Suddenly Sexy (2 page)

Maddie groaned. She hated when her sister played matchmaker. So far the men Linda had set her up with had all been construction-worker colleagues of Pete's. As cute and muscular as some of them had been, their idea of a spirited discussion was to debate the best wrestling match of all time. None of them could even spell molecule let alone know what it was.

"I know what you're thinking," Maddie said, "and don't. That guy is not my type."

Linda sighed. "Not this again. When are you going to give up on this perfect man theory?"

"It's not a theory, it's my standard. Every woman should have a standard."

"Maybe you shouldn't set yours so high."

Maddie bit back a retort about setting it too low. She liked Pete, she really did, it's just that
she
wouldn't have married him.

"My criteria aren't that tough."

Linda snorted. "Tough enough that no man can meet them."

"Is it my problem there aren't any intelligent, honest, interesting and sensitive men out there?"

"There's plenty. You just add too many other ingredients to the recipe. Like neatness, has to get on with Mum and likes kids. If I were you, I'd give up on the liking Mum part. That's asking a bit much. And neatness is over-rated. All you can expect from a man is that he doesn't wear the same pair of underwear more than once before he puts it in the laundry basket and he takes the rubbish out. Not necessarily in that order."

Maddie rolled her eyes so far back she saw stars. "I'm not living with a slob."

Linda waved a spoon in the air. "You're thirty now, Sis. Tick tock."

Maddie couldn't believe what she was hearing. She'd thought her sister was on her side. "I've got plenty of time to settle down and start a family."

"Nice try, Mad, but I know you don't really think that."

She hated when Linda read her mind.

"I know about your Plan," her sister went on.

The Plan. Ever since she'd turned thirty it had hung over her head like a guillotine. The timetable for her life, along with the criteria for a perfect husband, had been devised in Cynthia Bolowski's tree house eighteen years ago. According to the Plan, Maddie should be happily married with one child and another on the way by now. Cynthia was married with two kids and a dog. Maddie had a university degree and a good job but neither of those things had made it onto the Plan. They just hadn’t seemed all that important when she was twelve.

Linda piled broccoli onto four of her best china plates and two plastic ones. "Let's look at this logically. Say you meet a guy today. You'll want to date for two years before you marry, then you should be married for a couple of years before you start a family. Two years between each kid will make you," she tapped each finger on the bench, counting out loud, "nearly forty by the time you have the fourth. Jeez, Mad, you better get started."

"I don't want four, I want two. Two's perfect. Three creates middle child syndrome and four means a bigger car. Two's ideal. As to the rest, who's to say I won't fall instantly in love and get married within six months?"

"I know you, that's what makes me say it. You'll need two years just to organize the damn wedding. Besides, it'll take you that long to find every quirk in his personality."

Maddie sniffed. "Well, whatever his assets, I am
not
interested in Sam Hennessy."

"Why not? If I recall, Mum used to like him."

"I don't care what Mum thinks! This has got nothing to do with my criteria." She plucked imaginary fluff off her tailored pants. The criteria, along with the Plan and her last tube of Clearasil, had long been relegated to the bin.

Linda smacked her hand lightly. "Stop fussing and tell me what the problem is. What's wrong with Sam Hennessy?"

"Okay." She took a deep breath. She'd never told anyone this before. She'd bottled it up inside since she was fifteen and had forgotten how much it had hurt until Sam turned up looking more gorgeous than ever. Well, here goes...

"He called me a nerd."

Linda gasped and placed a hand to her breast in mock horror. "He called my little sister a nerd? How dare he! I mean, it's not like you were or anything."

"Shut up, Linda. He hurt my feelings. And I don't know if I can forgive him."

"Pete used to call you a nerd back then too, but you forgave him."

"Pete's different. He's always been like a brother, and I expect that sort of behavior from a brother. Not from a—"

"Hunky guy you secretly wished had noticed you when you were fifteen?"

Linda was like the little devil that sat on Maddie's shoulder, reminding her of all the embarrassing things she'd ever done. Except she couldn't make Linda shut up by thinking about food.

