The Matchmakers Read Online Free PDF Page A

wishes. I’m not allowed.´ `So you broke
the rules?´ The tone of his question told her he admired that. Nick was a rule
breaker of epic proportions, so he understood the need to buck the system. `Yes.
I allowed a human to wish for someone to fall in love with her someone who was
the one she wanted, but not the one she needed. I made a mess of things.´ Nick
put one elbow on the table and rested his chin in his hand. `Go on.Ćallie
saw it immediately the change in his demeanor from guarded skepticism to
guarded amusement. He no longer thought she was a psychopath, just a harmless
loony bird on the loose. Fortunately she still had an arsenal of Fae tricks at
her disposal to help him become a true believer. `After Freya stepped in and
helped me set things right, and after an eternity of heated debate, it was decided that my punishment for breaking the rules
was«you.´ `Me?´ He laughed, and the deep sound rumbled pleasantly. How could a
man with a laugh like that be all bad? `Sweet cheeks, I’ve been a lot of things
to a lot of women, but I’ve never been anyone’s punishment. I’d say you made
out on the deal.´ `Oh please.Śuch arrogance. Nick’s biggest problem was
that he liked himself for the wrong reasons. His sex appeal and charm were
undeniable to any human female, of
course, but as Freya had explained to Callie, those shallow qualities were all
he had. There was nothing underneath, or very little anyway, that could be
salvaged into a loving, caring soul. `You’re my punishment because you’re a
hopeless case. Or nearly hopeless.´ `A hopeless case of what?´ He laughed again
and rose, turning his back on her in a show of trust she hadn’t expected so
quickly. He opened the fridge again and fished out a third beer, which he
offered to her. `You need this more than I do.´ `No, thank you. Alcohol does
bad things to Fae. Now, back to you. You’re a hopeless case because you’ve been
decreed an enemy of true love.´ His hypnotic eyes widened, and his smile faded.
`Enemy? That’s a strong word. How about µdisgruntled former acquaintance’?Ćallie
shook her head. `Nope. You’re a DEF CON 1, picture-in-the-post-office type of
enemy.´ He stiffened a little, obviously back on the defensive. `What«uh«happens
to enemies of true love?Ćallie smiled. `You get a chance to redeem
yourself. I’m your chance.Ćhapter Four Nick set the unopened beer on the
counter and leaned back, appraising her again. `I can redeem myself to this
goddess Freya by what did you say before helping unite three couples in true
love?´ `With my help. We do it together.´ `I’m no matchmaker, Tinkerbell.´ `Calliope.
Or Callie, please. You will need to become one if you don’t want to forfeit
love forever.´ Callie sensed she was losing him. `You can’t lose something you
never had.´ He looked down at his work boots, and his voice changed, became
laced with a hint of hard-edged regret. `Send Freya my apologies, but I don’t
give a damn about redeeming myself.´ When he looked up, his eyes were cold. Disappointment
swept through Callie, and she felt an unfamiliar heaviness in her chest. That
swell of hopelessness had returned. Freya had given her a truly impossible
task. `Maybe you haven’t experienced true love yet, but imagine if you were
never able to love at all.´ He straightened. `You mean I could never«you know«´   Men .
`No, that’s not what I mean. You’ll
be able to«have sex. You’ll still feel lust and infatuation and those deceptive
emotions that feel just like love for a short time, but it will never be real
love. You’ll never be able to love anyone ever again not a spouse, a sibling, a
parent or even a child. Imagine that, Nick. Having a child you couldn’t love.´ He
shrugged, but she saw the stab of pain she’d caused. Her words had reached his
heart. `People do that all the time.´ `And you want to be one of those people?´
`We’re getting ahead of ourselves here. I don’t plan to have children. I’m