Cupid's Target

by J. T. Schultz

  "Actually,” he glanced at his now empty hand. A strange look flickered over his face, and he looked back to her. “You're not fired. I was wondering if you wanted to grab a coffee."

  She brushed a wayward strand of hair off her cheek and smiled. “I'm sorry Mr. Cupid, I was hallucinating. It sounded like you just asked me out. Could you repeat that?” She blinked at him. “Please.” Oh yeah, this was the Mondays of all Mondays.

  He smiled, and the look on his face softened.

  Oh, so that's how hot men go from looking sexy to sexier.

  "I did ask if you wanted to go for a coffee."

  "Are you sure I'm not fired?” She glanced at his hand still on her upper arm. He withdrew it, and she looked at him. He shoved both hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

  "No, I wanted to talk to you about something. Don't worry, you're not fired."

  Okay, this is weird. “Can I ask about what?"

  "I noticed you help the woman with the stroller and the little elderly lady that dropped her bags."

  "Oh."

  "The elderly lady came up and told me you were really nice.” He sighed and glanced around. He looked nervous and set his jaw. “I noticed you talking to Eric, and I want to help you land him."

  She tilted her head to the side and stared at him. Either the hottie Mr. Cupid had flipped his cracker cheese side down or she was hallucinating again. “That's quite the employee of the month thing you have going."

  His dark eyebrows lifted then fell. His dark eyes sparkled, and he lost the serious look on his face. “Not for all employees, just for you.” He smiled again, only this time it was broad enough to reveal the little indents on either side of his smile. Dimples, of course he had them. Why not make him even more perfect looking?

  Her stomach flipped, and her heart picked up speed. Great, he was hunky, delicious looking and a nice guy; the type of guy that never noticed her. He noticed me today, but I also destroyed two displays in his store. “Well, Mr. Cupid—"

  "Please call me Zane."

  She brushed her palms down her denim covered thighs. “All right Zane. I think I'm already wearing enough coffee, and I just got off work. Can I go home and freshen up and meet you back here this afternoon?"

  He nodded. “That would be fine. Can I hail you a cab?"

  "As nice an offer as that is, I have to stop at the deli down the street and pick up breakfast for my neighbor. His wife died a year ago and I always bring him breakfast when I get off the night shift. I mean, on the days that I can't be at home and make him something.” She cringed. “I'm babbling.” There it was again, the sting of her cheeks, indicating color had rushed to them.

  His brows lifted, and his jaw dropped in shock.

  I've made myself an idiot enough for now. “I should go.” She pointed down the street around him. “I'll swing by your office around one."

  He blinked. “One is fine."

  "Great!” she called and stepped around him.

  She was an idiot, a coffee with cream and sugar sort of idiot that had as much grace as chimpanzee on crack. She walked a little faster.

  How in the hell is Zane going to help me land Eric?

  She couldn't even handle being around the hunky Cupid without clumsy incompetence. Her cheeks still stung from how she babbled. It was simple. He wouldn't be able to do a thing unless he could work a miracle and she could find a shred of confidence.

  * * * *

  Zane sat at his desk and glanced at his watch. It was five after one. Charity was late. He rocked slightly in his leather swivel chair and again slowly started tapping his pen against the desk. He had thought about her all morning. She was a walking catastrophe.

  He remembered how she looked standing on the sidewalk with the wind gently brushing her long dark hair against her slightly tanned cheek. His lips twitched, and it took seconds to realize he was smiling. She was far from ugly. She actually had a very pretty face. Her clothes were loose. The denim of jeans fit, but were far from fitted. The clothing certainly didn't reveal her curves, if she had any. He had no clue what type of body she had beneath her clothes. She would need to change her style if she was going to land a guy like Eric. He was a total ‘short skirt’ sort of guy.

  Clothes aside and possibly a haircut, she was pretty. He thought of how heat had zapped through him when she had placed her hand in his. It was silly, he had taken the hand of plenty of women, and that had never happened. He scrunched his face into a frown. Nope, he still couldn't think of another time it happened.

