“I’ll show you.”

In a flash Derrick was off the sofa, and with two steps in her direction, he reached down and pulled Noelle from the loveseat. His large hands fastened on her hips and moved her forward in one swoop until they were standing, pressed body to body.

Before Noelle’s brain had time to even process, he was kissing her. And much to her amazement, she was kissing him back.

Oh, he tasted good! Like a cinnamon bun, Noelle thought dreamily, even as she parted her lips and allowed his warm tongue inside. Of their own volition, her arms slid up and over his broad shoulders, and she discovered he was just the right height for her to rest comfortably against him.

Noelle was not able to resist the soft sigh that escaped from her mouth. His tongue darted out and ran over her bottom lip in a slow, sensual caress, and Noelle felt her knees weaken.

But his strong hands tightly gathered the material of her skirt at each hip, holding her up and against him. She couldn’t have fallen if she wanted to. Feeling the growing warmth pressing against her center, Noelle knew she should end the kiss, end the touching. This was wrong…so wrong.

But all she could do was allow her head to fall back as his soft lips left a trail of kisses from her chin to her collarbone. Her heartbeat sped up as she felt him grinding his growing erection against her. She couldn’t have lied to herself if she wanted to. The feeling was mutual and she spontaneously began to meet his grind with her own.

ELAINE OVERTON

currently resides in the Detroit area with her son and dog. She attended a local business college before entering the military and serving in the Gulf War. She is an administrative assistant, and currently works for an automotive industry supplier. She is also an active member of Romance Writers of America. You can contact her via e-mail at www.elaineoverton.com.

Seducing the Matchmaker
Elaine Overton

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the Creator of all that is good in my life.

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18

Rejoice evermore.

Pray without ceasing.

In everything give thanks; for this is the will

of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Dear Reader,

Thank you for taking the time to read Seducing the Matchmaker. I hope you have enjoyed Derrick and Noelle’s long, winding road toward a loving, open relationship.

Like most authors, I spend the majority of my writing time not actually putting words to paper but trying to show the reader what I see in my head. To me the characters are these fully formed, complicated people with lives and histories, and I want to share those stories with you, the way I think of them.

As a longtime romance reader, there is nothing I love better than the iconic diamond-in-the-rough, tortured hero and his journey to find a woman capable of loving ALL of him. I like to think of Derrick as just such a hero.

Noelle, who had her own hurdles to climb over—including her fear of emotional pain and her preoccupation with logic and reason—was still finally able to give her heart what it most desired. I think of her as the epitome of the old adage that sometimes what you want is not what you need.

I hope I did a fair job of explaining Derrick’s troubled background and the events that forged his character, as well as Noelle’s reasons behind her doubts. Now I would love to hear what you think, so feel free to write me at elaine@elaineoverton.com.

Take care,

Elaine

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 1

Early December in Philadelphia, PA

Shortly after the first snow…

“I know what you must be thinking, Mr. Brandt.”

I doubt that, Derrick Brandt thought, sitting in one of the comfortable, overstuffed guest chairs facing the neatly organized desk that belonged to Noelle Brown, the owner of Love Unlimited, a small but successful matchmaking service.

“You’re thinking, why Love Unlimited and not one of the more popular online dating agencies? I have three words for you.” She lifted three elegantly shaped fingers. “The personal touch. That one-on-one human contact that simply cannot be determined with questionnaires and evaluations. It’s been my experience that any long-term relationship is only forty percent chemistry and sixty percent compatibility. And if the chemistry is right, it’s instantaneous. So, that leaves the other sixty percent.”

All the while she spoke, Derrick struggled to keep his eyes above the low-cut neckline of her mint-green silk blouse. He unconsciously licked his lips, imagining the bountiful treasure that lay just beneath the thin material. Try as he might, he simply could not help himself as his eyes repeatedly drifted south. She was so wonderfully endowed, and he was such a devoted breast man.

“Our methods are not always what one would consider traditional.” She stretched her body to reach behind her chair and around to the credenza. Derrick allowed his hungry eyes to roam over her taut outline. Although the rest of her was hidden behind the desk, he already knew she was mostly legs. Long legs he could wrap around his waist. When she’d greeted him in the office lobby, his first impression had been of a luscious Amazon.

“But sometimes, finding just the right match takes something more than the conventional resources.” She placed a brochure on the desk in front of him. “As you can see, we offer complete customer satisfaction.”

She leaned forward to open the brochure, and the innocuous action thrust her bust up and outward in an irresistibly tempting display. “If we are unable to find a match for you within six months, you get an additional six months free. Fair enough?”

Derrick nodded mindlessly. The sum of his cognitive abilities was suddenly otherwise directed—riveted actually—on the lush brown mounds presented before him. The smooth, velvety, flawless skin was as rich and creamy as a cup of hot cocoa on a cold winter day.

If he leaned forward just a little, he could cup them in his hands. He could lift them to his face. He could inhale her decadent perfume. He could run his tongue over every curve and contour. Even through the thin silk material of her blouse, he could suck her into his mouth—

“We want the same thing.”

Guiltily, his eyes shot up to her face.

“To find the right woman for you,” she continued blithely. “And if you allow me to do what I do best, I will do exactly that. Do you have any questions?”

Derrick had questions all right. Was she a moaner or a screamer? The thought brought to mind images so provocative he felt the stirring of desire from his brain to the lap of his trousers. A lot of the men he knew were attracted to the petite, insanely thin women who graced magazine covers and television ads, but Derrick had always preferred the more robust, more Rubenesque female body.

While his buddies were drooling over Halle Berry, he was having wet dreams about Queen Latifah. He shifted in his chair, trying to hide his growing erection.

“Mr. Brandt?”

Derrick swallowed hard and tried to bring his mind back to the matter at hand. “No, no questions.” He cleared his throat loudly. “So, what do I have to do to get started?”

“Well, first I need to get some basic information.” She reached into a desk drawer and pulled out a file. “Just a short interview to give me a better understanding of the qualities you feel are most important.”

She clicked her retractable pen and opened the file. “Let’s start with physical attributes. What do you find attractive in a woman?”

“Large breasts.”

Derrick watched as she scribbled rapid notes in the file. “Okay, anything else?”

“She needs to be a good breeder.”

Her pen paused over the page for several seconds. “A good breeder?” Oh goodness. I get all kinds in here!

“Yes. Wide hips, sturdy pelvis, that sort of thing.”

“Hmm, oookaaay.” The scribbling continued. “How about looks?”

“Nice looking, but I don’t want a woman who attracts too much attention from other men.” His eyes narrowed in painful remembrance of the last great beauty he’d allowed too close. “I don’t share.”

She scribbled something on the page before her. “So, let’s say average beauty. And educational level?”

“Smart enough to know not to betray me.” Derrick crossed his ankle over his knee to pick off a piece of lint that had gotten trapped in the cuff of his perfectly creased pant leg.

“Hmm…” Her thin brows crinkled as she continued to scribble. “And personality?”

“Good with kids, not too demanding of my time, and financially self-sufficient.” He snorted. “If I wanted to take care of something, I’d adopt a puppy.”

Derrick watched uneasily as she laid the pen down, slowly closed the manila file, and folded her hands together on top of it.

“Mr. Brandt, I was under the impression you were looking for a permanent relationship, a wife.”

“I am.”

“Then, I must say, I’m a little surprised by your responses so far.” She reopened the file and glanced down at what she’d written. “An average-looking woman, who will apparently spend her life in fear of your wrath and be at your beck and call. Not to mention that she is expected to fully support herself despite your wealth and resources.” She glanced at him. “I have to admit, I can’t think of a single woman in my client profiles who fits such a description.”

“Well, I guess you are going to have to expand your client-profile list.”

She shut the file once more, and sat back in the chair. “Or…you’re going to have to find another matchmaker.”

Derrick flinched inwardly, knowing he was about to blow an interview that meant much more to him than he could ever let on. He nervously picked at his pant leg as his mind calculated the best way forward.

On some level, Derrick understood that despite his financial success, Love Unlimited was probably his best chance at romantic happiness.

For the past ten years, Derrick had dated countless women in the pursuit of one—just one…the right one, and had yet to find her.

What he had found instead was his fiancée, Anita, in bed with his college roommate, Chris. He’d also found Carol, the stewardess who had stolen his Amex Black card and taken a group of girlfriends on a one-week, eight-thousand-dollar vacation to Cabo. As pathetic as it was, Derrick knew in his heart that he would’ve forgiven her for the theft. Eight thousand dollars wasn’t even a dent in his wallet. No, it wasn’t the theft that had ended the relationship, but the advanced case of crabs she had brought back from the trip.

