by J. A. Coffey
"Test?" She frowned. "What test?"
He handed her the file. "At LoveLines. I created a personal account, and took the profile assessment."
"You expect me to believe you've never created a LoveLines account? For your own system?" She crossed her arms over her chest.
Matteo smiled again. "I never had a need." His smile made her heart flutter. She stomped the butterflies into quiet submission. This was business.
"So, why bother now?" Jess put her hand on her forehead.
"I thought for sure it would match us, and then you would see we were meant to be together. I even used your profile as a basis for my responses."
"Why would you...?" Jess shook her head. "I can't believe you did that."
"I did it for you...for us. Or what I hope to be 'us' someday. There's just one problem." He grimaced as she took the file and scanned the pages. It looked like gibberish to Jess, just some meaningless numbers and algorithms.
"What's the problem?" she probed. They had more than one problem separating them, but Jess didn't feel like mentioning it right now. Not when he looked so endearingly sheepish. His tanned cheeks were fairly pink with embarrassment. She wanted to kiss and smack him at the same time.
"We didn't match." Matt's voice was heavy, leaden. "I can't explain why. Everything about you and me is so right, and yet the system...my system...says we aren't compatible. It made me question everything. Even my feelings about you."
Jess felt her heart sink. She moved away, covering her actions by tossing the files he'd handed her onto the desk. "I see."
Everything she knew about Matteo said that he believed one hundred and ten percent in his system. He lived by it. Things were surely doomed between them, if even a complex computer matching system couldn't link the two of them together.
"No, you don't see." He closed the space between them, heat and his yummy citrus scent enveloping her like an embrace. "I don't give a damn what the test says. I know what I feel, Jess and what I feel for you is as true and honest as it gets." He reached up to touch her hair.
She whirled away, refusing to let him see her eyes filling with tears. "You don't know what honesty is. Gorgeous men like you never do."
"That's where you're wrong. I've always been a man of my word. I pride myself on it." He took a step closer. "Look at me, Jess. I don't want to be without you." He stared in her eyes, as if daring her to call him a liar.
"You left me once already, remember?" she countered. "At the lodge. You just bailed out on me."
"That was a mistake, one I'm not willing to make again." He shrugged. "I won't do it again. Ever. You're mine. If you walk out on us now, Jess, I'm walking after you. Just fair warning." His eyes burned into her.
Her heart beat wildly. "Is there an 'us'? I don't remember establishing that fact." Jess turned away so he wouldn't see the effect his words had on her.
"We established that fact the first time I put my mouth on you." He snuck up behind her and his arm came around her waist. Oh, she wanted that mouth on her now! She willed herself not to lean against him, to revel in the citrusy warmth of his body. Heat radiated off him touching her through her grey tank top and she trembled with excitement. She wasn't supposed to want him, damn it!
Clearly, her body thought otherwise.
"Jess," Matteo sighed, his breath warm against the back of her neck. "We fit so perfectly together. Like...like ice cream and hot fudge."
"No," she murmured, closing her eyes, but not moving away from him. What she wanted to do with him and hot fudge....
"You're so cold to me, querida. When I want you hot. So very hot." His teeth grazed the back of her neck, and moisture flooded between her legs. Jess felt herself caving, giving in to him again.
Why was it so easy to forget herself when she was around him?
His palm slipped under the hem of her grey tank top to cup her bare breast, and she shivered at the play of his fingertips across her abdomen.
"Matteo," she warned. It was a mock protest. Her body reveled in his touch again, on the feel of his warm breath racing along her skin.
"Matt." He corrected, cupping her chin and turning her face to his. "I'm Matt to you Jess. Only for you."
And then he was kissing her. Those lips of his, the ones that spoke half-truths were on her face, her neck, her hair and she wanted it. Wanted all of him, god help her.
She felt her own lips part and knew that tonight would be no different than any other time she was with him. He pushed her beyond her carefully crafted boundaries, beyond all the barriers she put up around her heart.
She belonged to him. He belonged to her. It was that simple, that honest.
His tongue slipped between her lips as his hand cradled the back of her head.
"Oh, Matt." She sighed against his mouth. His arms constricted around her, as if willing her to meld into him. She felt her nipples bead with excitement beneath her tank, as the fabric of his jacket rubbed her sensitive areas.
"This is truth, Jess. This is what's right." He whispered against her lips. His head bowed as his tongue burned a trail beneath the cotton of her clothing. "The rest doesn't matter."
She recognized his words were true on the most primal of levels. Suddenly, she had to shed her clothing, like a second skin, to bare herself before him. She watched his eyes turn molten as she dragged her tank top over her head. His hands tugged her pants down, and his gaze devoured her naked form.
"Take me," she ordered. "All the way." Always, she finished in her head.
Matt growled as if he could hear her unspoken thoughts. His fingers flew over the buttons of his shirt, and in a moment, they both stood naked in the center of her hotel room.
"So beautiful, querida," Matt crooned, touching her face with surprising gentleness. "And so mine."