  The thing about Charity was that she seemed genuinely sweet. She was the ‘girl next door’ type. The type that you read and heard about, but don't actually know personally or believe that exist. She helped an elderly lady with reduced mobility; she opened the door for a mother with a stroller and then informed him that she brought breakfast to her neighbor who had lost his wife.

  "She's mother Theresa.” He grumbled and looked at his watch again. “A late mother Theresa.” It was now eight minutes after. He hated it when people were late, most of all when they were to meet with him.

  There came a knock at his office door. It's about time. “Come on in."

  The office door opened, and Charity walked in. She was in a pair of jeans that seemed to fit a little snugger to accent slender but curvy hips. She had a short jean jacket on and a sweater that covered her. The way that the sweater peeked out, though, gave the impression that she had a chest. “Sorry I'm late, Zane.” She greeted him with a nervous smile. Sure enough, her cheeks tinted slightly with pink. She was certainly not an outgoing creature.

  "I hope you don't show up for your shift this punctually?"

  She paused in the door way and blinked her long dark lashes at him. “Oh no of course not, I usually am here half an hour early and leave late. The reason I was late now is because I was reuniting a lost child in the shoe department with their mom who had moved over to the handbags.” She winced slightly. “Poor little guy couldn't see her over the sale rack."

  He was stunned again. “So you helped a lost child?"

  "Yeah, the store is busy, and there are a lot of weird people out there."

  And there were only a few genuinely sweet ones. He smiled. “It's okay. I would rather have a safe child."

  Her lips broadened into a smile, and she went from average to cute. She was a cutie. Not the kind you would notice if you were into the ‘short skirt’ variety. “So, about our talk on the sidewalk?"

  I'm going to be short a very big bank account if I don't turn you into Cinderella and land the prince. “Step in and shut the door."

  She closed the door and stepped forward. She glanced around and took in the surroundings. “It's nice."

  He tossed the pen on the desk and unfolded his frame from the chair. He walked to the front of the desk and leaned against it. “I want to help you get Eric."

  She shook her head. “Why?"

  Armani and my BMW cost money that's why. “It's my way of doing something nice."

  She tilted her head to the side. “Why me?"

  "Do you always ask this many questions?"

  "Do you insist on playing hero to every damsel in dating distress?"

  He opened his mouth and realized she had never missed a beat with her quick comebacks. “You, because my father thought I should help you. No, I don't rescue every damsel in dating distress. If I did I would have helped someone in perfume."

  Her brows lifted. “Gladys needs help. Hasn't had a date in twelve years. Poor thing, she has zero confidence."

  "That isn't exactly your strong suit.” He said it before he could think it through. He was a total cad.

  Her cheeks turned crimson. “No, you're right.” She looked away and down at the carpet.

  "I want to help you, Charity.” He suddenly found he meant that. He did want to help her. She was pretty, sweet and—

  "You know I think that's really nice of you but I can get a date. Okay, not with guys like Eric or you but...."

  He
r hand flew to her mouth and her dark brown eyes widened.

  "Guys like Eric and I?"

  She lowered her hand and her slender neck flexed slightly, she swallowed hard. “The good looking, well dressed types.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. Just when he didn't think it was possible her cheeks turned redder.

  "Relax. Guys like us are no different than other guys.

  Her eyes opened, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. “If you say so."

  "It's true. Come closer.” He waved his hand then crossed his outstretched legs at the ankle. She couldn't have seen them because she stumbled on his shoe and fell forward.

  Out of reflex, he reached out his arms, but instead of catching her, his arms went around her and her chest came hard against his. Correction, her full firm breasts pressed against his chest and his arms circled around a slender waist. Who knew she had a body? He caught a faint hint off her perfume and recognized it as designer and surprisingly expensive. She looked up at him through her thick long lashes and her breath caught. “I'm so sorry,” she whispered so softly he almost missed it.