Then there was Mira, a reporter for the Philadelphia Herald, whom he discovered was willing to do just about anything, including sleeping with a man—him—she apparently despised, all for the sake of getting enough inside information for a front-page exposé.

Opening the morning paper to find his pillow talk smeared across the front page was a particularly painful blow. Especially considering the engagement ring he’d purchased for her the day before.

There were others, many other failed relationships with fault lying on both sides to varying degrees. Derrick had almost given up hope of ever finding a compatible woman to spend his life with.

Then, about a month ago, his business partner, Camille, dropped a small article on his desk. It was a lifestyle piece about a small local matchmaking service boasting a one hundred percent compatibility rate among its clientele.

From the moment he walked through the glass double doors of Love Unlimited that morning, Derrick had known there was something special about Noelle Brown. Although, he couldn’t fully identify the sensation, he trusted her. And Derrick was a man who took instinct seriously. Most of his present success could be owed to following his gut.

Along with an astute understanding of human nature that had served him well in business if not in his personal relationships, Derrick had overcome incredible odds to become one of the most successful architects in Philadelphia.

Now all he sought to complete his life was the one missing piece of the puzzle, someone trustworthy to share it with. A woman with the social grace and poise of Camille. The emotional openness of a rose in bloom. And the carnal appetite of a nymphomaniac.

Looking at the beauty sitting across from him, Derrick couldn’t help wondering about Noelle Brown’s carnal appetites. His eyes flashed to the small solitaire diamond wedding ring on her finger. Lucky Mr. Brown.

He cleared his throat and sat up straighter. “Why don’t you tell me which part of what I’ve said you find the most difficult to work with.”

She gestured to the file. “All of it. But if I had to pick one specific thing, it would be the financial requirement. I can’t think of a single woman who would agree to marry you and then be expected to continue to support herself completely. You’re one of the wealthiest men in Philadelphia, and a marriage is a partnership, Mr. Brandt.”

She lifted a knowing eyebrow. “And the ‘smart enough not to betray me’ thing. Quite frankly, that statement causes me a great deal of alarm.”

Hearing it repeated back like that, it did sound bad to Derrick. Eloquence was never his strong suit. He knew that if he ever found the right woman, he would worship her with lavish gifts every day and ravenous attention to her body every night. He would hold her as the dearest thing in his life, considering the many years he’d waited for her.

As always, he didn’t have the right, diplomatic words often needed to express his feelings when it came to his love life. Instead, his eyes said it all. A problem that had haunted him his whole life and had cost him greatly on more than one occasion.

Camille was always telling Derrick that he had no filter. That something in the brain that kept people from saying exactly what they were thinking seemed to be lacking in him. It always had been. That lack of tact on his part had also contributed to bringing him to this point in his life, where he was requiring professional help in the most basic of human pursuits. The hunt for a mate.

“Maybe I didn’t articulate my thoughts properly.” He frowned. “Naturally, I would support my wife, with the usual contingencies. But as for the selection process, let’s be perfectly clear. I won’t allow you to present me with a handful of money-grubbing, promiscuous opportunists.”

For several seconds, Noelle sat staring at him in silence.

Derrick stared back.

Finally, she blinked and released a deep sigh. “I will probably regret asking, but feel I must. What exactly do you mean by ‘the usual contingencies’?”

“Prenuptial agreements, of course.”

“Of course,” she muttered, with another deep sigh. She reopened the file and started writing.

Every instinct in Noelle wanted to tell the illustrious Derrick Brandt to get the hell out of her office. The problem was that she could not afford to. She needed him as much as he obviously needed her. Of course, she wasn’t about to let him know that.

For a few moments, she’d been terrified that he’d take her up on the offer to find another matchmaker. Thankfully, he’d stayed. Now, the question was…what to do with him?

The man was a Neanderthal, no doubt about it. But he was a wealthy, influential, well-connected Neanderthal. And if handled right, he could be just the boon her growing agency needed.

In the eighteen months since she’d opened her doors, she’d successfully matched almost forty couples. And of that forty, twenty-nine had married, and the other eleven were still together. It was an enviable record by any standard. Despite the lofty name of the agency, Love Unlimited, her resources were indeed limited and had been concentrated on rising rent and the day-to-day business of running the agency, leaving little for the kind of advertising and publicity Noelle would’ve liked. With one positive endorsement, Derrick Brandt could change all that. He could put Love Unlimited over the edge. That is, if she could stomach the man long enough to find a woman willing to put up with him.

She finished her notes and turned the file in his direction. “Okay, I just need you to complete this application and these disclosures.” She flipped through the pages. “Sign here and here.”

His eyes shot up to meet hers, and she was once again startled by the unusual flickers of gold that surrounded the light green pupils, both colors in stark contrast to those long, lush black lashes. It’s ridiculous for a man to have lashes that long, she thought.

The unique color was not the most unsettling thing about his eyes. It was the open window to every thought behind them. Whatever Derrick Brandt was thinking or feeling was plainly expressed in those eyes.

“I don’t sign anything without reading it first.” He sat back once again crossed his ankle over his knee and settled in to read the file. Derrick smoothed his silk tie, reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out a pen. Using it as a guide, he began reading. Noelle frowned at his downcast head, still unsure just what to make of him.

Granted, he was probably the most beautiful specimen of masculinity she’d ever laid eyes on. Granted, he was rich as King Solomon and showed flashes of intelligence that bordered on brilliant. But even with all that going for him, it was hard to like the man. It had all started with that smile. Noelle felt her blood beginning to boil once more just remembering.

Her secretary, Terri, had called in sick because her daughter had come down with the flu. Noelle understood the woes of a sick child, but it had created a problem, considering she had five appointments scheduled for the day, the first and most important of which was going to arrive any minute.

She had been scrambling around on Terri’s desk, looking for the phone number of the temporary agency she occasionally used, when the glass doors to her suite were thrown open, and he walked in. Derrick Brandt.

Noelle immediately recognized him. His face was in the paper almost every week. The photographic images did not do him justice. He stood, tall and broad shouldered, and moved with the precision of a dancer. His handsome face look chiseled from stone, all sharp angles and perfect lines. His light-colored almond-shaped eyes were in startling contrast to his rich brown skin. A sharp nose and heart-shaped pink lips completed the exquisite picture. Looking at Derrick Brandt, one would never guess he had gotten his start in life as a mailroom clerk for a Philadelphia architectural firm. A firm he now owned.

As he entered, Noelle stood straight and walked around the desk with her hand extended in greeting, fully prepared to be her professional best. As her eyes met his, she stopped in her tracks with several feet still between them.

His hazel-green eyes twinkled with wolfish delight as he openly, blatantly and completely without shame ogled her! There was no other word for it.

Noelle stood stunned. No man had ever looked at her like that before. At least not that she had seen. She had to fight the compulsion to cover herself with her hands as he mentally stripped her of every article of clothing.

Then, as if that scathing examination were not insulting enough, he looked her directly in the eyes, and he smiled. Not just any smile. No, this smile held sinister promise.

Watching the ravenous expression fade from his eyes when they fell to her left hand, Noelle was very grateful for the diamond wedding ring she wore as a prop. She’d originally bought it to lend credibility to her role as a matchmaker. Most people understandably wanted to believe that their matchmaker was herself a happily married woman. Maybe one day but not anytime soon.

Determined to ignore his lascivious behavior, she pasted on her best smile and continued moving forward with her hand extended in greeting. “Welcome to Love Unlimited, Mr. Brandt. Noelle Brown.”

He frowned. “You’re Noelle Brown?”

Didn’t I just say that? She ground her teeth together, determined to keep the false smile firmly in place. “Yes, I am. It’s so nice to meet you,” she lied.

Gesturing behind her, she said, “Please come into my office. Would you like a cup of coffee or tea?”

“Neither,” he grumbled.

She turned and walked back into her office. “A bottle of water, perhaps?”

“That will be fine. Thank you.”

Noelle crossed behind the desk, opened the small fridge built into her credenza and pulled out two bottles of water. Reaching across the desk, she placed one in front of the guest chair.

As Noelle took her seat, she tried very hard to wipe the memory of that smile from her mind, determined to make the best of this golden opportunity. But as she watched the porn movie playing in his mind reflected in his eyes, it proved impossible.