"He might be cute but I don't have a crush on him anymore. You know the sort of guys I date. He doesn't fit."

Linda sighed. "I suppose. He's not a doctor, scientist or computer programmer."

"And he drives a Porsche."

"Oh NO!" Linda poured gravy over the roast without splashing the bench. Maddie watched, impressed. "So what's wrong with a Porsche?"

"Too flashy. People who drive flashy cars want to be the center of attention. And they like to speed. Driving fast is dangerous."

Linda paused mid-pour. "Are we really sisters? Are you sure you weren't conceived in a test tube?"

Maddie sniffed. "I can't help it if I don't like men with flashy cars. Besides, they usually prefer flashy women and have the attention span of an ant so aren't interested in me anyway."

"I really wonder what you base these theories on sometimes, Mad."

"Observation. I'm a scientist, that's what I do. I test, I observe the results. Same goes for life."

Linda snorted. "Deep. So what's your scientific observation on how someone like Sam Hennessy ended up earning more in a week than you do in a year?"

Maddie sighed. Sam was living proof that Karma is a load of crap. Like every good nerd, she'd been to university for years to get her biochemistry doctorate. She'd graduated one of the top students in the state, landed a great job in the development lab at BioDerma and earned a decent living. Then someone like Sam Hennessy who never bothered turning up to class in high school, barely passed his exams and drifted from city to city, landed fabulous job after fabulous job.

"It sucks," she muttered.

Ronan gurgled his agreement but ruined the sentiment with a smile.

"I work hard, at the gym and the lab. He doesn't even try and look at him. Rich, successful and a body like a God. I bet he doesn’t even work out."

"We don't know that. He must do something to keep those buns of steel in superhero shape. And he did work his way up the corporate ladder to become CEO of that paint company in Sydney. It wasn’t just handed to him on a platter."

"That's not the point. The point is I worked hard my
entire
life. Not just the last year or two."

"Should've had fun while you were young," Linda said smugly.

"Like you? You call three and a half children fun?"

Linda frowned at Ronan. Ronan blew a raspberry. "How could your Auntie Mad think you're not fun?"

Five minutes later, Maddie had everyone sitting down at the dining table—a miraculous feat considering David and Emily couldn't sit still for more than five seconds. They'd both decided Sam was the most exciting thing since Saturday morning cartoons and wanted to sit on his knee. He obliged, one per knee, and played "This Little Piggy" until their squeals drove everyone crazy.

Linda fed Ronan as Maddie brought the plates out. In the kitchen, last two plates in hand, she sucked in a lungful of air and tried to psych herself up. She could do this. He was just another guy. And she had a great job—a fantastic job—at BioDerma, and a great home in Melbourne. She was definitely
not
a gawky, tongue-tied teenager anymore.

And she definitely wasn't after him. Not unless he'd changed in the last fifteen years. She might like the package but she didn't particularly want to unwrap it and find out what made it tick. Probably an endless supply of expensive cars, even more expensive women and a hectic lifestyle. He'd never been the sort of guy to sit still and read a book for an entire day without getting off the couch. That was her favorite Sunday pastime—when Linda and Pete didn't talk her into babysitting.

She stared at the door, forcing a smile which felt as plastic as Emily's Barbie's. She could do this. He was just a man. And she was way smarter than him.

She counted to ten and pushed the door open.

***

"So, you're a scientist," said Sam.

Maddie welcomed the change in conversation. It was better than reminiscing over the old days, with the adults editing their stories so the children couldn't catch on. Since she was two years younger and had moved in different circles, Maddie wasn't interested in hearing about the time Pete got caught smoking p-o-t behind the boys toilets or the time Sam s-t-o-l-e a neighbor's car to get to his date on time.

She distracted herself by taking over Ronan's feeding, but ended up wearing most of the mushy pumpkin in her hair. Not a good look in front of a man as cool as Sam, but hey, she was over her infatuation with him, so what did she care?

