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“I can do that,” he said. “Marissa, I was not pleased about the screening process. My understanding was, you offer a high-end service. I assumed I’d deal directly with you from the beginning.”
“Moving forward, you’ll work with me, but a screening process is necessary because there are men who aren’t as… honest as you are. The screeners are a necessary evil and allow us to ensure that we spend our limited time working with legitimate clients. That way we can give you the attention you deserve.”
Oh, she was good. She smoothed his ruffled feathers and stroked his ego at the same time. He warmed to her immediately.
She flashed a smile. Brief, wide, and open. For one heart-stopping moment, Bruno was stunned. Her entire face lit up, causing him to change his mind about his earlier assessment. This woman was jaw-droppingly gorgeous, and he idly wondered what she’d look like with her hair loose on his pillow. Her thick, long lashes half hiding dark eyes drunk with passion, and those luscious red lips curved in a come-hither smile.
“Please, have a seat. Let’s chat about how we can find you the woman of your dreams.”
When she turned away from him, he assessed her body with blatant male appreciation. Damn.
She was shapely with a nice-sized derrière—his favorite body part on a woman. Nothing made him weaker in the knees than the back view of a woman with a magnificent behind, and hers was perfection. Not huge, but grab-able. What did her legs look like?
Bruno mentally shook himself. He was here to find a wife, not hook up with his matchmaker. Though he wouldn’t be opposed to the idea if she was open to hooking up.
He lowered to the sofa and lifted his right ankle onto his knee. Marissa took one of the chairs across from him and crossed her legs.
She placed a leather-bound notepad on her thigh. “First, let me tell you a little about Executive Match and walk you through our services. Almost thirty years ago, Celestine Rogers formed the company. Ms. Rogers is no longer at the helm, but her children—Arnie and Angela—continue the matchmaking tradition, following her tried and true processes.”
“And what are those processes?” Bruno asked.
“We take our time here. We don’t rush the matchmaking process. We ask you to commit to a year, during which we’ll do our best to find a compatible partner for you—someone who complements your background and preferences.”
“That sounds interesting, but a year is a long time,” Bruno said.
“Finding a wife isn’t like picking out a car,” Marissa said in a gentle voice. “Sure, there are features that you’re interested in, but picking a life partner is much more nuanced. In addition to physical attributes, we need to determine if you’re compatible based on intangibles such as emotional intelligence, goals, values, and family relationships. The screening call was the first step. Today we’ll delve deeper so I can put together a profile of the type of woman who would be a good fit for you, and then I’ll compile a list of prospects. Keep in mind that just because I find a woman who meets your criteria, doesn’t mean that you’ll be right for each other. In fact, she might be right for you, but you’re not right for her. The attraction and compatibility go both ways.”
Bruno hadn’t considered that. “How do you find these women?”
“Some of them are referrals, like you. Others apply on the website, but we also do our own scouting. When I’m out and about and meet someone I think is a good fit for one of our clients—such as yourself—I tell them what I do, hand them a card, and encourage them to apply.”
Bruno frowned. “The process doesn’t sound as scientific as I thought it would be.”
“What did you expect? Algorithms and formulas?”
Her tone was pleasant enough, but he detected a bite in her voice.
“As a matter of fact, I did—to some extent.”
“That’s not how we work. Some of what we do is based on intuition, but most of the process involves reviewing each file and assessing the clients and their potential mates through good old-fashioned analysis. Nothing beats the human factor. But you seem skeptical. Working with a matchmaker involves give and take. A certain amount of trust has to be established. Do you trust us?”
“I don’t,” Bruno said bluntly. He was here, but he had reservations about allowing someone else to take control of his love life.
“Well, Mr. Santana, if that’s the case, there’s no point in continuing this conversation.”
To his surprise, Marissa stood.
He stared up at her in shock. “You’re done?”
“I don’t want to waste your time.” She spoke in the same pleasant voice she’d used the entire meeting. Soothing, almost hypnotizing in its effect.
The seconds ticked by slowly. She had to be bluffing, but the fact that this buttoned up librarian type was not in the least bit intimidated intrigued him.
“Have a seat,” Bruno said.
“Mr. Santan?—”
“I told you to call me Bruno. Have a seat and finish telling me about the process. I’m listening.”