She’d only known him five minutes, and she could already see the signs of why this man, who was said to have the magical touch of King Midas in his business dealings, was such a blazing failure at romantic relationships.

She’d just met the man and already didn’t like him. She could only imagine what other women must think. You don’t have to like him. Just tolerate him, Noelle reminded herself. He was the key to Love Unlimited’s future success. Finding Derrick Brandt a mate would put her small matchmaking agency on the map. Permanently.

For years, Noelle had read the stories in all the local papers regarding Derrick Brandt’s professional successes and personal flops. Usually businessmen did not garner the kind of media coverage Derrick received. With his rags-to-riches background and camera-perfect face, he was a fascinating figure to the citizens of Philadelphia. Especially when it became obvious that, despite his financial acumen, he had the social grace of a camel. As far as the local tabloids were concerned, Derrick Brandt was the best kind of celebrity figure: prone to public emotional outbursts.

He argued with his girlfriends in busy restaurants. He assaulted cameramen who got too close. He had a well-known reputation for being rude and surly, the by-product of which was that for the right price, people in the service industry were eager to betray him. He was considered a playboy, although not a very successful one.

In other words, Derrick Brandt was a paparazzi dream come true. The local media had even gone so far as to give him the odious label of The Most Ineligible Bachelor in the City.

And now the man—and all the media attention that went along with him—was sitting in Noelle’s office seeking her help in finding his perfect mate. When he’d called her last week to schedule the appointment, Noelle had immediately seen the opportunity for what it was. The chance of a lifetime.

Finding the right woman for Derrick Brandt would garner media attention for her firm that could not be bought. It would be said that if Love Unlimited could find a match for the most ineligible bachelor in Philadelphia, they could find a match for anyone! Noelle could already see the headlines, and the droves of new clients that would follow.

First, in order to do that, she would have to put her personal dislike for the lecherous man aside and apply herself to doing what she did best. Matching couples based on common interest, physical attraction and the most likely long-term compatibility. Or, in Derrick Brandt’s case…finding Ms. Right for Mr. Wrong.

Chapter 2

The light tapping on the door alerted Derrick to the identity of his visitor even before the door opened. A gray head of hair peeked around the edge, and Derrick could not resist the smile that came to his lips whenever she walked into the room. Camille Massey, his business partner, his benefactor, his friend…his savior.

The elderly woman started to enter the room until she realized Derrick was on the phone. She started to back out, but he raised a hand to halt her.

“I have another meeting to get to. Can we wrap this up?” He spoke into the intercom while motioning Camille to come in.

He listened to some final comments, but his attention was riveted on Camille as she made her way across the room. She was moving more slowly than usual today. He frowned, knowing what that meant: her rheumatism was acting up again. Derrick was tempted to drop the phone and go help her. But Camille was a proud woman who would not welcome his assistance. The meeting was called to an end. Derrick said his good-byes and hung up the phone.

He sat back in his plush leather chair, waiting while she settled into the guest chair at the side of his desk, a large, comfortable wingback chair he kept there just for her, knowing the small if stylish guest chairs that decorated the rest of the office suite were uncomfortable to her brittle bones.

“Why aren’t you using one of the walking canes I bought you?” he asked gruffly, watching as she straightened the pleats of her skirt around her.

“Because I don’t need them,” she muttered and, once satisfied with her appearance, settled back in the chair. “Well?”

Derrick knew exactly what she was waiting for, but he wasn’t about to make it easy. “Well?”

Her soft brown eyes narrowed menacingly. “Don’t play with me, boy.”

Derrick burst into laughter. “Why not? You play with everyone else. We’re all just puppets on your strings, myself included.”

“Am I going to have to call over there myself?”

“You wouldn’t.”

She smirked. “Has twenty-five years with me taught you nothing?”

Derrick sat up in the chair. “Okay, you would. But don’t.”

“Then answer me.”

He sighed in defeat. “It went fine.”

“Fine? That’s all? Did they find a lady friend for you?”

“Camille, it’s not a supermarket. You don’t walk in and grab a girl off the shelf and carry her to the checkout lane. These things take time.”

She frowned. “How much time? You don’t wear well.”

He frowned back. “More than one day, that’s for sure. Apparently, she had to—”

“Who’s she?”

“Noelle Brown, the owner.”

Camille stared into his eyes for several seconds before her face spread into a wide grin. “Well, well…Tell me about this Ms. Brown.”

“Before you start cackling in glee, that’s Mrs. Brown.”

The smile disappeared. “Married? Humph, that’s too bad. I haven’t seen that look in your eyes at the mention of a woman in years.”

“Yeah, well, it won’t be that woman. You know how I feel about sharing.”

“Unfortunately,” she muttered, toying with the pleats of her skirt, “half of Philadelphia knows how you feel about sharing.”

Derrick decided to let the comment slide instead of getting into another argument about his lack of discretion last year, when he heard his then-girlfriend, Mira, was out club-hopping with another man. The media had made sure Derrick was aware of the situation and then sat back with their cameras ready and let Derrick be…Derrick.

Looking back, he would be the first to admit he did not handle it well, but controlling his emotions had never been easy. All he could remember was the pure rage he felt walking into the nightclub and seeing his woman pressed against another man on the dance floor. Later, Derrick would discover the man was Mira’s old college friend Byron, who also happened to be a happily committed gay man. By the time he discovered these facts, it would be too late to straighten things out with Mira. Because soon after, she would betray him on the front page of the Herald with the revealing exposé titled “The Man Behind The Myth.”

“Mira wasn’t the one anyway,” he muttered, feeling some need to defend his actions.

Camille twisted her mouth in a silent expression that spoke volumes.

“Did you see the plans for the Marquardt Building?” he asked, seeking to end the discussion regarding his troubled love life.

“Yes. When are you presenting them?”

“Next week.” He watched as she rubbed her right knee. “Are you okay?”

She smiled sadly. “Yes, just the cost of living too long.”

Derrick looked into the wise old eyes of the woman who’d come to mean so much to him and once again wondered where he would’ve ended up had it not been for the intervention of Camille Massey.

“Where would I have ended up if you hadn’t intervened in my life?”

Camille snorted. “You would’ve been just fine. You’re tough as nails, Derrick Brandt. You always have been.”

He huffed. “Who are you kidding? We both know I was a statistic just waiting to happen.” His eyes took on a faraway look as he remembered his troubled childhood. “If you hadn’t given me a job that day I showed up here.” He shook his head.

“Well, I did.” She rubbed her knee once more before struggling to her feet. Derrick was instantly at her elbow, gently steadying her. “And I have never regretted the decision.” She looked directly into his eyes, and Derrick couldn’t help feeling a sense of pride. She’d believed in him, and he’d gone out of his way to make sure she never stopped.

“Just keep me up to date on how things are progressing,” she said, heading to the door.

“All right, but not much should change between now and when we present the plans next week—”

She stopped and made a dismissive gesture with her hand. “Boy, I don’t care about the Marquardt Building! I’m sure you’ve got that completely under control. It’s your personal life that’s a mess.”

Derrick leaned against his desk and folded his arms across his chest. “Why this sudden interest in my love life?”

Derrick watched the brief sadness cross her face, but she quickly covered it with a smile. “Somebody needs to start taking a vested interest in it.” She started walking again. “Lord knows we can’t depend on your judgment.”

As Derrick watched her leave the room, he wondered if Camille had any idea just how close to the truth she really was.

Chapter 3

Together the couple leaned forward and gustily blew out the forty white candles on the beautifully decorated cake.

“Happy anniversary!” The room erupted in applause and well wishes for the happy couple standing at the head of the long, formal dining table.

As Kimber, Noelle’s older sister, stepped forward with a cake knife to begin dividing up the dessert, the crowd of family and friends gathered closer to offer hugs and congratulations to Gilbert and Claudia Brown. They were celebrating their fortieth wedding anniversary.

Noelle could not hide the wistful expression on her face as she watched her parents gaze at each other as if they were the only two people in the world. They had always looked at each other like that, and Noelle knew they always would.

She felt a tug on her pant leg. “Auntie.”

Noelle glanced down at her niece Lea, who was trying to get her attention.

The toddler grabbed the crotch of her pants. “Pee-pee, Auntie, pee-pee.”

Noelle quickly scanned the room and found her sister-in-law, Ann, standing with a group of family friends on the other side of the large dining room. Swooping the two-year-old up in her arms, Noelle quickly maneuvered her way through the crowd in her parents’ house.

