Free MisMatch (A Humorous Contemporary Romance) by Nana Malone Page A

miffed and dazzled. “You must be Izzy Connors. I
am such a fan of your husband. That game he played against Nadal at
the Australian Open was legendary. And you are more beautiful than
your pictures.” Then he picked up Izzy’s left hand and kissed
it.
    Izzy had the gall to grin at him and bat her
lashes. “You know, Jessica didn’t say a thing about you being
charming. And considering who I’m married to, that’s a feat.”
    “I’m just now becoming acquainted with your
work. I heard you were doing a charity exhibit of your Homelands
pieces. If Jessica, erm Miss Stanton would have let me change her
mind, I would have loved the opportunity to work with you as
well.”
    Izzy laughed and patted Jessica on the
shoulder. “Oh, he’s good.” Izzy shifted so she stood behind Samson
and mouthed, “Wow.” Then she flicked her hands together until her
fingers made a snapping sound, signaling that she thought he was
hot.
    Jessica was going to be ill. If only she
could rewind the clock. “Mr. Marks, I thought I made myself clear
at lunch. I cannot be your manager.” She gave Elaine and Izzy
pointed looks, which she hoped they read as, “Go on. Get out of
here.”
    Only Elaine paid attention. Izzy had the
nerve to sit back down like she was enjoying the show.
    Samson smiled at Jessica, that same crooked
smile that—she studied him again. It was the same smile, but his
eyes were different . The intensity behind
them was gone. He was more relaxed. And that wasn’t all that was
different. As she looked closer, she could sense the differences in
him rather than see them. He still had a yin and yang tattoo on his
forearm. His voice sounded the same. But he was somehow lighter,
more buoyant.
    He offered her a hand. She considered
refusing it, but that would be childish—and Izzy was watching.
Jessica didn’t need to be embarrassed in front of her friend. She
took his hand, bracing for the electrical charge of intimacy that
had almost brought her to her knees more than once. But—nothing.
Nada. Like all the crackling chemistry between them had evaporated.
Oh, he was still hot. Just not her own personal Magnetic North. And
his conservative gear was gone, too. Today he looked more the
artist. Dark jeans and a casual hunter green sweater became him and
brought out his eyes, but she wondered how she’d ever thought him
so intense.
    “I understand what you said yesterday. But I
was hoping to talk you out of your decision. If you agree to take
me on, I promise to work my ass off and stay on my best behavior. I
need what you have to offer. I won’t let anything that happened in
the past get in the way of our working relationship.”
    Jessica shook her head, unable to trust what
she was hearing. Even worse, she couldn’t trust what she was
feeling. She needed an artist, but the cost wouldn’t be worth it.
Would it? A few days ago, this guy made her panties wet just by
looking at her sideways. But now he only gave her a lukewarm vibe.
She couldn’t have worked with him yesterday, but he’d seriously
dialed down the sexed-up vibe. Yet that wasn’t entirely true. He
still had a sexed-up aura to him, but today it didn’t do anything
for her .
    She dared a glance in Izzy’s direction, who
looked disappointed.
    “If you’re a man of your word, then…”
Jessica paused, not sure if she was making the right decision. But
it wasn’t like she didn’t need the client. “I can work with you for
now. My career is as important to me as yours is. If at any point
we can’t work together, we will part ways. No harm, no foul. I will
recommend you to another artist manager I know.”
    He thought about it for several moments.
“And what if she’s too booked with other clients?”
    She narrowed her eyes, unsure if he was
trying to pull something. But the question seemed genuine. “Then
we’ll work together until your first opening. After that point,
we’ll sever the relationship and direct you to other management
companies you