Read Online An Unlikely Match (The Match Series - Book #1) by Barbara Dunlop - Free Book Online

earshot, but she seemed to chat easily, responding to whatever they were saying.
    “Morgan,” came Ryder’s voice from a corner of the big room.
    Morgan dragged his gaze from Amelia and started for the table where Ryder, Herb and Cole were taking their seats.
    “ Did you do the Black Ridge trail?” Cole asked, referring to Morgan’s bike-riding trip they’d discussed earlier in the week.
    Morgan sat down in a wood and red leather captain’s chair. “Went up as far as the falls, but I started to lose the light.”
    “ That’s impressive for an evening ride,” said Cole.
    “I took off from the lab at four,” Morgan said. He’d come in early that morning to test out a theory that had been percolating through his brain all night long.
    “If you deci de to try Mikes Peak this weekend, give me a call.”
    “Sounds good,” said Morgan.
    “Not enough excitement for me,” Ryder put in. He’d grown up in Southern California and spent most of his weekends surfing with his old buddies.
    “Too much excitement for me,” Herb joked. “ Saturday night, I’ll be cooking. This weekend, it’s baby artichokes barigoule, rack of lamb with dried cherry cognac glace, chanterelle mushroom risotto, and chocolate raspberry soufflé.”
    “ You have a date?” asked Ryder.
    “No,” Herb said. “But, if I ever do I’ll...” His gaze moved to a spot above Morgan’s head.
    Morgan felt a light touch on his shoulder.
    “Hello, Morgan.”
    He quickly turned his head and caught Amelia’s smile.
    “Thank s again for dinner last weekend,” she said.
    “It wasn’t anything fancy,” he found himself apologizing . He couldn’t help contrast the grilled burgers with Herb’s culinary extravaganza.
    “It was fantastic.” She included the rest of the tab le in her smile. “Can I get anyone a drink?”
    It took a second for any of them to speak up.
    “ A beer,” said Cole. “Whatever you have on tap.”
    “Same for me,” said Ryder.
    “A glass of the Blackarch merlot,” said Herb.
    She looked to Morgan.
    “A martini.” He decided he needed a bit of a punch. “Dry, with a twist.”
    “ Any particular brand of gin?”
    “Do you have Tandee?”
    “We do.”
    “That’ll be fine.”
    “Great to see you, Morgan.”
    She turned, and he watched her walk away.
    A patron at a table filled with what looked like frat boys, reached for her as she passed. Morgan stiffened, but she deftly sidestepped the jerk, continuing on to the bar.
    When Morgan turned back to the table, all three men were silently staring at him.
    “Who the hell was that?” asked Ryder.
    “You had dinner with her?” asked Herb.
    Cole just grinned and waggled his brows.
    “She’s my next-door neighbor,” Morgan admitted.
    “Nice neighborhood .” Cole smirked.
    “I helped her move a sofa on Sunday. We grilled some burgers. That was all.” Morgan didn’t feel comfortable giving the guys the wrong impression.
    Still, his gaze trailed back to her.
    She’d moved to the frat boys ’ table, but she looked relaxed, as if she was taking their crudeness in stride. She took some notes on her pad, asked a couple of questions, laughed and shook her head, then turned to move away.
    As she did, Morgan caught a change in her expression. For a fleeting second, she looked annoyed and exasperated. But then she approached yet another table, and she smiled warmly at the couple sitting there.
    “ Wonder how she feels about dried cherry cognac glace,” Herb speculated.
    Morgan shot him a warning glare. “ You’ll never find out.”
    “ Ahhh,” said Ryder.
    Morgan realized his mistake. “There’s no ahhh,” he informed them. “She’s nice, sweet, a little bit naïve. She doesn’t need any of you guys hitting on her.”
    “Call me pessimistic,” said Ryder , “but I don’t think she’ll be swooning at any of our feet anytime soon.”
    Morgan realized that was true. “She was a cheerleader at U of Arizona.”
    “I’ve got nothing against