Page 17 of Unlikely Match

I wait until she's inside to drive off. Of course, she couldn't kiss me goodbye with her family waiting for her. But I feel that something has been torn away from us.

I already deeply feel that she is the one. We were meant to be. But as I drive home, a series of problems begins to tumble through my mind. What will my employees think if they see my hot young girlfriend? Will they think I'm going through some sort of midlife crisis? And will Jewel think that without the contest to hold us together, we won't have enough in common?

I don't want her to think I'm only interested in her because she's gorgeous and sexy. She's my dream girl. I need to find a way to tell her how much I already care about her, her art, and her fascinating way of looking at the world.

Then the biggest problem of all hits me.

I don't even have her phone number.

9

JEWEL

I'm going to hate denim jackets until the end of time.

There's no question that it was that Marcus guy and the blonde who ratted us out, getting their friends and supporters to complain. I've always hated it when people play dirty – although, to be fair, they probably thought thatwewere playing dirty, even though it was all a complete accident.

After Nick leaves for the hospital with Brandy, I check on Noah, who is sound asleep. Standing in his nursery for a few moments, I try to let his deep breathing and the occasional twitch of his miniature, perfect hands calm me.

What a strange, transformative night.

At the beginning of the evening, all I wanted was to win that contest to get the money for an art space. And sure, a trip would've been amazing as well. But my focus shifted the second I got a good look at Alex. Not just because he was gorgeous and confident and charming. I've never felt so sexy and desired. Never felt the thrill of having a man hang on my every word.

Now, I feel like I let him down. Maybe if I hadn't been so fussy about that band I didn't like, we would have stayed upstairs, instead of getting trapped.

Ugh.Second-guessing myself will get me nowhere. I'm floundering in a flurry of jumbled feelings that I can't even process.

It felt like Alex and I were really falling for each other, hard. I know if we'd won and gone on that dream vacation, it would have bonded us together. Now everything is unclear. That's one of the reasons I like working with simple black ink on stark white paper. Perfect clarity. No gray areas.

Noah kicks in his sleep, and I slowly back out of the nursery so I don't wake him, still pondering as I head to the living room.

If I'd stayed at Alex's place, would I have really slept with him? Hell yes. I wanted him that badly. I still do. Suddenly having to leave was like throwing a bucket of ice water on my libido. Then again…

He spoke of wanting me physically. But emotionally? That never came up. Was he simply seeing me as a shiny new toy that would drag him out of his trench of boredom?

Not only that, what would his associates think if he showed up to a formal event with a much younger artist girl, with blue streaks in her hair and nothing to contribute to a conversation about corporate stuff?

There's no way I could fit into his life. You can't bash a square peg into a triangle-shaped hole, no matter how much you want to. Noah is going to learn this soon enough from his blocks once he realizes they're for more than drooling on.

No. Even though my heart sings when he touches me, and I feel like Alex really could be the man for me…

I'm not the woman for him.

10

ALEX

Itoss and turn all night long, listening to the voice in my head that won't stop yelling at me:

You're an asshole, Alex.

The entire night I told Jewel how sexy she was. How much I wanted her. Did I tell her once how sweet she is? How perfectly we would fit into each other's lives? The entire night is a blur, but I don't think so.

Even after two espressos and an hour in my home gym, I can't focus.

After a shower, I throw on sweatpants and plop onto the loveseat, still positioned right in front of the window. Jewel seemed to like my home, but would she becomfortablehere?

Everything is jumbling through my mind out of order. First, I need to get Jewel to agree to a regular date. Then I have to tell her that my feelings for her are more than just physical. That I adore every single thing about her.

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