“Hurry, Auntie, got go bad,” Lea whined, then promptly stuck the two middle fingers of her right hand in her mouth and began to suck on them like a pacifier.

Noelle quickened her pace. She knew from experience that once the finger sucking began, the clock was ticking. She elbowed and excused her way out of the crowded room and took the stairs to the second level, down the hall to the bathroom.

Once inside, she quickly slid Lea’s elastic waist pants down her short legs, along with the Huggies training diaper, and plopped the little girl on the toilet seat and waited.

After a moment, there was a small tinkling noise and then nothing.

Lea’s eyes lit up. “Auntie! Good girl!”

Noelle felt her heart swell with love and pride. “Yes, sweetheart, you are such a good girl.” She helped Lea re-dress and then hugged her close. “Look what you did. You’re becoming a big girl.”

Noelle lifted the small body up to the sink for hand washing, which was Lea’s favorite part of the process. She smeared soap on her hands over and over, playing in the water.

Just as Noelle exited, her brother, Raymond, came charging over into the bathroom carrying a little girl who was an exact replica of Lea.

When Ray and Noelle’s eyes met, the pair burst into laughter.

“Lena, too?” Noelle said, but Ray was too busy trying to get his second twin daughter settled on the toilet seat to stop for conversation.

Unlike Lea, Lena’s bladder was completely full and took several seconds to empty. While they waited, Ray leaned back against the door and closed his eyes.

The sounds of laughter, the occasional clinking of their mother’s fine china and the mellow sounds of the music of John Legend created a cacophony of sound drifting up to Noelle and Ray from the party below.

“You look tired.” Noelle noted the dark rings under her brother’s eyes and realized it was the first time she’d seen him in almost a week, which was unusual for her tight-knit family.

Ray smiled at his little sister. “Good to see you, too.”

“I don’t mean you look bad.” She playfully bumped up against him. “Just tired. Are you just now getting here? I didn’t see you earlier.”

He yawned sleepily. “Yeah, just finished a seventy-two-hour rotation at the hospital.” He reached down to help Lena, who was climbing down from the toilet seat.

“Look, Daddy!” Lena pulled up her Huggies diaper and pants before turning to point to the contents of the toilet.

Ray gave his sister a slight grimace before forcing himself to look into the toilet. “Wonderful, baby girl. You did wonderful.”

Not about to let her sister steal her thunder, Lea pushed her way between them. “Part of that me!” she declared, frowning up at her father.

“Well, you both did terrific. My little ladies are growing up.” He ran his large hand over the top of their matching curly afro puffs. Satisfied with the praise, the girls raced out of the bathroom.

“Hey, wait, Lena, you didn’t wash your hands!” Noelle made a grab for her, but they were already halfway down the stairs.

“Remind me not to eat anything Lena offers,” Ray chuckled as he reached forward to flush the toilet.

Noelle watched him silently. Every line in his body expressed sheer exhaustion. “The woes of being an ER doctor?”

Ray glanced up at her. “No.” He shook his head. “Trust me, little sis, the long hours—that’s the easy part of the job.”

Noelle understood at once. Unfortunately, she’d seen that sadness in her brother’s eyes before. Ray had lost a patient that day. “Wanna talk about it?”

He smiled softly. “No, but thanks for asking.” He crowded beside her at the sink to wash his hands. “So, what did you give Mom and Dad for their anniversary?”

“What do I always give them?”

“Not another gift certificate for dinner. For someone who makes her living creating romance, you sure stink at romantic milestone gifts.”

“By the time I finish making romance for my clients, I have no inspiration left for myself,” Noelle joked but instantly regretted it when her brother’s eyes sharpened on her face.

“You know, I’ve often thought that about you.”

Noelle could see where the conversation was going. Another one of her sibling’s infamous and indiscreet inquiries into her nonexistent social life.

In an attempt to steer it away from that direction, she folded her arms across her chest and glared at her brother. “Okay, Mr. Romance, what did you get them?”

“An all-expense-paid weekend at a romantic spa retreat in the Poconos.”

“Uh-huh.” Noelle frowned in disbelief. “That had to be Ann’s idea.”

“So what?” Ray didn’t even bother to deny that his wife was the brains behind it. “I still get credit for it.”

“Cheater.”

“Sticks and stones, Cupid, sticks and stones. So how’s the matchmaking business?”

Noelle hesitated sharing her good news for only a moment. “Great, actually. I picked up a very influential client today. If I find him a match, Love Unlimited will finally get some big play in the press. It’ll be in the big leagues!”

“Really? Who?”

“Derrick Brandt.”

“The architect?”

“One and the same.”

“Wow—way to go, kid. That’s definitely a name.”

Despite his words, something about Ray’s tone said he was less than enthused.

“What?”

Ray scratched his chin. “Isn’t that guy kinda known for being, well…something of a jackass to his girlfriends?”

Noelle winced. “Not just to his girlfriends. What about it?”

“I was just thinking that if you do find a match for him, great. But what if you don’t? I mean, someone in his position could make a lot of trouble for you, make it sound like the fault was with Love Unlimited—not him. Know what I mean?”

“Yeah, unfortunately I do. I hadn’t really thought about what would happen if I can’t make a match for him. Not to sound arrogant—but I always make the match. The idea of failing never occurred to me. But I admit, after meeting this guy, I am a little worried. He’s a total jerk. He spent the whole interview ogling me.”

Ray’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Noelle’s thin brows crinkled in indignation. “No need to sound so shocked, Ray. Men do hit on me from time to time, you know.”

“That’s not what I meant. He just looks so GQish. And you…you know.”

Noelle found the remarks surprisingly insulting, which was amazing considering some of the insults she and her siblings had exchanged over the years. Instead of letting him off the hook, she kept her silence and waited, watching to see how he would dig his way out of the remark.

“You know! You’re…so…Goody Two-shoes.”

“Are you kidding me? Goody Two-shoes? Me?”

“Oh, yeah.”

Just then, Ann peeked her head around the door. “Ray, when did you arrive? The girls just came downstairs and said Auntie and Daddy were in the bathroom. That sounded kind of strange, so I thought I better check it out. What are you guys doing up here? You’re missing the party.”

Ray crossed the room to his wife without delay. “Hi, honey. How was your day?” He mimicked his wife’s high-pitched voice.

Ann smirked. “Hi, honey.” She stepped up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek. “How was your day?”

Wrapping her in a tight embrace, he sighed into her hair. “Better, now that I’m with you.”

The sincerity in his voice melted Noelle’s heart, and she suddenly had the feeling of being an intruder. This is what it’s all about, Noelle thought. Ray and Ann, her parents—they were the couples that had inspired her to start Love Unlimited.

Despite the nickname of Cupid bestowed on her by her brother, Noelle had never believed that there was necessarily one soul mate for any one person. She thought it more likely that there were certain people who just fit together better than others. And that if given the proper tools and assistance, those people could find each other rather than spending their lives going from one bad fit to the next. Because when it was right, there was a kind of magic that happened. Like what she was witnessing now.

With their arms wrapped around each other, the couple turned to leave.

“Ray, what did you mean by that Goody Two-shoes remark?” Noelle hated to interrupt, given the day Ray had obviously had. She knew all he wanted was some time with his wife. But the comment was bugging her, and she couldn’t seem to let it go.

“Nothing—I meant nothing by it.” With his arm still around his wife’s small waist, Ray turned back to face his sister. “Noelle. You are a beautiful, intelligent, successful woman, and you deserve only the best. But if even half of what I’ve heard about that guy is true, he’s bad news. Just…keep it professional.”

As the couple neared the stairs, Noelle heard Ann ask Ray, “What guy?” Their voices faded down the stairs before Noelle heard his reply.

Noelle leaned against the shower door and considered her brother’s words. She couldn’t shake the feeling that, whether intentionally or not, Ray had expressed more than he’d meant to. In fact, he’d probably expressed the same feelings anyone would upon hearing that superfine Derrick Brandt had come on to her: amazement.

Noelle had no delusions about her physical appear once. She was of average looks, nothing stunning, but she’d certainly drawn the attention of more than one man in her lifetime. In fact, Noelle was certain that if she were a smaller, more demure woman, she would probably be considered extremely attractive. But she wasn’t a smaller, demure woman. Standing barefoot at almost five-ten, she felt like a giant. And not even an elegant giant, like the regal models the world admired. She was plump.