They collapsed in a heap on top of the coverlet, a wild tangle of arms and legs and sighs. He took her with the force of a thunderstorm. She bit his neck as he entered her, and he cried out in pleasure. At some point, they rolled over and she straddled him. He moaned as she rode him hard, her thrusting hips driving him deep inside her.
He stared up at her as she moved, his hands stealing up to cup her breasts, and his eyes watching her as if it was the last time he'd see her.
And it might well be.
After tonight, the investigation would resume. Who knew what would happen to their fragile budding relationship, when they were on opposite sides of the conference table?
So, she made love to him as if it was her last night on earth.
And in a way, it was. Here in this safe cocoon of her hotel room, the blessed anonymity of being behind closed doors, they could be themselves. There was no LoveLines, no pending litigation, no Maxwell to disapprove.
There was only him and her and whatever this was between them.
She'd worry about honesty and truth and tomorrow another time.
*****
He hadn't meant to seduce her. Not the night before her real investigation began and not again in the morning before he was to bring her to the ranch house. He'd spent the night wrapped around her body, both of them being unwilling to spend a second more apart than they had to. They'd made love again before the five a.m. alarm, in a hurried rush of frantic kisses and urgent flesh on flesh, as unlike last night's slow deep burn as night is to daylight. Jess was a wild woman.
She'd practically screamed during orgasm, her voice hailing her pleasure in a triumphant cascade of moans. They'd curled up for a few hours of well-deserved sleep, her body still molded to his. Then, during their shared morning shower, Jess had gone down on him with relish, leaving him breathless and shaking as he came so hard, white knuckling the shower bar that he almost ripped it from the shower wall.
He might have shouted a little, himself.
Now that the investigation was back in swing, Matteo was certain she'd be back to the cold, clinical investigator in the harsh morning light. But she'd surprised him with her response. Though her head told her no, there was no w
ay that Jessica Barlow could deny him.
And that told him volumes. Matched profiles or not, they were meant to be together.
They were quiet on the way to the ranch house. At one point, he took a turn too sharply, and she grabbed his arm to steady herself. Afterwards, she didn't let go, just let her hands rest on his forearm while he shifted.
He let her hold on to him, in silence, until they pulled up the long circular drive. Then she pulled away from him, leaving a chilly absence when her soft hands departed. How much he wished he could pull her back and kiss the frown from her eyes.
"Jess?"
"Hmm?" She turned to him with a worried expression. He cupped her chin and turned her serious face towards him before she bolted from the car. She peeped at him from lowered lashes, her teeth worrying her bottom lip.
"However this goes, I want you...." He swallowed hard. He could stop right there and it would be the honest truth. "I want you to be yourself. Whatever you find, do your job. The rest will work itself out."
She gave him a wan smile. "Okay." She didn't sound convinced.
He patted her hand encouragingly and let her slip out of the front seat of his car. If only he could make it true.
Chapter Thirteen
Jess was careful not to kick at the driveway gravel on the way to the Smoking Brandt ranch house where she was scheduled to meet with Destina DeVera and the rest of the company administration. Cool and composed, that's what she was going for, even if her pulse was jumping in her throat. Low level litigation support was never a grey area. She was hired to look into company contracts, and the companies always knew her purpose. But this case...this was the first time she'd had to dig up dirt on a company without them being any wiser. And it felt wrong, to her...dirty somehow. She should've told Matt from the beginning.
He pulled away from her, adopting a business exterior that was so calm she could scarcely believe the passion they'd shared just a few hours ago. He made shutting off emotions look so easy. She bit her lip. If only she could do the same.
The ranch was immense with wide expansive pastures broken up by white fences and a few shady trees. Off to the left, several barns bore a black painted SBR in the center of a Texan star—the mark of the ranch, she guessed.
Nothing at all appeared like the typical corporation headquarters for one the priciest online dating services.
She supposed the anonymity suited Matt just fine.
The double wooden doors flung open and woman with large bronze earrings and a multi flounced skirt that would've done a gypsy proud strode onto the wide columned porch.
"Hola," she called out. "And welcome. Please, come in." Her shrewd gaze made Jessica pause uncertainly on the bottom step, but Matt put his hand in the small of her back, as he made introductions. The simple protective gesture reassured her.
"Jessica Barlow, meet Destina DeVera, registered owner of LoveLines. My Abuela Tina," he added sheepishly. "She was the inspiration for the matchmaking program. She firmly believes the universe provides a perfect match for each soul."
Jess shook the older woman's hand firmly and was pleased to see the older woman smile.
"A pleasure to meet you," she said.
Abuela Tina nodded. "And you. We have heard many good things about you, Jessica Barlow. Many good things, indeed."
Jess blushed as they moved inside. She could only imagine what they'd heard. If only things were different. She thought she might've liked to get to know this family a little better.
The similar features on many of the LoveLines employees who gathered in the large open foyer reminded her of how much was clearly at stake for Matteo. It looked like his whole family was employed by the high priced dating service. Matt made a few cursory introductions. The rest of his family was politely reserved.
"My sister, Seneca, I believe you already know." Matt cleared his throat. Jess turned as her love consultant walked down a wide set of wrought iron spindled stairs.
