LISA

Going to the school had been interesting for me. Jennie didn't seem to get too frazzled by my being there. That was good, very good.

Aside from the giant cock she was holding tightly when the principal opened the door, her nerves had remained unseen. Either she was a woman who was great at hiding her feelings, or the classroom was where she thrived.

From the short time I watched her in class, it told me a lot more than I expected. Jennie owned that room, the way she held herself showed the strength that coursed through her veins.

She spoke with assertiveness, never wavering in her demeanor. Jennie glided around the room on an invisible platform that all the children looked up to. She had control, she had passion for her work. And she didn't let my presence get in the way of what she was doing.

I like that. I also like that she wasn't an eyesore to stare at for a couple hours.

I had to be careful not to get a damn hard-on while sitting there. But there were children around, my control should have earned me a medal.

Her breasts bounced with each step as she walked, her long hair fluttered across her back and framed her face as she leaned over to help the kids. The woman was breathtaking, stealing my thoughts and eyes instantly.

No, Lisa. She's a client.

That was a road I couldn't go down. Rule one: Never get involved with a client. That one I put on top, right next to; Don't give away your own personal information.

My job was to learn, search, and make a match. Help the person find themselves, help them gain confidence, and then place love right at their feet.

Except, I had this aching feeling that none of the women I'd worked with ever compared to Jennie. The ladies I was used to being around were lost in every area. They had failed relationship after failed relationship. They spent too much time with outward appearances, from the brand of shoes they wore, to the fucking tag on their underwear.

Useless shit that doesn't matter.

They were all demanding Mr. Right, while refusing to change one ounce of themselves. If there was anything I had learned from doing this, it was you can't sweat the small stuff.

But regardless of who they were, I always succeeded, finding those women a guy that would mesh with their personalities.

And let me just point out—it wasn't always easy.

I had my challenges and conquered them all. Jennie had just become the next notch on my challenge belt, and I would conquer her too.

Except, there was something different about her. She didn't appear to be a woman who would have a hard time finding someone on her own, I just couldn't pinpoint what the underlying issue was.

There had to be something, and I was determined to figure that out.

The real test would come tonight, date number one. I needed to see her outside of her comfort zone, and the guy I lined up would hopefully do that.

He was a buddy of mine, Jackson, my go to guy for all the first dates. I knew he was someone I could trust, and wouldn't immediately storm off if the date went sour. I guess you could call it cheating in a way, but I always felt safe with him there.

Safe is one thing that the female clients I worked with needed. Jackson provided that, along with well detailed notes to me on what he thought.

He was an accountant by day and my wingman at night. I'd been in this business for over three years now and he had been with me from the start.

It also might have helped that he was single and lived by the motto:'I'm a no strings attached man.' Jackson didn't want marriage, he didn't want the family life or the weight of having to be in one place.

That was one thing we had in common. Love was something I stayed clear of, I never let anyone get that close. I was a simple man, I didn't need more than the shirt on my back to be happy.

I knew Jennie would think that a date was way too much so soon, but I looked at it as breaking the ice. Nayeon had told me that she hadn't been on an actual date in over seven years, seven years.

Which I found bizarre because she was so damn gorgeous. How could not one man even take the time to ask her out?

There has to be something off with her that her friends never mentioned.

The idea just didn't make sense. Jennie was drop dead gorgeous, had a body I would kill another man to get a chance with, and she certainly wasn't lacking in the brain department.

So why the dry spell?

Flipping through my phone, I pulled up her number and dialed. "Jennue, it's Lisa."

"Hello, how's things?" She asked with a nervous flutter in her tone.

"Informative."

"Why's that, have you been following me? Trail me around town, watching from a creepy distance?"

She didn't have to say anything else to give away her annoyance over my dropping in at her school. I could picture her with her hand on her hip, eyes hooded, head cocked to the side.

I didn't have to follow her around to see the signals of what she'd looked like right then. I had already spotted those subtle ticks at the school, observation was key.