Of course, the people who loved her called her big boned, but Noelle knew the difference. Her bones were not the problem. It was the meat on the bones, and there was more of it than she’d like. The result of a lifelong sweet tooth and overindulgent parents.

Noelle, and her siblings, Kimber and Ray, had each inherited their father’s build. Of course, on Ray it was considered an attractive feature. What woman didn’t love a big, strapping man to wrap her arms around? Ann certainly seemed to appreciate his height and girth. And even Kimber, although tall, had done a better job of resisting the after-dinner desserts of their childhood, and instead of being big boned, she’d turned out long and willowy. Men loved long, willowy women.

No, Noelle knew she was the only one of her siblings for whom the inheritance of their father’s genetics had not been a plus. At home, it had not in any way been a hindrance. She’d grown up in a house full of love and had never been given the feeling of being anything less than fantastic.

Gilbert and Claudia Brown had managed to do what all the daytime talk shows thought impossible. They’d managed to raise three emotionally stable, financially successful, well-balanced human beings. And after spending the first five years of her professional adult life as a licensed marriage counselor, Noelle had developed a greater appreciation of the uniqueness of her family.

That deeply rooted love, that feeling of complete acceptance, was what had made it so easy for her to give up her career as a counselor and open Love Unlimited.

Although stunned at first by such a drastic move, it hadn’t taken her family long to get behind the idea, and now she had their full support. And that of her happily matched clients.

As Noelle started down the stairs, she considered her brother’s words once more, and was certain of his meaning. Although he meant no harm, Ray was right. If handled properly, Derrick Brandt could be very good for business. But if not…

Noelle didn’t want to dwell on that too long. She had already discovered three women in her database that just might fit the profile for Mr. Brandt. Once she started sending him on dates, he would forget all about his momentary interest in her.

What happened in her office today was just the knee-jerk reaction of a man accustomed to chasing anything in a skirt. Noelle had seen the kinds of women Derrick Brandt chose to date in scores of pictures she pulled off the Internet while preparing for their interview.

But she knew Derrick Brandt’s type, and she definitely was not it.

As much of a brute as he was, he was just so sexy. A real walk-through-fire-for-his-woman type of man.

Chapter 4

Noelle Brown was exactly his type. Derrick couldn’t seem to stop thinking about the woman. Even as he sat at the head of the long conference table, only partially listening to the conversations going on around him.

At the last minute, he’d discovered a glitch in the plan for the Marquardt Building. The engineering firm wanted their building to be the preeminent example of new-age design. They wanted their building to say something. A symbol of stability to their clients and an intimidating foe to their competitors. The board of directors for Marquardt had a bold and daring vision for their new building.

Unfortunately, their vision did not include the ten emergency exits that were required by state code. And now, Derrick and his team of thirty had to find a way to include the necessary exits without diminishing the overall appeal of the building. This was a potentially disastrous development in this crucially important project, and yet…Derrick couldn’t care less.

All he wanted to do was go back to his office and call Love Unlimited. He just wanted to hear her voice. He knew he had a valid excuse. He could say he was calling for an update. It had been a full week since he’d interviewed with Noelle Brown, and she hadn’t so much as dropped him an e-mail regarding the status of his case. For the first two days, Derrick had been in a panic, taking her complete silence as a bad sign. He’d wondered if she’d reconsidered taking him on as a client after he’d left the office and had decided against finding the match. After the third day, his nerves had settled. That was when his accountant had informed him that the check he’d written as a deposit for her services had cleared the bank. So now, regrets or no, Noelle Brown was stuck with him.

He wondered what she was wearing at that very moment. Maybe another one of those form-fitting silk blouses that gave a little but not too much. He closed his eyes and tried to once again conjure the smell of her unusual perfume.

“What do you think, Derrick?” He recognized the voice of Tom, one of his chief engineers. The thin white man was standing beside Derrick’s chair.

What the hell am I doing? She’s a married woman. Derrick blinked and quickly replayed the last thing he’d heard. When he told Noelle Brown that he did not share his women, he meant it. No matter how desirable that woman was.

“Derrick?”

“Yeah, it might work. But the fire-resistant standard metal doors that we use for emergency exits won’t fit that scheme,” he answered smoothly.

“What if we paint them?” one of his interns nervously offered from the other end of the table.

“Paint them?” Tom whined. “What the hell difference would that make?”

Derrick stood and touched Tom on the shoulder to still the tongue-lashing he knew was about to be unleashed on the poor, unsuspecting man.

“That’s one suggestion. What’s your name again?” Derrick asked. There were always so many of them coming and going, it was hard to keep track.

The young man’s eyes widened when he realized who was addressing him. “K-K-Kenneth Pike, sir.”

Derrick smiled. “Can I call you Kenny?”

Kenny grinned widely. “Yes, sir.”

“Derrick,” Tom interrupted, “painting the damn doors is not going to—”

Derrick put up his hand to silence Tom. “Kenny, Tom here is opposed to your idea of painting the doors to create an illusion of continuity. On the surface, it sounds feasible, but there is a slight flaw in your suggestion. Can you think of what it might be?”

Everyone waited, allowing Kenny time to discover his own mistake. Several of the architects there had run this gauntlet before. Having their brain pitted against the brain of the master. None revealed the answer, for they knew if Kenny discovered it for himself he would be the better for it. The next time such a discussion occurred, he would think the problem through, instead of just blurting out his first thought.

Derrick watched as Kenny’s face crumpled.

“The fire-retardant paint on the doors,” Kenny finally said. “We can’t paint over the fire-retardant paint.” Kenny slumped farther down in his chair.

Derrick smiled. “Very good, Kenny.” He winked. “We’re going to make an architect out of you eventually.” A few chuckles came from around the room.

Kenny hid a shy smile, secretly pleased by the praise.

Tom frowned at Derrick. “Derrick, no one appreciates your snatch-the-pebble-from-my-hand Kung Fu wisdom more than I, but we have to present completed plans to the Marquardt board of directors by the end of the week. So if you don’t mind—”

“Kenny, this is not the kind of architect you want to be, by the way.” Derrick poked his thumb toward Tom. A couple of playful affirmatives came from around the room.

“He’s not, sir,” Kenny said, with loving eyes for Derrick alone.

Ignoring Kenny’s smitten expression, Derrick walked over to the middle of the table, where the plans were spread out. Derrick briefly wondered if that was the look Royce Massey had seen in his eyes when Derrick was a young intern studying under him.

Of course it was, Derrick decided. No one had a greater respect and admiration for Royce than the young thug he’d taken in off the street and trained from the ground up at the request of his beloved wife. And no one envied Royce’s life more than that young thug. And now, twenty-five years later, that young thug was living the life…only not as well.

Despite the incredible wealth he’d accumulated over the years, despite all the marvelous structures around the city that were a testament to his great skill as a building designer, never did Derrick fool himself into believing he’d lived up to the legacy of Royce Massey. Never once did Derrick allow himself to believe that he in any way wore the mantle of greatness and dignity that even now enshrouded the memory of his idol.

Taking a quick look at the plans, Derrick made a decision. “Okay, here and here—” he pointed along the drawings “—I want a beam running the length of the frame, slightly overhanging. And then—” he turned the drawings, pulling up the interior blueprint “—we’ll put another structural beam here to support it, you see?”

Tom was peering over his shoulder. “Okay, I see what you mean. And the beams would also conceal the exits from the outside of the building.”

“Exactly.” Derrick nodded. By that time, Kenny along with several others had crept forward to examine the blueprints.

“Everybody got that?” Derrick quickly scanned the group. Once he was satisfied with their understanding, he pushed his way back through the group. “Okay, Tom, take the lead. I’ve got something I need to take care of. Oh, and Tom, I want Kenny on this project.”

Just as he was approaching the conference-room double doors, Derrick heard the voice of Kenny whisper, “He’s a lot nicer than I heard.”

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” a female voice whispered back.

As he walked along the plush carpeted hallway leading to his office suite, Derrick wondered just what Kenny had heard. He knew that rumors of his exploits, which were greatly exaggerated, usually made the rounds in the office. He thought he had a reputation of being a fair employer, but now he believed that his personal life was starting to put his work persona in jeopardy.

Not for the first time, Derrick considered just dropping out of the spotlight. Becoming a hermit and hoping that the media would lose interest in him. As quickly as the idea came, it was gone. For reasons he would not consider too closely, Derrick knew that part of him reveled in the attention. For a kid who’d been knocked around the system and basically ignored for most of his youth, the public interest was more than flattering; it was recompense.

