Page 12 of Clueless Romeo

Roman took a long pull from his beer, set it down, and swiped his tongue over his lips. "Well, when you're ready to meetyourMrs. Right, let me know."

"And become the latest bet between you and your sister?" My eyebrows arched.

Roman groaned. "I knew I shouldn't have told you, but I pinky-promise not to bet about you."

The nagging, unattainable thought that had escaped me all day finally snapped into place. I didn't have the first clue how to go about putting myself out there for guys. There were apps, sure, but they'd always made me nervous. I'd heard enough horror stories, and I was still in the closet. But Roman…

"Do you have gay clients?" I asked, and my eyes shot wide. I hadn't meant to ask that out loud.

Roman froze with his glass halfway to his lips, eyes now pinned on me. And then, he smiled.

Fuck. My. Life.

Four

Roman

CJ was gay—orat least bisexual. I hadn't seen that coming, which didn't often happen after many years of experience in my line of work.

As I sat across the table from him, I analyzed the former athlete. I cataloged how his eyes widened, and cheeks suddenly flushed a deep-red that had nothing to do with the alcohol flowing through his veins.

CJ was embarrassed, but he didn't need to be. My game was love in all forms. When he picked up his glass and drained it in one long gulp, clarity struck. CJ wasn't out, and I wondered if anyone knew he was into men.

I considered how to respond before deciding to take the safer route. The last thing I wanted was for CJ to bolt when I was enjoying my time with him. He was chill and easy to talk to. I didn't have much time for friends, and at age twenty-nine, most of them had already settled down. It was nice to be around someone who wasn't looking to get hitched any time soon. We had that in common.

Instead of questioning him further on a topic he seemed less than comfortable with, I focused on simply answering him. Nodding, I replied, "Yes, I do have gay clients. I have clients from every walk of life."

CJ frowned. "I don't even know why I asked. I was just…wondering."

I wasn't buying what he was selling, or rather attempting to. It had been too much of a specific question to be random. But I didn't want to make him more uncomfortable by trying to force an admission. He'd tell me if and when he wanted to. "It's fine. Many people are fascinated by what I do and have questions about it."

CJ blew out a long breath, and his shoulders sagged in what appeared to be a relief. "Right. I'm just interested in what exactly a matchmaker does."

I grinned, hoping to put him at ease. "Understandable."

After a brief pause, he looked down at his beer, then asked, "So, do youonlydeal with people looking for serious relationships?"

It was another question I wasn't asked often. People simply assumed I was in the business of happily ever afters, which was accurate. But again, my gut reaction told me the question was tailored toward him.

I set my glass down. "Pretty much. It isn't hard to use an app these days for casual dating and hookups. Many even find lasting relationships and marriage when the algorithm gets it right. But that's not always the case. Usually, when someone seeks me out, they've been burned by the process too many times." I paused, giving him a minute to take it all in. "Why do you ask?"

CJ's brow furrowed before he shook his head. "Still just trying to understand what it is you do."

Again, part of my job was being able to read my clients beyond what they filled out on the questionnaire. There was always more to what they wrote down. Underlying reasons for his line of questions were practically rolling off CJ.

"Have you ever gotten serious with someone?" I probed.

"Not really. I was focused on basketball in college and didn't really have time for girls. And since then…" He shrugged. "I'm just not interested in settling down."

Girls. I hid my surprise or hoped so anyway. Shit, maybe he was telling the truth and had just wondered aloud as he'd claimed. Maybe he wasn't gay, just inquisitive. CJ was officially an anomaly, someone who wasn't so easy to figure out. My interest piqued to a new height, and it was my turn for questions. "So, you're just playing the field? No judgment. Hell, I'd be the last one casting stones."

For the first time since I'd met him, I noticed how full his lips were as he bit his lower one. "Revolving door of girls then?" he asked.

I chuckled and jerked my stare away, unsure why I'd paid attention to his mouth, to begin with. "I'm not that bad. Like you, I'm not looking to settle down yet, or maybe ever. Whenyoudo, though, I happen to know a guy that could help." I tossed in a wink.

CJ snorted and his lips twitched in amusement. "Subtle sales pitch there, Cupid."

I was developing a slight buzz, and my laughter came easily. "I'm serious, though. Women would go crazy if I showed them your picture."

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