Sam's question came during a break in the anecdotes when Pete's attention was distracted as he tried to convince David that broccoli florets weren't alien doggy-do.

"I'm a biochemist," said Maddie. "I work at BioDerma."

"Sounds interesting."

"About as interesting as watching this family at meal time," Linda piped up, taking over Ronan's feeding again. From the way he guzzled the food, Ronan seemed to prefer his mother's imitation of a choo choo train to Maddie's.

Sam chuckled. "I think your children are great meal time entertainment." He wiped a glob of baby food from his shirt with a napkin. "So what do you do at BioDerma, Maddie?"

She watched him through lowered lashes. Was he really interested or was he just being polite? Usually she ruined dates way before the meal arrived if she mentioned her job. One or two men had struggled through a second date and taken the conversation further, but their yawns weren't always successfully stifled. So far, Sam hadn't yawned. But it was still early.

"Maddie's developing the ultimate s-e-x aid, aren't you, Mad?" Linda's smirk said
gotcha
.

Pete dropped his fork and stared bug-eyed at his sister-in-law. Sam's brows merged with his hairline and Maddie's face burned. She was definitely going to commit fratricide before the night was over.

"It's an l-o-v-e potion," she said, resisting the urge to poke her tongue out at her sister.

"Love isn't a dirty word, Maddie," said Linda.

Emily and David giggled.

"You wouldn't say that if you'd dated half the guys I have." Maddie tucked a stray hair behind her ear and turned away from her sister who was definitely going to pay for this later.

"Tell me about it," Sam said.

"You want to hear about my bad dates?"

He laughed. "No, I want to hear about the love potion."

Maddie wanted to climb under the table and stay there. "Subliminal odors or pheromones," she said, keeping the conversation safely scientific to decrease her chances of foot-in-mouth, "influence an animal's choice of a mate and help develop bonding. There's a theory that humans also respond to pheromones. In other words, subconsciously we're attracted to people whose pheromones are compatible with ours."

"So, you're creating a fake pheromone?"

She nodded. "BioDerma's been commissioned by a perfume company to develop a synthetic pheromone that will have maximum impact for a large proportion of the population."

"So those who wouldn't usually find the wearer attractive, will."

Maddie stabbed a potato with her fork, concentrating hard on not looking up. She didn't need to. She could
feel
everyone staring at her.

"Sounds interesting," said Pete. "Who's going to test it out on the unsuspecting public?"

"Fred and Wilma."

"The Flintstones?"

"Lab mice. We'll also conduct a trial using human volunteers."

"Lucky them," Pete muttered. Linda glared at him and he shrugged. "What?"

Sam rubbed a jaw peppered with vacation stubble. Or maybe that was his everyday stubble. Maddie had no idea how Sydney-siders groomed. The cowboy look might be in.

"Sounds dangerous," he said.

"Are you kidding?" Pete waved his fork in the air. "Imagine having women fall all over you when you walk down the street. I'd volunteer for the trial in a second."

Linda flicked a spoonful of Ronan's pumpkin mush at him. It landed on his cheek with a
plop
and slid onto the table. David and Emily found it more amusing than their father.

"If I were a single guy, that is. Which I'm not." He patted Linda's knee. "And I love you."

She humphed.

"A love potion like that is completely unethical," Sam said, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms.

Maddie blinked at him. Was he for real? She studied his finely-honed face. He had the most sensual lips on a man she'd ever seen—other than Antonio Banderas —and eyes that expressed more than he probably would like judging by the stiff set of his jaw. He looked serious. He also looked like he'd just stepped straight out of a Diet Coke commercial. Men who looked like that weren’t supposed to care about the ethics behind scientific testing. They were supposed to think about hair care products and tanning lotions.

Maybe he meant environmental ethics. "It's non-toxic and non-allergenic," she said.

"I'm talking about manipulation. If this stuff actually works, then the implications are enormous. Imagine if people start having..." he glanced at Emily who blinked big brown eyes back at him, "...s-e-x with people they're not really attracted to. Imagine if people start thinking they're in love when in fact it's just a false hormonal response. It could ruin lives."