He greeted his employees with smiles and the occasional nod as he passed through the open third-floor space that made up the Massey Architectural firm. Instead of going straight into his office, he turned into the adjoining reception area he shared with Camille.

“Morning, Marjorie.” He greeted the secretary they shared before glancing at the closed office door next to his. “Is she in?”

Marjorie shook her head. “No, sir. She called this morning and left this message for you.” She handed him a folded piece of paper.

Derrick frowned. “Why didn’t you give it to me sooner?” Derrick unfolded the note, remembering Camille’s slow, painful movements of the previous day.

“She asked me not to until your meeting was over.”

Derrick’s eyes quickly scanned the note.

Derrick, I won’t be in today. Not feeling my best. Camille.

“Get her on the phone.” Derrick balled the note and tossed it into the garbage can beside the desk. “And transfer the call to my office.”

Before Marjorie could respond, he’d entered his office and slammed the door shut. Derrick walked across the room and slumped in his waiting chair.

He was worried. He couldn’t help it. For Camille to feel bad enough to stay away from the office said a lot. Derrick could only remember her staying home a handful of days in the past year, and, considering her age, that spoke volumes about her strong constitution. Strong willed or not, Camille was still a seventy-year-old woman, and no one was more conscious of that fact than Derrick.

In fact, he probably thought about her mortality more than his own. Camille was the closest thing to family he had, and once she was gone…

His phone rang, and he snatched it from the base. “Yes?”

“I have Mrs. Massey on the line, sir.”

“Thank you, Marjorie. Put her through.”

After a series of clicks, Derrick heard Camille’s disgruntled voice, and it eased his troubled heart.

“You better have a good reason for waking me, young man.”

Derrick smiled, feeling more relieved than he could’ve ever explained. “Just making sure you’re still alive.”

“I’ll admit I’m not long for this world, but I haven’t left just yet. Now, why are you on the phone with me instead of in the conference room with your team working out the last-minute kinks in the Marquardt Building plans?”

“That’s already squared away. I was just curious as to what could keep the indomitable Camille Massey away from the office.”

There was a long pause, and Derrick waited patiently, knowing Camille was searching for the right words. He knew from experience she would tell him as little as possible. He also knew her reasons were equal parts her protective nature and her pride. And Derrick would sift through her explanation for the truth. They’d been together too long and understood each other too well.

“I’m fine, Derrick. Just tired, that’s all.” She sighed heavily. “I’ve been thinking about something lately.”

“What’s that?”

“Retirement.”

“Retirement. You?”

“Don’t sound so shocked. You knew I had to retire eventually—or did you expect them to just carry me out of my office one day? Besides, it’s not like you need me. You haven’t needed me in over three years.”

“I’ll always need you, Camille.”

“You’re doing a fine job of running the company without any help from anyone. Royce always knew you would be a wonderful architect someday, but I don’t think even he imagined you would do as well as you have.”

“But—”

“I’ve given that company my whole life, Derrick. Don’t I deserve to keep some small part of it for myself?”

Derrick was speechless. He had no argument for that obvious truth, except his own selfish desire for her companionship. Finally, he answered. “Of course you do.”

“It’s just an idea. I’m sure I’ll feel well enough to come in tomorrow.”

“Camille, I…”

“What is it, Derrick?”

“I just wanted to say thank-you—again, for all you’ve done for me.”

“Oh, for goodness’ sake, I’m not dying. Lighten up.”

“You can make jokes if you want. But we both know the truth. A lot of people wouldn’t have helped me.”

“What choice did I have?” She laughed. “When you came charging into the ladies’ room that day and stopped dead in your tracks when you saw me.”

He smiled to himself remembering the unlikely events that brought Camille into his life twenty-five years ago. “I wasn’t thinking, just running, I just didn’t want to go to that boys’ home, and I knew that was the next stop for me. After hitting my latest foster dad over the head with a chair, there weren’t a whole lot of options left for a kid like me.”

The other end of the line was quiet for so long, Derrick wondered if he’d lost her. “Camille?”

“Hmm, I’m here. I was just thinking. I’ve often wondered why you didn’t ever explain to the social worker why you hit him, Derrick?”

“What was I supposed to say? That waking up in the middle of the night to find a man standing over my bed freaked me out? I didn’t realize until it was too late that he was only there to tuck me in.” He huffed. “The last time I woke up to find a man over my bed, he wasn’t trying to tuck me in, Camille. So, I acted on instinct.”

“And you don’t think the social worker would’ve understood that?”

“Please, by that time I’d been in so much trouble, I don’t think she would’ve believed me if I told her I was black.”

She chuckled. “Well, it’s not like I did anything special. Despite your best effort, she did find you, remember?”

“But so did you,” he added quietly, remembering the day Camille showed up in the boys’ home to check on him. “You changed the whole path of my life, and no matter how you downplay it, I’ll never forget that. And…I’ll never be able to repay you.”

“Wanna bet? You just get the corrections made on those Marquardt building plans so we can submit them and receive our nice big commission. You’ll be a little richer, and I’ll be one step closer to retirement. It’s a win-win.”

Derrick laughed. “You’re impossible, you know that?”

“So you tell me.”

He sighed in relief, feeling much better now that he’d talked to her and assured himself she was as spunky and contrary as ever.

“All right, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Derrick hung up the phone, took a deep breath and sat back in his chair. The winds of change were blowing, and he did not like their direction. But he also knew there was little he could do about it.

From the day he found her, Camille Massey had been the only constant in Derrick’s life. And the neglected little boy that still resided in his soul railed against the idea of her not being a part of his everyday existence.

He tapped his fingers on the top of the desk, trying to find a way to distract himself from his troubling thoughts. He considered all the projects spread on the small mahogany conference table on the other side of his office.

There were also a couple of job sites he’d been putting off visiting. That wasn’t what he wanted right now. No, Derrick knew himself well enough to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that when he was feeling this particular brand of melancholy blue, there was only one thing that could lift his spirits. He needed a woman’s warmth.

Unfortunately, he was not currently in a relationship nor was he the type of man to dip his wick in any available sweet pot, contrary to the tabloid stories. No, Derrick knew he was a one-woman man. The problem was, he could never seem to find the right woman…

He pulled his wallet from his back pocket and pulled out the elegantly embossed business card. He quickly dialed the number.

“Love Unlimited, Terri speaking.”

“Noelle Brown, please.”

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Brown is in with a client. Can I help you?”

“When will she be free?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Derrick Brandt.”

“One moment, Mr. Brandt.” She quickly returned to the line. “Mrs. Brown asked that I take a message.”

“A message?” Where the hell are the women you promised me? How’s that for a message?

“Sir?”

“Just ask her to call me. I haven’t heard from her in a week, and I’m getting impatient.”

“I’ll give her the message. Is there anything else I can do for you today?”

Yes, you can tell me what your boss is wearing. Is it silk and clinging to her voluptuous bust? Does she still smell like paradise in a bottle? Is she happily married or just married?

“No, that’s all.”

“I’ll be sure to give her your message. You have a nice day, Mr. Brandt.”

Derrick hung up the phone and sat back in his chair. “She’s married. She’s married. She’s married,” he chanted to himself.

Determined to get his mind off Noelle Brown, or any other woman for that matter, he glanced at his worktable once more.

A few minutes later, he was on his feet and headed to the door. As he passed Marjorie, he called over his shoulder, “I’ll be out of the office the rest of the day.”

Chapter 5

Elegantly dressed and regal in every way, Dr. Suzanne Chambers sat across from Noelle and twisted her nose in disdain. With a shake of her thick, black tresses, she tossed the file on the desk.

“This is not a very impressive questionnaire, Noelle. Some of his answers border on rude. What makes you think I would be interested in this guy?”

“Well, granted, he’s a little rough around the edges, but with the right woman I think he has a lot of potential.”

“Hmm…such as?”

Noelle knew Suzanne was quickly losing what little interest she had shown in the case file of Client 047. “For starters, he’s career driven and extremely ambitious.” Noelle winked at the woman, who was not only a client but a friend. “Sound like anyone you know?”

Suzanne’s mouth twisted in a smirk. “Go on.”

“And let’s just say I have a feeling that the chemistry would work. Trust me. Just meet him first and then make your decision. I have a feeling about this.”

She sighed. “It’s just I thought there would be more obvious signs of compatibility. This feels like just another blind date, and heaven knows I’ve suffered through enough of those for one lifetime.”

