Liar Liar (3 page)

LoveLines’ privacy policy was structured so that only his staff had access to personal information. Dumb luck and a computer system had assigned his sister Seneca as Jessica’s personal love consultant instead of one of the ten other consultants in the Southeastern tri-state area. Lucky for him, that is.

A woman like Jessica Barlow didn’t need luck in the love department. If she thought she was going to expose some corporate secret by posing as a client, he was on to her.

Matteo exhaled loudly. “She could be trouble.” He tapped the photo of Jessica.

"Trouble for who?” Seneca watched him gazing at Jessica’s portrait and gave him a hopeful smile. “Admit it, Matteo. You’re interested."

Matteo shook his head. "I'm not made for relationships."

"Says you!" Seneca snorted. "You haven't even tried your own system. What kind of a guy creates a computer program to pair up total strangers and doesn't even try it himself?"

"A guy like me." Matteo sighed and slipped the photos and profile sheets back into the file folder.

He’d taken immense personal interest, and truth be told, a little affront at the failure of his system to work for Jessica. Love wasn’t what people made of it. It was pure science. Bring the right people together at the right time. The fact Jess was a fraud examiner unnerved him, but he stood by the success of his program. He’d make sure she found the man of her dreams--even if he had to play that man himself.

His entire family depended on this company.

Even now, just the image of her face so near his lap made him hard. With those full lips of hers, he wanted her face in his lap so badly, his cock jumped like a marionette on a string.

He loved smart women, almost as much as he loved being right.

"Believe me, Sis. I'm completely in control of things. Just stick to your job and everything will work out as it should." He handed her the file. “I can handle it.”

"You're the boss." Seneca shrugged. "I'll phone in your travel itinerary in the morning. She kissed him on the cheek and left.

Matteo leaned back in his chair. The office was empty, almost as empty as the ranch house in Fort Worth. He didn't relish the idea of going home just yet, so he pulled a soda from the office fridge and allowed himself the guilty pleasure of daydreaming about Jessica Barlow.

She was smart and pretty. A woman headed into her prime. He couldn't understand why she hadn't found a successful match yet, not unless she was playing a different game. He’d bide his time, check her out and see. It was possible the pretty divorcee needed a little encouragement, something he was only too happy to provide. But if she wasn’t…she was in for an unexpected ride.

Smart woman were dangerous, but Matteo was a man who put his money where his mouth was. The Montana vacation was pure genius. LoveLines hosted singles mixers around the country with great success, and this was a chance to pull out all the stops, orchestrate the seduction of an incredibly attractive woman, and guarantee that his company lived up to its reputation. She didn’t trust easily. But women like Jessica needed someone to remind them how desirable they were—to be gentled before they were broken for riding. After that, she'd be primed and ready for any one of the selections from his matching system. It had been a long time since he’d been involved with a woman, but he was a man of his word. She’d agreed to the trip, which meant he could chalk up one for LoveLines.

And one way or another, he’d show Jessica Barlow that LoveLines lived up to its guarantee.

Jess stepped out of the lodge shuttle Hummer to a brilliant blue sky that stretched so far she felt like she was drowning in it. The Montana air was cool, far cooler than it was back home in Georgia, and the scent of trimmed grass and freshly turned earth weighed heavily on the breeze. She rested her backside against the mud spattered rear quarter panel, feeling almost sexy in the trendy stiletto-heeled boots the salesgirl had convinced her to buy during her last minute shopping spree. Boots and long sleeves in May. Jess shook her head. This whole trip was a crazy idea.

Almost as crazy as spending another balmy year alone in Atlanta.

“You staying long?” The driver had nice eyes and an honest to goodness cowboy hat. He kicked it back on his head and gave her an appraising glance that traveled from her low rise jeans to the crown of her head and back.

“Just a week.” Jess felt her cheeks warm. Despite her sensitive jerk-o-meter, she still appreciated a good looking man. Especially one appreciating her.

He lifted his chin toward the porch, where a petite brunette waited with a clipboard and a smile. “Maybe I’ll be seeing you, then.”

Focus
,
she reminded herself. This trip wasn’t for pleasure, well not entirely. Not unless the court allegations were dead wrong.

