“All I’m asking for is a chance to see if we hit it off. I promise not to be trouble.”
The man clasps his hands under his chin in a begging gesture and gives me puppy-dog eyes. I smile despite myself. He’s good—persistent and over-the-top dramatic, yet somehow still endearing. “I don’t believe you,” I tease. “The playful glint in your eyes screams trouble.” Actually, it screams naughty. Like a wily child that knows he’s cute and uses that to get away with stuff.
The man’s eyes sparkle, and his smile turns devious. “Only the good kind of trouble. Promise.”
He hands me a business card that reads: Charlie Shelton, CEO and Head Love Doctor at Love Connections Inc.
I snort. “Love Doctor?”
“I’m a cupid. Love is the name of my game.” Charlie puffs up his chest. “I run the largest dating service in Michigan and have a personal success rate of 100 percent.”
Cupids are a thing? Who knew? I look the man over with a smirk. Charming Charlie does seem like the perfect cupid. “Very fitting. So…do you shoot all your clients with love arrows?”
His mischievous grin lights up his face again. “It’s more a power of suggestion. And I only use it when I see the spark of potential in two people. I don’t make people fall in love; I only point them in the right direction or nurture feelings that are already there. I introduce compatible people to each other and help others get past whatever is stopping them from following their hearts.”
“Huh. That actually sounds nice.”
He leans over the bar a little, like he’s about to confess a secret to me. “Well, I’m a nice guy. And fun, and charming, and sexy, right? Enough that you want to give me a chance. Half an hour and a cup of coffee is all I ask. I’ll even interview with all of your men first, if it would make you feel better. Your particular harem has a reputation for being very…serious. I could help lighten things up a little. Be the fun in your life…”
I can’t help but chuckle at his description of my clan. He’s not exactly wrong about them. Both Oliver and Rook can be lighthearted and fun-loving in the right circumstances, but overall we are a more serious group of people. I usually have to go to Ren or Nick if I want fun and crazy. Not that I mind my reserved family. I’m not exactly the life of the party myself.
Charlie’s cheeriness is a breath of fresh air after the tense couple of weeks I’ve had, but I still shake my head. “I’m sorry. You seem like a great guy, but I really am not looking for any more men in my life.”
Charlie sighs in defeat, but my rejection doesn’t kill his good mood. “I had to try,” he says. “But if you’re going to reject me, could you at least do me one small favor?”
I lift a brow, curious what this stranger could possibly want from me if not my affection.
“Sing to me?”
My jaw drops.
Charlie rubs the back of his neck as though he’s nervous or embarrassed by his request. He shrugs helplessly and says, “I was out of town a few weeks ago when you entranced the entire club, so I missed out.”
I blink a couple times and shake my head as if to clear the incredulity from it. “Are you saying you want me to work my siren mojo on you?”
I’m shocked by the request, and I know I should be appalled, but for some reason I’m tempted. Something stirs inside me, as if my power has a mind of its own and knows it’s being requested. It wants to come out and play. That is definitely not a good idea, even if he is asking me to do it. I stamp down the feeling and focus on Charlie.
Charlie nods. “My friends said it was like nothing they’ve ever felt before. They described it as being drunk on true love. One of them even dumped his girlfriend afterward because he realized what he had with her was nothing even close to love. He’s determined to find the real thing now. I’ve been trying to get him to dump that toxic bitch for a decade, and in just five minutes you helped him gain clarity. You showed him love. He’s talked of nothing else since.”
I’m stunned by his speech. In a way, it makes sense. Nick explained a siren’s song to be a call to the heart. It would also explain the number of men desperate for my attention since the incident. But still, to think that I made people experience the feeling of true love is… I don’t know how I feel about it. I also don’t know how I feel about the excited look Charlie is giving me. “So you’re what,” I ask, “looking for a little clarity yourself?”
It’s so wrong that I’m entertaining this idea. There’s no way I should use my power on him. Especially not in a club full of people who wouldn’t understand that Charlie asked me to do it. I’d make even more enemies. Still…I’m curious. Part of me wants to do it—is excited at the thought of tapping into my power and putting this man under my spell.
I shake my head, trying to clear it of the insane thoughts. When Charlie has my attention again, his face becomes completely serious for the first time since he walked up to the bar. “I just want to experience it. I want to know what it feels like. I help people find love all the time, and they always seem so happy.”
My brows hit the ceiling. “You’re a professional matchmaker—a cupid—and you’ve never been in love?”
His shoulders slump, and he lets out a long, heavy sigh. “I’ve felt love through the bonds people have with each other, but never in regards to myself. I can’t use my powers on myself. I want to find a mate and settle down, but I’m too optimistic about love. Too trusting. I’ve been taken advantage of by greedy women more times than I’d like to admit. I want to know what true love feels like so that I can be smarter about who I date and avoid getting hurt in the future.”
I feel for the poor guy, and a strange protectiveness rises up in me. I suddenly want to go track down every woman who’s ever taken advantage of him and kick their asses for daring to hurt my cupid.
I flinch. Where the hell did that come from? Why am I feeling so possessive? He’s not mine. I don’t even know him, and even though he’s handsome, I definitely don’t want him. I have enough men in my life already. I don’t need any more. But as I stand here trying to convince myself of this, something deep inside me tells me that I’m lying to myself.
The power in my gut finally pushes its way to the surface. It’s dark and seductive, and I find myself wanting to use it on Charlie. This man is mine. I want to claim him. Own him. And I can. All I have to do is call him with my song and he will be mine forever.
Before I even know what I’m doing, I lock gazes with Charlie and unleash my power on him. He gasps softly, and his pupils dilate. His reaction spurs me on. I up my intensity. “Mine,” I whisper.
“Nora!”
A deep, rumbly voice calls my name—Terrance—but I can’t look away from Charlie. My power has as much of a hold on me as it does on him.
“Nora!” Rook is suddenly at my side, too. He gently grips my arm and starts to shake me. “What are you doing?” he whisper-hisses. “You can’t use your song on him. Especially not in public. Do you want to get yourself killed?”
“He is mine,” I growl, ignoring the tug on my arm. I barely recognize myself.