Read Operation Valentine for Free Online

bag.
    â€˜What’s happening in six weeks?’
    She shook her head. ‘I’m not telling you.’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜You’ll just laugh at me.’
    â€˜Honey, I’m already laughing at you.’
    She considered this. ‘Okay, fine, if you must know, it’s Valentine’s Day. I need to have a date for it.’
    â€˜You’re kidding me, right?’
    She sighed. ‘I wish I were.’
    â€˜You’re afraid you might miss out on flowers and chocolate this year?’
    â€˜ No .’ She glared at him. ‘I’m not that shallow.’
    â€˜Pity,’ he mused. ‘I am.’
    â€˜Urgh.’ She closed her eyes and threw back her head, sucking in a deep breath as though finding her centre. He was left with a rather lovely view of her throat and just for a second he imagined kissing a path from her collarbone to her earlobe … before he mentally slapped himself and dropped his eyes.
    Don’t go there. You’ll regret it.
    â€˜Okay then.’ He forced himself to speak. ‘So why do you need a date for Valentine’s Day?’
    She sat back up. ‘I have a lot of reasons.’ He watched her withdraw wistfully into her own thoughts for a moment before she said softly, ‘Apart from falling in love, I need to break a curse and save my career.’
    Normally this was exactly the kind of female he avoided, but her dreamy voice made him smile. ‘Sounds exhausting.’
    She shrugged. ‘What about you? Do you have a date for Valentine’s Day?’
    â€˜Thinking I might be able to help you out?’
    â€˜No.’ She immediately coloured up. ‘I was just curious that’s all, making conversation –’
    â€˜Take a breath,’ he assured her. ‘I was just teasing. The truth is, I don’t do holidays. Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Easter, New Year’s, et cetera. As far as I’m concerned those are commitment days. And I don’t want to give any woman the wrong idea.’
    â€˜Look at you.’ She widened her eyes in feigned admiration. ‘What a stand-up guy.’
    He grinned.
    â€˜Now as much as I’ve enjoyed our conversation,’ she rolled her eyes to refute the claim, ‘can you give me some space? I need to go through my potentials.’
    But he didn’t wish to be excused yet – he was enjoying this conversation far too much. There was something about this woman that just lit up the room, and he wanted to stay by her side a little longer to bask in the glow. As she turned her iPad back towards her he said, perhaps a little unwisely, ‘Maybe I could help you with that. I mean, since your friend isn’t coming.’
    â€˜How could you help me?’
    â€˜I’m an unbiased third party. My opinion is valuable.’
    She snorted. ‘You wouldn’t know the first thing about a long-term relationship.’
    â€˜Yes I would. I was married once.’
    An awkward silence fell between them.
    Why did you her tell that?
    You don’t tell anyone that.
    Damn it, Owen, keep your bloody mouth shut.
    â€˜Oh.’ Her mouth formed a delicate circle as her eyes flicked towards his ring-free hands. ‘But not anymore.’
    â€˜No,’ he said curtly. ‘She … she left me.’
    â€˜I’m sorry.’
    â€˜Don’t be.’
    â€˜You probably think I’m naïve,’ she muttered, ‘but I do believe in happily ever afters. For everyone.’
    He raised his eyebrows. ‘Everyone?’
    â€˜I know relationships can be hard. Believe me, I know.’ She nodded. ‘But I have to have faith that there is a person out there for you. Someone to share life’s joys and tribulations with. Maybe I’m too idealistic.’
    â€˜Maybe,’ he agreed, and then prayed with real sincerity that some bastard from the Internet didn’t break her heart or scar her for life.
    His gaze fell back to