And I watched everything.

"You can take your hand off your hip, I didn't follow you."

There was a drawn out pause before she finally spoke. "How did you know I had my hand on my hip? Are you watching me now?"

Chuckling, I said, "No, I told you I'm not a stalker. This is what I do for work, and you've already given me the hand on the hip look. Remember?"

"Oh, I guess I did." A tense giggle hit my ear, my cock jerking to the melodic tone of her laugh.

What the hell?

That's not supposed to happen.

My eyes shot to my waist, glaring at the semi forming in my jeans. Adjusting myself, I took in a large breath of air, forcing the blood back to my head. Immediately, I started flipping through extremely unsexy images in my mind.

Teller at the DMV, lady that delivers my mail, Loretta in her bikini.

Loretta was my neighbor downstairs. She was a very nice woman, but she was well into her sixties, and did not have the form that was flattered by a bikini anymore. Also, the hair on her upper lip, and hair that puffed from places I never wanted my eyes look at, didn't help her cause.

Shaking my head, I said, "I watch to learn who you are, Jennie, everything plays a part in what I do."

"I guess I'm not used to anyone paying that much attention." Clanking noises broke through the speaker, the sound of water running echoed in the background.

She must be doing dishes. Good she's not too busy at all.

"Get used to it, because I do a lot of that. Alright, let's get down to business. Tonight I need you to meet me at Griffin's. Come dressed casual, but no jeans."

"Tonight? Lisa, did you forget that I have a child, I can't just run out anytime I want to. I don't even know if I can get a babysitter with such short notice."

"Don't worry, I have that covered. Nayeon will be there at seven."

"Seriously? You called Nayeon?"

"She told me she'd be there for anything I needed, and honestly, I've never seen someone so anxious to babysit before." Flipping through my closet, I grabbed a deep blue blazer, tossing it onto my bed.

"Yeah well, you don't know Nayeon's kids. They're a bit more rambunctious than most kids. But she's got three, I only have one, I might be itching to get out too if I was in her shoes."

Her voice seemed to level out, the anxiety giving way to relief that I took a responsibility off her shoulders. I wasn't used to my clients having children, but Nayeon assured me that if I needed any help at all with Jennie, just to give her a call.

Thank you Nayeon.

"Alright, I'm going to let you go so you can get ready and I'll see you in a bit."

"Wait, you haven't told me what were doing?"

"No, I didn't, and I'm not going to. See you soon, Jennie." Hanging up the phone, an excitement was brewing deep inside my gut.

That same dangerous feeling started to well up in my core, taking hold of my muscles and making my stomach scrunch with an odd warmth. Jennie was a beautiful woman, and in a little while I would start phase one.

The first date.

"Jackson, what's going on man?" Stuffing my phone into my pocket, I leaned in and gave him a stiff slap on the back.

"Not much, same old. So, you got another one for me tonight?" Jackson asked, slicking his hair back. The collared button-down shirt hugged his thin frame, khaki pants hanging loosely over his brown dress shoes.

"You know I do. Now look, this one is a little different than the ones I usually bring you. So pay close attention."

"Lisa," he said, holding his arms out. "You know I always do."

"Yeah, but not that way. There's something about this one I haven't figured out. She'll be here in a few minutes, her name is Jennie. I'll bring her in like usual, and send her your way when I'm ready." Jackson nodded his head and walked into Griffin's.

The two of us had a system. Jackson would find a nice booth tucked in the back if he could. I would take my client, give her some helpful hints, and lead her to the table.

I always expected a little resistance on the first date scenario, but by the end of the night, my ladies usually settled their nerves enough to have normal conversation.

If they didn't, the date ended in less than two hours, and Jackson went home empty handed. Now, I'm not saying all of my clients typically went home with Jackson, but there were a few.

Which in some cases was a good thing, but not always.

I hated being left to clean up the regretful sorrow of a one night stand they didn't expect, and didn't know how to react to. Jackson was good at doing the dip and slip, leaving without a sound and no number to reach him at.

