Free A Match Made by Cupid (Harlequin Special Edition) by Tracy Madison

say the same,” he retorted. “But I was thinking three. Say, one couple who are engaged or newly married, one couple who are five or ten years in, and one who have been together for decades.”
    “That sounds good.”
    He flashed her a grin, once again the cool, collected guy she knew. “Glad we’re on the same page. Now, I guess we should toss around a few ideas of where to find our candidates.”
    “We could pull aside couples getting married at the county courthouse.” She chewed her bottom lip in thought. “Maybe contact a few senior-citizen retirement-type groups, as well.”
    “Both good ideas,” Jace said, typing while he spoke. “Also, I think we should interview my brother and his wife. They’ve been through hell and back, and are still together. I’d need to ask to see if they’re willing, but—”
    “No.” Melanie narrowed her eyes and shook her head. “Absolutely not. The interview subjects should not be family members or friends of either of us.”
    “Any reason why not?”
    “Unfair advantage.” Mimicking one of Jace’s habits, she tapped her pencil against the table. “Your brother and sister-in-law are probably lovely people, but using them for the article—in your mind, anyway—proves your side.”
    “Grady and Olivia are exactly the type of couple this feature is about.” Jace crossed his arms over his chest. “If we talk to them, we’ll only need two more couples. You’re worried about the time we have available to finish the piece, correct? This will save us time.”
    Of course her words would come back to haunt her. Her logical side pointed out that his argument was one-hundred percent valid. If she agreed, that would mean fewer hours spent with Jace and fighting her suddenly sex-crazed libido. But her stubborn side refused to give in.
    Using her feminine wiles, rusty as they were, she fluttered her eyelashes. “I’ll agree to that if you agree to forget about the bet. That way, I only have to focus on the article.”
    “So you can’t focus if we keep our bet in place?” Jace’s mouth twitched in amusement. “Wow, Mel. I had no idea you were so worried about going out on a date with me. Afraid I’ll bite?”
    “N-no. Of c-course not,” she stammered as the image of his mouth nibbling on her skin took control. Heat swarmed her cheeks and trickled down her neck. The faint scent of his cologne wafted over her, and it was all she could do not to lean in and inhale. Deeply.
    Shoving herself as far back as she could against her chair, she frowned. “I am not worried. Nor am I afraid. What I am is competitive. You’re going to have to choose, Jace. Do this my way or do it your way, but the bet goes bye-bye.”
    “You’re blushing.”
    “I am not!” Flustered, Melanie rubbed at her cheeks. “It’s, um, warm in here. I’m a little overheated. That’s all.”
    “It is warm, but I’m wondering if it’s that or if my comment about biting you is the culprit. I promise I don’t bite…unless—” He swallowed. Hard. “Sorry. No sexual innuendo. I keep forgetting that.”
    Focus, she told herself. Lifting her chin, she put steel in her voice. “That doesn’t surprise me. Stripes, spots…the inability to learn new tricks.”
    A laugh belted out of Jace. “You wouldn’t be calling me an old dog, now, would you?”
    “Tiger. Leopard. Old dog. Take your pick…the meanings are basically the same.”
    “Not really, Mel,” he said with a delighted, now-I’m-having-fun grin. “The inability to change one’s stripes…or spots, as the case may be…is about personality. The pieces that make up the whole of who we are, pieces that cannot be changed no matter how hard we try. But the other is more along the lines of being too set in our ways to be able to institute a successful change.” He had the audacity to wink. “So you tell me, which are you accusing me of being?”
    She arched an eyebrow. “As I said, take your pick. From where I’m sitting, you easily