Page 1 of The Perfect Matchmaking

PROLOGUE

“Cupids really have it all,” mused Abby Angellini-Goddard out loud, wiping her mouth on the ten-thousand-thread-count Egyptian cotton sheets and climbing up her wife’s blissed-out body. Long, lean, and gorgeous body. Arriving at her destination, she looked down at the beautiful face waiting for her there—so relaxed and carefree—and marveled yet again at the fact that this was her wife of three years. She could not contain her grin.

“Love is grand.” Abby nestled her head in the crook of the slim shoulder and closed her eyes, luxuriating in the smooth skin under her cheek. Smooth and silky, warm and seductive. She’d give her maybe fifteen more minutes to recover, because she could already feel herself wanting to go for round three. Or was it four?

“This is the life.” Hooking one arm across her wife’s midriff, Abby snuggled closer.

“I think after what just happened three times, those are supposed to be my lines.” Ah, round four it would be then.

And how could it not be, when there Sabine was in all her cupid glory, with—did she mention this already? It probably should be mentioned again, because… damn—a magnificentbody, obtained through hours of painstaking workouts, a face sculpted surely by whoever sculpted cupids’ faces these days, flawless ageless skin that Abby never wanted to stop touching. And then there was the voice. Low, sexy, currently lazy, and just a bit hoarse from recently attained rather loud satisfaction…

“All of those may be your lines, but how on earth did I get so lucky?”

Sabine Angellini-Goddard raised an eyebrow and Abby almost swooned. A freaking raised eyebrow! How lucky was she indeed?!

“I think in between all the proclamations about the extraordinary quality of your life, you missed saying a couple of sentences out loud, and so I am lost in the why of it all, darling.”

And the coup de grâce. Abby was such a goner.Darling. It was almost unfair what one word in that cultured, gravel-over-whiskey voice did to her. That was it. Round four it was.

“I’ve missed nothing. In fact, I know I’ve not missed an inch…” She trailed suggestive fingers down the amazing torso she’d worshiped just minutes ago, already excited that she got to do it all over again. Within the quiet of the room that was permeated with moans and gasps, a muted but insistent phone vibration yanked both of them out of their revelry.

“What were you saying about this being the life?” Sabine stretched, delighting Abby with quite a show of those chiseled muscles in action, before padding barefoot and bare everything else to where their clothes lay in a heap. “If this is work, I will fire my assistant.”

“VeryDevil Wears Prada. Meryl Streep looks good on you, babe.”

“You looked better on me just a minute ago, darling.” Abby rolled her eyes and smiled. Sabine and puns…

Meanwhile, Sabine’s face changed, switching from the carefree, blissful expression to one that spoke volumes ofextreme frustration. Abby’s own heart fell. Whatever was happening, their activities between the previously described luxurious sheets and the glorious round four plans were probably over. Shame, as she’d been about to open the goodies drawer.

“Who will you be firing, Sabine?”

Her wife didn’t immediately answer but reached for the dark navy robe, and yes, Abby was definitely not going to be trying out the new strap she’d purchased just last week and had held back for a special occasion. Like an anniversary, or a birthday, or a Saturday.

With Sabine’s silk-clad form standing quietly by the window overlooking the calm, Upper East Side street, Abby thought back to four years ago. Two cupids, a newbie and The Queen of The Perfect Match, they had certainly made little sense on paper. Maybe that was why Sabine Goddard had resisted one brand-spanking-new cupid straight from the Academy. She was, after all, the only cupid to go a full decade holding the aforementioned title and ensuring that couples of mortals experienced once in a lifetime romances and were perfectly matched together.

Abby had been young and idealistic, and maybe a bit naïve. But she knew what she wanted. And she knew that she and Sabine could have it all if only the older cupid would overcome her fears, let go of her broken heart and take a chance on Abby.

When Sabine finally did let go—with some help from Aphrodite, who, in Abby’s mind, was like a fairy godmother—they’d come together, got married, and four years after their first Cupid Convention, they were still going strong.

Abby tiptoed out of bed, completely unashamed and comfortable in her own skin despite the chill of the early morning air coming from the slightly ajar balcony door. As she encircled her wife’s shoulders from behind and planted a gentle kiss on the nape of her neck, Abby sighed.

“Still happy?” Sabine’s voice was barely a whisper.

“Always with you. What has you upset?”

“Aphrodite.” The name was the only sound that fell off Sabine’s lips.

“Ah,” Abby sighed again. “And here I was thinking splendid, grateful thoughts about the goddess. What’s the word?”

Sabine relaxed slightly in her arms as they stood looking down from their penthouse over the rooftops and streets stretching in front of them, silhouettes of people and cars slowly appearing here and there. New York was waking up.

“No, not a word. More like an order. She’s not even asking. It’s a damn decree, the way I’m reading it.”

Abby squeezed the once again tensing shoulders and gave Sabine another peck on the neck.

“Whatever can she want from a cupid who retired two years ago?”

And that was another thing that still made Abby shiver excitedly. A year into their marriage, Sabine had suddenly retired. From her cupid duties, from her partnership in New York’s biggest and most profitable investment firm. She’d started a foundation, working with the vulnerable and disadvantaged, ensuring they had access to healthcare and representation. And making certain that she and Abby spent as much time together as possible, with Abby’s career taking off. Abby’s heart, already overflowing with love, couldn’t keep from adoringly fluttering because Sabine would give it all up, just to be there every opening night and every single other night too, by her side or in the audience, watching Abby become one of the most sought-after theater costume designers.

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