The Tycoon's Dating Deal. Nicola Marsh

you read. The media thrive on gossip to sell their print.’

      ‘Well, you must have shares, because your reported behaviour could sell a million copies alone.’

      She sounded catty but couldn’t help the annoyance at some of his antics, if the newspapers were correct.

      Matt featured in the gossip columns on a weekly basis, an endless supply of beautiful, silicone-enhanced women draped over his arm. And other parts, no doubt. His reputation as a playboy was plastered all over the Sydney papers. She’d had a lucky escape. So why did she always screw up the newspaper in a tight ball and fling it across the room every time Matt Byrne and his latest acquisition were mentioned?

      ‘Speaking of reputations, what are you doing here? You’re the last man I’d expect to see waltzing into a dating agency. Problem with your charm?’

      Though her teasing was light-hearted, she noticed his smile waned. Matt wasn’t as cool as he pretended. She had struck a nerve.

      His laugh sounded forced. ‘Nothing wrong with my charm, Kara. You should know that.’

      She could hardly disagree when he was standing right in front of her, resurrecting provocative memories that she’d successfully suppressed. Until now. ‘So, why are you here?’

      His reply was short, sharp and ominous. ‘Business.’ Damn, Sally must be in more trouble than she thought if lawyers were already on her tail.

      ‘Go easy on her, won’t you?’ she said, wishing once again there was something else she could do for Sally.

      She didn’t understand the look that flashed across his face momentarily. His face was an intriguing combination of angles: smooth yet hard, straight yet curved. A faint stubble darkened his jaw, typical of his end-of-day growth. Lord, she’d give anything to feel that stubble rubbed along any part of her body. Or all of it for that matter!

      ‘Kara? Are you OK? You look kind of flushed.’

      Wrenching her attention back to the present, Kara knew she had to escape. Now. He still held a strange, hypnotic power over her. She’d always been prone to fantasies around him and it looked as though nothing had changed. In nine long years she hadn’t mastered her feelings where he was concerned. The knowledge was scary.

      The years and countless dates since had done little to erase the image of this man from her mind. He was imprinted on her mind and soul, seemingly forever.

      Definitely scary.

      Given the fight or flight option, she chose the latter.

      ‘Yes, I’m fine, Matt. Great seeing you again. Hope whatever you’re here for works out.’

      She hesitated, memorising every detail of his face.

      Old habits die hard.

      ‘Thanks; nice seeing you too. Perhaps we’ll catch up for a drink one day soon?’

      She ignored her thudding heart. ‘I don’t think so. Thanks anyway. Bye.’

      She rushed out the door before he could respond.

      Don’t look back. He’ll think you’re still hung up on him.

      She’d never been any good at listening to reason and risked a quick glance over her shoulder. He stared at her through the window. Funnily enough, he stood directly under the sign ‘Matchmaker’, which was emblazoned on the glass in red lettering. No chance of that ever happening. Matt Byrne, playboy extraordinaire, finding his perfect match and settling down? Not a hope in hell.

      Matt stared at Kara’s back and tried to ignore the erotic images that filtered through his brain. She’d grown up. And then some. The statuesque strawberry blonde was all hot curves and big green eyes now. Not to mention everything else. Wow!

      He was used to beautiful women. His world was inundated with them. Intelligent, gorgeous women who were more than eager to spend some time with him: lawyers, accountants, stockbrokers. The list was endless. However, none had captured his attention in a long time. Until Kara. She was a stunner, from her cat-like eyes to her shiny, reddish-blonde hair that hung in a sleek curtain down her back.

      She’d been a nice-looking kid who had blossomed around the age of sixteen. He still remembered their endless talks, the sharing of confidences, the easy friendship…then Kara had grown up. Almost overnight his hormones had shifted into overdrive and all he could think of every waking moment, and most dreaming ones too, was Kara.

      He’d wanted her with a fierceness that had scared him. He should have known better, being older, wiser, like a big brother to her. Even now, years later, he couldn’t forget the innocent passion of her kiss as she had flung herself at him on her eighteenth birthday. For one brief moment Matt had lost himself, all his fantasies come true, until he realised who he was kissing. He’d overreacted, pushing her away with an icy, verbal barrage that would have doused the hottest flames.

      After all, he hadn’t wanted history repeating itself. One cradle-snatching Byrne in the family was enough and look how that had turned out. He could kill his dad sometimes, he really could.

      He’d done the only decent thing possible and avoided Kara like the plague. Until today. Damn, he still had it bad. She was hotter than hot. He thought she’d shown some interest in return, then she’d bolted.

      No harm in catching up over drinks, surely?

      Yeah, right. She probably remembered the way he’d treated her all those years ago. No wonder she wouldn’t have a drink with him.

      And why the hell had she been in a dating agency? A woman like her wouldn’t be single for long. What he wouldn’t give to spend some time alone with her now.

      Thrusting away his wayward thoughts, he rang the bell on the front counter.

      ‘Be with you in a minute,’ a voice shouted from the back office.

      Matt glanced around, the ever-observant lawyer in him coming to the fore. The office was perfectly coordinated in black and chrome with the occasional splash of red to brighten it. No tacky hearts plastering the walls of this dating agency, just trendy stencilled prints by some artist he hadn’t heard of. Not that he was an expert on dating agencies. This was the first he had been to and he hoped to God it would be the last.

      ‘Sorry to keep you waiting.’

      He turned, thinking the woman’s voice sounded strangely familiar.

      ‘Sally? Damn, this day just gets stranger and stranger. First Kara and now you.’

      The older woman hugged him. ‘Great to see you, Matt. You’re as handsome as ever.’

      She picked at imaginary loose threads on his suit jacket, bringing back treasured memories of his first ball, when Sally had stood proudly on his parent’s doorstep and waved him off as if he were her child. In fact, she’d been more of a parent to him than his own father.

      ‘You’re looking great too, Sally.’ He smiled, watching her already ruddy cheeks blush.

      ‘Get away with you!’ She slapped his arm playfully. ‘So what brings you to Matchmaker? I wouldn’t think you’d need much help in that department.’

      ‘You run this agency?’

      Relief washed over him. If Sally ran the agency, Kara had been visiting her surrogate mum rather than organising a date.

      She nodded. ‘Sure do. Opened it a few years ago, once Kara moved out and started her own business. I’d always had a smidgeon of an idea that I’d like to bring joy to lonely people, so after watching too much Oprah and reading too many romance novels, I decided to take the plunge.’

      ‘That’s great.’ He thought about asking Sally about Kara’s business but knew it was too obvious. Besides, he had plenty of time to do that. ‘I need your help.’

      ‘Come in, take a seat and tell old Sal all about it.’

      He followed her into