Jess waved to a woman waiting by the entrance, who from the nametag and clipboard could only be Seneca, her personal love consultant and erstwhile travel agent.

“I’ll be pretty busy. Thanks.” Jess slipped him a fiver, without lingering over the hand contact.

The driver shrugged and hefted her battered brown suitcase up the lodge steps and into the main foyer. “Your loss,” he said with a flippant smirk that reminded her far too much of her ex.

Jess resisted the urge to laugh out loud.

“You must be Jessica.” Seneca called out as Jess ascended. Her dark brown eyes crinkled when she smiled. She was dressed in a pair of khaki pants and cream colored top that set off her dark complexion.

“Call me Jess.” Jessica peered into the almost empty main foyer where overstuffed leather furniture surrounded a huge stone fireplace. “Am I the first to arrive?”

“The last, actually.” Seneca put her hand on the back of Jess’ arm to guide her inside. “We were afraid you might have changed your mind.”

Jess grimaced. She’d “changed her mind” at least a half dozen times, turning down further contact from fellow LoveLiners. Her love consultant didn’t pull punches, but Jess admired that quality, especially in a society that thrived on double-talk. “Not yet. But I can’t speak for later.”

“Women’s prerogative.” Seneca winked conspiratorially. “I think you’ll be pleased when you meet your prospects. Do you need to freshen up or anything?”

Jess nodded. “After a five hour flight? Yes, please!” She could review her investigative tactics and questionnaire later.

“Check in at the desk. Your room is on the first floor, just down that hall.” Seneca gestured. “There are other vacationers here, by the way. This is a small mixer, so just be aware that everyone here isn’t in the program.”

“Great, thanks.” Jess turned and stopped dead in her tracks.

Standing next to the huge natural stone fireplace in the center of the lobby was a man with tousled dark hair and broad shoulders encased in a black designer t-shirt she definitely wouldn’t mind removing. He was tanned with a square jaw and full lips, a hot fudge sundae poured into a pair of faded blue jeans.

Her mouth went dry. She’d always had a thing for guys who could work a pair of jeans better than a suit. She was a dynamo in the workplace, but her recent forays in dating made her feel like a total novice.

Their eyes met. He gave her a careless grin over the manager’s shoulder. The kind that reduced most women to silly putty. Her nervousness spiked even as her knees went weak. Tall, dark and hottie. Jess bit her bottom lip. Was he part of the LoveLines group?

The guy lifted his chin. He was definitely a charmer, and in her world that meant trouble. She couldn’t make the same mistake twice. She wouldn’t. His smile deepened. Jess coughed, trying to loosen the breath stuck in her throat.

Seneca gave her a curious look. “Everything okay?” Her gaze darted from Jess to the guy at the fireplace.

This guy was used to getting his way with women, a definite magnetism Jess couldn’t afford to succumb to again.

“Just a little nervous about meeting the others.” Jess hefted her suitcase, willing her eyes not to stray toward him. “See you in a few?”

“Sure.” Seneca nodded, but her eyes remained thoughtful.

Jess checked in to a private room on the first floor where she changed into her favorite ivory silk blouse and touched up her lipstick. She took a few deep breaths to get over her raging hormones and unpacked her clothing and briefcase, setting the inconspicuous file for LoveLines on the desk. Paperwork was a bracing reminder of the real reason she’d come. It certainly wasn’t for tall, dark and hottie with the double fudge eyes.

She sighed with regret. Her room was extravagant, the perfect blend of luxury and casual comfort. Positioned on the main floor, her suite overlooked the lodge’s huge pond and had a detailed view of the distant mountain range from the French doors to her private patio. Near the gardens, she saw a couple meander down a gravel path that skirted the pond, totally enamored with each other.

What the heck was she doing here?

After a lousy marriage, painful divorce, and almost three months of wading through profiles, she still hadn’t found someone. And to make matters worse, the random anxiety attacks she’d suffered through college had returned. Suze said it was symptomatic of the crap her ex had put her through. Stan, her ex, was a corporate investment banker who’d made it his priority to deposit himself into as many willing women as he could find.

All the time she’d wasted, ignoring her intuition in the hopes of finding love and security. Stan obviously had no problems with the opposite sex. So, why couldn’t she open herself to a second date? Or even a second cup of coffee? Getting assigned to a dating service investigation should have been a great way to commit herself fully to entering the dating scene.

