Miss Match - Fiona Riley
“Welcome to Australia. Passport, please.” The burly immigration officer’s accent flattened all five vowels. Samantha smiled politely as both she and her passport were compared and inspected like a vertical imaging machine. “Samantha Monteiro?”
“Yes, that’s me.”
“Reason for visiting Australia?” The officer’s eyes flickered into life as they took in Samantha’s heels, red dress, and as they followed her hand when Samantha pushed her Prada sunglasses up onto her head.
“I’m looking at expanding my business here in Sydney, and I’m hoping to meet—”
“What line of work are you in?”
Samantha grinned, her red lipstick flashing against her white teeth. “I’m in the matchmaking business.”
The immigration officer scratched her head, the black crew-cut not moving at all despite the vigorous gesture. Confusion whisked across her authoritative features. “You make matches? Like little inflammatory sticks?”
“One could assume so, but no. I create perfect matches between people so they can find their true love.”
A blink. “Does that work? Like, did you test it on yourself? Did it work for you?”
Samantha laughed. “That would be a massive spoiler, wouldn’t it? But yes, it does work.” She smirked. “I’m very good at my job.”
The brown eyes darted sideways before returning and narrowing. “Do you reckon you could match someone with me?”
Samantha’s eyebrows shot up. Well, that was…it occurred to her that she was standing in the large cavernous space that was the immigration hall of Sydney International Airport with hundreds of jet-lagged, resigned passengers lined up behind her, so therefore it probably wasn’t the time but she took in the muscular form and friendly, hopeful face, and peered at the name tag.
“Janice, I do believe I could. We cater for all clients looking for their perfect woman…?” She paused and tilted her head in question. Janice nodded and Samantha beamed then continued. “I mean, back in Boston, my client list of rather gorgeous, sexy women, like yourself, includes a firefighter, an accountant, a software entrepreneur, and if my crystal ball doesn’t desert me now, I predict a personal assistant in the near future. Perhaps a stunning dance instructor in a blue dress on my own horizon.” She dropped her voice, forcing Janice to lean forward, who seemed to swoon slightly as she breathed in Samantha’s perfume. “Mind you, I’ve let some clients go. Just the other day, I had a client, let’s call him Alec Frost, who’d become so obnoxious I just had to say goodbye.” She sighed, and Janice nodded in sympathy.
“It sounds like you’re really busy but perhaps you’ve got—” Janice snapped her mouth shut because she seemed to realise that she was in the middle of her work day and both the line of disgruntled passengers and the daggered glares from her coworkers were increasing, so she returned the passport with the required stamp of approval.
Samantha winked, which caused Janice’s cheeks to pink.
“Tuck this away,” Samantha said, sliding her business card across the counter. “I’ll expect your call.”
She sailed through the check point, then looking back over her shoulder. “We make the impossible possible at Perfect Match, Janice.”
There are three books in the Perfect Match series: Miss Match, Unlikely Match, and Strike A Match. All three are fabulous, hot, and Samantha is so ridiculously sexy.