Noelle hid the sympathy she felt swell up in her heart. She knew exactly what Suzanne was feeling. The two women had much in common, including their physical build. It was one of the things that had factored into Noelle’s decision to consider Suzanne as a possible match for Derrick Brandt. Noelle knew that Derrick Brandt, unlike some men, would have no problem with Suzanne’s few extra pounds.

“Well, just keep in mind, this blind date is being set up by a professional matchmaker.”

Suzanne reached over and picked up the file once more. “I just don’t know.” Her soft brown eyes focused on Noelle’s face. “I’m tired of having my heart broken by guys only interested in my money. I’m ready for something real, Noelle. That’s why I came to you.”

Noelle reached across the desk and laid her hand over the hand of her client and friend. “Trust me, Suzanne. I think you want to give this guy a chance.”

“Well, if you really think—”

“You can’t go in there!”

Noelle heard the voice of her assistant rise in alarm.

“I’m tired of waiting. I want to see her now!” an irate male voice responded angrily.

Oh, no. Noelle stood from her desk chair.

“What’s that about?” Suzanne turned toward the door with a worried expression.

“Mr. Brandt! You can’t—”

Noelle was halfway around the desk when her office door was thrown open.

Derrick Brandt stopped in the middle of the floor as if surprised to see that Terri had indeed been telling him the truth.

“Mr. Brandt, she’s with a client!” Terri was charging in the man’s wake, and he stopped so abruptly she ran smack into the back of him. Jolted by the impact, she stumbled back, and with lightning reflexes, Derrick turned and caught her before she slipped.

Still fuming in anger, Terri jerked from him without so much as a thank-you and hurried over to the desk. “I’m sorry, Noelle. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn’t listen.”

“It’s okay, Terri.”

With one final glare at Derrick, Terri walked back out of the door, gently closing it behind her.

Noelle ran a hand over her forehead, feeling the onset of a migraine. “Mr. Brandt, as you can see, I am in a meeting.” She gestured to Suzanne, who sat staring up at Derrick like he was a comet that had just dropped from the sky. “Suzanne Chambers, this is—”

“Derrick Brandt.” Suzanne’s eyes widened.

Noelle sighed. “Or as you know him, Client 047. Mr. Brandt, I was just discussing your profile with Ms. Chambers.” Noelle winced inwardly as Suzanne rose from the chair, stepped forward and extended her hand in greeting…only to have Derrick completely ignore it and walk around her.

“Why haven’t you called me all week?” He stopped directly in front of Noelle and stood glaring at her.

“As I was saying, Mr. Brandt, I have been actively working to find a candidate for you, and she’s standing right over there.”

Derrick glanced over his shoulder at the confused woman. “No. I know her type. It’s all about her and her career, and I’m not prepared to be a Mr. Chambers.”

Stunned by the unprovoked attack, Suzanne charged forward. “How dare you!”

Not knowing what Suzanne planned to do when she reached him, Noelle jumped between the two. “Suzanne, let me deal with him. I’ll call you later.”

“Fine.” She quickly collected her purse and jacket. “But you can scratch my name off the list of potential candidates. I wouldn’t date him if you paid me.” She stomped toward the door, and then just as quickly turned and stomped back to where Noelle was still standing protectively in front of her client.

“You know, I would’ve been willing to ignore all the negative things I’ve read about you and given you the benefit of the doubt. But you just proved yourself to be a bigger ass than the press could’ve ever.” She glanced at Noelle. “Good luck finding a woman willing to accept this jerk.” With that she turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Noelle was fuming with anger at how he’d dismissed the best possible candidate she could find and had so callously insulted her friend.

She took a deep breath—not that it did any good—and swung around to face him. “I hope you’re satisfied!”

Derrick was staring down at her left hand. “Where’s your ring?”

“Do you realize what you just did? You just chased away the very best chance you had at a compatible match.”

The wolfish grin appeared for a brief moment. “Maybe—maybe not. Answer the question.”

Suddenly Noelle remembered that she’d taken the prop ring off the evening before when she’d gone to her parents’ anniversary party and had forgotten to put it back on that morning. And from the look in his eyes, Mr. Brandt was becoming suspicious.

Noelle walked around to her seat, putting the desk between them. “Mr. Brandt, I understand you’re anxious—”

“Are you married?”

Damn. “Mr. Brandt—”

“It’s Derrick.” He followed her around the desk. “And answer the question.”

The man really is an ass. “That’s none of your business.” She backed up as much as possible and felt the seat of her chair come up against the back of her legs.

His face spread into the most beautiful smile she’d ever seen as he gently lifted her hand to his lips. “You’re not married.”

Noelle was unable to speak as she felt his soft, warm lips graze the back of her hand. “What—what are you doing?” She shook off the hypnotic spell he was quickly casting over her, snatching her hand away.

“Are you even engaged?” That beautiful smile was still perfectly in place, showing two rows of white, well-cared-for teeth as his light green eyes bored into her brown ones. “No,” he finally pronounced. “You’re as single as I am.”

Pushing her chair back out of the way, Noelle backed up and took a stand. “Just who do you think you are? Barging in here—interrupting my meeting and demanding personal information. I can’t do business this way, Mr. Brandt. It’s inconceivable at this point how Love Unlimited could be of benefit to you. Please leave. I will refund your deposit tomorrow. Good-bye.”

He turned and walked back around the desk. But instead of leaving, he unbuttoned his suit jacket and took the seat recently vacated by Suzanne. “You know, I realized something was wrong the last time I was here, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on it.” He gestured to her desktop. “No pictures. You have pictures of family. That one with the couple and the little girls, and the older couple that I would assume are your parents. But no husband, no children of your own.”

“Get out!”

The smile fell from his face. “Be careful, Noelle. I understand you’re upset, but you might as well settle down. I’m not going anywhere. Especially not now.”

Noelle was fuming with rage. If she were able, she would’ve physically thrown him out of the office. “Who the hell do you think you are?”

With a sigh, he reached into the breast pocket of his suit jacket, pulled out a folded piece of paper and slid it across the desktop.

Despite her pounding head and racing pulse, Noelle was extremely curious as to what was on the paper but was not about to give him the satisfaction of picking it up. “What’s that?”

“A financial synopsis of Love Unlimited.”

“What?” She quickly grabbed up the paper and scanned the information it contained. “How did you get this?!”

“That’s not nearly as important as what it says.”

Noelle felt like her legs had been cut out from under her. She blindly reached for her chair and pulled it to her, suddenly nauseated. This man had somehow discovered a truth about her company that even her family did not know.

There in three succint paragraphs was the truth of her failing business. Despite the success in matching couples, Love Unlimited was going under. Rising rent, overhead, advertising and social events were just so expensive! She was spending faster than she was earning. And though she could’ve asked her family for a loan, her pride wouldn’t allow it.

As if a bucket of freezing water had been poured over her head, Noelle felt herself go from flaming hot anger to icy cold fear. “What are you planning to do with this?” she asked, working to keep her voice from cracking.

The devil across the desk arched an eyebrow. “Nothing. Now we move forward on an even playing field. No more talk of dumping me as a client, and no more barging into your office. Agreed?”

Noelle considered the options. “And…if I don’t agree?”

“You lose your best and only chance to pull your company out of the red. Face it, Noelle. You need me as much as I need you.” Suddenly he sat forward, and something in his body language conveyed to Noelle a new energy level. Apparently, Lucifer was most energized when bartering for souls. “And I do need you, Noelle.

“I didn’t go looking for that information to embarrass you. It surfaced as part of a routine financial check I run on anyone I chose to do business with.” His light eyes honed in on her face. “You just witnessed a problem I have been dealing with my entire adult life.

“I…” He shrugged, obviously looking for the right words, and Noelle caught a glimpse of vulnerability. “I’m not good talking to women. I’m blunt and gruff. I’m not ignorant of my problems, but I’ve had some bad experiences that have left me with little tolerance for bull. I need someone with your expertise.”

Unable to just drop the not-so-subtle threat lying on the desk between them, Noelle’s eyes narrowed. “So you come in here to blackmail me?”

A quick grin flashed across his face. “Actually, I just picked that up from my attorney on the way over here and had no intention of showing it to you until it became obvious it was the only way to get you to listen to me.”

She sat back in her chair and folded her arms across her chest. “So, what now?”

“That’s up to you. I hope we can put this behind us and continue to work together.”

After several seconds, Noelle let out a long breath. “You can’t just barge in here anytime you want.”