Great. Not only did the unattainable hottie have a conscience, he also had a brain. The Gods must have been having a party when they made him.

"I don't see how love can be a bad thing," she said, stacking Linda's empty plate on her own with a deliberate clatter. Most people found the idea of a love potion amusing, interesting. No one had ever questioned the ethics of it. Certainly no one at BioDerma whose jobs depended on fulfilling the contract.

"It can be if it's directed at the wrong person. And if the subjects believe they're in love."

She scraped David's uneaten broccoli onto her plate. "Since when do CEOs of multi-national corporations concern themselves with ethics?" The ice in her tone froze the room. "Or are you going to tell me the paint sold by National Paints is completely harmless to fish if I tip it into the ocean?"

She leaned across the table to collect Sam's plate but his large hand clasped hers so she couldn't move. She didn't want to. She glanced up into the blue eyes studying her, sucking her into their depths. Prickles of heat crept across her skin to the tips of her ears. But as embarrassed as she was, she couldn't turn away. His mesmerizing gaze triggered a familiar memory that made her knees wobbly and her mind wobblier.

"You're right," he murmured in a low rumble. "Let's not argue about this. Although it's an interesting discussion. Maybe we could—"

"Auntie Mad." Emily tapped Maddie's arm. "Can I have ithe cweam?"

"Huh?" The spell broken, Maddie jerked her hand away and picked up his plate. "Oh, ice cream, sure thing, Sugar. Want to come and help me?"

"I'll come too," said Linda handing the unfinished task of feeding Ronan over to Pete.

Safely in the kitchen, Maddie placed the plates in the sink then opened the freezer door and stuck her head inside. The cool rush soothed her burning cheeks and she sighed. Damn Sam Hennessy. He'd done it again. Baited her. Got a reaction.

Even worse, he’d made her infatuated with him AGAIN. Made her lust for him AGAIN.

This time she wasn't going to let him make a fool of her. She was older, wiser and could control her hormones. No way would she fall for a guy who taunted her for fun.

Emily tugged her skirt. "Auntie Mad, what are you doing?"

"Looking for ice cream."

"And if she doesn't find it soon," said Linda, bending down to her daughter's level, "she's going to turn into an Eskimo."

Emily giggled. "What’th an ethkimo?"

Maddie pulled her head out and grabbed the tub of chocolate ice cream. "It’s a person who lives in the North Pole which is where I'm running away to as soon as dinner's over."

"Are you crazy?" Linda said. "He wants you."

Maddie snorted. All class. "He doesn't want me, he just wants to debate the ethics of Pheramour."

Linda retrieved two bowls from the cupboard and placed them on the bench. "Didn't you see that look in his eyes?"

"The I'm-right-and-you're-wrong look?"

Linda placed one hand on her hip. "What's wrong with you? There's a gorgeous man out there who wants you and you're hiding out in the kitchen."

Maddie raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure he wants me and isn't just trying to beat the nerd in a debate?"

Linda spooned ice cream into the bowls. "Fairly sure." She glanced up at Maddie. "Okay, I'm not, but what the hell. You're single and cute and you should be sending out available signals instead of talking about your work. Get back in there."

"Not without ice cream. Speaking of which, where's my bowl?"

"Are you crazy? You can't eat ice cream. It'll go straight to your hips and you never know who might be holding onto them soon."

"Linda! I am not going to have s-e-x with Sam Hennessy!"

Linda's dark brows drew together. "Why not? Don't you find him hunky?"

With a shrug, Maddie scooped out a spoonful of ice cream and ate it then licked the spoon clean. "That's not the point."

"It is to me. Well?"

Her sister was impossible. Maddie glanced down at Emily who blinked big brown eyes at her. "Your mother is unbelievable." Emily giggled. Maddie focused on Linda and sighed. "Yeah, I find him hunky. But that's all. He's nice to look at but that's not enough to interest me. So stop trying to set me up with him. Got it?"