  Her body was curvy in the right spots and slender where it should be. His gaze dropped to her lips and he realized they were full and had a slight pout. “Not a problem.” He told her, bringing his eyes up again to hers. He helped straighten her out. The only problem was that he was now looking at Charity in a different light and she wasn't his usual type.

  Insane! No! Get back to the plan! He shook his head and focused. “Now where were we?"

  Charity had spent the afternoon with Zane, and her mind reeled. What on earth was that man thinking? She had pouted for most of her shift and was not amused. She had stomped around the prop storage room in a hunt for something ‘Valentine festive'. There were plenty of things. Nothing that jumped out to her and sent a silent plea of ‘put me in the menswear window'. With the store now closed, she stood alone in the window with the mannequins. Her mind raced over all the tips that Zane had given her and frankly, her head was swimming. It was as bad as coming up with something for this window. She glanced around. Okay, maybe Eric had a point, it, was a little somber.

  Her lips twitched at the thought of Eric and pictured how handsome he looked in his suit. That image slowly dissolved away, and the way Zane had looked when she had tripped and landed against his chest came to mind. He was so hot and dreamy. If she was having a hard time getting Eric to notice her, there was no way Zane would look at her any other way then a science project. Sighing, she looked up at one of the expensive male mannequins. “Men aren't rocket science,” she told him with another sigh. “At least rocket science makes sense."

  She turned away from the mannequin and stared out to the sidewalk. Couples hurried by, arm in arm. Business people brushed past them talking on cell phones as they hailed cabs.

  She looked back at the mannequin. “Men make zero sense. Okay, you and your friends are the exception to that rule because you can't talk back and can't give disapproving looks. You stand there mute with those stupid smiles on your face. Yeah, your world is perfect. You don't have to worry about getting turned down, tripping over your own feet or in my case, my own. Nope you just stand here with your buddies.” She flipped her head in the direction of the other mannequins and rolled her eyes. “You guys do nothing but stand here and check out all the hot babes as they walk by. My guess is you don't notice the average, quiet ones. Nope—sex. That's what men notice and want."

  The mannequin continued staring at her with that annoying smile. She was sure even he was mocking her. “If I was standing here in lingerie you would be smiling a totally different smile.” She tossed her hair over her shoulder and walked over to the paper cup with the white plastic lid holding her flavored coffee. She lifted it up and put it to her lips.

  A light came on in her head, and she lowered the cup before taking a sip. She spun around, splashing coffee on her hand. She was lucky it wasn't fresh and really hot. She stared at the mannequins. They stared at the street with their little smiles and fixed eyes. “You want sexy, boys? Let it be a far cry for me to stop you from having it."

  She sat her coffee down on the stool she had lifted it from and headed out of the window towards the store. A slow smile came to her lips. “If it's sexy they want. It's sexy they are going to get.” She headed to the lingerie department. She would have to come up with something brilliant for that window tomorrow. Tonight, it was all about the men.

  She snorted. When wasn't it?

  Chapter Three

  "What am I going to do?” Lovell paced the lavish living room and muttered to himself. “What if Zane doesn't help her? What if things don't go according to plan?” He paused. What if Zane didn't get the girl? That last thought sent a chill down his spine and his wings to twitch. This wasn't good. Zane was supposed to be with Charity. True, they were as opposite as night and day, but they were exactly what the other needed.

  He stared down at the white plush carpeting and sighed. “What possessed me to mess with my son's love life?” He knew the answer. Lusty, his wife. The woman wanted their son settled and happy. She had begged, pleaded, and then used her charm to persuade him. Hugh had been right about Lusty; she possessed a great deal of charm. Her seductive whispers and gentle touch had certainly paid off. Now it was three in the morning and he was pacing the floor. “What if Zane calls our bluff? What if he knows we would never take away his trust fund?"

  Sighing, he started to pace again. The gentle rustle of fabric at the entrance of the living room from the hallway pulled his attention to Lusty standing there wrapped in a sheet. She glanced at the floor, and her pretty features twisted into a frown as she brought her dark eyes up to him. “My Love Feather, what has you shedding? It looks like a chicken coop in here."