"Jess," Seneca said evenly. "It's good to see you again, although I wish it were under better circumstances." Seneca was more reserved, now, too.
Jess raised her chin. "As do I." It felt a little like a stand-off until Abuela Tina guided them into the great room and signaled for some refreshments.
They made small talk while the ranch staff brought in some food trays. Jess snagged only a small diet soda from the iced tub, before asking to see the company documents. Then Matteo outlined the company policies and procedures.
"Here," Matt held out a small flash drive. "I thought Seneca might walk you through some of our paperwork in more detail."
"Oh?" Jess struggled not to sound disappointed. She'd thought as CEO, he would be the front piece for the company.
"Yeah," he shrugged. "Abuela Tina is more of a front for company inquiries. She inspired me to create the company, but she isn't involved in the actual operations. And, I thought it might be less uncomfortable for you if I wasn't directly involved."
"Okay," Jess agreed. "Sure." He was right. She needed to focus on work. The less time she had to spend with him right now, the more she would be in control of her raging emotions.
"Maybe later I can show you around the ranch?" he suggested.
She was dying to take a tour with him, to spend time in his world. Still, she couldn't trust that a negative outcome to the case wouldn't impact their relationship.
Best not to give him any false hopes. Not while she was on the clock. "I'm not sure if there's time. I'll...I'll let you know."
She ignored the flash of hurt that flickered once across his face and disappeared. "Okay." He nodded. "No problem. We'll leave you to it then. Let me know if there's anything you need." He strode off, whistling faintly beneath his breath.
She knew him well enough by now to recognize that feigned cheerfulness masked his wounded pride. Damn, his stubborn pride. And she knew herself well enough to know she felt a lot more for Matteo Brandt than she was willing to admit.
They spent hours poring over the documents on his flash drive. Seneca was helpful, and answered her questions without too much digging. A few times, she ducked out, leaving Jess to fend for herself. For the most part, it didn't appear there was much to hide.
The money back guarantee stated that subscribers who did not find a match by the end of their full subscription were entitled to a refund. The only stipulation was honest participation in the program. Jess nodded. She'd had to check off that little box, after answering the probing survey questions that covered everything from hypothetical situations to her favorite music. More than once, she'd wondered how much her weekly matches would've differed had she selected, say...classical rock over classical jazz. Suddenly, the test that had seemed so subjective now was suspect.
And Matteo had been the mastermind of it all.
She could hardly believe that he'd never established his own profile. That took some guts...to market a program he developed without testing it out on himself?
Still, when she asked Seneca about it, she didn't seem surprised. "He's always been a risk taker." Seneca handed her a fresh soda. "Here."
"That seems surprising, considering." Jess speculated, popping the top.
Seneca cocked her head. "How so?"
"Well, it must have been difficult to lose both your parents so early." Jess commiserated. "And in such a tragic way."
"Yeah," Seneca's eyes softened. "But he was great, despite it all. Most guys would've been soured on a gawky tagalong, but Matteo always took care of me. He never made me feel like I wasn't loved."
Jess felt her heart echoing that sentiment. Matt was definitely a man who made a woman feel wanted and desirable. Now she could see it was just a part of who he was.
"Still, seems a bit risky to back a business venture with the ranch." She tapped her fingers over her lips, refusing to think of his kiss.
"That's Matteo. He's always put everything on the line, to get what he wants. Especially for the familia...er... the family. The ranch needed more income to pull thr
ough the slump in the economy, and he was sure that all his hard work would pay off." Seneca smiled. "And it did." She tapped the page illustrating the LoveLines successes. A whole database of matched couples from the past several years...engagements, weddings...even a few baby stories.
"So why not just refund Alicia Lange's money? Why let it get this far?" Jess couldn't help but ask. It seemed like an awful lot of trouble.
Seneca huffed, and her bangs flew out of her eyes. "Oh, I don't know. Pride, maybe? Matteo's worked so hard for so long. I think it galled him." She eyed Jess. "You've seen how stubborn my brother can get."
Jess laughed. The man was more than a little...determined. "Yeah."
"There's just something weird about that woman...Alicia Lange. Clients usually follow a pretty definite series of steps when they participate in the program. She didn't follow the pattern. Something's off and we can't place it." Seneca's eyes were liquid and almost black. "Maybe you can." She sounded so hopeful.
"Seneca," Jess began. "I'm not assigned to support LoveLines. As much as I'd love to, my company has been hired to find the loophole in your contracted guarantee. I can't help that it's my job, and I can't help you. Or your brother." She bit her lip, wishing the words weren't true.
And maybe that was her problem. She'd been so cautious, so conservative. She'd grown up so afraid to put a toe out of line that she'd refused to accept that sometimes there were extenuating circumstances. She'd always tried to do what was right, instead of seeing their may be more than one approach.
And now that she'd met Matt's family, she understood. She didn't agree with his tactics, but she could understand the motives behind them. He'd do anything to protect and support them. Just as she could easily believe he'd do the same for her.
If she let him.
Her heart was a lead weight. So, that was it, then. She was falling in love with him. If only they weren't on opposite sides of the conference table on this one. If only LoveLines wasn't committing fraud.