I suspect that Raven agreed to meet me this morning because of my family name, because she got paid in full years ago and for all I know someone's paying her some sort of retainer to keep my application open.

The matchmaker route wasn't my idea and Raven probably knows it but I sure as hell wasn't about to let my family pick a wife for me on their own. If this is how it's going down, then I want someone in my corner. At least with a professional making the call I feel like I've got that much.

Pulling the rental up to the renovated house, I notice two things. One, Raven's office is in a pretty swank old Victorian. Done up like a doll house with lots of brick-a-brac siding with lavender trim and big picture windows on both sides of the stoop.

Someone takes good care of the place. Nice to know Raven's using the money she makes for something solid.

I do have a soft spot for the chick. She might not know why I insist on going through with this stupid scheme but I've always felt like she had my back.

The second thing I notice is the car parked beside the curb in front of the house.

A car I've seen before.

Last night.

Tearing out of a restaurant parking lot like it was escaping the apocalypse.

As I pull up to the curb behind it I can't help but crack a grin, Sorry babe, the apocalypse just caught up to you.

Looks like I'm not Raven's only emergency meeting this morning.

I'm about to reach for the door when it opens. Stephany's standing just inside, still engrossed in her conversation with the woman holding the door open.

For a moment before she notices me, I get to see Stephany. What I'm sure is the real Stephany. Who she is when she's not nervous to meet some asshole that she's supposed to marry. Who she is when she's not under the microscope of a bunch of snobs who are picking her apart and trying to make her feel unworthy.

She's fucking beautiful.

The way her hair is in a messy knot on top of her head with half of it falling down around her shoulders. The way she's dressed in some simple leggings with an over sized t-shirt that threatens to fall off one of her shoulders. The way her eyes are lit up with easy laughter and her lips are full and smiling and such a fucking hot shade of pink with nothing but Chapstick on them.

She looks happy and confident, comfortable in her own skin. Cause she's not trying to make an impression on anyone right now. Right now she's just who she is.

It hits me like a punch to the gut. All the air goes out of my lungs as I realize I want that. I want her. Stephany. Like this. Always. I want the woman who hasn't seen me yet. I need to see that smile everyday for the rest of my goddamn life.

Raven's eyes shift from Steph to me and even though I'm only partially paying attention to her in my peripheral vision while I zone in on Stephany, I see the quirk of her smart-ass grin. That bitch played me, dammit.

If this works, I'm gonna need to send her some fucking roses or shit to say thanks.

And then Stephany's eyes follow Raven's. They land about halfway down my body and travel up. For a second I see appreciation in them, a sly little eye fuck that's not too obvious. I remember the heat of her body last night and way her eyes travel up my body gets my dick's attention.

Then she recognizes the face and that gorgeous fucking smile goes flat in a second.

"Oh, Devon," Raven's voice is all innocence as she breaks the tension, like she didn't plan this, "I'm so sorry, I forgot you were stopping by this morning."

Stephany's eyes drop to the ground between us.

"I can't stay, can you come back later?" Raven has her keys and her purse in her hands as she ushers Stephany out the door with her and locks up.

I watch Raven's eyes dart to Stephany and back to mine meaningfully before she hurries down the steps and out to her own vehicle, "I'll call you to reschedule!" she calls out before she drives off leaving me and Steph standing awkwardly on the porch.

"I think she did that on purpose," Stephany's voice is hard with contempt that I'm sure is all for me, but it also carries a note of amusement.

"I'd bet on it," I answer.

"Where's your entourage?"

The way she says it reminds me of the way we left things last night. Fuck I'm a stupid prick. I can't believe she's still standing here, looking at me with those crazy intense eyes like's she's waiting for me to say something that doesn't make me sound like the complete asshole she thinks I am instead of rushing past me and leaving me here with my dick hard.

It hits me-- that's exactly what she's waiting for. Whatever Raven told her, it must have been pretty damn compelling if she's willing to give me a second chance.

I'm so damn used to running people off, trying to protect them from getting too close to the toxicity of my family. I almost say something stupid. Then I catch myself.

Is that really what I want? I pause a minute to get a good look at Steph. Not in a hungry way like I have been. Really look.

It's fucking hard not to notice the way the extra long tee hangs loose on her shoulders and exposes her sun-kissed skin with its light spray of freckles, how the material is clingy over her tits and hangs over her hips in a way that makes it impossible not to notice the way they flare and melt into an ass that would fit perfectly in my hands.

It's impossible to look at her and not see how fucking sexy she is, but I'm looking for something else. And I see it. Hell yeah I see it.

I see a woman who might just be right for me. Someone who's smart and confident and has what it'll take to stand beside me without letting my family steal that light from her eyes.

Maybe Stephany's the one who can save me from that fate myself.

I'm a selfish fucking bastard for thinking it, but right then I know I can't let her go. I've gotta do whatever it takes to keep her beside me and make her my wife. Even though I know she's too good for me, too good for the life I'm going to offer her, but I'll do everything to protect her from all the bullshit that my family is going to try to throw at her. I'll keep her safe and I'll spend every day of my life fighting for her happiness.

"No more entourage, Babydoll," I smile and hope she can see I mean it, "from now on you're stuck with just me."