Free Romance: The Betrayal: Romantic Suspense With A Bizarre Twist by Melody Hall

hadn’t really thought about that, but he knew that his way of keeping distance between him and someone was to call them by their last name.  “Which do you prefer?” He asked, feeling his throat getting dry.
    She seemed to contemplate that, “Either.” 
    He smiled, “So, whatever I’m in the mood for?”
    “Something like that,” she replied with a chuckle.  He hadn’t noticed her laugh before, but it filled a room and he was drawn to it.  There was a long pause, before she spoke.  “There’s something that I have been wanting to ask you.  It’s just something that I was interested in.”
    He took another drink, preparing himself.  “Okay.  What’s that?”
    “Well, at the interview I was told that there were several applicants.  Yet, you hired me right away.  Why?”
    He hadn’t expected her to be so bold to ask the question.  Yet, he really didn’t expect her to be so bold about anything.  He was wrong about that.  “I suppose there was something about you that I felt would be the perfect match to the job.”
    “That seems vague,” she replied laughing.
    “Yeah, I suppose it is.  It’s like when you go out looking for a pair of shoes and you know the exact style you’re looking for.  You just know and there’s no point in waiting for another pair of shoes to come along, when you have the perfect pair right in front of you.  Make sense?”  He asked.
    “Yes, you’re comparing me to shoes.”
    He laughed, this time feeling a blush brushing across his face.  “It’s just an analogy.  When you walked through the door…I just knew.”
    He hoped it didn’t come across as corny, but he knew that it was the truth.  By the look on her face, it definitely appeared that she was not thinking it was corny.  “Okay, then if that’s how you feel…why have things been tense between us?”
    The food came and he paused, giving him time to think.  When the waiter was gone, he looked back in her direction.  “They say opposites attract, so it’s obvious you and I would repel.  We’re a lot alike.”  She opened her mouth, but he placed his hand up, halting her. 
     
    “I know you think that I’m arrogant and rude and any other name in the book.  You have been very vocal about that, but I speak my mind and so do you.  We are bound to butt heads, but that doesn’t mean that at the end of the day I’m not thankful you walked through my door.” 
     
    He realized the way that came out, but he wasn’t about to apologize for it.  “I think that we could in essence make a great team, because even though you don’t see it…I do value your opinion.”
    “That makes me feel good.  Thank you!”
    He smiled, “Now, let’s enjoy the food.”  He took a bite of his salad and saw that she was finally getting comfortable and he breathed a sigh of relief.  Everything he had said to her was the truth.  None of it was lines that he was just feeding her and he hoped that she understood that.
     
    ***
     
    Marisa stared down at the picture of Troy’s ex dancing with the other man.  Her mind kept going back to lunch with Jeffrey.  He definitely surprised her by the easy tone.  She had expected everything to be awkward and then when he told her why he chose her for the job, she found herself distracted.  There was a heat in his eyes when he spoke the words and she didn’t know if it was because she was attracted to him or lonely, but she suddenly felt like doing more than going to lunch with him.
     
    She shook her head, removing the vision from her mind.  She looked back down at the picture, tracing the outline of the couple.  As she was doing that, she picked up the picture and stared at an image that she hadn’t seen before. 
    She got up and moved to the window light.  In the corner there was a faint image of a man staring in the direction of the couple.  It was definitely Troy.  She was sure of it.
     
    She got up and hurried to his office.  She stopped when she heard