Page 10 of Under His Touch

“I remember everything,” he says, and as he lowers himself beside me, I can’t help but think his thoughts have gone to the same place mine have. To the night I seduced him.

I take another sip of wine, stalling before I have to speak, since I’m sure my voice is about to fail me again. “Mmm,” I say. I turn on my computer and pull up the profile I began last week. “If we want to match you with the right woman, you have to answer honestly.”

“I always try to be honest, and I’m not looking for the right woman,” he says, those blue eyes roaming my face, and for the briefest of seconds I wish I were her. Wish I were the right woman for Alec Carson. I practically snort as that stupid thought goes through my head. “I’m looking for a suitable woman, remember?”

“You won’t at least try?” I say as I shift to face him, legs tucked securely underneath me. “I think everyone has a match, and true love really does exist. You just have to be open to it.”

The muscles in his neck bunch as he rolls his shoulders, like the strain of the week is sitting heavily on top of them.

“I’m not open to it,” he says, his voice so firm and adamant, it instantly shuts down my rebuttal. “Let’s get at this.”

Disappointment courses through me but I shove it down. This is Alec’s life not mine and if he’s against love and marriage, who am I to try to change things. “Okay.”

Beside me, he shifts and his leg rubs against my knee as he stretches out and crosses his ankles. He swirls the brandy and takes another drink. The liquid settles on his bottom lip and all I can think about is licking it off. Except he does it for me, and I want to tangle our tongues, taste the brandy from his mouth. A bolt of heat moves through me and I tear my gaze away, try to read the words before me as my stupid libido kicks into high gear.

“Okay, the first set of questions is to generally describe your personality.”

“Go on.”

“You have three choices for your answers—not at all, somewhat or very.” He nods, and I continue with “Bossy?”

He grins, and I click Very.

“I’m pretty sure I could have gotten that one right,” I say, and rest my head against the sofa pillow. “Remember that time we went to King’s Palace amusement park?”

He nods, and looks at the big window, like his thoughts are a million miles away. “It was right after you moved in with Sara.”

“You gathered up a few of your football friends, and we all went for the day.” He turns back to me and the smile that comes over his face is so genuine and happy, my pulse leaps. As I look at Alec now, I see the boy from my youth. I relax on the sofa and take another sip of my wine. I place it on the table and laugh. “You were so bossy. The guys all wanted to hit the race cars, but you said no, and we did every other ride in the park until it closed and it was too late for any of us to ride.”

“Megan,” he says, the smile falling fast from his face, a look of horror moving in to take its place. “You’d just lost your parents in a car accident. I couldn’t let...what if it reminded...”

“Oh, my God,” I say under my breath as the room spins around me. “I... I didn’t realize.” My heart crashes so hard against my chest, breathing becomes difficult. He did that...for me. “That was so...” Tears prick my eyes and I fight them off. “So considerate of you.”

He shrugs like it was nothing.

“The guys were so pissed off,” I say, my voice breaking a little. “I thought for sure Dillon Fraser was going to rip you a new one.”

“I’d rather that over you...”

“I had no idea.” I swallow down the lump in my throat. “Thank you.”

He finishes off his brandy and pushes to his feet. “Wine refill?” he asks, and averts his eyes.

“Yeah, sure,” I say, certain I’m going to need more alcohol to get through this. “But I’m a lightweight.”

“I know.” He picks my glass up and leaves, and I press my palms to my eyes hard enough to make me see stars, before I cry over the loss of a young, thoughtful boy who used to watch out for me. He comes back and hands me the wine. I take a huge gulp and find him studying me carefully as I set it on the coffee table.

“You’ve been asking all the questions, but I have one of my own,” he says.

“What?” I ask, unease moving through me.

“Why are you still single?”

Way to get right to the point.

“Well, you see, Alec. There are two kinds of people in this world, those who like Neil Diamond and those who don’t.” I bite back a grin, and wait for him to get it. When a wide smile splits his lips, we both burst out laughing and the sound is music to my ears.

“How many times did we watch that movie,” he says.

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