Should have been, but wasn’t.

Jess sighed and turned away from the view. Stan warned her that she’d never find someone else. Well, she would prove him wrong! Maybe she didn’t measure up for Mr. Right yet, but she sure could use a Mr. Right Now. Pinky just wasn’t enough. She needed more than a self-induced orgasm. She needed a hot blooded man who made her heart race and would still be there in the morning when she woke up. As long as it didn’t jeopardize her investigation, that is.

A knock on the door brought her out of her reverie.

Jess trotted over and flung open the heavy paneled door, expecting to see Seneca. Instead, a man--no, the man--turned and gave her a confident grin. She wanted to pinch herself to prove she wasn’t dreaming.

The hunky male model from the LoveLines commercials.

“Oh!” She took a startled step back and clunked her head on the doorjamb. “It’s you!” She rubbed the sore spot rising on her scalp.

He inclined his head. “Huh?” He had a nice voice, neither deep nor husky, but nice.

“The guy from the commercials. Navy swim trunks, right?” Jess forced her eyes back into their sockets. Up close, Navy Swimtrunk Man was even more breathtaking than the scenery. LoveLines sure knew how to pick them. If she hadn’t been so startled, she’d have been too nervous to speak.

“Oh! Right, ri-i-i-ight.” He dragged the vowel sounds like a red-blooded American surfer. “I get that a lot. I was told to grab you for our group session. You want to…uh…?” He nodded towards the restaurant area. “Everyone’s back there.”

Jess blinked twice. “Sure. Let me grab my room key.”

She grabbed her keycard and followed him, somewhat in a daze, to where a group of fourteen other people lounged in various pairs in a cozily lit area. Jess suddenly realized she had nothing to take notes with. She suppressed a groan and scanned the room. A cocktail napkin? A beer label? Anything would do in a pinch. An impressive bar was arranged to one side. She snagged a napkin and ordered a soda water with lime. Seneca gave her a half wave from the front of the room and several of the women cast her envious glances as she and hunky man settled at a café table.

“Uh, what was your name again?” Hunky Man asked, while scouting the room over her shoulder.

“Jessica. You can call me Jess.” She did her best to focus, pretend she was part of the group of happy hopefuls.

“Right, ri-i-i-ight. I’m Alan.” He shook her hand limply.

Whoa, strikes one and two. Alan seemed to have limited vocabulary and a weak grip. His handshake better be the only thing that’s flaccid. Jess compressed her lips and swiped her hands on her jeans before Seneca began the introductions.

As Seneca described the program, Jess scanned the female competition. Three blondes and four women with various shades of brunette. She was the only redhead. Interesting. All of the men seemed in good shape physically, although it was hard to see into the darker corners of the lounge. Some, including Alan, were better than good. Jess glanced around the room. A literal buffet of men, all potential matches with her profile. Her breathing quickened.

Alan gave her a smoldering look and she waited for her hands to turn icy, a sure sign she was heading for an anxiety attack. Nothing. She wiggled her fingertips just to be sure. Alan looked perplexed.

“Uh, cheers.” She lifted her water glass the moment a waiter set it in front of her.

“Bottoms up.” Alan winked.

She had to be crazy. Here she was with what should be her ultimate fantasy man…she should be in heaven. So why did she feel…indifferent?

Jess swallowed hard and scanned the lounge again. There didn’t appear to be an outright dud in the waiting prospects, but she’d learned long ago that appearances could be deceiving. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw Mr. Hot Fudge from the fireplace seated near the back. So, he was a client! Jess had already seen Alan with his shirt off during the commercial. Looked like this guy could give him a run for his money. And the fact that he was her potential match set her nerves on high alert. He stared at her for a long moment before switching his attention back to his female companion. Jess felt her fingers start to numb. She rolled her neck, trying to loosen some tension as Seneca continued.

“Although there aren’t any scripted activities, we would like to begin this week with a speed dating session to get you all introduced. Please, turn to your table partners. When you hear the bell, the ladies will rotate to the next table to your right.” Seneca waved her hands at a few chivalrous protests. “I know, I know, but it’s to our ladies advantage to show off their best assets, don’t you think?”