Page 19 of Once upon a Summer Night

Her entire arm tingled from the contact, and then he turned her hand over and gently kissed her knuckles. She quickly snatched her hand back, her face flaming.

“Miss Carberry, I promise this won’t hurt,” he said, his voice low. She heard the teasing in his tone, but when she dared to meet his eyes, she realized he wasn’t going to call her out.

In front of anyone, anyway. She gulped.

Winnie patted her hand. “If I may be frank, dear, this is just what you need. Shake things up a little, step out of your comfort zone.”

Ellie didn’t bother to attempt a smile. Colin’s face—truly, why did so much beauty exist in a single face?—remained pleasant, but his eyes told a different story. He wanted answers.

She chewed her lip. Sure, she’d lied to him a little about her name. Rose was, in fact, her middle name, although that wasn’t a well-known fact. And being that she hadn’t ever expected to see him again, she hadn’t seen the point in being plain old Ellie. She’d promised herself she would practice being her true self, and she’d lived up to that promise…as Rose.

Baby steps. Although, that night a week ago, while she stared at the ceiling, trying to sleep after the most incredible kiss of her life, Ellie realized that perhaps she could be that person she’d pretended to be with Colin. Perhaps she could be funny, and sarcastic, and maybe a little daring.

She slid a glance to him and jumped when she realized his eyes had never left hers. She swallowed again.

He turned to her aunt, but her heart thundered in her ears, and she didn’t hear the words.

Colin took the seat opposite of her, and she was again struck by his good looks. She was suddenly back in the garden, kissing him as though her life depended on it, reveling in the feel of his hands tangled up in her hair—

“Miss Carberry,” he began.

—and she was again melting into that kiss, feeling alive and savored and just as a woman ought to feel when being kissed by a demigod—

He smiled, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “I understand you’re looking for a husband.”

Eleanor’s blushwas as immediate as it was fierce, and Colin didn’t have to wonder at what she’d been thinking.

“Well, that is the point of this exercise, is it not?” she asked, slightly defensive.

“Ellie!” Miss Emsworth admonished.

“Apologies. I am here to see what your company offers, and to humor my aunt,” Ellie stated without inflection. “What do we do first?”

“Well, first we welcome you to our Celtic Connections family,” Emma said with an easy smile. “You haven’t yet met our other employees, but you will probably the next time you come to the office. We’re still getting set up here.”

“Prematurely,” Miss Emsworth murmured.

Colin gritted his teeth and caught Emma’s eye.Medusa.

Emma’s smile grew. “We certainly hope not.”

“You’ll fill out a profile online, but let’s discuss your requirements.” Colin gave the women across from him as encouraging a smile as he could muster, though his heart was beating erratically.

Setting up his soul mate with someone else was going to be the most difficult thing he’d ever do, he was certain of it. He cursed the Fates again.

“We need to know what things you do and don’t like,” Emma advised.

“Such as…?” Ellie looked adorably confused.

Colin looked down at his notepad, berating himself.She’s not adorable. She’s a client looking for a life partner, someone who will be there for her every night. Not someone who disappears for days or weeks at a time without explanation. Not someone who can’t tell her who and what he is.Reilly’s hand on his shoulder brought Colin’s attention back.

“…smoker, already has children,” Emma was saying. “That sort of thing. To start, just say whatever comes to mind, and remember that we are not going to judge you at all! In your online profile, you’ll be given a whole list of things you can check off. We need you to be as honest as possible for this to work.”

“No title.”

“No title?” Colin echoed.

“Yes. I don’t want anyone from the aristocracy.” She said, more to her aunt than them, “No earls, marquises, or baronets. None of it.”

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