  "Our son. You don't think he will actually try setting her up with Eric the squid, do you?” He snorted, then clenched and unclenched his hands. “Eric is a worse lady's man than our son."

  "Zane is a good boy.” Lusty soothed and stepped closer, her pink polished toenails poking from under the white sheet. “Charity is a wonderful girl. She is sweet. She is charitable. Think of all her volunteer work."

  "She is smart, something our son needs in a woman. Zane is Ivy League educated. He needs a woman with a head on her shoulders."

  "Charity went to MIT."

  Lovell wagged a finger. “That is my point. I just don't get it. She's pretty, smart, and so thoughtful of others. She would make an excellent Cupid, especially as the mate to a cupid. I want Zane to take over one day.” He was rambling.

  Lusty closed the distance between them and sighed. She smiled sweetly at him. “Zane has always gone for the pretty packaging. Think about it, Lovell. Would you eat chocolates out of a plain white box, or out of a box that was decadently wrapped?"

  "I'm a cupid and thrive on Valentine's Day. That automatically makes me a chocolate addict. However, I think Nick Clause has it good, too, with his holiday. I like Christmas, too."

  "Just pick a box, Lovell."

  He had officially taken the conversation off on a tangent. Thankfully, his sexy and stunning wife was a patient woman. “I would have to go for decadence. I did choose you, my Love Kitten."

  Her head tilted to one side and her smile was brilliant. Women fell for sweet words like men fell for chocolate chip cookies and milk. Of course men also fell for a great ass and fantastic cleavage, and Lusty had both. “I think I have an idea."

  Those words sent his wings twitching, they had a spasm and feathers fell. “You're not going to meddle."

  She righted her head. “No, I know better.” She planted a light kiss on his lips and grinned. “I do think that Charity needs to shed the white box of boring and update her appearance. If she changes her packaging, then Zane will be eating out of her box in no time."

  Blinking, Lovell stared at his wife. “Run that by me again?” He cleared his throat. “Maybe use different wording."

  "What I'm saying is that if she had a makeove
r and had prettier packaging then Zane would notice her more than just for a love project. He will look at her as a target for his own desires."

  "You are going to meddle.” Again, his wings twitched and feathers fell.

  Lusty's eyes widened. “Oh no, my Love Feather. No, I'm just going to nudge Charity in Zane's direction."

  He wasn't sure he liked the sound of that. “Lusty, I think that—"

  "Don't think Lovell, just enjoy!” His wife dropped the sheet and revealed her lush naked body. The smooth, milky skin of voluptuous curves called to his touch, and he forgot everything they had talked about.

  * * * *

  Zane shoved his hands into his long dress coat. He had thrown it on over his suit this morning. His father had told him not to wear a suit. What did it matter? It wasn't like he was hanging around the storage room or display windows. At the thought of the display windows he immediately thought of Charity. Why was that surprising? He had lain awake last night and thought about her. How was he going to get her with Eric?

  He neared the store entrance from the parking lot and sighed. He shoved the memory of how she had felt in his arms and how full her lips were from his mind. He was not looking for a date. He was trying to set Charity up on one. Still her shy smile played in his mind as he opened the heavy glass door to the store.

  Entering at the far end of menswear, he halted. Menswear was packed full of customers. He blinked and noticed that Eric and his four staff each had at least two or three customers. He glanced to the line up at the cash counter and shook his head. Was there a sale he had forgotten about? He frowned and glanced up at the ceiling.

  Nope, no sales signs.

  He gazed back to the menswear area. All the customers were still there. The store was usually busy, but not like this. He stared over to where Eric stood. He took in the man's appearance. Stylish, well dressed, and from gossip around the store, he was a ladies man. So this is who Charity was interested in? Boy, did he have his work cut out for him. Eric's eyes met Zane's, who nodded and waved the menswear manager over.

  He excused himself from his clients and walked over to where Zane stood. “Morning boss, what's up?"