judge his brother's questionable behavior. Mary had a tiny slice of badass within her that would balance him more correctly. Maybe she should whisper her own opinion in Nate's ear. No one would know.
Kennedy froze. What was she thinking? That was the cardinal rule of matchmaking--give them the possibilities and let them make the choice. Suddenly the creepy voice from the Saw movies flooded her head. Make Your Choice. She should've never watched that damn midnight marathon.
Nate rose, smiling, and walked Sue back to the group. The women seemed to make a little joke, where everyone laughed, and then finally Mary was escorted to the private table. Kennedy scrolled through her text messages, sipped her wine, and waited for the magic to happen between them. She always had great instincts, and she'd studied Nate more than she'd studied any other client. Mary was the one.
When he finished his private conversations, Kennedy strolled over to the group. She chatted a bit with the women, made sure they all knew how impressed Nate was with each of them, and escorted them out the door. No reason for anyone to linger while waiting for his decision. Awkward. Kennedy refreshed her drink and sat down with Nate in a cozy corner.
"How did it go?" she asked.
"Good." His brow furrowed. "Really good. I don't think I messed up once. And I liked them. They were all pretty much my type."
"I'm so happy. Did you have one particular woman you bonded with? I want you to begin your one-on-one dating."
"Yes. Sue."
She paused. "What about Mary?"
"Mary is nice, too. But I'd like to date Sue."
She swallowed back her protests. "Wonderful. I'm glad you sensed a connection. I can set up a date for you this weekend. You're in charge of the venue. Don't bring her to a business function or your personal home. Make sure it's private enough so you can get to know one another and don't pick something weird, like bowling."
"Are you afraid I'll take her to midnight golfing?"
"Maybe."
He grinned. Her gaze was pulled to the lush curve of his lower lip. She strangled the impulse to touch the facial hair around his mouth. She remembered the delicious roughness against her cheek when he kissed her. Remembered the thrust of his tongue, the pressure of his lips, and the taste of raw male hunger. He wrinkled his forehead in mock contemplation. "Sue is a huge golfer so she may not mind that, actually."
"Nate."
"Kidding. I can handle a date. What about the others?"
"I'll make sure they know you'd be open to dating one of them if it doesn't work with Sue, and confirm how impressed you were with them. I'll also redouble my efforts to find them their matches."
"This is a touchy type of business. How do you manage not to hurt their feelings?"
Ken shrugged. "I'm good at my job. I've been rejected so many times it became my mantra and my albatross. I make sure all my clients are confident and know I believe in them. Everything we do at Kinnections is structured to try to get people to deal with rejection in a healthy way without letting it destroy them."
Nate smirked at her. "What would you know about rejection? I can't imagine a man alive who could reject you."
A bite of pain seized her. She ignored it. "You didn't know me ten years ago."
A gentle finger lifted up her chin. Startled, she gazed into the endless depths of his eyes. "Don't need to. Bet you were just as beautiful then. You just didn't know it."
She ached to step closer and let him hold her. When was the last time a man had comforted her other than for sexual gratification? Instead, she balled her hands into fists and forced a smile. "I'll contact Sue in the morning and you can set up your date."
"Okay. I better head out. I promised I'd grab a beer with Connor and I'm already late." Nate paused. "Thanks for everything. Sue seems like an incredible woman."
She watched his retreating back and kept the bright smile pasted on her face, the perfect picture of a matchmaker poised on the brink of success. And wondered why her heart didn't seem in it.
eleven
KENNEDY SAT IN her office and brooded.
Her screen saver flashed in front of her with the cheerful purple and silver logo of Kinnections. A large stack of folders lay to her right, with endless names and possibilities to match. Usually she dove in with gusto, the journey to polish and perfect each client to his or her full potential an endless joy. Instead, she examined her nails and wondered where Nate was taking Sue tonight.
This was their fourth date in only two weeks.
The first was an intimate dinner. Sue raved about Nate. How polite he was. How charming. How funny. How smart.
The second time was golf. Kennedy had called him up and raged when she'd heard the news, but he swore Sue requested to go and it was a Sunday afternoon, so therefore it didn't count as a real date. Just one of those half-assed outings men threw together to test the waters. She let it go because Sue was excited and had initiated the meet-up.
The third was lunch. He'd taken her by the water, where they'd fed the ducks and feasted on seafood. She'd complimented him on his originality and ability to step up the intimacy without pushing too fast. But date four was a big one. Usually, it turned the tide toward a real relationship or a breakup.
Where would he go tonight? Were they moving toward a physical connection? She was happy for them, really, but she refused to have Nate get his heart broken by moving t
oo fast. The last time he'd shown up for Zumba, she noticed his goatee was perfectly trimmed and shaped. He admitted he went to see Benny on his own, which should have made her ecstatic, but only pissed her off. She felt out of the loop. Tossed aside. Discarded like a used tissue, crumpled up and stuffed in the garbage without so much as a good-bye. He no longer bothered her about joining him Wednesdays for golf or asked her for advice. She guessed Sue was the one who knew everything about him now. And that was a good thing. A great thing.
Really.
She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a mini liquor bottle stolen from a past hotel. Rum. Nice choice. She uncapped, tilted it back, and took a long swig.
Kate walked in.
Her friend took in the scene before her, kicked the door shut, and dropped in the chair. Then stuck out her hand. "I want the Bailey's."
"I don't know if I have any of them left."
"Look harder."
Her fingers closed around it and she tossed it over. Kate sipped it more delicately. "What's the matter with you?" Ken asked, noticing the harangued look on her friend's face.
"Dumb-ass client. Wedding stress. Worried about Gen. Robert's got another bladder infection, but he's okay, Slade's staying home with him today. His purple bunny squeaker shredded, and Slade had to run to a ton of pet stores to find the same exact one. The poor thing can't sleep without it."
Slade had fallen in love with Kate's paraplegic rescue dog, Robert, and they had become a true family. "Robert or Slade?"
"Both. No one sleeps if the other is unhappy."
"Got it." Kennedy sighed. "You know I'll help with the wedding. I'll plan the whole damn thing for you, babe, so no worries."
"I know, it's just little annoying stuff, and Gen's been acting weird."
"Yeah, I wanted to talk to her but haven't gotten a chance. Something's up."