But that was the perils of dating sometimes. Not all guys were good guys and not all guys were looking for love. My clients needed to realize that so they could be more on their toes, and by the time I brought them the next potential match; the true match, and not my friend; things went a lot smoother.

"Hi." The soft delicate voice floated up from behind me.

Turning around, my mouth dropped to my chest. Jennie was standing with her legs crossed, tucking a small clutch in her hands against the front of her waist. Her hair draped on her bare shoulders.

Wow, just wow.

My chest tightened as I tried to breathe, lungs straining to inhale. She looked amazing, incredible, completely enjoyable in every way.

Looking her up and down, I took in her form. A tight pink dress fitted her curves, dipping in at her ribs, and flowing out over her thighs. Her legs were bare, glistening with a hint of glossy lotion.

A part of my brain that was all man, pure feral man, wanted to run a hand up her thigh, inhale the scent coating her legs and let it engulf my senses.

Cool down, Lisa. She's not here for you.

What the hell is coming over me?

"Hello, Beautiful, glad you could make it." Softly, I pushed my fingers out and took the chance to brush her skin. She felt cool in the night breeze, a shimmer of goosebumps cascaded up her flesh with my touch.

"Thanks to you I made it," she said with a smile. "Nayeon practically shoved me out the door when she got there, telling me to hurry up so I wouldn't be late. I heard that before from her, the same night I met you." Veering her stare, she brought herself closer. "So what is it that I could have been late for?"

The scent of her hair wafted up as the wind blew gently around us. A sweet mix of cocoa butter and lavender hijacked my senses. My fingers tingled by my side, itching to reach up around her nape and coil into her hair.

Fuck! What the hell am I thinking?

You're being paid, you can't think this way.

"Okay, well this is probably going to shock you, but don't be pissed. This is how I do things, and trust me, it works."

"What is it? What am I doing here?" Jennie's leg kicked out to the side, drawing my eyes back down briefly.

There goes her hand and hip again. God I love that tick. It wasn't so much that it was a loud statement, or a sexual innuendo by any means. . . It was just watching her move. Her movements were sensual, her body drug-like and alluring in a way that I hadn't experienced before.

Jennie had curves and she used them, even if she didn't realize she was using them.

"Welcome to date number one, Jennie."

"What? A date?" Her hands dropped to her sides, head kicking back. "Are you kidding me? I'm not ready to go on a date yet."

"I knew you'd say that, so I have something to help. Hold out your hand." Lifting my arm, my fingers were curled tightly into my palm.

She didn't know what to think, I could tell. Her head tilted to the side, eyes expanding with wonder. "What is it? It's not like one of those date rape drugs is it?"

Letting out a loud laugh, I shook my head. "What! No, I wouldn't give you something like that. Geez, Jennie, I'm not a freak. Hold out your hand." Nudging my palm at her, I kept my fist closed tight.

Jennie eyed my hand, lifting her small palm up. Dropping a small object into her hand, her face scrunched up tight. "What is it?" She asked, turning the tiny plastic device in her fingers.

"It's a small speaker, put it in your ear. I'll be able to hear you and you can hear me the entire time. This way, you're not alone, but I'm not hovering over you like a weirdo."

"Seriously, I'll be able to hear you on this?"

"Yup, so I'll be with you through the whole date, you don't have to worry about a thing."

I watched her muscles loosen, shoulders rolling forward with relief. "This is cool, thanks."

"I told you to trust me, so trust me. I won't put you danger, but I will help you along." Winking, I gripped her hand and folded it into my arm. "Shall we?"

The touch of her hand for that brief moment sent a surge of electricity up my arm, the spark ricocheted around my lungs, freezing my ability to breathe. My cock pulsed and I had to shake the sensation out of my body.

"Let's do this, Lisa. I'm already here, and armed with this spy device, I'm unstoppable." Jennie giggled, pressing the speaker into her ear. "I feel like a Charlie's Angel."