“I understand that. I thought you were ignoring me.”

“Well, I wasn’t.”

“I realize that now. I apologize.”

Several long, tense seconds passed in silence while she considered her options. What options? With one little piece of paper, he’d removed any options. And he was right; they did need each other. But could they work together?

“Okay.” She snorted. “Although Suzanne was the best candidate I had.”

“She’s a beautiful woman, and I’m sure a fine person—but she’s not for me. I have the utmost faith that you will find someone suitable for me.” He stood and buttoned his jacket. “I look forward to hearing from you.” With that he walked out of the office.

As soon as the door closed behind him, Noelle grabbed the synopsis off the desk and quickly ran it through the shredder.

She’s not married. Derrick couldn’t hide the curve of his lips as he considered the implications of what that meant. She’s not married.

The elevator reached the bottom floor, and the steel doors opened. He waited patiently for the people surrounding him to exit before moving forward.

As he headed to the rotating glass doors that led to the outside world, he noticed a bright red flower cart sitting off to one side of the marble corridor. As a thought occurred to him, he changed his direction and headed toward the cart.

Ten minutes later, with a spring in his step, Derrick emerged onto the bustling avenue where his driver, Don, waited with his black Lexus. Derrick slipped into the backseat of the car and, giving Don their next destination, settled back with a wide grin on his face.

Chapter 6

One week later, Noelle sat staring at the bouquet of wilting flowers sitting on the corner of her desk, just as she had done every day since they’d arrived unexpectedly. She still had no idea what it meant. Had Mr. Brandt sent the flowers as a truce? Given the way their last meeting ended, that was not an unreasonable assumption. But what if it meant something else?

Noelle could still see the look of triumph that flashed in his eyes when he realized—with certainty—that she was not married. Why was he so certain? She wondered.

She’d never confirmed or denied the claim, yet that something in his eyes left absolutely no doubt as to what he believed. Well, it didn’t matter. Either way, the sooner she was rid of Derrick Brandt the better. And it all started this evening with the first of what she hoped were viable candidates.

“Come in.”

Terri came into the room and gently pushed the door closed behind her. Leaning back against it, she folded her arms across her chest and glared across the room at Noelle. “It’s the jerk. Do you want me to throw him out?”

Noelle suppressed a smile. Derrick Brandt may not have realized it, but he’d made a formidable enemy in Terri. “Don’t you dare—not if you want a paycheck at the end of the week.”

Terri’s mouth twisted into an unwilling smile. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t take his wallet before I threw him out.”

“Like it or not, he’s our client. So show him in.”

Terri huffed. “If you insist. But I think you’re fighting a losing battle. The only woman that would be a match for this guy is the bride of Frankenstein.” She turned to open the door and paused. “On second thought, dating Derrick Brandt would be lowering her standards.” She opened the door wide. “Mr. Brandt, Mrs. Brown can see you now.”

Derrick Brandt appeared in the doorway, his light eyes boring into Terri. “By the way, you may want to make sure the door is firmly closed the next time you decide to slander a client.”

With a look that conveyed not a single ounce of remorse, Terri stepped around him, out of the office, and closed the door behind her.

“You need to do something about her,” Derrick said, coming forward into the office. “The next client may not be as understanding.”

Noelle came around the desk, meeting him halfway. She gestured to the sofa on the other side of the room. “Terri is indispensable to me. So I suggest you reconcile yourself to dealing with her if you plan to continue this.”

Derrick, startled by the sharp retort, glanced at Noelle. His sinister smile appeared briefly. “Nice try. You won’t get rid of me that fast.”

“Didn’t think so, but I had to try,” she muttered. “Have a seat.” She gestured to the sofa and the television sitting on a media cart in front of it.

Derrick obediently crossed the room and, unbuttoning his jacket, took a seat. “Did you like the flowers?”

Noelle took a seat on the opposite end of the sofa and picked up the remote sitting on the small, oak side table nearby. “Yes. Thank you,” she answered quickly, hoping that would be the end of it. Of course, it was not.

“Wasn’t sure what you like, so I just told them a mixed bouquet.”

She clicked the on button. “The unique thing about Love Unlimited, Mr. Brandt, is not one particular way of matching couples, such as video interviews, speed dating, et cetera. What’s unique is the way we take all the available resources and combine them for maximum results.”

“So, what do you like?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Flowers? What kind of flowers do you like?”

Noelle considered not answering but had a feeling that would only make him more determined to know. “Sunflowers.”

“Sunflowers. I should’ve known your choice in flowers would be as unique as everything else about you.”

Uh-oh. Noelle’s eyes flashed to his to confirm her suspicion. In that instant, Noelle realized just what message the flowers were suppose to send, and it had nothing to do with a truce. The ogler was back.

“I’ve compiled several video interviews from some of our most promising candidates. I would like to review the tapes with you, if that is all right.” She turned on the DVD player, and a pretty young woman appeared on the screen.

Derrick frowned. “How old is that little girl?”

“Twenty-three,” Noelle answered, a bit taken aback by his obvious displeasure.

“Twenty-three my ass. You’re trying to hook me up with jailbait?”

“She’s a legal adult, I assure you. Just take a look at her video.”

“Why? There’s nothing there.” He huffed dismissively. “Go on to the next one.”

Noelle could feel the anger swelling in her chest, but she fought it back. The last thing she needed to do was go off on this man, no matter how much he may have deserved it.

She turned to face Derrick on the sofa. “Okay, we need to get something straight.” She pointed her index finger at him. “I will not tolerate your cavalier attitude toward these women. The way you treated Suzanne last week was reprehensible! I will not, will not, send you on a date with a single candidate if you cannot conduct yourself in a civilized manner and as a gentleman.”

The pair sat staring at each other for several seconds as an uncomfortable silence descended on the room.

Finally, Derrick grinned. “You’re such a beautiful woman. Are you seeing anyone?”

The cap on her volcano popped. She was on her feet. “And that’s another thing! I don’t know what kind of agency you think I’m running here, but I am not a part of the service.”

“Hold up.” Derrick put up both hands defensively. “That is not what I meant.”

She placed her hands on her hips. “I know what you meant. But despite my financial troubles, I am still running a respectable business. Do you understand?”

His green eyes watched her for so long that Noelle began to feel a little squeamish. Realizing she was still on her feet, she sat suddenly. “Now…can we get back to the videos?”

His lips firmly pressed together, Derrick gestured for her to continue.

Three hours and many, many profiles later, they were no closer to finding an acceptable match. Derrick had rejected each and every candidate for one reason or another.

Hanging on to the tip of her final nerve, Noelle turned off the DVD player and turned to face Derrick. She slowly placed the remote on the table, hoping the additional moments would give her some restraint.

Taking a deep breath, she quickly rehearsed the proper, respectful words to convey her thoughts in her head once, twice, and then opened her mouth to speak.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Me?” Obviously, Derrick had been expecting the explosion, because he came right back. “I gave you a long list of very specific requirements, and none of those women fit my requirements.”

Noelle’s eyes widened in amazement. “What long list? You said big breasts and a sturdy pelvis. How the hell would I know if a woman has a sturdy pelvis?”

“I’ll show you.” In a flash, Derrick was off the sofa, and with two steps in her direction he reached down and snatched Noelle up off the couch. His large hands fastened on to her hips and yanked her forward until they were pressed body to body.

Before Noelle’s brain had time to even process that, he was kissing her. And much to her amazement, she was kissing him back.

Lord, he tasted good! Like a cinnamon bun, Noelle thought dreamily as she parted her lips and allowed his warm tongue inside. Of their own volition, her arms slid up and over his broad shoulders, and she discovered he was just the right height for her to rest comfortably against him. Most of the men she dated tended to be several inches shorter than she was.

In response, Noelle was unable to resist the soft sigh that escaped from her mouth. His tongue darted out and ran over her bottom lip in a slow, sensual glide, and Noelle felt her knees weaken.

But his strong hands bunched in the material of her skirt at each hip, holding her up and against him. She couldn’t have fallen if she’d wanted to. Feeling the growing warmth pressing against her center, Noelle knew she should end the kiss, end the touching. This was wrong…so wrong.

But all she could do was allow her head to fall back as his soft lips left a trail of kisses from her chin to her collarbone. Her heartbeat sped up as she felt him grinding his growing erection against her. She couldn’t have lied to herself if she’d wanted to. The feeling was mutual, and she spontaneously began to meet his grind with her own.

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