"You could be a Charlie's Angel, you're already beautiful." Our eyes connected as her face blushed a pretty shade of pink.

"Thank you, it's been a long time since anyone's complimented me." The deep amber of her eyes sparkled against the lights above, her thick lashes fanned the lids like tiny canopies.

My God she's so beautiful.

"Really? That's surprising, I'd think you'd hear it all the time."

Letting out a loud laugh, she shook her head. "Nope. Well, my dad tells me, but he doesn't count. And usually that's just to start a compliment he's giving my mother." Stepping into the restaurant, Jennie kept fiddling with the little speaker in her ear. "This thing feels weird, can you see it?"

"No, it blends right in. Your dad seems like a romantic fella, maybe he could come work for me?"

"If you think a man nearing the age of seventy, covered in blotchy tattoos he got while in the navy, would help your cause, then I'll give you his number. But I don't think my mother would go for that," she said while chuckling, then pointing her finger in my direction. "She's the one you'd have to look out for, she's a hot shit."

I loved seeing her open up a little about her family. That was good, she was getting more comfortable, and letting herself get comfortable with me. That was exactly what I needed if I was going to be able to do my job.

Making a few mental notes about her family, I glanced around the room, spotting Jackson tucked in a booth.

Guiding Jennie to the bar, I pulled out her stool and took the one beside her. "Alright, so your date for tonight is a man named Jackson. I'll point him out in a minute, but I wanted to let you know that if at any point you want to end the date you can."

Anytime, literally. Maybe now's a good time to end it?

I couldn't stop thinking about what might happen if she had any interest in Jackson at all. The idea of her leaving on his arm made me sick, my stomach rolled with discomfort, a giant ball lodged itself in the back of my throat.

Focus, she's not yours.

"Okay, good to know. What can you tell me about him?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Nope, that's your job. But remember, I'll be in your ear, so if I think you need the help, you'll hear it."

Deep down a part of me was screaming to tell her never mind, let's not do this. The small talk about her parents only kept me wondering more about this woman. I felt myself wanting to learn about her, but not for what I was hired to do.

I wanted to learn about her because she intrigued me, because she was a smart, beautiful woman who deserved a better date than Jackson. I knew how he worked and I suddenly didn't want her to meet him.

I didn't want her to regret anything—ever. And if she fell into his web of seduction, I didn't want her to feel the hurt after.

But none of it made sense, I couldn't understand why I cared so much about a woman I knew so little about.

"That should be comforting, but I'll be honest. . ." Her slender fingers twined around each other, braiding together nervously. "I'm really nervous, it's been a long time, Lisa. A really long time since I've done this."

"That's what your friends said, so for you, I did do things a little differently tonight. I gave you a lifeline." Wrapping my fingers around her hand, I squeezed. The same spark flew through my veins, hitting me deep in the gut.

Jennie's eyes fluttered over our fingers gently coiled together, her mouth parted, tongue gliding over the bottom lip.

The idea that she felt the same buzz lingered in my mind for a moment. The feeling was raw, her skin hot under my touch. But it didn't last, her eyes flashed, hardening around the edges.

Tugging away, her hands fell into her lap. "My friends want the best for me, so I'm willing to try this. But that doesn't mean I feel ready."

"Sometimes being ready isn't something you realize until you're pushed. Maybe all you needed was that push, Jennie."

"I guess we'll just have to find out. So, where's my date?" A sultry smile spread across her jaw, head tilting to expose the soft curve of her throat.

I had never had to hold back more in my life then I did in that moment. The urge to caress her collarbone shook the muscles of my arm. The seeded need to grab her and hold her settled in my chest with a resonating thump.

I was being paid to help this woman and suddenly I wanted her to myself. But that's not how I ran my life. A girlfriend, a wife, a family... That wasn't what I wanted.

I guess it was bizarre for a dating coach to be finding love for everyone else, and never once tried to find it for themselves.

But even if I was ready to find love, it could never be with her. . .

Jennie was a client. Period.